Agenda item

To consider the report of the Director (BA).

The Service Lead Housing Tenancy Services presented the report that set out the options available to the Council in relation to the management of Exeter City Council’s Extra Care Scheme (Exeter’s Extra Care Scheme) (EECS). The accommodation would comprise 53 self-contained flats with communal areas and facilities for older persons with care needs and would be held as an asset within the Housing Revenue Account (HRA).

Two options were presented, with option one requiring the housing management functions to be carried out in house by the City Council’s Housing Service team to include repairs, maintenance, signing up new tenants and any other tenancy related matters and with all care elements to be provided on a commissioned basis and option two requiring the housing management function to be carried out by a care provider under a management agreement in addition to the care element.

The Director (BA) and Service Lead Housing Tenancy Services responded to Members’ queries:-

·         the Portfolio Holder for the Housing Revenue Account and the Director responsible for Housing would have delegated powers to agree the terms of the management agreement and the final agreement would be reported to this Scrutiny Committee for information;

·         to ensure that employee terms and conditions were of the highest standards only reputable companies would be invited to tender with detailed assessment of all aspects of the bids. It was expected that employee terms and conditions would closely follow those of existing council contracts and there would be robust monitoring of employee conditions through the contract term;

·         the management agreement included a nomination panel comprising representatives of the City Council, Devon County Council and the care provider and preference would be given to Exeter residents;

·         the length of the contract would be negotiated and it was anticipated would be a minimum of five years and could be as much as 30 years to include at least a six month period for notice of termination; and

·         the City Council had neither the experience nor capacity to run a care facility of this nature and therefore officers’ recommendation that option two be supported was in an effort to recognise this and minimise the risk to the Council while working to ensure high quality provision for prospective residents of EECF.

Scrutiny Committee - People noted the report and requested Executive to:-

(1)        agree the preferred option two, as set out in the report, in relation to the management of Exeter’s Extra care Scheme (EECS); 

(2)        grant delegated authority to the Director responsible for Housing, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for the Housing Revenue Account, to agree the eligibility criteria for allocations to EECS in negotiation with Devon County Council and the nominated care and housing management provider; and

(3)        following the appropriate procurement, agree to the engagement of specialist consultants to provide expert advice on the agreements with Devon County Council and a care/management provider.   

Members felt that the Council should, longer term, develop a philosophy and approach that in-house provision was largely a default position and that the Council should begin to prepare for this by developing its workforce accordingly. It was therefore agreed by Members of this Committee that Executive be asked to ensure that its objectives for the City and the prioritisation of Council resources reflected such an ambition and invited Executive to discuss this issue with a wider group of Members.