Issue - meetings

To receive a report from the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health and the Corporate Director of Social Care, Health and Wellbeing and endorse or make recommendations to the Cabinet Member on the proposed decision to set wellbeing charges as specified in the report.

Ms C Holden, Head of Strategic Commissioning, was in attendance for this and the following item.

1.            Ms Holden introduced the report and explained that the purpose of the wellbeing charge was to cover such expenses as background support, non-scheduled calls and emergency responses to residents of extra care housing developments, and was means-tested.  Many of the clients to whom the wellbeing charge applied were self-funders. The service charge referred to in the report covered such things as heating, lighting, cleaning and maintenance of communal areas, and any surplus funds generated by chargeable facilities could be directed towards reducing this charge.

2.            In debate, Members welcomed the reduction in the charge as a sensible move which should encourage more people to choose to move into extra care housing.

3.            RESOLVED that:-

a)     the decision proposed to be taken by the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, after taking account of the views expressed by the committee, to reduce the wellbeing charge as follows:-

i)     at the existing Extra Care Housing Schemes, it be set at £15 per week from 1 April 2015, with the exception of the particular circumstances at Thomas Place set out at ii) below;

ii)    at Thomas Place, it remain at £13.91 per week for existing tenants, unless they are subsequently financially assessed as being able to meet the full cost of their social care (in which circumstances, it rise to £15 per week); and

iii)  for new Extra Care Housing Schemes the charge be set at £15 per week with immediate effect,

be endorsed; and

b)    the Corporate Director of Social Care, Health and Wellbeing, or other suitable delegated officer, undertake the necessary actions to implement this decision.