Leeds Road, Harrogate - North Yorkshire County Council

NORTH YORKSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
E/2012/54
EXECUTIVE
12 JUNE 2012
LEEDS ROAD, HARROGATE
SUPPORTED HOUSING FOR PEOPLE WITH COMPLEX NEEDS
REPORT OF THE CORPORATE DIRECTOR – HEALTH AND ADULT SERVICES
1.0 PURPOSE OF REPORT
1.1 To inform and seek approval of Executive Members for a proposal to transfer 35
Leeds Road, Harrogate to be redeveloped for supported housing for people with
complex needs. This proposal will require transfer of the property at nil value and
redirection of previously approved Second Homes Fund monies to support the
scheme.
2.0 BACKGROUND
2.1 An opportunity has presented itself at 35 Leeds Road, Harrogate to develop 5
supported tenancies for people with complex needs.
This property was previously let to an independent care and housing provider as a
shared supported living scheme. However due to the changing needs of the
resident tenants and property issues with the building such as very high heating
costs the independent housing provider terminated the agreement with the Council.
Consequently the property is empty and currently surplus to operational
requirements.
2.2 Harrogate is an area of high housing need for all groups and an area where it is
difficult to find appropriate suitable accommodation particularly for people with
complex needs and physical disabilities.
2.3 The Directorate is currently developing a coordinated approach to manage the
needs of people with learning disabilities who have complex needs and require
significant levels of support. This includes people who have been placed out of
county due to lack of local facilities; young people in transition to adult services who
require accommodation and support and people who are in unsustainable
arrangements within the county.
2.4 It has been estimated, that there are up to 140 people with complex needs
requiring accommodation and support across the county in the next three years.
For the Harrogate area, this translates to 98 people who are in potential unsuitable
arrangements or in transition. From that group 14 people have been identified in
the Harrogate area that would possibly benefit from this development.
2.5 Executive previously approved (13 April 2010) an allocation of £50,600 from the
Second Homes fund in respect of two projects; Craven and Hambleton HOLD to
provide 4 units of accommodation (2 in each District) with an allocation of £50,600
per project. The HOLD schemes were intended to assist people with learning
disabilities to buy their own properties. However due to changes in the benefits
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egime Chevin Housing Association was unable to progress with the projects
making this approach no longer an option.
The proposal being outlined seeks to redirect the second homes money to partially
fund the structural and refurbishment works which are essential to bring 35 Leeds
Road to a habitable condition for relet. In addition this maintains the original
intention of the allocation.
3.0 PROPOSAL
3.1 The scheme would comprise 5 one bedroom, self contained units with communal
space and an office. Working with Chevin Housing Association, one of our
framework partners for delivering Extra Care, outline plans have been developed to
bring this building up to standard and as energy efficient as possible.
3.2 Indicative scheme costs have been prepared by Chevin Housing Association and
the total, subject to tender, is £379k. The majority of this would be funded internally
by Chevin (£278k) and the balance by redirection monies previously approved by
Executive from the Second Homes Fund to Chevin (£101k).
For the scheme to be financially viable the proposal requires the site be transferred
to Chevin HA at nil consideration on the condition the properties are available for
affordable rent. An allocations panel would ensure the County Council’s eligibility
criteria was applied and the nomination rights determined by NYCC.
3.3 This will result in rents of approx £83.61 per unit, per week and a weekly service
charge of £25.00 per unit, per week. The rents will fall within the affordable rent
levels for housing benefit purposes. Each unit will be separately metered enabling
tenants to be responsible for their own utility bills, thus maximising the opportunity
for independence.
3.4 The support will be provided by an appropriate support provider. The selection of a
support provider, appropriate commissioning model and the service specification will
be set in train to meet the timetable of the scheme development, subject to
Executive approval.
4.0 PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS
4.1 This proposal provides;
• More options for people with complex needs to find a housing solution within
North Yorkshire to be nearer networks of parents and carers.
• More people to live in their own home in the community and exercise choice and
control over their accommodation and management of their finances
5.0 POLICY IMPLICATIONS
5.1 This proposal meets the challenges in delivering supported housing in line with the
objectives within the Strategic Commissioning for Independence, Well-being and
Choice (2007-2022).
