Issue - meetings

To receive a further report updating Members on progress on the consultation work and feedback on the possible closure of Fordlands and Oliver House residential care homes. Also reported are details of the consultation and further development of the overall implementation plan for the phased closure of the remaining City of York Council run care homes and the re-provision of new accommodation.

[Please note that this report was not listed on the Forward Plan but needs to go to Cabinet on 10 January as it was specifically requested at the Cabinet meeting in November.]

Consideration was given to a report which outlined details of consultation feedback from residents and relatives of Fordland and Oliver House and day care service users, following the review undertaken of York’s elderly persons homes. Details of the overall implementation plan for the phased closure of the remaining City of York Council run care homes and the re-provision of new accommodation on the Fordlands, Haxby Hall and Lowfield sites was also reported.

It was confirmed that the planned management of the moves had been carried out in accordance with the Moving Homes Safety Protocol which had been developed in accordance with good practice and local older people’s representatives, attached at Annex B of the report. Details of the programme of development was set out at Table 1, paragraph 16 together with details of market engagement and the timeline for the Lowfield Care Village attached at Annex A of the report.

The Cabinet Member thanked the older people’s representatives for their assistance with the programme. Following further discussion it was

RESOLVED:           That Cabinet agree to:

i)          The closure of Oliver House and Fordlands residential care homes and that residents’ moves to their new homes are carefully planned and managed in line with the “Moving Homes Safely” protocol. ^1.

ii)         The implementation of the overall programme of development for the modernisation of the Council’s residential care homes. ^2.

iii)       Receive a more detailed business case in April 2012 for the development of a new residential care home on the Fordlands site which shows the possible build and operating options. ^3.

iv)       Officers undertaking a soft market testing exercise for the development of the Lowfield site and report back to Cabinet with the outcome along with a financial model of the operating and design options in April 2012. ^4.

REASON:                  The review highlighted the need for changes to the current provision and proposed options for consultation on how it could be replaced by modern facilities.  There was overwhelming support in the consultation of the need for change and the vision of the new facilities in the city.  These recommendations form the next steps toward implementing that vision.