Consultation on the future of Concord Lodge

Like many organisations, Bristol City Council is facing a cost of operating crisis, due to rising costs of goods, energy and services, reduced government funding, and increasing demand for the services the council provides. This is affecting our ability to carry out all the activities we want to, including some services.

On 21 February 2023, Bristol’s Full Council approved a number of measures that would achieve a balanced budget. One of these measures was a proposal to review the service provided at Concord Lodge.

The savings to be achieved through a review of Concord Lodge are £450,000. This means that the money available each year to run Concord Lodge would be £450,000 less than we have now:

• £350,000 was agreed as part of the 2022 to 2023 budget setting process
• A further £100,000 was agreed in the 2023 to2024 budget consultation

To make these savings it's necessary to explore how to do things differently.

Concord Lodge

Concord Lodge is an assessment unit currently run by the council for adults with learning difficulties or complex needs. It provides accommodation for 7 adults and is set up as an assessment centre. Typically, we plan for people to stay in Concord Lodge for 24 to 36 weeks.

What we consulted on

Following a period of review, it has become clear that it will not be possible to make the required level of savings while still providing the current service in the way we do now. The single biggest cost within the current service budget is staffing, due to the number of staff required during a period of assessment to support individuals with complex needs. Given the present service model, it's not possible to operate the current service with safe and adequate staffing levels and make the required level of savings.

The recommended future option is therefore to stop direct delivery of a council-run service at Concord Lodge. The consultation sought views on that proposal.

Why we propose to stop the direct delivery of the council-run service 

The council does not have a statutory duty to provide the type of service it currently offers at Concord Lodge. The council already commissions care and support from a range of different providers for most adults with complex needs (including the type of service offered at Concord Lodge) and will continue to do so. This will ensure that anyone who may have used Concord Lodge will still receive the care and support they need.

The council recognises that there's a need to work with other care providers to further develop the care and support available for adults with complex needs. The development of partnerships with providers of services for adults with learning difficulties or complex needs will be a priority for Adult Social Care commissioners, to ensure that people who may use services like Concord Lodge will continue to get the right support which promotes their well-being and independence.

Other options we considered 

We considered other options for adapting the current service at Concord Lodge to achieve the required savings. We do not propose to take these forward for the reasons set out below.

Reducing the number of service users in Concord Lodge

It would not be possible to reduce the staffing levels by the amount required to achieve the savings needed. We would still have to pay the overheads of running the building while providing a service for fewer people, making this option poor value for money.

Achieving economies of scale by providing for more people at the site

The building is designed specifically to provide care and support to people with complex needs in individual rooms. It would not be possible to increase the number of people supported without investing in re-modelling the building.

Potential future uses of the site

It's recognised that there are various future potential uses for the site, and there is also ongoing demand for a number of different NHS, healthcare, and social care services. We invite your comments and suggestions on the potential future use of Concord Lodge as part of this consultation.

We considered stopping the current service and selling the site. There is continued demand for a range of social care services in the city (either adults or children’s services), which could use the Concord Lodge Site if it becomes available. For this reason, the council does not wish to dispose of the site and we do not propose to take this option forward.