Decisions made

To consider a report from the Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Hampshire 2050 on proposals to re-purpose and close Stubbington Study Centre to enable future investment in a specialist secure welfare children's home.

Cabinet received a report of the Deputy Chief Executive and the Director of Children's Services, regarding the proposed repurposing of Stubbington Study Centre to enable the development of a new secure children's home providing a safe and secure environment for the most vulnerable children in the County Council’s care.

The report highlighted the need for investment in infrastructure to support vulnerable children as the current facility at Swanwick Lodge secure children’s welfare home was nearing the end of its life. There was potential to secure £60 million in funding from the Department for Education to fund a new build secure children’s home in Hampshire to replace Swanwick Lodge, if a suitable site could be identified before the end of March 2025. The review of sites identified that the Stubbington Study Centre site was the most viable option that met the criteria and the timescale.

It was noted that over 5,000 responses had been received to a consultation about the proposals and 13,587 signatures had been accepted from Hampshire residents to a petition to save the Stubbington Study Centre.

The Director of Children’s Services highlighted that Swanwick lodge provided an important service to vulnerable children and it was important to seek a continuation of this type of service locally in the future. It was noted that should Swanwick Lodge close, the next closest unit was in Exeter in Devon, whereas there were a number of other outdoor centres similar to Stubbington within Hampshire.    

The Cabinet heard from the following non-Executive Members who had asked to speak at the meeting on this topic:

• Councillor Meenaghan – expressed support for not closing the Stubbington Study Centre and maintaining the opportunity it provides to 6,000 children a year.
• Councillor Ford – urged seeking an alternative site for the children’s home rather than force a choice between that and the well loved Study Centre, including seeking sites from District and Borough Councils.
• Councillor Burton – suggested seeking extra time from the Department for Education to identify an alternative site for a children’s home.
• Councillor Hayre – recognised the duty of councillors as corporate parents of the children that use the secure welfare children’s home, but also the strong views of her constituents who want to retain the Stubbington Study Centre. As local member for the division including the Study Centre she requested that Cabinet agree to retain the Stubbington Study Centre and explore alternative options for a children’s home. 

The Chairman invited the Chairman of the Hampshire 2050, Corporate Services and Resources Select Committee to comment, as the Select Committee had pre-scrutinised the proposals. The Select Committee Chairman drew Cabinet’s attention to the recommendations made by the Select Committee, included in the pack of papers for this meeting. The Select Committee had been unanimous in their recommendation not to close the Stubbington Study Centre, while recognising the need for a new specialist secure welfare children’s home.

Cabinet members acknowledged the importance of both the Stubbington Study Centre and the need for a new secure children's home. They recognised the challenges in identifying suitable sites and the potential risk of losing the funding opportunity if a site could not be identified within the required timeframe. 

Councillor Chadd, Executive Lead Member for Children's Services, proposed a set of alternative resolutions to the recommendations presented by officers in the report. Councillor Adams-King seconded the proposed alternative resolutions as follows:

1.    That Cabinet commends Officers for their hard work on identifying suitable sites, and notes the challenges of identifying suitable sites within the time frame and the criteria prescribed by the Department for Education.

2.    That despite being the only viable site in the County Council’s ownership currently meeting the Department for Education site criteria, the Stubbington site will not be re-purposed for the development of a new residential secure unit.

3.    That Cabinet recognises the pressing need for new investment to secure a new secure children’s home to support Hampshire’s most vulnerable children and therefore:

•       Requests that officers formally write to the DfE to apply for a 6 month extension to allow further time to identify a potential new site.

•       Requests that officers consider future sites that may become available and, in doing so, formally write to all District and Borough Councils to identify suitable sites in their ownership that could be transferred to the County Council.

4.    That Cabinet note and accept the potential risks of losing the funding opportunity if a site cannot be identified within a suitable timeframe, and the consequential impacts on the future operations of Swanwick Lodge if the funding opportunity is withdrawn.

5.    That Cabinet requests that Officers separately develop a long-term business plan for the education and outdoor centres service.

Further to this, Councillor Forster, Executive Member for Education, proposed an additional resolution, which was seconded by Cllr Huggins:

6.    That Cabinet requests that Officers contact local schools to respond to and confirm any provisional booking requests or enquiries (including those which may have been ‘on hold’), and to ensure the County Council is intelligently marketing the centre so as to operate it at full capacity.

The Chairman called a brief adjournment of the meeting so that the wording of the alternative resolutions could be confirmed and shared with those in attendance.

When the meeting resumed, the Chairman invited Cabinet Members to debate the proposed alternative resolutions.

Cabinet Members thanked those who had made deputations and provided feedback on the proposals in other ways. Cabinet Members recognised the support for the Stubbington Study Centre and also the excellent service provided currently from the Swanwick Lodge Secure Children’s Home.

The Chairman invited the Vice Chairman of the Children & Young People Select Committee to comment and the Vice Chairman urged Cabinet to reject the proposal to close Stubbington Study Centre and seek an alternative site for a secure welfare children’s home. 

Following a summation by the Chairman, the proposed alternative resolutions, taken together, were put to the vote and agreed unanimously. Cabinet then voted on the resolutions as amended and it was unanimously therefore

RESOLVED:

1. That Cabinet commends Officers for their hard work on identifying suitable sites, and notes the challenges of identifying suitable sites within the time frame and the criteria prescribed by the Department for Education.

2. That despite being the only viable site in the County Council’s ownership currently meeting the Department for Education site criteria, the Stubbington site will not be re-purposed for the development of a new residential secure unit.

3. That Cabinet recognises the pressing need for new investment to secure a new secure children’s home to support Hampshire’s most vulnerable children and therefore:

• Requests that officers formally write to the DfE to apply for a 6 month    extension to allow further time to identify a potential new site.

• Requests that officers consider future sites that may become available and, in doing so, formally write to all District and Borough Councils to identify suitable sites in their ownership that could be transferred to the County Council.

4. That Cabinet note and accept the potential risks of losing the funding opportunity if a site cannot be identified within a suitable timeframe, and the consequential impacts on the future operations of Swanwick Lodge if the funding opportunity is withdrawn.

5. That Cabinet requests that Officers separately develop a long-term business plan for the education and outdoor centres service.

6. That Cabinet requests that Officers contact local schools to respond to and confirm any provisional booking requests or enquiries (including those which may have been ‘on hold’), and to ensure the County Council is intelligently marketing the centre so as to operate it at full capacity.