5.2 The North Yorkshire Community Plan 2011-14 sets out three key priorities, one of
which is protecting and supporting vulnerable people. The plan specifically focuses
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on “Providing older and vulnerable people with a range of choice for their
accommodation, care and support needs.”
5.3 Supported housing development is a vital part of delivering sustainable communities
for the future in line with the Lifetime Homes Lifetime Neighbourhoods Government
Policy.
6.0 FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
6.1 The financial implications of this proposal relate to the care and accommodation
related costs. The accommodation costs will be recovered through weekly rents
charged by Chevin Housing Association and either paid by Housing Benefit or the
tenant depending on the financial position and individual circumstances of the
individual.
6.2 NYCC will be responsible for commissioning and quality standards of the care for
those people living within the flats at 35 Leeds Road.
6.3 Most of the people living within these flats will have complex needs with significant
support requirements. Based on an initial assessment this may equate to 480 hours
per week with waking and sleep in support at night. This could cost in the range of
£389k to £436k depending on the procurement process and prevailing market rates.
6.4 Detailed financial modelling has been undertaken to compare the existing costs of
placements, which range from £2,780 to £1,205 per week, and the estimated cost of
replacement. It is anticipated that some economies of scale could accrue from this
model of delivery. Furthermore as most of these people are eligible for continuing
care funding the level of savings could increase, however this is dependent upon
the outcome of negotiation with North Yorkshire and York PCT.
6.5 As outlined previously, within this report, to bring this property into rentable usage
will require £379k of investment. The proposal is to redirect previously allocated
second homes monies as well as Chevin investing £278k.
6.6 By transferring the asset to Chevin at nil value the Council is forgoing a capital
receipt of £550k which would otherwise have been achieved through a sale on the
open market. The Directorate will repay this on an invest to save basis and repay
the capital value over 10 years. Based on estimated saving for NYCC the break
even point for repayment of the capital value is just over 7 years and provide the
Directorate with a relatively small revenue savings each financial year.
7.0 LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
7.1 The Council’s Property Procedure Rules will apply as the proposal is to transfer the
sites at nil value. A legal charge will be put in place to protect the Council’s interest
as well as securing 100% nomination rights.
7.2 The appointment of a Housing Association and other partners for supported housing
projects is not a procurement in a legal sense and therefore tenders are not
required.
7.3 The Council’s legal powers to implement the proposals in this report are contained
in The National Assistance Act 1948. The NHS and Community Care Act 1990 and
the Local Government Act 2000.
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8.0 CONSULTATION UNDERTAKEN AND RESPONSES
8.1 Consultation has been undertaken with operation staff in the Harrogate area to
ensure that there are people with identified needs suitable for the scheme once it
has been developed.
8.2 There will need to be extensive consultation undertaken with people and their
parents, carers or advocates identified as appropriate for the scheme at a stage
following Executive approval.
8.3 Normal planning procedures will apply, where the local community will have an
opportunity to submit comments.
9.0 IMPACT ON OTHER SERVICES/ORGANISATIONS
9.1 The people likely to benefit from the scheme are people with complex needs who,
by the nature of their support requirements are likely to have some level of
Continuing Health Care funding as part of their package of care and support.
Contractual and risk sharing discussions will take place with the PCT to develop this
proposal as well as ascertaining whether joint arrangements can be developed for
future scheme proposals.
9.2 The proposal complies with existing Harrogate Borough Council Planning Policy in
that the building is protected under Policy CFX (Community Facilities). To comply
with this policy, if NYCC wished to sell the building at market value, it would firstly
have to demonstrate that the previous need had ceased or met elsewhere and then
market it for twelve months for an alternative use before being able to sell on open
market.
10. RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS
10.1 Voids: this is being unable to find a suitable person to move into the scheme if there
is a vacancy. This risk is mitigated by the fact that the properties are self contained
as, in the past, in shared accommodation, voids have been lengthened by the need
to have people who are compatible. In addition Chevin Housing Association will
take out an insurance policy which will cover rental voids for up to 12 months so this
financial risk will be mitigated by this approach.
