Agenda item

The Head of Community and Housing Services presented the report for the Executive Committee on St. David’s House Extra Care Scheme Future Delivery Model to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for pre-scrutiny. The purpose of the report was to consider the options for the services provided by Redditch Borough Council at St. David’s House and the Queens Cottages, including domiciliary care, core care and kitchen provisions. The recommended option was to put the services out for procurement to a specialist care provider.

Councillor Warhurst was in attendance for this item, as the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Procurement, and was invited to speak on the item. Councillor Warhurst recognised that this was a difficult decision to make however it was a huge cost to the Council for a non-statutory duty and therefore necessary to do due to the Council’s financial situation. Councillor Warhurst concluded by saying that the Council would be keeping the property as landlord, so therefore could ensure the provision of care provided at St. David’s House and the Queens Cottages were at the level the Council expected for its residents.

Members asked if the Trades Unions had been consulted and what the outcome of the discussion was. It was reported that a meeting with union representatives was due to take place the day after the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, so discussions had not taken place.

The Committee wanted further assurances that there was confidence in the business case. Members were informed that some soft market testing had been undertaken within the care sector in conjunction with Worcestershire County Council. This was because any potential service provider had to be on the Worcestershire County Council approved care provider list. Members were advised that if there were no successful tenders for providing the aforementioned services at St. David’s House and the Queens Cottages, then the Head of Community and Housing Services would be willing to return to members to update them.

Members expressed concerns about how this business case would affect the number of staff and quality of services provided to the residents in St. David’s House.

The committee noted many of the points that had been raised throughout the discussion and that it was a difficult decision to make. However, it was acknowledged that the service provided at St. David’s House by Redditch Borough Council was not a statutory function, that any provider of care needed to be a Worcestershire County Council approved care provider and that they would be monitored by the Care Quality Commission as the ultimate body for inspecting care service quality. Likewise, Members believed if this action wasn’t taken, the Council could be in a worse financial position.

Councillor Chalk recommended that the Committee recommend to Executive that the support the recommendations contained in the Executive report. This was seconded by Councillor Beecham. On being put to a vote, the proposal was agreed. Some members voted against the recommendation.

RECOMMENDED that

Executive Committee resolve that the delivery of the PersonalDomiciliary Care, Core Services and Kitchen services at St David’s House Extra Care Scheme be procured in accordance with the Business Case attached to the report.