Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Children & Family Services

Forward Plan Ref: 2021/041

Contact: Lara Patel, Deputy Director Children’s Services Tel: 07917 534366

Report by Corporate Director of Children’s Services (CA10).

To seek approval of the proposal to change the design specification of the new build children’s home from six to four beds.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to approve the proposal to change the design specification of the new build children’s home from six to four beds

Recommendations agreed as amended in the addenda and set out below in bold:

RESOLVED:   to approve the proposal to change the design specification of the new build children’s home from six to four beds; and

1.          To ensure that the design of the property is future-proofed for wider Council uses.

2.          Council confirms its commitment to high quality residential child care within the County

Cabinet considered a report seeking approval of the proposal to change the design specification of the new build children’s home from six to four beds.

Councillor Gill Sanders, Shadow Cabinet Member for Children and Family Services spoke in support of the proposals for a new children’s home but expressed surprise that it was for a reduced number of placements given the cost of out of county placements. She noted that it was possible to extend later but suggested that it would be sensible to plan and build for 6 placements now. Councillor Sanders noted that the report did not give detailed information on the number of places available in county, the number of places filled and the number of places out of county. She requested that this information be made available for the Guardianship meeting and hoped that the decision could be reconsidered urgently.

Councillor Steve Harrod, Cabinet Member for Children and Family Services referred to the context of the earlier closure of Maltfield House noting that its replacement had already been agreed at an earlier meeting. Today Cabinet was being asked to consider the specific needs of a replacement building. The proposals to reduce the new building from 6 to 4 placements was a result of sound analysis and a refreshed insight of the specific needs of the children we care for.

Councillor Harrod in moving the recommendation thanked Councillor Sanders for her positive and encouraging input as Shadow Cabinet Member. He took on board her request for additional information to the Guardianship for Us Panel meeting.

Cabinet noted that some cabinet members having raised similar concerns over the reduction from 6 to 4 placements had met with Councillor Harrod and Kevin Gordon, Corporate Director, Children’s Services to explore the reasoning for the reduction. They accepted the view of experts that a smaller 4 bed placement was better but had wanted the design to be such that it could be extended at a future date should thinking or requirements change.

Lara Patel, Deputy Director, introduced the contents of the report and detailed the reasons for the recommendation to move to a 4 bed building based on the refreshed needs analysis of children cared for that had been carried out last year.

RESOLVED:   to approve the proposal to change the design specification of the new build children’s home from six to four beds; and

1.          To ensure that the design of the property is future-proofed for wider Council uses.

2.          Council confirms its commitment to high quality residential childcare within the County