Issue - meetings

In February 2025 Cabinet was asked to review the initial proposal and draft specification for a Medway Council owned and operated care home. The care home to comprise of a 40-bed residential/nursing unit for older people living with dementia, and a 40-bed enablement/respite unit to support people to move home from hospital and to provide respite for Carers.

Background:

This report set out that in February 2025, Cabinet had been asked to review the initial proposal and draft specification for a Medway Council owned and operated care home. The care home was to comprise a 40-bed residential/nursing unit for older people living with dementia, and a 40-bed enablement/respite unit to support people to move home from hospital and to provide respite for Carers.

The Cabinet had approved the proposal to commission an in-depth analysis of costs associated with building and operating a care facility on existing Council owned land.

This report presented the outcomes of the study and asked the Council to agree additions to the Capital Programme, following the Cabinet having agreed next steps on 29 July 2025.

The Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor Murray, supported by Councillor McDonald, proposed the recommendations set out in the report.

In accordance with Rule 12.4 of the Council Rules, a recorded vote on the proposal was taken:

For: Councillors Bowen, Browne, Campbell, Cook, Coombs, Crozer, Curry, Field, Gurung, Hamandishe, Hamilton, Hubbard, Jackson, Jones, Mahil, Mandaracas, Maple, McDonald, Murray, Myton, Nestorov, Nestorova, Paterson, Peake, Pearce, Louwella Prenter, Mark Prenter, Sands, Shokar, Spalding, Stamp, Mrs Turpin, Van Dyke and Williams. (34)

Against: Councillors Anang, Brake, Clarke, Doe, Etheridge, Filmer, Finch, Hackwell, Hyne, Joy, Kemp, Lammas, Perfect, Tejan, Vye and Wildey. (16)

Abstain: None.

The proposal was agreed.

Decisions:

a)      The Council noted the decisions of the Cabinet, as set out at section 6 of the report.

b)      The Council agreed the addition of up to£37 million to the Capital programme, inclusive of external project costs through to RIBA 7, internal capitalised project staff salaries, and initial work to deliver the whole of the IPM Southern site masterplan.

c)      The Council agreed the addition of £7 million to the Capital programme to deliver the rest of the masterplan.

Background:

The report presented the outcomes of the in-depth analysis of costs associated with building and operating a care facility on existing Council owned land and made recommendations for the next steps.

An Exempt Appendix 1 to the report provided further information in respect of the Care for Medway Feasibility Report.

A Diversity Impact Assessment had been undertaken and was attached at Appendix 2 to the report.

Reasons:

The recommendations are required to ensure that the site is brought forward in a manner that delivers a provision that meets the complex care needs of Medway residents along with ensuring that the site is delivered in the most sustainable manner and avoiding cauterising the delivery of the rest of IPM.

This project is unlikely to deliver financial savings in the short- to medium-term.  High level operating costs were outlined in Exempt Appendix 1 on pages 315-18 of the Cabinet agenda. These will be expanded and refined as the project progresses through the RIBA stages. However, it will increase the capacity of high-quality care home provision within Medway. Furthermore, the long-term forecast need for residential and nursing dementia care in Medway indicates that demand for such provision is likely to increase significantly.

The proposed specification for a care home includes provisions for assessment beds, reablement and respite care, which would increase Medway’s capacity and reduce waiting times for clients.