Agenda item - The Council’s Housing for Older People Programme

This report provides Cabinet with an update on the Council’s existing Housing for Older People Programme and seeks permission to pursue an alternative approach to the provision of accommodation with care for older people, subject to approval of a detailed business case.

Resolved: That Cabinet agree to:

(i) A new approach to the provision of accommodation with care for older people which, subject to approval of the detailed business case:

· makes best use of the existing Sheltered Housing with Extra Care accommodation owned by the Council by changes to allocations and lettings, staffing changes and capital investment so that residents with care needs, including those with complex needs and those with dementia, can be accommodated;

· authorises officers to develop the business case for an integrated care, health, housing and community facility on the Burnholme School site so that residents with care needs, including those with complex needs and those with dementia, can be accommodated alongside health, sports, library, nursery, other community facilities and family housing.

· supports and encourages the independent sector to develop and provide additional care beds by use of block-purchase, help, advice and (if viable) grants or loans so that residents with care needs, including those with complex needs and those with dementia, can be accommodated;

· authorises officers to seek funding opportunities for, and if necessary an Registered Social Landlord partner to develop, a newly built Extra Care and Health Hub in Acomb on a site made vacant by the closure of an existing Council-run Older Persons’ Home (OPH), foregoing a capital receipt for the site;

· allocates the development site at Lowfields for housing use which would include homes to rent and to buy for older residents who down-size from a family home as well as family housing, subject to obtaining a capital receipt for the land;

· authorises the potential disposal and development of up to four sites made vacant by the closure of existing Council-run OPHs for housing use which would include homes to rent and to buy by older residents who down-size from a family home, subject to obtaining a capital receipt for the land and also the disposal of the remaining sites when they become vacant in accordance with the Council’s disposal policy; and

· agrees to the development of a detailed business case which sets out how all of the above proposals can be funded either within existing budget provision or by a combination of council and other external funding.

(ii) Approve the use of unspent project management funds allocated for this purpose in 2013 to facilitate moving forward this programme of work, with further costs to be included in the business case for specific activities in the plan.

(iii) Receive further reports to update Cabinet on progress of these plans and to submit for approval the detailed business case for the Burnholme development and other investments.

(iv) Abandon the procurement of care homes at Burnholme and Lowfields (plus a Community Village and Community Hub) on the grounds of unaffordablity.

Reason: (i) To provide suitable accommodation, ideally in a community setting, for the city’s older residents including those with complex care needs, those with dementia and those moving out of, or diverted from moving to, existing Council-run OPHs which are no longer fit-for-purpose.

(ii) So that the project can progress.

(iii) To ensure that Members are kept informed of progress and that the financial implications of investments in property are considered.

(iv) That the procurement exercise was unable to provide a solution that fulfilled the Council’s requirements within the financial resources available to the project.

Consideration was given to the report of the Director of Adult Social Care which provided an update on the Council’s existing Housing for Older People Programme and which sought Cabinet’s permission to pursue an alternative approach.

Members were reminded that the Council were currently involved in a live procurement process to find a partner to deliver new care home facilities and a community village for older people. However, since the procurement began in 2013, there had been changes in York’s care and housing sectors and to the national funding framework. It was noted that an alternative approach and resources were now required which were community focussed and progressed the key strategic aims of the city in order to meet the care and accommodation needs of older people.

The report detailed the changes to the funding arrangements and the bid made to the government’s New Models of Care Programme for the city to become a vanguard provider and, in view of this the recommendation to abandon the current procurement process.

The Director of Adult Social Care presented the report, acknowledging the frustrations in respect of the procurement process. He highlighted the significant changes which had taken place since the original proposals had been put forward and outlined the alternative approach now put forward.

The Cabinet Member and other Members welcomed the support of the earlier public speakers and expressed her willingness to work in partnership to support the alternative ways now put forward to deliver the scheme.

The Chief Executive confirmed that Mazars the Council’s external auditors had been commissioned to review work previously undertaken on the Housing for Older People Programme.

Following further discussion it was