Decision details

To report back proposals for the Services for Older People Plan, following Cabinet's consideration on 6 January 2004.

The Cabinet agreed to officers commissioning work in order to present to Cabinet an evaluation of the different procurement and partnership options that are available to the Council for delivering the required and potentially other developments.

The Cabinet agreed to the preparation of an outline business case for the phased development of Shaws Wood for approval.

The Cabinet agreed to the preparation of a service specification and outline business case for the Woodlands development, for Cabinet to approve, and the exploration of using the health flexibilities legislation to enable the whole site to be managed by a lead partner.

The Cabinet agreed to the outline proposals for phase 2 developments as detailed in the draft Commissioning Plan (Appendix 2 of the report), that will enable other sites used or owned by the Council to be redeveloped to provide more services of a higher quality, for older people.

The Cabinet agreed to recommend to Council the virement of £400,000 from the Shaws Wood scheme to meet the costs of the project team and the commissioning of specialist work essential to the delivery of the agreed programme.

This is an ambitious programme that will increase the amount of sheltered accommodation that is available. This will help assure continuity of services and will result in facilities of a higher standard that will enhance the quality of residential and rehabilitative services. In addition, the combination of new facilities, the co-location of health and social care staff and an increased emphasis on health promotion and rehabilitative/recuperative services, will help older people retain or regain maximum independence. The modelling work undertaken indicates that the affordability gap - that is potentially less than the cost of taking no action - is bridgeable through achieving reductions in the care career costs of older people and with the additional grant funding that may be made to health and social care services to modernise and to meet increasing demand for services for older people. The proposed programme meets the immediate needs and could support the redevelopment of other facilities.