Decision details

(i)  To approve the principle of disposal of the entire Kentish Road respite care centre site as shown on Appendix 1 at less than best consideration.

(ii)  To delegate authority to the Associate Director, Capital Assets after consultation with the Leader of the Council, the Cabinet Member for Finance, the Cabinet Member for Housing and Adult Care, the Service Director, Legal and Governance, the Service Director, Finance and Commercialisation and the Service Director, Adults, Housing, and Communities to transfer the site to a community or voluntary organisation following a competitive application process and to subsequently agree detailed disposal terms and negotiate and carry out all ancillary matters to enable disposal.

(iii)  To approve a limited direct provision by the council of respite care for adults living with a learning disability at 32 Kentish Road, subject to registration by the Care Quality Commission, pending disposal of the site to a local community or voluntary organisation.

1.  To ensure that the council makes a decision in a fair and transparent way about the disposal of the former Kentish Road respite care centre site.

2.  To ensure that the Kentish Road site continues to be used to provide support for vulnerable adults in the longer term, including the provision of a respite service for adults living with a learning disability.

3.  In the longer term, this will support the uptake of direct payments, which give people more choice and control over their care arrangements. When the site has transferred to the new provider, people will be able to use direct payments to purchase services to meet assessed needs.

4.  Since the Cabinet resolution to close the scheme in November 2017, three local charities have expressed a firm interest in acquiring the site for the purpose of providing ongoing support to vulnerable adults, including providing respite care for adults living with learning disabilities.

5.  Re-opening the scheme in advance of the transfer of the site will provide additional choice in the short term, will help meet preferences of people and their carers who wish to receive respite care at Kentish Road and support a smooth transition to the longer term arrangements.

The alternative option of keeping Kentish Road as a council-run respite scheme in the long term was considered by Cabinet on 30 November 2017 and was rejected on the basis of this being inconsistent with the council’s strategic aim of increasing choice and control and promoting individual approaches through the uptake of direct payments, and supporting the development of a diverse and vibrant market for care and support services.