Annual Business Plan 2007 (P.92-2006) - ninth amendment

STATES OF JERSEY

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ANNUAL BUSINESS PLAN 2007 (P.92/2006): NINTH AMENDMENT

Lodged au Greffe on 29th August 2006 by Deputy S. Power of St. Brelade

STATES GREFFE

ANNUAL BUSINESS PLAN 2007 (P.92/2006): NINTH AMENDMENT ____________

In paragraph  (h), after the words"pages 65 and 66 of the report", insert the words –

"except that  the item Development site at  Belle Vue, Les  Quennevais' shall be  removed from the Schedule of Properties Proposed for Disposal in 2007".

DEPUTY S. POWER OF ST. BRELADE

REPORT

For many years, much talk has taken place about the use of the only remaining part of the Belle Vue site at Les Quennevais, St.  Brelade, for care in the community. Members will note details of the site and a plan in the Annex to the Business Plan on pages 212 and 213.

The public were told for some years that a 60 bed Day Centre and a Residential Nursing Home would be constructed at Belle Vue, and that this would replace the existing accommodation at Overdale in the McInstry and Leoville wards. These two wards are considered to be sub-standard, old and out-of-date. It is to the credit of all the dedicated staff at Overdale in the McInstry and Leoville wards that the public have a high affection for care and professionalism practised in these wards for many decades. As late as September 2003, the Health and Social Services Department approved build costs of £4,152,000 on a total budget of £6,651,000 (see Committee Act attached at Appendix 1).

Sometime in 2004 or 2005, the Health and Social Services Department decided not to proceed and the site at Belle Vue became redundant to Health and Social Services' needs.

It is because of this reason that it is being included in the Annex to the Business Plan as surplus to States needs.

The site is about 4.9 vergées or 2.2 acres. It is a parcel of land that has the following advantages to the elderly in our community:

• It is on a bus route.

• It is close to shops and a post-office.

• It is close to many doctor's surgeries and pharmacies.

• It is close to three Churches and the Synagogue.

• It is within walking distance of many facilities such as Quennevais Sports Centre and the Railway Walk.

• It connects to a cycle track and safe walkways.

The original Belle Vue Masterplan identified this parcel of land as suitable for community use and the options that were included were a library, crèche, care home and medical centre.

It is my contention that this development site, in States ownership, is a scarce resource and must be retained for the elderly in our community in some way shape or form.

Demographic trends for Jersey show that in the next 25 years, that the number of people over 65+ will increase from about 12,000 to about 25,000 by 2030.

(See Chart attached at Appendix 2.)

It  is essential that we retain sites like this and use them wisely to provide care or accommodation in the community. Members will be well aware of the concern by the public with the closure at Overdale of the much loved McInstry and Leoville wards, as they were when the Edith Secker ward closed. The transfer of care to the private sector is causing concern with the public.

It is my wish to persuade Members that this site should not be sold. This site should be retained by the States of Jersey and allocated to the Housing Department so that a suitable scheme can be created to house the elderly in our community.

This Assembly has been made well aware of the need to provide sheltered housing for the elderly in the community and in every Parish on the Island. St.  Brelade has a history of care for the elderly in the community, with Maison St. Brelade, the much used facility at Communicare and the wonderful homes for the elderly in Don Farm opposite the Sports facility, administered by Housing.

It is my belief that a States scheme can be designed for the elderly on Bellevue that can achieve the following –

• It would enable the elderly to remain independent and able to look after themselves for longer in a smaller manageable unit.

• It would allow the elderly to downsize and release larger units of accommodation for younger families. There are elderly in St. Brelade and around the Island that occupy 3/4 bedroom houses

with a garage and a garden that would like to downsize. It would allow those elderly in the Quennevais/Red Houses area to downsize and remain close to shops, pharmacies, doctors surgeries and the Post-Office.

I ask Members to support this amendment and to retain the Belle Vue site in States ownership and for the future provision of sheltered accommodation for the elderly in our community.

There are no financial or manpower implications.

HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE 3rd September 2003

lle Vue A13.  The Committee, with reference to Act No. A7, dated 1st May idential 2002, of the Committee as previously constituted, received a report, sing Home dated 26th August 2003, from the Director of Estates in connexion with Day Care the final detailed drawings for the Belle Vue Residential Nursing Home tre – approval and Day Care Centre, which, subject to the approval of the States of the 8ra/1w/3in/1g2s. Resources Plan 2004 to 2008, would be included in the 2004 and 2005

14) capital programme.

0/224(3)

The Committee agreed to oppose the amendment to the Resource Plan

. (P.118/2003) proposed by the Connétable of St. Helier in respect of this .S.C.(2) development, which was part of its strategy of removing the frail elderly .Ed. from  acute  wards  in  the  General  Hospital  to  more  appropriate es (2) accommodation. Such patients required a high level of nursing care, .S. which, for the most part, was not provided by the private sector. It was Aud. also maintained that there were proven advantages in linking a Day .C.C. Centre with a Residential Nursing Home as planned in this scheme. The beds  provided  at  Belle  Vue  would  not  be  additional  capacity  but

replacement  for  the  existing  accommodation  at  Overdale  which  was considered highly unsatisfactory in terms of the lack of privacy currently available  in  four-bed  wards.  An  alternative  development  based  at Overdale  had  been  considered  but  was  not  deemed  feasible  for development at this time, largely due to costs of dealing with asbestos in the service ducts to the 1934 building, although it was likely that an extension to the McKinstry Ward would be necessary in the longer term.

The  Committee  was  advised  that  Planning  and  Building  Bye-Law approval  had  been  received  in  respect  of  the  Belle  Vue  scheme.  It viewed Architect's drawings nos. 10006/26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32,33, 34 and  35  and  noted  that  the  latest  cost  plan  Number  1,  Revision  C confirmed a build cost of £4,152,100 at July 2002 prices, which was as planned out of a total budget of £6,651,000.

The Committee approved the above drawings, together with a draft Report and Proposition seeking States approval of the drawings, subject  to  tenders  being  within  the  capital  funding  available. In pursuance of clause 5 of the Public Finance (General) (Jersey) Rules 1967,  as  amended,  it  agreed  to  lodge  the  said  Report  and Proposition au Greffe' through the intermediary of the Finance and Economics Committee.

The Greffier of the States was directed to send a copy of this Act to the Finance and Economics Committee.