10.2 Identifying people for whom the scheme is suitable: this risk is mitigated by needs
information available which shows current and continuing demand for supported
housing for people with complex needs.
10.3 The financial risk relates to the value of care services required to safely support the
5 tenants. This risk will mitigated by procurement approach which will seek to
secure a care provider who is prepared to tailor the level of care provision in
response to the needs of the tenants.
10.4 As outlined earlier, discussions will take place with the PCT regarding a risk sharing
agreement in relation to the overall scheme as well as Continuing Health Care
funding.
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10.5 Close working arrangements and consultation with the community will be important
to ensure those people living within 35 Leeds Road are supported and any concerns
managed locally.
11.0 HUMAN RESOURCES IMPLICATIONS
11.1 This proposal will create employment opportunities within the independent sector for
support and ancillary staff.
12.0 EQUALITIES IMPLICATIONS
12.1 This report represents a positive opportunity to develop services locally and provide
supported accommodation with the County rather than sourcing residential support
elsewhere. An equality impact assessment has been prepared for this development
and is attached as Appendix 1. The EIA did not identify any adverse equality
impacts. The Action Plan identifies that we will maximise the opportunities for
accessible accommodation and consult with the local Learning Disability group on
layout and finish. Additionally, the EIA considered alternatives to this proposal but
came to the conclusion that this proposal gave the best outcomes. The proposal
promotes equality of opportunity and outcomes by an increased amount of good
quality, accessible, affordable supported housing for people with complex needs, in
an area where this type of accommodation is very scarce. In addition, it is placed in
a low risk neighbourhood, thus minimising risk of hate crime, and reasonably close
to the town centre so that a range of universal services can be accessed.
13. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS/BENEFITS
13.1 Chevin Housing Association would conduct the refurbishment scheme using their
Environmental Management System and bespoke Construction Phase Plan and
would seek to eradicate or minimise any negative impacts of the proposed works.
13.2 Chevin Housing Association will be working to the Homes and Community’s Design
and Quality guide to maximise the opportunities for sustainable elements in the
scheme such as energy efficiency.
14.0 COMMUNITY SAFETY IMPLICATIONS
14.1 People with complex needs can sometimes be targeted in communities and subject
to the risk of safeguarding issues or hate crime. This scheme is situated in a low
risk neighbour hood and part of the role of the support staff will be to ensure that
people are aware of any risks and work to achieve positive relations with
neighbours. Additionally, the appropriate use of assistive technology will be
explored to improve the tenant’s independence.
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15.0 REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
15.1 This proposal is an opportunity to make use of an unused County Council asset to
provide sustainable supported housing in an area of high demand for affordable
housing. In addition the capital investment in the scheme will enable efficiencies to
be gained in the revenue costs of support.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Executive Members are asked to;
16.1 Approve and support the supported housing scheme for people with complex needs
as outlined in the report.
16.2 Agree the transfer of 35 Leeds Road, Harrogate at nil value, terms to be agreed by
the Corporate Director, Finance and Central Services.
16.3 To agree to £550k being repaid on an invest to save basis over 10 years, in lieu of
the capital receipt that would have been achieved had the property been sold on the
open market.
16.4 Redirect the previously approved allocation of Second Homes funding to Chevin
Housing Association of £101, 200 to contribute to this scheme.
Helen Taylor
Corporate Director – Health & Adult Services
County Hall
Northallerton
Tel: 01609 53 2139
Author of report
Avril Hunter
Strategic Commissioning Manager
Tel: 01609 53 6898
Attached papers:
Appendix 1; Equality Impact Assessment
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Appendix 1
Equality Impact Assessment
35 Leeds Road, Harrogate
If you would like this information in another language or format such as Braille, large print or
audio, please contact the Communications Unit on 01609 53 2013 or email
communications@northyorks.gov.uk.
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Undertaking an Equality Impact Assessment
Equality Impact Assessments (EIA) should be undertaken at the business case stage when:-
You are developing a new service or policy
You are reviewing an existing service or policy
You are proposing a change to an existing service or policy
You are reviewing a service or policy carried out on behalf of the council or another organisation
Your service is re-organised.
