Archived decisions

Contact: Richard Ellis 01962 847284 [email protected]

1. Summary:

The following decisions are sought that the Executive Member for Adult Social Care:

a) agrees the business case for Extra Care in Gosport

b) agrees to the allocation of £750,000 capital funding for Extra Care in Gosport.

2. Reason

2.1 On 12 December 2006 Cabinet approved the Adult Services Modernisation Strategy. A major strand of this strategy was the proposed development of improved options for accommodation and care through Extra Care housing. That strategic aim was incorporated into the Development of Extra Care Sheltered Housing report that was approved by Cabinet on 24 September 2007. This included the strategic aim of securing through multi-agency partnerships a total of 400 units of Extra Care housing over the next five years.

2.2 Extra Care housing is an updated model of housing solution designed to meet the demographic needs and aspirations of the twenty-first century where people either rent, own or part-own their own apartment within a scheme of similar units. Extra care does not replace residential care but adds alternative modern options and supports the modernisation and personalisation agendas.

2.3 The development of Extra Care housing in Gosport supports all the corporate objectives as follows:

1. Hampshire safer and more secure for all (Objective 1)

Extra Care offers older people the safety of care and support available on-site where they live and also the security of tenure that they would not enjoy in residential care.

2. Maximise well-being (Objective 2)

Extra Care housing promotes independent living and empowers older people who might otherwise have required residential care. Older people living in Extra Care schemes also have access to additional sources of income and tend to retain a greater level of disposable income than those in residential care.

3. Enhance quality of place (Objective 3)

Extra Care housing offers older people a higher standard of personal accommodation than they would be likely to enjoy in residential care. They also have access to a range of communal facilities that they would be unlikely to have access to otherwise.

The development of Extra Care also contributes to the Local Area Agreement Priorities on Housing and Accommodation and Health and Wellbeing.

3. Other Options considered and rejected:

3.1 Rely on market forces (ie do nothing).

3.2 Conversion of existing sheltered housing schemes.

4. Conflicts of Interest declared by the decision maker or other Executive member consulted - none

5. Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee - none

6. Reason(s) for the matter being dealt with if urgent - not applicable

Approved by: ....................... Date: .......................

Councillor Felicity Hindson

Executive Member for Adult Social Care

Contact: Richard Ellis 01962 847284 [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 On 12 December 2006 Cabinet approved the Adult Services Modernisation Strategy. A major strand of this strategy was the proposed development of improved options for accommodation and care through Extra Care housing. That strategic aim was incorporated into the report entitled `Development of Extra Care Sheltered Housing' that was approved by Cabinet on 24 September 2007. The report set out the strategic aim of securing through multi-agency partnerships, a total of 400 units of Extra Care housing over the next five years. Two hundred new places were to be provided in four new services, and 200 new places through joint contracting and enhancing existing services.

1.2 The four new build services are seen as flagship examples of Extra Care, demonstrating that the County is ambitious in commissioning high quality services for older people. It is intended that the flagship schemes send a clear message about the County's commissioning intentions, providing a standard of quality for others to copy.

1.3 The areas identified as the first to have extra care developments were Basingstoke, New Forest, Gosport and Test Valley.

1.4 Cabinet agreed to the allocation of £5 million to support capital bids for Extra Care development. The capital funding for these developments will come initially from Adult Services' own capital programme, where £3m has been earmarked for Extra Care. The process for drawing down the funding was devolved to the Executive Member for Adult Social Care following acceptance of a Business Case for each proposed scheme.

1.5 This report provides an update on the planned Extra Care scheme in Gosport, along with other schemes in the county, and asks the Executive Member for Adult Social Care to approve the Business Case and funding allocation necessary to proceed in Gosport.

2. Recommendations

2.1 The following decisions are sought: - that the Executive Member for Adult Social Care:

a) agrees the Business Case for Extra Care in Gosport

b) agrees to the allocation of £750,000 capital funding for Extra Care in Gosport

3. Developments in Gosport

3.1 For some years discussions have taken place in Gosport to re-provide for an ageing sheltered housing scheme in Cunningham Drive. More recently discussions have taken place with the local Adult Services office to bring together the care and sheltered housing agendas. Bids were made previously for Department of Health and Housing Corporation funding but were unsuccessful.

