Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care.

(a)       That the Council owned site of the former Sidney Gale Care Home, Flood Lane, Bridport be allocated for development as Dorset’s first reablement centre.

(b)       That the Executive Director of Adults & Housing, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, be authorised to procure and award the contract for the services for the demolition of the existing buildings and clearance of the site in accordance with the Council’s financial regulations and Contract Procedure Rules.

(c)        That the Executive Director of Adults & Housing, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, be authorised to procure and award the contract for services to develop the design of the new centre and submit a planning application for the development of the centre in accordance with the Council’s financial regulations and Contract Procedure Rules.

(d)       That the Executive Director of Adults & Housing, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, the commencement of the procurement of services for the construction of the centre, subject to the outcome of actions within (c), with the contract award to be approved by Cabinet (estimated autumn 2025).

Reason for decision

To secure the provision of reablement services for older people requiring higher levels of care by building up to three homes in the county at an estimated cost of £80m which would then be leased to one or more third party care providers to operate. Without investment, the Council considered that there was an unacceptable high risk that it would be unable to meet some of its duties under sections 1 & 2 of the Care Act 2014.

The Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care set out a report seeking approval to develop the site of the former Sidney Gale Home, Flood Lane, Bridport as Dorset’s first reablement centre for older people at an estimated cost of £28.32m.

Non- executive members spoke in support to the proposal, welcoming the first Dorset building for a reablement centre. However, there was disappointment that the identified Dorchester site would not proceed at this stage.  Members were advised that negotiations of the NHS owned site in Dorchester would continue.

It was proposed by Cllr S Robinson and seconded by Cllr S Clifford

Decision

(a)       That the Council owned site of the former Sidney Gale Care Home, Flood Lane, Bridport be allocated for development as Dorset’s first reablement centre.

(b)       That the Executive Director of Adults & Housing, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, be authorised to procure and award the contract for the services for the demolition of the existing buildings and clearance of the site in accordance with the Council’s financial regulations and Contract Procedure Rules.

(c)        That the Executive Director of Adults & Housing, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, be authorised to procure and award the contract for services to develop the design of the new centre and submit a planning application for the development of the centre in accordance with the Council’s financial regulations and Contract Procedure Rules.

(d)       That the Executive Director of Adults & Housing, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, the commencement of the procurement of services for the construction of the centre, subject to the outcome of actions within (c), with the contract award to be approved by Cabinet (estimated autumn 2025).

Reason for decision

To secure the provision of reablement services for older people requiring higher levels of care by building up to three homes in the county at an estimated cost of £80m which would then be leased to one or more third party care providers to operate. Without investment, the Council considered that there was an unacceptable high risk that it would be unable to meet some of its duties under sections 1 & 2 of the Care Act 2014.