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£610,000 is to be spent extending the Connaught Care Home, and buying land to build a new care home, so that Alderney can look after its ageing population.
The States agreed this week to spend an additional £340,000 on the Connaught Care Home - to finish off the extension, to add to the existing 25 en-suite rooms and two bedrooms that are already in use.
The States also agreed to spend £270,000 buying a field - known as Le Val - which is near the Connaught Care Home.
Both of these costly projects now need to be approved by Guernsey though, with the States of Alderney unanimously recommending that the Policy and Resources Committee approve the capital expenditure.
Alderney's budget is controlled by Guernsey - with P&R needing to authorise any expenditure over £250,000.
Having originally been drafted by Nigel Vooght, the then-Chair of Policy and Finance in Alderney, both of the requests for money were deemed essential.
Mr Vooght had written that: “It is recognised that the island has an ageing demographic which has been supplemented to over recent years by an increase in people moving to the island to live permanently, as well as the islands naturally ageing population.
"This increase is expected to mean that the number of people requiring adult social care, including supported independent living, care home accommodation and/or hospital care is likely to increase in the future."
An agreement for the sale of the land at Le Val has already been started with the land owner, while work at the Connaught is already underway.
Pictured: Costs associated with the Connaught Care Home project, as detailed in the December Billet.
Work on extending the Connaught Care Home has been ongoing for a number of years.
In March 2020, the States of Alderney agreed to spend £1.2million extending it, with an additional £737,000 agreed the following year.
Both Brexit and covid were blamed for an increase in costs at that time.
In June 2024, the States were advised that an additional £50k was required to ensure that the project could keep progressing towards completion. At the time, no further costs were budgeted for in 2025.
The board at the Connaught Care Home was subject to a reshuffle earlier this year, which was described as a 'fiasco' by some and a 'sad day' by others.
Major reshuffle of Connaught Care Home board
Public address on Connaught 'fiasco' draws large crowd
Another resignation at the Connaught Care Home
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