Decision details

To consider a report of the Head of Provider Transformation seeking approval for the refurbishment of Council owned residential homes for older people and people with learning disability.

Due to the age of the Council owned residential homes and the limited availability of capital, and despite structural work still planned, the homes are now identified as not meeting the standards with respect to decor, furnishings and fittings to comply with the National Government’s newly outlined intention that Councils purchase only residential care that is graded as ‘excellent’.  It is therefore recommended that a programme of work is undertaken to refresh the decoration, furnishing and fittings of the five homes and that a plan is enabled to support ongoing decoration as regular activity.

Subject to the addition by Council of the sum detailed in Appendix 1 for improvements to the fabric and furnishings of the Council owned residential homes, to approve capital expenditure, in accordance with the Financial Procedure Rules as described in this report.

1. The state of furnishings, decoration and the fabric of the homes does not value and respect the dignity of the people who reside in these homes who, in the majority of cases, will actually end their lives in this environment.
2. The national care agenda is expected to require Councils to have a plan to support residential placements only in homes regarded as ‘Excellent’ by the Care Quality Commission.  None of the Council run homes are graded as excellent.

1. The option of taking no further action beyond that planned in the existing capital programme of external and structural work is not considered a reasonable alternative due to the potential for continued deterioration of the internal fabric and furnishings of the buildings and because of the potential requirement for the Council to be seen to be taking action to place residential care customers only in excellent homes.
2. It is also the case that due to the age of some of the existing furnishings, it is important that the Council ensures that current Fire Safety regulations apply to all furnishings which may necessitate the replacement of those that cannot be verified.  Although no residents are permitted to smoke in the homes the customer group, which consists of some people who do not have the mental capacity to understand the implications of their behaviour, means that there remains the potential for accidental fire risk.
3. The option of undertaking a piecemeal approach, decorating and replacing furnishings only as people leave the home and vacate their room has been considered but the scale and poor state of the current furnishings would therefore remain for an unreasonable length of time in the majority of the environment preventing the homes achieving an ‘Excellent’ grade.  This option would also be less efficient due to the increased cost of purchasing with an ad hoc approach rather than gaining the economies of scale and procurement power available in mass purchase.