Agenda item

To submit a report by the Head of Adult’s Services in relation to the above.

Submitted – the report of the Head of Adult’s Services in relation to the above.

The Portfolio Holder for Social Services & Housing said the report submitted to the Executive has arisen from reports on Fire Risk and Health & Safety Assessments, together with an assessment of the Haulfre building. The Authority has taken steps, following receipt of the reports, to ensure that extra staff are on duty at night at the Home. He referred to sums of money spent over the last 2 years at Haulfre which were £30k on annual maintenance and £70k on the installation of a boiler.

The Corporate Director of Social Services stated that she has specific responsibility to ensure that the provision of residential homes on the Island are acceptable and to report if the provision is unacceptable in her opinion. Following receipt of the Fire Risk and Health & Safety Assessments and the assessment of the building, she has requested that this meeting be called as a matter of urgency. The County Council has a duty to provide a high standard provision to ensure that the care and accommodation needs of older people are met and there are liabilities if the Authority does not meet these standards. In light of the information received following receipt of the reports, work has been undertaken across the services of the Authority to mitigate the risks highlighted within these reports. The duty of care towards the residents and staff working at Haulfre is a key priority for the County Council. A framework is now required to consult with residents and staff so that a work programme can be formulated for submission to the Executive in due course.

The Head of Adults’ Services outlined the report to the Committee and stated that the key element of the Transformation Programme for Older Adult is reconfiguring accommodation provision, moving away from traditional residential care and towards Extra Care model. The Authority determined in December 2013 that future investment should be targeted at the development of Extra Care provision and work in partnership with the independent sector to maintain the availability of choice within residential establishments. It is anticipated that the Extra Care provision in the South of the Island will be completed by 2019. As there was a need to consider investment in Haulfre in the immediate future reports were commissioned to consider whether Haulfre could be maintained up until at least 2019. There are 21 identified areas where improvements are needed, of which 16 are deemed to be essential. Cost of these works for those areas that have been costed to date is estimated at £361,350 of which £243,100 is required for the essential work to be undertaken and £118,250 is required for additional recommended works. A number of further areas require detailed costings with estimates for non-costed essential works being between £300,000 and £800,000 and a further amount of £500,000 to £750,000 estimated for an extension to make this provision viable in the medium term. The consequence of undertaking these essential works is that 4 current bedrooms will be lost. Two options were forwarded to the Executive for decision which was highlighted within the report.

The Chief Executive said that moving to the model of Extra Care is the strategy of the County Council and it was hoped to keep Haulfre open until the Extra Care facility is available in the area. The commissioning of the reports, as mentioned above, was to make sure that the facility was safe for the residents and staff at the home. He noted that the Senior Leadership Team considers that the matter should be dealt with as a matter of urgency and that a consultation period should be undertaken to consider the future of Haulfre.

The Leader of the Council ascertained the legal opinion of the Head of Function (Council Business)/Monitoring Officer in respect of the constitutional matter in respect of urgent issues of business.

The Head of Function (Council Business)/Monitoring Officer reported that the Head of Adults’ Services report states the reasons why he is recommending that the Executive treat this item as urgent. The Constitution allows the Executive to treats this as an urgent decision if any delay caused by the ‘Call-In’ process which would seriously prejudice the Council’s or the public’s interest. It is the decision of the Executive if they wish to treat this as an urgent item to stop the ‘call-in’ process creating delay to the consultation with those directly affected. The Chair of the Council must agree that the decision is reasonable and that it is reasonable that is should not be subject to ‘call-in’. Written confirmation has been received by the Chair of the Council to that effect. Notice has also been given to the Scrutiny Chairs as a constitutional requirement. The Executive RESOLVED that the matter is an urgent issue and therefore not subject to ‘call-in’.

The Chair invited Councillor Lewis Davies, a local member to address the meeting. He noted that Haulfre Residential Care Home received an excellent report on the care and respect the residents of the home receive from the staff. He stated that the news that Haulfre is likely to be closed has hugely upset the elderly residents and their families. Haulfre is a care home based in a large converted manor house in Llangoed that was given to the Authority by the Chadwick family in 1967 and that it is used as a residential home. Councillor Lewis stated that he had attained a legal opinion on behalf of the families of the residents at Haulfre. The Solicitor has written to the Council in respect of this matter.

Due to the lack of care for the elderly in the Seiriol area, Haulfre needs to be kept open as the Extra Care facility attached to the Transformation of Elderly Care provision will not be available until 2019. Councillor Lewis Davies stated that as re-organisation of local government is to take place, the residents of Anglesey would much rather see the money set aside for the ‘Smarter Working’ project of the Council being spent on a Residential Home for the care of the elderly; even the Charitable Trust money could be used. Councillor Davies read out 12 questions asked by the families of residents of Haulfre and asked for a written reply to those questions. The Leader stated that written reply will be sent.

The Leader invited Councillor Carwyn Jones a local member to address the meeting. Councillor Jones expressed that the report to the Committee does not contain any comments from residents, their families, staff, local community councils/town council nor local County Councillors. He questioned if/when the Chief Executive, Corporate Director of Social Services and the Member of the Executive had visited the residential home at Haulfre. He noted that he has spoken to the residents at the home and their families who have expressed that the quality of life and care at the home are excellent and exemplary.

Councillor Jones stated that he has requested a copy of the Fire Service Assessment Report but has not received a copy for some reason. He questioned the date of the Fire Service report and who was the author? He questioned what was the brief and methodology of the report and how much did the report cost to the Authority. He further questioned why is Haulfre still open if the Fire Service report is so damning. Councillor Jones said that he has asked for the Fire Report and Health & Safety reports for the previous years but still has not received them. He stated that he has spoken to a local builder in respect of some of the work needed at Haulfre and he has noted that it would only take a few days to complete.

Councillor Jones further stated that he has asked for details of the Chadwick Haulfre Trust and the accounts of that Trust, but he still has not received the information from the Council. He agreed with the statement by Councillor Lewis Davies that the budget for the ‘Smarter Working’ project of the Authority should be transferred to improve Haulfre until the Extra Care facility in 2019 is in place.

The Leader invited Councillor R.Ll. Jones as the Older People’s Champion to address the meeting. Councillor Jones stated that he would like to see a full discussion at the full Council in respect of this matter. He noted that a Business Plan needs to be produced to outline the work required at Haulfre.

Councillor Alwyn Rowlands, who is a local member, and Executive Member agreed with his fellow local members that the care the residents receive at Haulfre is excellent. He noted that consultation needs to be conducted with the families of the residents and staff of Haulfre in the first instance. At the same time, detailed financial reports need to be produced about the essential works required at Haulfre in order to ensure the safety of the building. Thereafter consultation must entail with the local community.

The Leader of the Council stated that he wished to make it clear that no decision has been taken to close Haulfre. He considered that a formal consultation process should take place ogether with a detailed analysis of the estimated costs of the essential works required.

Members of the Executive agreed that an appropriate consultation on the future of Haulfre with stakeholders.

RESOLVED :-

•   To commence appropriate and required consultation on the future of Haulfre, Llangoed as a residential care home which will involve a detailed analysis of suitability and viability based on key areas such as quality of care, suitability of the building and matters related to Health and Safety.

•   That a full report, following the consultation, be submitted to the Executive at its meeting to be held in October, 2015.