The Polden Project Outline Business Plan

The Polden Community March 2018

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The Polden Project: Outline Business Plan

Contents Page

1 Background to the Outline Business Plan 3

2 Strategic fit 4

3 The project ownership and management 5

4 Premises 6

5 Project market 6

6 Services and activities to be provided 7

7 Accommodation to be provided 9

8 Financial summary 10

9 Risk analysis 12

10 Those involved in the preparation of this business Plan 13

11 Research 13

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The Polden Project: Outline Business Plan

1 Background to the Outline Business Plan

1.1 This Outline Business Plan, which has been prepared by the Polden Community in a short space of time to meet the requirements of Sedgemoor District Council, seeks to take advantage of the unique opportunity which has arisen at the former Co-op store in Woolavington - and is available nowhere else in the Poldens, to provide a valuable community health and wellbeing resource comprising a range of facilities which are not currently available to the Polden Community. 1.2 The community is aware that there is an alternative proposal to lease the same premises for use as a pharmacy, but that there is community unanimity that the proposed pharmacy is unnecessary and unwanted as it would bring little or no additional benefit to the local community since there is already a dispensing facility available in the local surgery together with a proposal to expand that facility to include a pharmacy. The proposed pharmacy is also likely to be detrimental to the quality of health provision already provided in the villages since, unlike any income from the practice dispensary which would be recycled to provide additional patient services, in the case of the pharmacy this income will be lost to the practice and the community. 1.3 Although an NHS ‘viability study’ has been carried out on the pharmacy proposal, this only considered whether the proposal to locate a pharmacy in Woolavington met with central government criteria, and it is stated NHS England policy to promote privately run pharmacies to replace dispensing GP practices. This ‘viability study’ did not take into consideration whether the proposed pharmacy was the best way in which these vacant premises might be used for the benefit of the community. 1.4 The pharmacy proposal does not therefore represent best value for the community that might be obtained from these premises, which are in public ownership, and should therefore be used to benefit the local community. The Business Plan demonstrates the robustness and viability of the Polden Project, it recommends that Sedgemoor District Council should seek to obtain the best use of these premises for the benefit of the community and asks the Council to support the Business Plan proposal rather than the pharmacy proposal. Although the Business Plan is in ‘outline’ it can easily be finalized within two or three weeks.

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2 Strategic fit

2.1 The Polden Project seeks to help to achieve the objectives set out in the Somerset Sustainability and Transformation Plan developed by the leaders of Somerset’s hospital, community and mental health NHS organisations, Somerset County Council and Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group (which is made up of the county’s GPs) and reflected in Sedgemoor District Council’s ‘Healthy Body and Mind’ strategy and the ‘Villages Together’. programme’. 2.2 The Transformation Plan’s objectives are to deal with ‘the fact that more people are living longer with more complex health problems such as dementia, diabetes and high blood pressure, but also because of the increasing cost of new medicines and treatments. Public demand for health and social care services is constantly growing and the only way to manage this is by working with patients, carers and communities’. 2.3 The Plan’s key priorities are: • To encourage and support everyone in Somerset to lead healthier lives and avoid getting preventable illnesses • To respond to the way that we live now – making it easier for people to get services closer to home, when they need them, using modern technology that is already transforming other parts of our lives • To move care out of hospital beds in Yeovil, Taunton and our 13 community hospitals into people’s homes wherever possible, providing care designed specifically for each patient’s needs, supporting faster recovery and, in many instances, avoiding the need to go into hospital in the first place • To invest in GP teams to develop a mixture of skills and time to support the increasingly complex care that needs to be given • To invest more money in frontline care by being more efficient with how we use buildings, our equipment and our management and administration

2.4 In support of these objectives, the aims of the Polden Project are: • To utilise and support a ‘community-centred’ approach in designing, delivering and evaluating a range of services in partnership with the local community so that it is community driven and locality based. • To work in collaboration with the local statutory and voluntary sector • To mobilise assets within the local community, promoting equality and increasing people’s control over their health and lives • To reduce health and social inequalities in our villages without any bias/prejudice of where people live. • To empower local people to have greater say in matters that affect their lives and health • To engage those in our community most at risk of poor health and well-being • To Improve the neighbourhood environment

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• To utilise the skills and knowledge of members of our community and work collaboratively with other agencies • To complement and integrate the social care gap with the current health service provision by local general practice to meet holistic needs • To create a well-connected, resilient and more cohesive community in which individuals have a choice and are able to flourish

2.5 The community’s unanimous view is that leasing the former Co-op store for the proposed pharmacy will not deliver any of these objectives.

