Agenda item

To receive a report from the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health and the Corporate Director for Social Care, Health and Wellbeing and to consider and endorse or make recommendations to the Cabinet Member on the proposed decision contained therein.

(1)       The Cabinet Committee received a report of the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health and the Corporate Director of Social Care, Health and Wellbeing which contained an update on the refurbishment of the Gravesend Social Education Centre (GSEC) building and further development of community opportunities for the consideration of the Committee.  Mark Walker, Assistant Director, Learning Disability – West Kent, and Gina Walton, Change Implementation Officer, were in attendance to introduce the report and in particular referred to the following:

(2)       In 2013 a feasibility study was carried out to consider how best to provide services for people with Learning Disabilities in the Gravesham area.  As part of this review the Good Day Programme (GDP) looked at modernising in house day services to ensure they were delivered in a more flexible and community based way.  GDP aimed to overcome people with learning disabilities feeling isolated and segregated and process centre planning was one way of doing this.  Take up of the GDP had been better in West Kent than in East Kent.

(3)       The modernisations at GSEC also provided an opportunity to link into New Ways of Working (NWoW) as the lease on Joynes House, Gravesend was due to expire and new office accommodation was required for the Community Learning Disability Team.  The placement of this team within GSEC would ensure an improved, more community based service for GSEC service users and realise leasehold savings from Joynes House in the longer term.  As well as co-locating services at the GSEC site options for a community hub within the Gravesend area were being explored.

(4)       The Cabinet Member had held cross-party briefings with Members in January 2014 and a formal consultation took place with CSEC service users, carers and staff following these briefings.  Responses to the consultation were positive with people glad that the building was being retained and money was going to be spent on it. 

(5)       The total budget available for construct, refurbishment and furniture and equipment was £800k, the Good Day Programme contribution was £500k and NWoW was £300k.

(6)       The contract was ready to be signed and it was expected that construction would commence in late June 2014 and be completed by the end of January 2015.

(7)       In response to questions raised and comments made the Committee received the following further information from officers:

(8)       The tender had been project managed by NWoW and four suitable contractors had tendered.  Harpers had been identified as the winner and the contract was with Legal.

(9)       The GDP contribution came from ring fenced money being reinvested from changes to in house services which had been agreed several years ago.  The NWoW contribution would be money invested in GSEC rather than rent and rates for Joynes House.

(10)    Concerns about parking and mature trees had been addressed with a proposed reconfiguration of the car park.  One option included off-site parking in local car parks close to the site while a second option with changes to the car park configuration addressed concerns that had been raised about the mature trees.

(11)    The large office space (on the plan attached to the report) included 26 desks which would be shared between 49 staff moving to GSEC from Joynes House including care managers of service users who would benefit from them being onsite. 

(12)    The Cabinet Member thanked Members of the Committee and gave the assurance that no changes to services would be made until replacements were up and running.

(13)    RESOLVED that Members of the Adult Social Care and Health Cabinet Committee endorse the proposed decision and the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health be asked to agree to the refurbishment of the Gravesend SEC and further development of community opportunities.