Agenda item

[Report of the Director for Adults and Health. To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Health, Social Care and Well-Being]

Cabinet will be  asked to approve:

•The transfer of the 57 White Hart Lane site from the Corporate Landlord portfolio to the Commissioning portfolio.

•The utilisation of £2,665,000 of capital funding from the ‘Additional Supported Living’ capital budget allocation to develop this scheme.

•The acceptance of £985,000 of NHS England capital grant funding for the development of this project.

The Cabinet Member for Adults, Health and Wellbeing introduced the report which sought approval to utilise £2,665,000 of funding from the supported living capital programme allocation, combined with £985,000 of NHS England capital grant funding, to deliver supported living for young people with complex learning disabilities and autism at  a Council site on 57 White Hart Lane.

Currently, the Council were having to provide supported housing for young people with complex needs outside the borough. The revitalisation of the Council space would provide the much-needed option of keeping young people in the borough. If approved the Council would move to a phase of co – production and work with families, young people, and the community to design the space appropriately, accommodating the young people’s needs.

In response to questions from Cllr Diakides and Cllr Palmer the following was noted:

-       There were plans to fully utilise the space and ensure the spaces were taken up. Holistically, there was a need to consider, the cost for support and understand public realm issues, moving away from expensive acute hospital provision. This provision would be focused on young people up to age of 25  and would help stop them going in and out of hospital. The NHS were also contributing around a third of the cost of this capital venture, recognising the need for community support and closeness to families was an important part of care for young people with complex needs.

-       There were modest savings put forward but currently there was not the choice for young people to stay near family and access services in the borough. This was a significant issue for families. The cost of out of borough support was around £4000 a week and the Council had conservatively costed the support at the new proposed centre at £3,300. This was in recognition of the very complex care that individuals will require, including access to physiological support, psychiatry.

-       There were 6 units available to borough residents and there would unlikely be any excess places for placements, coming in from other boroughs.

-       In relation to stakeholder engagement, there had been some good experiences of co-production recently and the service would be building on this knowledge and learning.

-       Responding to the question on the expected levels of rent charges, meeting the needs of young people was paramount and the residents would be subject to receipt of health and maintenance and housing benefits and so this would likely support and contribute to the cost of the care.

RESOLVED

1. That the 57 White Hart Lane site is approved for redevelopment into supported accommodation for young people with complex learning disabilities and autism with a capital value of £3.650m, to support them to remain living in their local area.

2. That £2.665m of capital funding from the supported living capital programme allocation is committed to develop this scheme.

3. That the Council enters into a capital grant agreement with NHS England to accept the award of £985,000 for the development of this project.

4. That the Council commissions and procures design and construction partners to develop the 57 White Hart Lane site into supported accommodation.

5. That Following a period of design development, procurement and operational planning, a further report will be brought back to Cabinet for approval of the operational strategy, final scheme design and procurement of the chosen construction partner.

Reasons for decision

This development project seeks to utilise a soon-to-be vacant property, to address the need for local supported housing for young people with complex learning disabilities and autism.

This cohort is often placed in costly, out-of-area residential colleges if they are unable to live with their family. The development of an in-borough service to support this cohort, will generate savings in comparison to the use of high-cost out of borough placements. This will contribute to the People Priority’s Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) savings.

In addition to this, providing young people with the option to attend local Special Educational Needs (SEN) provision and remain closer to their family, friends, and social workers, will improve their quality of life, and reduce the safeguarding risks associated with placements in faraway or isolated locations.

Alternative options considered.

Not to develop the 57 White Hart Lane site into supported living for young people with complex health and care needs

This option would not be beneficial for young people with complex health and care needs, who wish to remain in their home borough whilst continuing their education. The Council is aware that appropriate supported living services need to be sourced for this cohort, and the choice not to utilise the 57 White Hart Lane site for this purpose would result in the Council continuing to commission expensive placements outside of the borough, often far away from home.