They should be referenced in your final recommendations on the service changes so that decision makers can reach an informed decision
on the service/policy.
An EIA should cover all the social identity characteristics protected by equality legislation – referred to as ‘protected characteristics’ or
equality strands. These are;
Sex
Sexual orientation
Religion or belief
Race – this include ethnic or national origins, colour and nationality
Disability – including carers
Pregnancy and maternity
Gender reassignment
Age
Marital/civil partnership status
There is a lot of information available to support you in completing this assessment on the EIA pages on the NYCC intranet
The Council must publish your equality impact assessment and a summary will be included on the NYCC
website in line with statutory requirements. Please be aware that it will become a public document.
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Name of the Directorate and Service Area
Name of the service/policy being assessed
Is this the area being impact assessed a
Health and Adult Services
Supported Housing, Leeds Road, Harrogate
Policy & its implementation Service
Function Initiative
Project x Procedure & its implementation
Is this an Equality Impact Assessment for a
(Note: the Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) is
concerned with the policy itself, the procedures or
guidelines which control its implementation and the
impact on the users)
How will you undertake the EIA
Existing service or a policy and its implementation
Proposed service or a policy and its implementation
Change to an existing service or a policy and its implementation
Service or Policy carried out by an organisation on behalf of NYCC
Individual Officer
Eg team meetings, working party, project team,
individual Officer
Names and roles of people carrying out the
Impact Assessment
Avril hunter, Strategic Commissioning Manager
Lead Officer and contact details Avril Hunter 01609 536898
Date EIA started 3 rd May 2012
Date EIA Completed 23 rd May 2012
Sign off by Service Head/ Business Unit Head
Sign off by Assistant Director (or equivalent)
Debbie Hogg
Date of Publication of EIA
Monitoring and review process for EIA
LD Efficiencies Programme Board
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1. Operating Context
Please consider issues around impacts (positive or negative) raised for all protected characteristics and show your evidence
1.1 Describe the service/policy
What does the service/policy do and how How
would you describe the policy to someone who
knows very little about Council Services
If there is a proposal to change the service or
policy, describe what it looks like now and what
it is intended to look like in the future. What are
the drivers for this proposed change
Who does it benefit What are its intended
outcomes Who is affected by the policy Who
is intended to benefit from it and how Who are
the stakeholders identify those protected
characteristics for which this service is likely to
have an impact (positive or negative)
Are there any other policies or services which
might be linked to this one Have you reviewed
the EIA for these policies/services What do
they tell you about the potential impact
How will the policy be put into practice Who is
responsible for it
This EIA looks at an opportunity that has presented itself at 35 Leeds Road, Harrogate, to
provide supported accommodation for people with complex needs (likely to be people with
learning disability).
This property was previously let to an independent care and housing provider as shared
supported living scheme. However due to the changing needs of the resident tenants and
property issues with the building such as very high heating costs the independent housing
provider terminated the agreement with the Council. Consequently the property is empty
and currently surplus to operational requirements.
Harrogate is an area of high housing need for all groups and an area where it is difficult to
find appropriate suitable accommodation particularly for people with complex needs and
physical disabilities.
The Directorate is currently developing a coordinated approach to manage the needs of
people with learning disabilities who have complex needs and require significant levels of
support. This includes; people who have been placed out of county due to lack of local
facilities, young people in transitions who require accommodation and support and people
who are in unsustainable arrangements within the county.
‘Unsustainable arrangements’ may include: people living with parents/carers who are ageing
and who may themselves be in need of support; people living in supported accommodation
that is not value for money for the individual or the public purse.
The directorate has a programme for the development of Extra Care housing, and through
the needs assessment for extra care a requirement for a wider range of accommodation with
support for people with complex needs, particularly younger people, has been identified (see
EIAs for Extra Care housing 2010, and Extra Care procurement programme 2011).
