Fylde Council is seeking to gather evidence from members of the public to inform a review of the use of residential premises as children’s care homes in the borough.
As planning permission is not always required to change the use of a residential dwelling to a children’s care home, concern has been expressed that residential children’s homes are being established in an uncontrolled and uncoordinated manner across the borough.
During the summer, the Council’s Internal Affairs Scrutiny Committee (IASC) appointed a working group of members to undertake an in-depth review. Further details of the scope of the review can be found in the report to IASC on 20 June 2023 (item 3).
As part of the review, Fylde Council are interested to hear from members of the community who may be affected by this matter and/or wish to submit any comments/views.
Cllr Susan Fazackerley MBE, Chair of Fylde Council’s Internal Affairs Scrutiny Committee, said: “It is of paramount importance that children in the care system – many of them amongst the most vulnerable individuals in our society – are provided with the right homes in the right places. To this end, we want to make sure that children’s homes in Fylde are integrated into their local communities without detrimental impact, to ensure the welfare of the occupants and those residents nearby.”
“We invite members of the community to share their views and experiences, to help us provide clarification on the process of establishing a residential children’s home while ensuring that adequate controls are in place for the good of all.”
Information on the lines of inquiry and guidance on how to submit written evidence can be found on the Fylde Council website: https://www.fylde.gov.uk/fylde-council-scrutiny-in-depth-review-use-of-residential-premises-as-childrens-homes/
The deadline for written submissions is 5.00pm on 27 October 2023.
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