3.2 Hermitage Housing Association continued to work with Gosport Borough to progress the bid but were unable to deliver value for money as required by the Housing Corporation. The main difficulty was that Housing Corporation funding is based on the number of housing units (ie apartments) whereas Extra Care includes both housing and up to 35% communal areas which cannot be funded by the Corporation. In the recent bid to the Housing Corporation, value for money criteria were satisfied by demonstrating that capital funding had already been assured for the scheme by Gosport Borough's contribution of the land value, worth approximately £850,000, RSL Hermitage Housing private capital and the request to the County Council to contribute £750,000 capital funding from the new Extra Care capital programme.

3.3 Hampshire County Council's support has been critical to the success of this bid to the Housing Corporation, who have already awarded £3.62 million to the scheme.

3.4 Overall the development of the Gosport scheme will cost approximately £9 million. The largest single contribution will come from the Housing Corporation with the remainder coming from statutory agencies or private lending, repayable though rents. The County's contribution will be an extremely valuable service for users of social care.

3.5 This report includes a Business Case for the Gosport scheme (Appendix 1) and recommends that the County allocates £750,000 capital funding to Gosport Borough Council, from the £5 million capital programme, to support development costs.

3.6 The Extra Care Housing scheme in Gosport will not only be a flagship of the first new build scheme in the County but will also act as a community hub resource centre in part of Gosport that will benefit from a local restaurant with café facilities, and social and wellbeing activities themed for older people which may include a wellness suite of hairdressing, pamper bath, fitness sessions and chiropody. The national therapeutic horticultural organisation, Thrive, has been involved in advice over garden design and involving people in gardening within the scheme.

4. Progress on other new build schemes

4.1 Basingstoke & Deane

A bid has been submitted by the County in partnership with the housing developer Saxon Weald, and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council to develop a new Extra Care scheme in Basingstoke. The new scheme is also likely to provide a new resource centre for older people and other health oriented services. The result of the bid will be known in the summer.

4.2 Test Valley & New Forest

Attempts to identify sites are continuing across the County, particularly in Test Valley and the New Forest.

4.3 Winchester

In Winchester discussions are taking place with Winchester City Council to joint fund a significant new development. A site has been identified at Whitewings in Denmead and architects employed by the housing association Housing 21 with whom Winchester City Council will co-develop the site, to produce plans for the future scheme.

4.4 Hart

An additional development to note, in addition to the four areas prioritised by the County Council, is that the Housing Corporation agreed funding for a sheltered housing scheme in Hart although the specification did not meet Hampshire standards for Extra Care. As a result of many discussions between the County and the housing developer, Sentinel, the Hart scheme is being redesigned to meet Extra Care standards, and will be resubmitted for planning permission. It is hoped that this partnership will result in many other developments as Sentinel are a major provider of housing for older people. This is a clear example of the positive impact on all new developments resulting from the County commissioning high quality Extra Care provision.

5 Equalities impact assessment and risk assessment

5.1 The attached Business Case sets out the necessary equalities and risk assessment information

5.2 Access to the service will be monitored for inclusiveness.

5.3 Impact assessment will be incorporated into the nominations and referrals process

5 Consultation

6.1 Consultation has taken place extensively with the local community in the Bridgemary area of Gosport and with Gosport Borough Council departments. The District Council is responsible for consulting with the public and local members and has been active in prosecuting these responsibilities. There is consultation underway currently with the local community as to which range of community resources, restaurant and café facilities they would like to see operating from the scheme.

7 Financial Implications

7.1 Full details of the financial implications are contained within the attached Business Case.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background documents

The following documents discuss facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and have been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB: the list excludes:

1. Published works

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

NONE

Appendices

1. Extra Care Housing - Gosport: Business Case