Archived decisions

Hampshire County Council

Executive Member for Policy and Resources Item 8

23 July 2008

Extra Care Housing

Report by the Acting Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services

1

Introductory Summary

1.1

This report identifies the property implications for the County Council of the different Extra Care housing models, and also proposes the selection criteria to be used for determining future Registered Social Landlord (RSL) partners for individual schemes (where appropriate).

1.2

The decision supports the Corporate Priorities of maximising wellbeing by creating new Extra Care affordable housing accommodation to provide improved flexibility and choice for older persons, and of enhancing our quality of place by encouraging the re-use of poor-performing sheltered housing schemes, whether by redevelopment, new build or by enhancing the existing property.

2

Recommendations

a) That approval be given to the proposal set out in the report concerning the use of County Council land for future Extra Care housing schemes.

b) That the selection criteria for determining future Registered Social Landlord partners for individual schemes (where appropriate).

3

Background

3.1

The Cabinet has agreed the development of a long-term approach to providing a new generation of housing support and care for older people through the development of Extra Care housing. The proposals set out in earlier reports are to develop 400 units of affordable Extra Care housing over a five-year period (2008-2013):

·

200 units to be provided in four new build schemes

·

200 units to be provided by enhancing existing schemes

3.2

Specific scheme proposals will be developed in partnership with district councils (as housing authorities), RSLs and potentially health partners, usually with funding support from the Department of Health or the Housing Corporation. At present, the targets identified in 3.1 are definitely achievable, although dependent on continuing Government funding support for Extra Care housing.

4

Current Property Issues

4.1

Work is well underway to identify opportunities to provide this new Extra Care housing in partnership with RSLs and District Council stakeholders. The need for new Extra Care affordable housing is universal across all of Hampshire, and the work being undertaken on a geographical basis, is to a large extent reacting to opportunities and identifying:

a)

new build sites that are of a size and location that make them suitable for Extra Care housing (whether these are owned by the County Council or are Section 106 affordable housing sites on other developments), and

b)

existing sheltered housing schemes that are suitable for conversion/enhancement or redevelopment as Extra Care housing

4.2

This work has already identified a number of opportunities where feasibility studies are underway, or where specific scheme proposals are being pursued. Even though the County Council has a policy of using surplus assets to generate receipts that can fund capital improvement schemes (eg school reorganisations), every effort is being made to identify Extra Care housing opportunities that do not impact on future capital receipts disposals. Enhancing or redeveloping existing RSL owned sheltered housing schemes clearly will not impact on County Council land disposals, and neither will the use of affordable housing quotas on larger development sites (whether these be County Council sites or otherwise). This latter case is the thinking behind the proposal to develop 60 units of new Extra Care affordable housing within the former Beechdown School site in Basingstoke, where if successful the entire scheme will be built within the affordable housing element of the site. In Gosport and in Fleet, there are proposals to support the redevelopment of existing sheltered housing (owned by Gosport Borough Council and Sentinel Housing respectively) with new purpose built Extra Care housing schemes.

4.3

Extra Care housing is a County Council priority, which aims to meet the challenge of future demographic trends. However, inevitably, the County Council will occasionally have to decide between generating a capital receipt and using its land for Extra Care housing where no obvious alternative proposals can be identified. In these circumstances, it is proposed that the decision to make the site available should be informed by:

a)

The rigour with which alternative opportunities have been investigated and pursued

b)

The opportunity that exists to minimise any capital receipt loss

c)

Where appropriate, a mechanism for compensating other services for the loss of a potential receipt (possibly using the Adult Services' capital programme, or transferring receipts from other surplus sites).

All such decisions will be the subject of future reports to the Executive Member for Policy and Resources.

4.4

An Extra Care housing property brief has been largely completed and can now be used to assist other partners to produce schemes of the highest quality. This work has enabled the County Council to encourage two RSL partners to alter their proposals for former sheltered housing sites to meet our Extra Care housing standard.

5

Registered Social Landlords Selection Criteria

5.1

Where County Council land is made available for new Extra Care schemes, the County Council will have the opportunity to select a preferred RSL partner to deliver the project. The selection criteria proposed has already been used to select Saxon Weald as the RSL partner for the Beechdown scheme. The detailed selection criteria are contained in Appendix 1, but broadly the potential RSL partner should be able to show:

a)

A proven track record in delivering high quality Extra Care housing schemes

b)

Experience of managing Extra Care housing schemes or similar

c)

A proven track record in securing Housing Corporation or Department of Health funding

d)

A proven track record in innovation and design

e)

Experience of partnership working

f)

Evidence of consultation and involvement of older people in the design of schemes

g)

Evidence of high quality local management arrangements

5.2

Where the County Council has an involvement with an Extra Care housing proposal but is not making it's own land available for that purpose, it is proposed that it should still seek to use these criteria to influence the decision about the RSL partner, even though in the case of section 106 affordable housing sites that decision may ultimately be made by the District Council.

5.3

Partner RSLs chosen using these selection criteria will need to be reviewed at regular intervals to ensure the preferred partners continually meet the criteria and to give the opportunity for other RSLs that improve their `score' to be included.

6

Consultation with local Member

6.1

As this report concerns a policy issue there has been no Local Member consultation.

7

Conclusion

7.1

Extra Care Housing will provide more flexibility of choice for older persons needing a degree of care, but wishing to retain their independence. The proposals outlined in this report will allow the County Council to support new extra care housing using its own land where appropriate, and will ensure that RSL partners have the necessary specialist skills to develop high quality schemes.

LINK(S) TO CORPORATE STRATEGY

Yes

No

Hampshire safer and more secure for all

_

Maximising well-being

_

Enhancing our quality of place

_

Partners Selection Criteria

Extra Care Housing Capital Development

Weighting

1

Development record

Proven track record of developing high quality extra care housing schemes for older people or other similar sector within agreed time scales.

20

2

Service delivery

Experience of managing extra-care housing schemes for older people or another relevant client group including direct care/support provision or commissioning experience which may include sub-contracting arrangements or innovative methods of service delivery.

20

3

Access to funding and HC status

`Green light' status for capital development with Housing Corporation (i.e. must be one of the Housing Corporation's strategic development partner organisations or be linked through a group structure or development arrangement) and have a proven track record of ability to secure Housing Corporation or Department of Health funds, private finance and RSL funds particularly in relation to extra-care housing schemes or similar sector.

15

4

Design and innovation

Proven track record in innovation and design, demonstrating an understanding and commitment to the principles of Lifetime Homes, adherence to Disability Discrimination Act regulations and possess Eco homes standard ` Very Good' or other standard such as Sustainable building Code once introduced (including undertaking financial risk and environmental impact assessments).

15

5

Partnerships

Experience of partnership working with statutory sector, i.e. Adult Social Care/Housing/Health evidenced by three written references from other statutory bodies.

10

6

Consultation

Consultation and involvement by older people (or another client group) in the design of extra care schemes or similar sector.

10

7

Local Management base

Demonstrate a commitment to the local community and ability to provide an efficient, timely, responsive service to residents.

10