(KEY DECISION)

Report No. 42/2018 from the Director for People was received.

Mr A Walters, Portfolio Holder for Safeguarding Adults, Public Health, Health Commissioning. Community Safety and Road Safety, introduced the report, the purpose of which was to seek approval to commit up to £394,000 Capital Grant allocated to Rutland County Council (RCC) from NHS England for the purpose of enabling young people and adults with a learning disability and/or autism with behaviours described as challenging to live satisfying and valued lives, and to be treated with dignity and respect.

During discussion the following points were raised:

1. NHS England had required the Council to provide evidence that a delegation was in place in order to proceed with purchase of properties before the grant could be released;
2. Mr M Andrews, Deputy Director for People, clarified that since the publication of the report NHS England had provided the terms and conditions.  Legal officers had reviewed the terms and conditions and there were some issues regarding the grant conditions and agreed programme;
3. The Council were proposing to purchase flats under a 125 year leasehold in order to obtain a large enough property to be viable;
4. Cabinet agreed that recommendation 2 should be amended to provide for consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance in addition to the Portfolio for Adult Social Care and Health
5. Purchase of properties would be subject to the project board being satisfied with agreed terms in consultation with Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care and Portfolio Holder for Finance.

DECISION

1)    Cabinet AUTHORISED the Head of Property Services in consultation with the Director for People and the Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care and Health to pay a reservation fee of £1000 for two flats in advance of receiving a grant from the NHS England.

2)    Cabinet AUTHORISED the Head of Property Services in Consultation with the Director for People, the Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care and Health and the Portfolio Holder for Finance to acquire two flats on the Larkfleet Development and undertake all necessary works to ensure the units meet the needs of the tenants up to a total cost of £394,000 subject to the receipt of a Grant from NHS England.

Reasons for the decision

To satisfy NHS England’s requirement that evidence be provided of the authority to use the grant to purchase the property, before the grant would be allocated.