Decision details

RESOLVED

That Cabinet:

1. Agree the proposal to finance start up costs of £25,590 for the development of fit for purpose supported housing on the Hornbeam Road and Church Road sites as follows:

2. Commission the Head of Major Construction to resource the necessary architectural services and submit the schemes for planning consent.

3. Identify a Registered Social Landlord (RSL) or registered provider through a competitive tendering exercise and work with them to secure Social Housing Grant (SHG) from the HCA (Homes and Communities Agency) to contribute to the funding of the building costs.  A bid for SHG would involve sale of the sites to the partner RSL or registered provider on a long lease.

4. Require the selected RSL to secure an element of private finance to contribute to the funding of the build costs.

5. Authorise officers to dispose of the Hornbeam Road and Church Road sites on long leases through a competitive tendering exercise to a Registered Social Landlord (RSL) or other registered provider to redevelop the sites with the condition for successful tenderers that they would fund the scheme through a combination of private and public finance.

6. Approve the grant of a long leasehold interest in both Hornbeam Road and Church Road sites to the successful RSL or registered provider on terms to be approved by the Head of Corporate Property Services in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and Business Services and the Cabinet Member for Social Services, Health and Housing.

Reasons for decision

Redevelopment of the sites forms Phase 3 of the Mental Health Modernisation Programme and a key deliverable in the Hillingdon and PCT Joint Strategy Five Year Action Plan 2005 -10.  The proposed accommodation is on the Hornbeam and Church Road sites. The proposed redevelopment is required to provide short to medium term housing for people with mental illness and would include office accommodation for staff on site.  The purpose of the service would be to provide accommodation with intermediate support to help people in their recovery and rehabilitation from mental illness and to enable them to move on successfully to more independent living.  This offers an intermediate housing option where the residents benefit from outreach support to help them adjust to living in self contained homes.  With this type of intermediate support, the chances of relapse are considerably less.  In turn this would enable greater through put, from fully supported housing, reduce delayed discharges and reduce out of borough placements.

The recommendation of working in partnership with an RSL or registered provider will maximise external funding. Efficient property management of the new mental health accommodation on both the Hornbeam and Church Road sites is another benefit of this recommendation.

Alternative options considered

To procure the development of Hornbeam Road and Church Road sites at total recourse to Council capital funds to finance build and development costs or do nothing, which will increase maintenance liability on existing buildings, and the Council will miss out on the capital receipt.

Exempt information

The report on this item was included in Part II as it contained information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the Authority holding that information) and the public interest in withholding the information outweighed the public interest in disclosing it (exempt information under paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985 as amended.

Officers to Action:

Gerry Edwards / Brian Doughty, Finance & Resources / Adult Social Care, Health & Housing