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1.2 How do people use the policy/service
How is the policy/service delivered How do
people find out about the policy/service Do they
need specialist equipment or information in
different formats How do you meet customer
needs through opening times/locations/facilities
Can customers contact your service in different
ways How do you demonstrate that your
service/policy is welcoming to all groups within
the community
Does the policy/service support customers to
access other services Do you charge for your
services Do these changes affect everyone
equally Do some customers incur greater
costs or get 'less for their money' Are there
eligibility criteria for the service/policy
How do you ensure that staff/volunteers
delivering the service follow the Council’s
equality policies Does the Council deliver this
policy in partnership or through contracts with
other organisations How do you monitor that
external bodies comply with the Council's
equality requirements
Individuals, with advocacy support, will have the choice to move into the new supported
accommodation.
Social care teams will identify those individuals for whom the new accommodation would be
suitable, and from that group, people will be selected according to choice, assessment, and
involvement of parents/carers.
As part of a comprehensive review of support needs undertaken prior to confirming the
placement, a Best Interests assessment will be undertaken for those people who do not
have capacity.
The accommodation will comprise self-contained one bedroom flats, with communal space
to allow for shared activities and social interaction. The property also has outdoor space.
Working with Chevin Housing Association, one of our framework partners for delivering Extra
Care, outline plans have been developed to redevelop the property to bring it up to standard,
accessible and energy efficiency, as the building will allow. They will be using NYCC’s
Design and Ethos Guide and as well as the Homes and Communities Agency Design and
Quality Standards.
The ground floor units will be fully accessible and maximum use will be made of the ground
floor space (e.g. office space to be on upper floor).
Due to the constraints of the building, the upper floor units will not be wheelchair accessible.
This means that for some individuals, the living accommodation may not equate to a ‘home
for life’ should their physical needs change.
As the accommodation is based on one-bedroom flats, individuals will have privacy and
choice of activity within their own space and will be supported to live independently as
possible. People will also be supported to choose and take part in shared activities.
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2. Understanding the Impact (using both qualitative and quantitative data)
Please consider issues around impacts (positive or negative) raised for all protected characteristics and show your evidence
2.1 What information do you use to make
sure the service meets the needs of all
customers
What data do we use now Is it broken down
across protected characteristics (and are these
categories consistent across all data sets)
How current is the data Where is it from Is it
relevant
Via discussions with local social care teams, people coming through Transitions and needs
projections, the approximate number of people for whom this accommodation would be
suitable has been identified.
The Learning Disability Partnership Board (Harrogate/ Craven) has in the past identified the
lack of housing opportunities in Harrogate as an area of priority, and housing is one of the
three priority areas identified by the new County-wide Board.
What engagement work have you already done
that can inform this impact assessment Who
did you talk to and how What are the main
findings Can you analyse the results of this
consultation across the protected
characteristics Are there differences in
response between different groups How has
this changed the plans for the policy/service
2.2 What does the information tell you
Are there any differences in outcome for
different groups e.g. differences in take up rates
or satisfaction levels across groups Does it
identify the level of take-up of services by
different groups of people Does it identify how
potential changes in demand for services will be
tracked over time, and the process for service
change
It has been estimated via social care teams that there are up to 140 people requiring
accommodation across the county in the next three years. For the Harrogate area, this
translates to 98 people who are in potential unsuitable arrangements or in transitions. From
that, there have been 14 people identified in the Harrogate area who would possibly benefit
from this development.
Generally, there are more men than women with a learning disability and it is likely that this
will be reflected in the group of people for whom this accommodation is deemed suitable.
However, the final ‘mix’ will depend on the discussions with individuals, their assessed needs
and the allocations panel process.
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Please include data and analysis as an
appendix
In terms of protected characteristics, the allocations panel will endeavour to ensure that there
is an appropriate mix (eg of gender and age).
We know from needs assessment (joint strategic needs assessment and comprehensive
strategy for social care commissioning) that the number of people with complex needs is
projected to rise between now and 2020, and therefore there will be a continuing (and
increasing) need for good quality supported accommodation.
2.3 Are there areas where we need more
information How could we get this
information
We will engage with the local learning disability partnership board area group to help plan the
facilities and layout of the scheme, and with individuals about their living arrangements. This
will include choice of décor.
