Decision details

This report concerns the transfer of Angel Lodge (12 Mayfield Road, Croydon, CR2 0BE) from the Council’s Housing Revenue Account to the General Fund for £750,000 to enable the property to be converted for use as a Children’s Home. 

The refurbishment works are covered by Department for Education (DfE) capital funding of £329,000 and a Service Provider is in the process of being commissioned to run the home and deliver registered services.

The cost and quality of children’s residential care has had a lot of publicity nationally. There is recognition that, without its own provision, Croydon Council is at the mercy of “the market” for children’s home provision. This has led to many children needing to be found homes away from their home borough at great expense. This is contributing to the pressure on the children’s placement budget, which has been overspent as a result.

Establishing a new children’s home in the borough will reduce pressure on budgets and contribute to the savings plan already outlined in the Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS). 

For the reasons set out in the report and appendices, the Executive Mayor AGREED:

2.1       that the Council appropriates Angel Lodge, 12 Mayfield Road, Croydon, CR2 0BE, from the Housing revenue Account (HRA) to the General Fund (GF). The Council will make the necessary accounting adjustment between the two accounts in line with proper Local Authority Accounting Practices.