Another £380k for children’s homes bid
‘VOLATILE’ PROPERTY MARKET BLAMED AS COST HITS £1.9M
AN extra £380,000 has been approved for the creation of four two-bedroom children’s homes bringing the cost to £1.9 million – despite concerns that Nottinghamshire County Council is paying too much for each property.
The council originally approved a programme to create more children’s homes in March 2020 but since then it has been on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic.
According to a report to the council’s finance committee, the first pair of homes “will be delivered within the budget approved in March 2020”.
But it adds: “However, the project has observed the effects of the volatility in the housing market with rising prices, rapid sales and erratic vendor behaviour. The cost of building materials has risen as has the demand for building services.”
The cost of the properties was criticised by Independent Andy Meakin, representing Kirkby North, who said: “The average house price on Saville Road (in Skegby, where one of the properties is situated) as of December 2021 was between £215,000 and £300,000.
“This is compared to the average house price of between £125,000 and £150,000 for Sutton-in-ashfield.
“You are again making the mistake of buying properties on roads with significantly higher-than-average house prices. You paid over double the local house prices for the house you bought on Sudbury Drive in Huthwaite and are doing so again.
“The children and young people’s scrutiny committee is on a spending spree – more Park Lane than Old Kent Road and that’s why their budgets are suffering.”
Councillors were told that each two-bedroom home needs the council to buy a bigger house because each will also need to have office and sleeping space for staff.
It was also emphasised that location is also important because of being near to communities.
The report said that currently, the council has around 1,000 children in care, with about 150, mainly aged 10-16, living in children’s homes.
Numbers living in children’s homes have increased markedly over the past five years, as has the proportion of the overall number of Nottinghamshire children in care.
This is due to a number of factors, including:
■ A national shortage of foster carers
■ An increasing number of children in care aged 10-16 for whom a foster placement may be less appropriate and, in any event, is more difficult to secure.
In Nottinghamshire, as nationally, the private sector provides most of the residential placement capacity; 90 percent of the current 150 placements.
The authority is always looking to recruit more foster carers as part of its overall approach to looking after children.
Finance committee chairman Councillor Richard Jackson said: “When we think about the youngsters who are going to be occupying these children’s homes, they have had a very troubled start to life. “They deserve something a bit more than the average and we want to give these youngsters the best possible chance and the best possible restart. “It’s about the children not about the property.” The committee voted overall in favour of the 25 percent increase, with one objection and one abstention.
The committee is on a spending spree – more Park Lane than Old Kent Road Councillor Andy Meakin