Issue - meetings

Increase Capacity in Children's Residential Homes (Cllr Susan O'Brien)

 

 

Meeting: 22/05/2025 - CABINET (Item 9)

Increase Capacity in Children's Residential Homes

Minutes:

RESOLVED:

 

That Cabinet:

 

  1. Agrees for the Council to obtain the leases of the three properties as set out in the report, to be added to the Council portfolio to be used for the provision of residential care to support Looked After Children and Care Leavers for a seven-year period.

 

  1. Agrees to the rephasing of £727k from the approved 2024/25 General Contingency capital budget to increase the 2025/26 capital programme budget for the ‘Investment in Children’s Care Home Capacity’.

 

  1. Agrees the capital release request of £727k from the ‘Investment in Children’s Care Home Capacity’ programme budget for the acquisition and set up of the three properties and to fund the set-up costs for the Charville Lane development and the properties set out in this report, to ensure they are fit for service delivery under OFSTED regulations.

 

  1. Authorises the Corporate Director of Children’s Services to award the contracts and incur expenditure for furniture and finishings as set out in the Tender Appendix and delegate any further decisions regarding to the project’s implementation, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children, Families & Education.

 

Reasons for decision

 

Cabinet received a report, and agreed recommendations, to lease several properties to increase the capacity and quality of children's homes in the Borough to provide better care for looked after children and care leavers. Cabinet also agreed the necessary funding strategy and associated refurbishing costs.

 

The Cabinet Member for Children, Families & Education welcomed how this would support transformational changes to children’s lives, whilst also highlighting the cost benefit of Council accommodation compared to private placements.

 

Alternative options considered / risk management

 

Cabinet’s options were limited due to the increasing cost of care in the wider market.

 

Relevant Select Committee

Children, Families & Education

Expiry date for any scrutiny call-in / date decision can be implemented (if no call-in)

Cabinet’s decisions on this matter can be called in by a majority of the select committee by 5pm, Monday 2 June 2025. If not called-in, Cabinet’s decisions can then be implemented.

Officer(s) to action

Alex Coman / Dunya Alnawab

Directorate

Children’s Services

Classification

Private - Whilst the Cabinet's decisions above are always made public, the officer report relating to this matter is not because it was considered in the private part of the meeting and 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 in accordance with Section 100(A) and paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12 (A) to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).