Issue - meetings

The Corporate Director, Children, Education and Communities to present a report which provides an overview of the proposal to build a Centre of Excellence for disabled children and their families and asks Executive to approve the financial business case, agree progression of the project to the next stage and recommend to Council that the required capital funding be approved.

Resolved:  (i)      That the business case for the development of a Centre of Excellence for Disabled Children and their families in York be approved.

                   (ii)      That approval be given to progress to the next stage of design, planning and development.

Reason:     To enable the provision of a Centre of Excellence with the potential to be a leader in innovative practice both regionally and nationally, as part of the wider development of services for disabled children and young people across the city.

[See also under Part B Minutes]

The Corporate Director, Children, Education and Communities presented a report which gave an overview of the proposal to build a Centre of Excellence for disabled children and their families on the site of the former Windsor House Older Persons’ Home, as discussed at Executive on 7 December 2017 (minute 98 of that meeting refers), and sought approval to progress the project further.

The project was part of the wider development of services for disabled children and young people across the city.  Feasibility and development work had taken a co-production approach, with parents, carers, staff and partner agencies involved at all stages, as well as the children and young people themselves. 

After considering options to increase the land available, in line with advice from Specialist Design Consultants, it was proposed to use of part of Hob Moor School playing fields to develop shared amenities and, potentially, as the site for part of the Centre of Excellence building.  Full details were provided in paragraphs 18 to 29 of the report.  The proposed business case for the project as a whole was set out in Annex C.

Members welcomed the proposals in the report and placed on record their thanks to Eoin Rush, the council’s former Assistant Director, Children & Families, for his work in developing the project.

Resolved:  (i)      That the business case for the development of a Centre of Excellence for Disabled Children and their families in York be approved.

                   (ii)      That approval be given to progress to the next stage of design, planning and development.

Reason:     To enable the provision of a Centre of Excellence with the potential to be a leader in innovative practice both regionally and nationally, as part of the wider development of services for disabled children and young people across the city.