Issue - meetings

The Corporate Director of Health, Housing and Adult Social Care to present a report which sets out the results of consultation with residents, relatives and staff on the option to close Windsor House Older Persons’ Home and asks Executive to decide whether to close the Home and, should they decide upon closure, to approve the examination of alternative uses for the site, including as a possible location for the Centre of Excellence for Disabled Children.

Resolved:  (i)      That the outcome of the consultation undertaken with residents, family, carers and staff of Windsor House to explore the option to close the home, with current residents moving to alternative accommodation, be noted.

                   (ii)      That Windsor House residential care home be closed, and that the moves of residents to their new homes prior to the closure be carefully planned and managed in line with the Moving Homes Safely protocol.     

                   (iii)     That alternative uses for the Windsor House site, in total 0.45 acres, be examined in accordance with the revised Corporate Asset Strategy, firstly for use as the Centre For Excellence for disabled children and their families and, should this use not be feasible, for housing use and, should this use not be possible, for the site to be sold forthwith in order to generate a capital receipt to support the wider Older Persons’ Accommodation Programme.

Reason:     In accordance with the aim of the Programme to address the needs of York’s ageing population by delivering improved care homes for the current and future generations, and taking into account the results of the consultation on the closure of Windsor House.

The Assistant Director for Housing & Community Safety presented a report which set out the results of consultation on the option to close Windsor House Older Persons’ Home and asked the Executive to decide whether or not to close the home and, should they decide upon closure, to approve the examination of alternative uses for the site.

Consultation on the proposed closure had been approved by Executive on 28 September 2017 (Minute 58 of that meeting refers).  The response from residents, relatives and staff had been calm. Issues raised during the consultation, and responses given, were set out in paragraphs 24 to 41 of the report. Discussions with staff were ongoing, as outlined in paragraphs 44 and 45.  Should closure be approved, each of the 17 remaining residents would be moved following individual assessment in line with the Moving Homes Safety Protocol, as attached at Annex 3.

One option for the future use of the site, should closure be approved, was to house the Centre of Excellence for Disabled Children and their Families.  This would provide safe, accessible space with a range of support services for children, young people and families, including short break provision. It offered the potential to be a leader in innovative practice, both regionally and nationally.  Work was currently in progress to assess the quantity of land required for this use.

In debating the proposals, Members thanked the staff of Windsor House for all their work.  They stressed the need to listen carefully to residents’ preferences in arranging the moves, and to ensure a safe transition in each case.

Resolved:  (i)      That the outcome of the consultation undertaken with residents, family, carers and staff of Windsor House to explore the option to close the home, with current residents moving to alternative accommodation, be noted.

                   (ii)      That Windsor House residential care home be closed, and that the moves of residents to their new homes prior to the closure be carefully planned and managed in line with the Moving Homes Safely protocol.     

                   (iii)     That alternative uses for the Windsor House site, in total 0.45 acres, be examined in accordance with the revised Corporate Asset Strategy, firstly for use as the Centre For Excellence for disabled children and their families and, should this use not be feasible, for housing use and, should this use not be possible, for the site to be sold forthwith in order to generate a capital receipt to support the wider Older Persons’ Accommodation Programme.

Reason:     In accordance with the aim of the Programme to address the needs of York’s ageing population by delivering improved care homes for the current and future generations, and taking into account the results of the consultation on the closure of Windsor House.