Purpose

The report requests an increase the agreed
allocation of capital funds for the acquisition and refurbishment
of Wakeling Court from £2.5m
(agreed at Cabinet in April 2023) to £4.3m
 
It also requests delegated authority to the
Corporate Director of Adults and Health, in consultation with the
Lead Member for Health and Adult Social Care, to commence and
approve a procurement process for contract/s for the refurbishment
of the Property up to a value of £3.2m; and to determine the
arrangements for the Council’s letting of the Property,
including if appropriate the leasing of the Property to a suitable
registered provider, and to enter into the necessary associated
legal and contractual documentation to effect the arrangements.

Decision

Decision
 
For the reasons set
out in the report and its appendices Cabinet RESOLVED to Agree to:
 

i) 
Increase the agreed allocation of capital funds for the acquisition
and refurbishment of Wakeling Court
from £2.5m to £4.3m

ii) 
Delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Adults and Health,
in consultation with the Lead Member for Health and Adult Social
Care, to commence and approve a procurement process for contract/s
for the refurbishment of the Property up to a value of
£3.2m;

iii) 
Delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Adults and Health
in consultation with the Lead Member for Health and Adult Social
Care to determine the arrangements for the Council’s letting
of the Property, including if appropriate the leasing of the
Property to a suitable registered provider, and to enter into the
necessary associated legal and contractual documentation to effect
the arrangements.
 
Alternatives
Considered
 

a) 
Build and Acquire – Cabinet agreed the Supported
Accommodation transformation plan in June 2022. This included an
aspiration to build and acquire our own supported accommodation. As
part of the Local Plan 2022-2032, the Council will explore building
a Supported Accommodation and/or a Care Home and this will continue
whatever the outcome of this proposal. Projected future demand
warrants that both alternatives be progressed.

b) 
Do nothing/do minimum – acquisition and refurbishment of the
Property with the capital budget agreed by Cabinet in April 2023
will not provide accommodation of sufficient quality for the
proposed scheme – the need for a more enhanced refurbishment
was only apparent after a detailed concept design. If the proposals
in this report are not approved, the proposed scheme would not be
viable so either another use (which is 8 compliant with the
historic grant) would need to be proposed, or the acquisition would
have to be abandoned.