Fylde Council has introduced new guidance to explain how it will handle applications pertaining to children’s homes.
The guidance aims to provide clarity for applicants, neighbours, and other interested parties, while also promoting the work of Lancashire County Council Children’s Services.
The guidance note, developed in consultation with legal experts and the Internal Affairs Scrutiny Committee, outlines the planning requirements for establishing a children’s home in the Fylde Borough. It also encourages prospective operators to seek advice from Lancashire County Council Children’s Services before submitting an application.
Councillor Chris Dixon, Lead Member for Social Wellbeing at Fylde Council said: “We believe that this guidance will help ensure that children’s homes are developed in a responsible and appropriate manner.
“By working closely with Lancashire County Council Children’s Services, we can also support the important work they do in our community.
“Our only interaction with these homes is when we see a Change of Use planning application lodged, and we have no jurisdiction over their operation or regulation – that is down to other bodies.
“We want to see much tighter regulations and our residents given much more say. We are in talks with partner agencies who have raised similar concerns to us over the number of care homes in the borough, and we are talking to Government to see if we can improve things for our residents and those children who need to be in care.”
The Council is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all residents in Fylde Borough and believes that this new guidance will play a vital role in achieving that goal. The full guidance can be found here: https://new.fylde.gov.uk/resident/planning/childrens-care-homes/
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