Health & Community Services
Ministerial Decision Supporting Report
Grant from the Harold Ernest Le Seelleur fund to Les Amis to fund the purchase and redevelopment of a property to convert it into a nursing unit
- Purpose of Report
To request a grant of up to £1m from the Harold Ernest Le Seelleur Fund for Les Amis incorporated to support the purchase and redevelopment of a property to create Jersey’s first Nursing Unit for Islanders with a learning disability. A property has been identified and agreement to purchase is currently with lawyers.
- Background
Les Amis was founded in 1975 to help people with learning disabilities such as Down Syndrome and Autism move from institutional into community care. Today, the charity supports more than 130 residents and service users of all ages, many of whom live independent lives in the community. Many hold down jobs and share flats and houses around the Island. Others live permanently in supported accommodation and there are those who come to Les Amis for respite care to give their carers a break. The charity also provides domiciliary services in the clients’ home.
- Les Amis Service Provision
The charity has developed its services over time to keep in step with current research and attitudes. Today, the charity is committed to providing the best standards of residential, domiciliary and respite services that are as diverse as the needs of the clients, residents and families they support. Les Amis is creating the Island’s first elderly and complex needs nursing care unit for islanders with learning disabilities.
- Les Amis Purpose
Les Amis vision is to ensure people with learning disabilities and/or associated conditions reach their full potential in life.
- Les Amis Objective
To deliver and develop quality services, in partnership, that support people with learning disabilities and/or associated conditions to experience positive and equal opportunities in Jersey.
- The need for a nursing unit
According to Les Amis, people with learning disabilities are five times more likely to suffer dementia related illnesses and conditions much earlier in their lives, have poorer health, a shorter life expectancy and an increased risk of early death when matched with the general population. Notwithstanding this, individuals with learning disabilities suffer from the same health illnesses as the general population.
Les Amis also argue that Jersey dementia nursing facilities are currently full and the Island faces an increasing older population, with a rise of 35% between 2010 and 2020. Approximately 7% of older adults will have dementia and Jersey has very limited capacity in long-term care for adults with complex needs. Currently, when a resident requires nursing care, they must move into a care home. Les Amis’ residents feel safe and secure in their environment due to the support provided, and in view of the nature of their disability do not like change. Building a Specialist Care and Nursing Unit is therefore essential. The ethos of their plans is to ensure they can support residents ‘from cradle to grave’.
- Project Funding
The project will encompass adjoining self-contained sheltered housing units (flats) for older learning-disabled people who are likely to need to access nursing care in the short to medium term.
A property has been identified and agreement to purchase is currently with lawyers.
The acquisition cost has been agreed and Morris Architects and Colin Smith Partnership have drafted/costed out the projected redevelopment costs.
In setting out the project costs, this can be summarized as below:
Purchase consideration | £3,300,000 |
Redevelopment costs* | £4,942,500 |
Lift installation | £ 250,000 |
Estimated Fit out costs | £ 500,000 |
Estimated Legal fees | £ 7500 |
Total | £9,000,000 |
*figures are based upon Colin Smith feasibility study March 2021
To meet the costs, they currently have secured the following:
A Will Trust grant | £2,500,000 |
Cash ring-fenced | £ 290,000 |
Funds pledged | £250,000 |
Tax rebate and NSI Bond | £260,000 |
Total | £3,300,000 |
This is equal to a shortfall / financing requirement of £5,700,000
- Background and Purpose of the Harold Ernest Le Seelleur Fund
Harold Ernest Le Seelleur bequeathed assets to the States of Jersey for itself and its successors in perpetuity, for the following purpose - “for the benefit of the aged, infirm and needy residents of the Island”.
The acceptance of the bequest by the States was expressed in the terms of proposition P.71/97 of the Health and Social Services Committee, adopted by the States on 2nd June 1997. Under the proposition it was decided that the administration of the Estate of H.E. Le Seelleur should be carried out by the Minister for Health and Social Services (formerly known as the Health and Social Services Committee).
The assets originally settled into the Estate of H.E. Le Seelleur comprised of Jersey located property. These properties have been let to both private tenants and to staff members. Rental income has accumulated in the Fund and has been used to carry out maintenance and refurbishment works to the properties. On 8 May 2014 the Minister for HCS adopted a Property Strategy which recommended the sale of several of the properties and requested that the Treasurer invest the non-property (cash) assets of the fund in the Common Investment Fund (MD-HSS-2014-0015).
Proceeds of £4.7 million from the property sales were attributed to the Le Seelleur Fund.
- Fund Balance
The balance of the Le Seelleur Fund including the value of property as at 1st September 2021 is £10.1m of which £1.7m is held through property ownership, £0.57m is held in the bank, the remainder is held in the common investment fund.
Although the Will made no differentiation between whether distributions should be made from capital or income of the fund until a reserves policy is adopted grants will be made with due regard to the reduction of the fund capital sum.
It is proposed that £1m of the fund is distributed to the charity Les Amis.
- Approval of the use of the Le Seelleur Charitable Trust Fund
This has been proposed by the Director General of Health and Community Services. A Charitable Trust Fund committee is being set up to provide suitable governance in the future for such decisions, in the absence of this committee being in place with delegated authority a Ministerial Decision is being sought.
The Minister for Health and Social Services is requested to approve the grant of up to £1m donation from the Harold Ernest Le Seelleur Fund, to be transferred to Les Amis in 2021 to support the purchase and redeveloped of a property to enable Les Amis to create Jersey’s first Nursing Unit for Islanders with a learning disability.
Use of the Harold Ernest Le Seelleur Charitable Trust Fund is in accordance with the terms of the Fund the original bequest being given to the States of Jersey for itself and its successors in perpetuity, to be used - “for the benefit of the aged, infirm and needy residents of the Island”.
- Recommendation
The Minister is recommended to approve the grant of £1m from the Le Seelleur Fund, Les Amis in 2021.
Following approval of the recommendation the following will take place;
- A Treasurer Decision will be obtained to facilitate the drawdown of £1m from the Common Investment Fund.
- The grant for specific purpose will be distributed to Les Amis.
- Confirmation of the commemorative plaque in memory of the Late H. E Le Seelleur will be installed in the Nursing Unit.
- Reason for Decision
Article 21 of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2019 states that where a States body or area of operation will earn income more than that estimated in an approved government plan during that financial year, the Minister may direct that the excess income be allocated to a head of expenditure set out in the plan.
The distribution of up to £1m from the H.E. Le Seelleur Fund aligns with the purpose of the charitable trust fund, which is; “for the benefit of the aged, infirm and needy residents”.
7. Resource Implications
The balance of funds on the Le Seelleur Fund will reduce from £10.1m to £9.1m following the transfer. There is no impact to the HCS revenue head of expenditure.
| Name and Signature | |
Report author - Finance Business Partner supporting HCS | Frederik Tonsberg | Document date: 13 October 2021 |
Quality Assurance / Review: Group Director | Michelle Roach | File name and path: |
Director General Sponsor: | Caroline Landon |
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