Shock as approved housing scheme for 40 homes with care facilities

for the elderly on the former Avenue School site is stopped.

• A short term-ist cut that damages an important scheme
• There is a small chance of getting funding
  
  through a different source so we will be pushing the council to rescue the scheme
  

The Extra Care housing scheme on the former Avenue School site approved by the Labour Government can no longer go ahead as a result of the Coalition Government’s emergency budget. The scheme of 40 specially designed homes was approved earlier this year by the Labour Government with funding of £3.12m.

Reading Borough Council received a letter at the end of last week to say that the scheme cannot now proceed. The Housing and Communities Agency (HCA) which is funded by the Department of Communities and Local Government has written to tell the Council that the scheme cannot now be built out under the Local Authority New Build programme.

The HCA recognises that the council has put in a significant amount of work that may now be abortive.

Mike Orton, Labour Group spokesperson on Community Care says,

“This news com

“Many older people, including residents in sheltered housing and day centre users, were involved in the housing design.

“The new homes would enable people to live more independent lives as they get older. There would be care facilities on site and would provide an alternative to going into residential care. Local people have expressed a keen interest and spoken to me about how they can apply to live in the new homes.

“This scheme forms a major part of Labour’s future programme for elderly care in Reading. Scrapping it will lead to higher costs of care for the council in the near future.

“Also, as people move into these homes to plan for their future, larger houses would be made available for young families.”

The letter from the HCA says that there may be a possibility that the scheme can proceed under the overall national Affordable Housing programme although resources will remain constrained. This will involve additional work by the Council and it is unlikely that an answer will be given before the end of July at the earliest.

Mike Orton says,

“Cutting this scheme is very serious. The delay is bad enough but to cut it altogether will be a really hard and unnecessary blow to many elderly people and their families. It is vitally important that the council finds a way to rescue the scheme and get the homes built to the planned high standard as quickly as possible.”