Council to provide hundreds of homes for the most vulnerable in Cornwall
A new strategy and plan has been developed to increase the amount of supported housing
Cornwall Council and partners will provide hundreds of improved homes for the most vulnerable people in the Duchy by 2050.
A new strategy for increased supported and specialist housing will provide quality accommodation for the homeless, young parents, the elderly, people with learning difficulties and mental health needs, and many more.
However, one councillor has urged caution and said that in the “real world” the council is still unable to deliver ordinary need let alone extra care accommodation.
The strategy was given the green light by the council’s health and adult social care scrutiny committee on Wednesday, October 11 and will now go to the Conservative cabinet for its approval for the work to start.
Supported housing is accommodation that is provided alongside support, supervision or care to help people with specific needs to live as independently as possible in the community.
The council’s strategy is partly in response to the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight Bill) which received Royal Assent in June is now an Act, which is expected to go live in 2025.
One of the requirements of the delivery of the Act is the development and the publication of a Supported Housing Strategy. Local authorities are expected to publish a supported housing needs assessment for residents.
The council heard the future housing need for Cornwall up to 2050 breaks down into the following:
- 31,727 units of accessible / adapted homes
- 5,610 retirement / sheltered housing
- 3,880 extra care housing
- 2,901 nursing home beds
- 2,115 fully wheelchair adapted homes
- 825 residential care beds
- 650 units for people with learning difficulties / autism
- 355 for people with mental health needs
- 195 for complex homeless needs
- 177 for vulnerable young people
- 91 for drug /alcohol needs
- 48 for people on probation
- 39 for young parents
- 32 for people experiencing domestic abuse
Cllr Andy Virr, Cornwall Council cabinet member for adults and public health, said: "It is important that we have housing available that can meet the needs of all of Cornwall’s population. We recognise that for some people this can be hard to access and this plan seeks to address this challenge.
"It’s very important to sign off the Supported Housing Strategy and the Implementation Plan to make sure we tackle the demand for these types of housing right now to make sure people are getting the support they need.
"We need to move away from the more institutional models of care and support and the financial impact this is putting on the council’s budget."
However, Cllr Loveday Jenkin said during the meeting: "I think this is very good and I’d like to see it delivered, but we have to live in the real world here and we’re not even delivering for our ordinary needs let alone our extra care needs at the moment."
The council will work in partnership with its local partners from the NHS, registered providers, the probation service, local community and voluntary groups and organisations to ensure that the supported housing that is commissioned and provided is effective in meeting the needs of local people. It is likely to be a mix of new builds and improved current housing stock.