Supplementary A - London Borough of Hillingdon

partial failure for example of heating systems. Thirdly, the contract may help ensure the
installation operates efficiently for example boiler servicing. Importantly the majority of the
service contracts are required to ensure the Council complies with its statutory
responsibilities.
• During 2006/07 a firm foundation has been laid from which improvements in the manner in
which service contracts are organised and delivered has been made. In this respect the
Design, Maintenance and Energy Group within Corporate Property Services led a number of
premises management training sessions for service-based stakeholders/users. The training
sessions focussed on improving the roles and working relationships of those forming the
Safety Management Systems (SMS) as such applies to the service contracts. Improving the
effectiveness of those in the SMS will in itself improve the effectiveness of the contracts and
the robustness of the SMS itself. It is proposed during 2007/08 to drive further improvements
in the way the Council manages its premises. These improvements will be delivered by a
combination of integrated initiatives by managing the service contracts from a dedicated
premises management team within Facilities Management, rolling-out premises
management handbooks for each site and centralisation all building related day-to-day
budgets for management by Corporate Property Services. This latter initiative will enable the
service day-to-day repairs, statutory testing and follow-on works arising fro the
testing/servicing to be more effectively prioritised by property professionals.
Adult Social Care, Health and Housing
• The Department has reviewed each of its property assets against predicted future needs and
has identified those in need of reconfiguration or modernisation over the next 5 years.
• The modernisation of service provision for people with learning disabilities is continuing. It is
operating under the direction of the Learning Disability Partnership Board, which includes
representatives from the Primary Care Trust, Parent Carers and partner organisations, and
has five strands focussing on -
- Review of Community Team for People with learning disabilities
- Family support services
- Challenging needs
- Day services
• The overall strategy for accommodation is to work with users and carers to promote
independence and choice through the provision of smaller houses or flats and encouraging
as many users as possible to become tenants or even owner occupiers. The process of
review has started with Bourne Lodge, as it is one of the largest hostels that fits least with
the Valuing People principles. A council site in Ruislip, Highgrove Annex, has been selected
for the construction of twelve self-contained units with appropriate care and support.
Construction of this new scheme should start in 2007 and be completed before summer
2008.
• The overall outcome of the learning disabilities review is expected to be a need for fewer
registered residential care places, a significantly increased community based range of
accommodation services (from supported accommodation to independent living), much
reduced building based day centre provision and increased opportunities for socially
inclusive education, leisure and employment.
• A review of properties used for mental health residential care and hostel provision has taken
place and a modernisation programme has been approved and resourced. A group home
will be demolished and replaced with nine self-contained flats with staff facilities in 2007.
The modernisation programme includes the demolition of a hostel and its replacement with
20 self-contained flats with staff facilities. A planning application for this site has been
submitted and it is intended to start construction of the new scheme later in 2007. A second
hostel is being used to provide temporary accommodation for clients during the build phase
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