Issue - meetings

To consider a report which sets out the outcomes following a consultation on the future delivery model for the council’s three Community Resource Centres at Cleeve Court, Combe Lea and Charlton House.  The online consultation took place between Thursday 9 November and Monday 18 December 2023.

Cllr Alison Born introduced the report, moved the officer recommendation, and made the following points:

·  The report demonstrates our commitment to support the most vulnerable groups in our community, to make the best possible use of council resources and to use those resources where they can add the most value and where the market has failed.

·  Our goal is to provide services locally whenever possible, which means that fewer people will be sent out of area. Providing services locally offers the advantages of maintaining links with family and friends, reduces costs and makes it easier for us to stay in touch and monitor how placements are going.

·  Scrutiny colleagues supported the feasibility study for change of the use of Charlton House, but some opposed the deregistration proposal.  As these proposals are linked, these two positions are incompatible.

·  When the Council took back control of the three care homes – Charlton House, Cleeve Court and Coombe Leigh - it increased staffing levels, invested in pay, training, equipment and in the fabric of the buildings. As a consequence, the costs of running the services have increased considerably and now exceed the costs of comparable services in the local market.

·  B&NES has a buoyant care home market with a good choice of provision.  The areas that are less well provided for are specialist dementia care and services for young people with degenerative conditions and physical dependences.  A lot of people who have more complex needs are now sent out of area because we do not have enough specialist education or care services.

·  The costs of delivering care through in-house services is justified if they provide more specialist care.  Therefore, it made sense to review whether we were making best use of these facilities and providing value for money for the council and residents.

·  A review was carried out in the summer of 2023, it focused on gaps in local provision, recruitment, affordability, and value for money.

·  A number of proposals were then consulted on.  The council received a total of 45 responses to the consultation. Over half (53%) of responses were positive towards the overall proposals for the community resource centres, nearly a third (31%) disagreed and 16% were unsure.

·  Suitable new places will be found nearby for the small number of residents for whom we will not be able to offer care and there will be no change to the costs paid by any resident who is funding their own care.

·  The recommended changes will enable us to optimise the use of these three council owned buildings which are of high quality and are purpose built. The proposed changes will allow us to target the use of these facilities on the areas of greatest need. The changes will also deliver much needed efficiencies and quality improvements in both adults’ and children’s services.

Cllr Paul May seconded the motion and made the following points:

·  Charlton House has a long history in Keynsham not only for its patients but its nearby elderly  ...  view the full minutes text for item 70