Agenda item

The Chair thanked Mrs Garrod and the attending councillors for their contributions, and sought the committee’s feedback on the planned way forward for the Cauwood Day Centre as detailed in the Executive report.

Members sympathised with service users dealing with the effects of service changes.  They also agreed that change was good as long as it was understood, and that users and their families needed assurance on what the new model would deliver. 

They acknowledged that calling-in the coming Executive decision would only add to the stress felt by families, and therefore suggested there should have been more opportunities for scrutiny engagement in the process before it got to this stage.

In response to Members questions, Abigail Barron confirmed the following:

·         No.5 Whitby Road currently used for storage, would be refurbished to a higher standard than the current centre.

·         There was a process for achieving Autism accreditation.  This would be sought once a formal decision was taken about the way forward.  The building used and its location was an important part of the accreditation process  

·         In the longer term the Council would like to work with a partner to deliver the proposed new model.

·         The Council was wedded to a quality of service not a building.

·         Cauwood Day Centre would not close until the entirety of the new service was running, Whitby Road was open, and each of the current users had be given sufficient time to transition to the new site, in line with their individual needs.

·         The existing changing places facilities in Malton were not up to standard. 

·         There were two changing places in Pickering and other suitable sites would be identified.  Members suggested that the North Yorkshire Moors National Park Authority may be able to provide new sites within their villages.  

·         Opportunities for the provision of new changing places facilities would be explored as part of new extra care housing schemes.

Finally, consideration was given to both the recommendations arising from the recent meeting of the Thirsk & Malton Area Committee and the suggestions for monitoring progress suggested by Cllr Lindsay Burr i.e. that the Committee receive:

·         Monthly detailed reports on how works are progressing, in line with parents needs front and foremost

·         A detailed timeline of works, locations and facility specifications detailing provision, including changeable facilities in Malton.

·         Full details of budgets set aside for closure and refit/refurbishment of all premises needed for the continuation of services.

The Executive Member for Health & Adult Services welcomed the proposals but drew attention to the need to respect the confidentiality of users when providing detailed updates, given the very small cohort.   

Members accepted they could not scrutinise individual care arrangements, or detailed operational arrangements, as by their very nature those would be very personal.  With that caveat, they voted unanimously in favour of the above proposals, and it was

Resolved – That:

i.       The recommendations of the Thirsk & Malton Area Committee be endorsed to the Executive.

ii.      The following be provided to enable the Committee to scrutinise progress against the development and implementation of an alternative transformed service model, and potential provision of Extra Care on the Cauwood Day Centre site:

·            Monthly detailed reports on how works are progressing, in line with parents needs front and foremost

·            A detailed timeline of works, locations and facility specifications detailing provision, including changeable facilities in Malton.

·            Full details of budgets set aside for closure and refit/refurbishment of all premises needed for the continuation of services.