Agenda item

To consider the report of the Director of Adults and Health that presents the findings of the consultation undertaken regarding the proposals to close Home Lea House Long Stay Residential Care Home in Rothwell, and Richmond House Short Stay Residential Care Home in Farsley. In considering the information within the report, the Board are requested to determine the future of both care homes, with the recommended option being to decommission those care homes for the reasons as set out.

(Please note that Appendix 7 to this report is designated as being exempt from publication under the provisions of Access to Information Procedure Rule 10.4 (3))

The Director of Adults and Health submitted a report that presented the findings of the consultation exercise undertaken regarding the proposals to close Home Lea House Long Stay Residential Care Home in Rothwell, and Richmond House Short Stay Residential Care Home in Farsley. In considering the information within the submitted report, the Board were requested to determine the future of both care homes, with the recommended option being to decommission those care homes for the reasons as set out.

In presenting the submitted report, the Executive Member for Adult and Children’s Social Care and Health Partnerships acknowledged the anxiety caused by the proposals and highlighted that such a recommendation to close the two homes had not been made lightly. However, the Executive Member went on to undertake that, should the recommendations be approved, then every effort would be made to support residents and their families, together with affected staff throughout the proposed process.

In addition, details of the range of factors which had been taken into consideration when coming to the conclusions within the report were highlighted. These included: the decline in demand for care home provision; the alternative provision which was available; the financial context and the increased budgetary challenges faced across social care; the increased demand levels in other areas of social care provision; the investment which was being made in other areas of social care, including the future use of the two sites in question.

In discussing the report, concerns regarding the following were raised and responded to:

-  The two homes’ occupancy levels referenced within the report and in discussion;

-  The levels of demand for care home provision generally, and the level of the two homes’ use by those in the local community;

-  The consultation process undertaken and the recommendations arising from it;

-  The discussions which had taken place with the NHS regarding the proposal to close Richmond House;

-  The timing of the proposals;

-  The budgetary challenges which continued to be faced by the Council and specifically with regard to social care provision, together with the proportion of resource provided in terms of both adult and children’s social care provision;

-  The proposals for the 2 sites moving forward, with it being undertaken that further detail would be provided to the Members in question regarding the advice which had been received that the respective footprints of the two sites were not large enough to provide extra care housing. 

Following consideration of Appendix 7 to the submitted report designated as being exempt from publication under the provisions of Access to Information Procedure Rule 10.4(3), which was considered in private at the conclusion of the public part of the meeting, it was

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the outcome of the full consultation reports with stakeholders, (Appendix 3 to the submitted report), and the information contained within exempt Appendix 7 to the submitted report (Estimated Land Valuation), be noted;

(b)  That the recommendation to decommission services at Home Lea House Residential Long Stay Care Home, in Rothwell, be approved;

(c)  That the recommendation to decommission services at Richmond House Short Stay Residential Care Home, in Farsley, be approved;

(d)  That the timescales for ceasing the services based on the timeline attached in Appendix 9 to the submitted report, be agreed;

(e)  That it be noted that there is a commitment in principle for the sites to be used for the development of supported housing; general needs housing at the Home Lea House site in Rothwell, and supported housing for older people at the Richmond House site in Farsley;

(f)  That it be noted that the lead officer responsible for such matters is the Director Adults and Health.

(Under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 16.5, Councillors A Carter and S Golton both required it to be recorded that they respectively voted against the decisions referred to within this minute)