What data is available Do other directorates,
partners or other organisations hold relevant
information Is there relevant information held
corporately e.g. compliments and complaints
Are there national datasets that would be
useful Is there relevant census data Do you
need to collect more data How could you do
this
Do you need to do more engagement work to
inform this impact assessment Have you
identified information in other sections of this
EIA that you need to assess the impact on
different groups of people What do you want to
find out Which existing mechanisms can you
use to get this information
Please refer to the Community Engagement
toolkit on the NYCC intranet
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2.4 How will you monitor progress on your
policy/service, or take-up of your service
What monitoring techniques would be most
effective What performance indicators or
targets would be used to monitor the
effectiveness of the policy/service How often
does the policy/service need to be reviewed
Who would be responsible for this
Take-up will be monitored via allocation panel, scheme management and local social care
teams.
For individuals, the suitability of the scheme will be monitored via the usual system of regular
reviews.
3. Assessing the Impact
Please consider issues around impacts (positive or negative) raised for all protected characteristics and show your evidence.
3.1 Has an adverse impact been identified for one or more
groups
Has this assessment shown anything in the policy, plan or
service that results in (or has the potential for) disadvantage or
discrimination towards people of different groups Which
groups
Do some needs/ priorities ‘miss out’ because they are a
minority not the majority Is there a better way to provide the
service to all sections of the community
No adverse impact has been identified.
Alternatives to this proposal:
A. Sell the building and use the capital receipts to facilitate the development of
a new-build property which would be built to full accessibility standards (a RSL
partner would be required). Land would need to be sourced, which is at very
short supply in the Harrogate area. This would also take considerably longer
to realise.
B. Sell the property to realise the capital receipt and added to the Council’s
capital ‘pot’.
Option A would, if all considerations are met, provide purpose-built
accommodation to a higher standard of accessibility which may in the long
term provide better outcomes for individuals. However, this would take a
considerable amount of time to realise (if at all), during which period there will
be some individuals in less suitable accommodation who will not be able to
access this opportunity.
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Option B may not provide any outcomes at all for this group, as there is no
guarantee that the capital receipt would be redirected towards supported
accommodation.
It is the view of the Directorate, therefore, that to redirect this building resource
to the use proposed would give the best outcomes for the client group.
3.2 How could the policy be changed to remove the
impact
N/A
Which options have been considered What option has been
chosen
3.3 Can any adverse impact be justified
N/A
If the adverse impact will remain, can this be justified in relation
to the wider aims of the policy or on the grounds of promoting
equality of opportunity for one target group
Please seek legal advice on whether this can be justified.
3.4 Are you planning to consult people on the outcome of
this impact assessment
When and how will you do this How will you incorporate your
findings into the policy
3.5 How does the service/policy promote equality of
opportunity and outcome
Does the new/revised policy/service improve access to
services Are resources focused on addressing differences in
outcomes
The proposed accommodation will provide an increased amount of good
quality, accessible, affordable supported housing for people with complex
needs, in an area where this type of accommodation is very scarce. In
addition, it is placed in a low risk neighbourhood, thus minimising risk of hate
crime, and reasonably close to the town centre so that a range of universal
services can be accessed.
Don’t forget to transfer any issues you have identified in this section to the Equality Action Plan
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Action Plan
What are you trying to
change (outcome)
Action
Officer
responsible
Deadline
Other plans this action is
referenced in (e.g.
Service Performance
Plan, work plan)
Performance
monitoring
Ensure that final plans
make best use of the
building for accessible
accommodation (eg
maximum number of units
on ground floor)
Ensure that building design
and finish meets the needs
of disabled people
Review plans with Housing
Association
Engage with local Learning
Disability area group before
plans are finalised
Avril Hunter
(subject to
Exec
approval)
Sept 2012
LD Efficiencies Programme
Board (housing strategy
workstream)
Avril Hunter Dec 2012 LD Efficiencies Programme
Board (housing strategy
workstream)
LD Efficiencies
Programme Board
LD Efficiencies
Programme Board
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