Plans agreed to ‘decommission’ Lincoln Court extra care facility in Hebburn

Bosses at South Tyneside Council have agreed to ‘decommission’ Lincoln Court, in Hebburn, a 30-flat ‘extra care’ centre.

But housing chiefs have suggested a revamped site could have even more families to move in while maintaining as much independence as they can.

“Strategic housing has been working with adult social care on their accommodation strategy and one of our major elements of that is the extra care scheme,” said Anna Milner, the borough council’s housing strategy operations manager.

“Last week (November 4) it was agreed Lincoln Court would be decommissioned to enable that site to be developed for a new extra care scheme in the centre of Hebburn.

“That will really assist adult social care in terms of providing more accommodation for those who need extra care to prevent them going into residential care, which we know doesn’t always have the best outcomes for residents.”

Ms Milner was speaking at a meeting of the borough council’s Housing Performance Panel, which was held by videolink and broadcast via YouTube, on Wednesday, November 11 .

Last week’s (Wednesday, November 4) meeting of the local authority’s ruling cabinet included a report on the ‘Hebburn Extra Care Scheme’, but discussions on this were held behind closed doors as it involved ‘exempt information’.

Extra care properties are supposed to promote more independent living for older people, with facilities such as walk-in showers and wet rooms and emergency pull-cords to alert support staff.

There are currently three extra care schemes running in the borough, in Hebburn, Jarrow and South Shields, where a fourth is also planned.

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