3 The project ownership and management

Ownership 3.1 The Polden Project will be set up, owned, promoted and managed by The Polden Project Ltd, a company limited by Guarantee which will be a registered charity. The company Board will comprise the following trustees/directors: • One director from each of the following Parish Councils – Woolavington, Puriton, Bawdrip and Cossington • Peter Beer – Chair, Woolavington Residents’ Association • Dr Andrew Rowling of Polden Medical Practice • Ms Jacquie Longman, chair, Polden Medical Practice Patients’ Group

3.2 In the development and early stages of the project the Board will meet monthly, changing to quarterly once the project is established.

Day to day management 3.3 The project will be staffed by local volunteers and those organisations delivering services or activities. The Company will also appoint a Project Manager for the first two years of the project to ensure that it is set up and functioning properly. This post may be shared with the Village Agent that ‘Villages Together’ is seeking to employ. The Project would offer the Village Agent free accommodation in the project in return for the Agent keeping an eye on the Project. At the end of this period a view will be taken on whether a fulltime project manager is required or whether the Centre can be managed by a rota of volunteers.

Management Committee 3.4 A Management Committee which will report to the Board will be established. This Committee will comprise representatives from the seventeen parish councils within the Polden Practice area; the Polden Practice; the Polden Practice Patient’s Group; users of the Project; SDC; SCC and ‘Villages Together’. This Committee will monitor the performance of the Project, the introduction of new uses and the level of charges to be levied.

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4 Premises

4.1 The Project will be located in the vacant: Former Co-operative Store Windmill Crescent Woolavington Bridgwater, Somerset, TA7 8HP See map attached 4.2 Initially, opening hours will be from10am to 3pm Monday to Friday. These hours will be reviewed after the first year.

5 Project market

5.1 The Project will draw its clients primarily from the 17 parishes within the Polden Medical Practice area which, excluding Bridgwater and Street, has 14,399 residents, approximately 10,000 of whom are registered as patients with the Polden Medical Practice. The profile of the population is characterized by the preponderance of elderly patients with multiple conditions who will benefit from the services to be provided by the Project. 5.2 The Project will be located at the ‘centre of gravity’ of the practice area and is easily accessed. Project Catchment Area

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Parish Resident Populations – excluding Street and Bridgwater (Somerset Intelligence)

Parish Population Parish Population 1 Ashcott 1,186 9 Greinton 200 2 Bawdrip 506 10 Moorlinch 408 3 Burtle 388 11 Pawlett 1,038 4 Catcott 531 12 Puriton 1,968 5 Chedzoy 404 13 Shapwick 536 6 Chilton Polden 698 14 Stawell 386 7 Cossington 564 15 Walton 1,106 8 Edington 564 16 Westonzoyland 1,801 17 Woolavington 2,115 Total 14,399

6 Services and activities to be provided

6.1 To ensure that the Project will be attractive to as many residents as possible, it is important that it’s ‘offer’ of services addresses the identified needs of the community. However, although there is a population of around 15,000 in the project catchment area there is unlikely to be sufficient demand for all of these services to be available every day. This, means that with proper programming, the use of the available accommodation can be maximised. 6.2 The services to be provided in the project are based on the following considerations; • At present there is nowhere in the Poldens, except village pubs with restricted opening hours during the day, that people in the villages can go to for meals, refreshments and to meet – these are important social necessities for community well-being. Provision for this will be a priority of the project. The café, activity space and library which will be open to all residents of the Polden Villages, should help to satisfy this need. There are numerous evaluated examples of ‘Community Hubs’ and ‘Talking Cafes’ that show the benefits of this provision. • There are no libraries in the Poldens. Readers currently have to travel to Bridgwater to access this service. During discussions with the community this un-met need was seen as a priority. Books in the proposed library will be available for residents to borrow and/or swap. • A local, low-cost chiropody service will be available weekly • A ‘Villages Together’ Agent will be based at the Café – giving him/her a base easy and access for residents wishing to see the agent. • Local Community Police with provide advice on security and safety • To tackle obesity there will be monthly Healthy Eating displays and workshops with free literature • Free legal advice on wills, powers of attorneys and benefits will be available • Voluntary Agencies approached who are keen to provide support/information

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at the site include CAB, Marie Curie Foundation and CRUISE • Local Cafés will provide demonstrations and advice on healthy eating

6.3 As the Project develops, it will host and work closely with partners from statutory and Voluntary Agencies. Co-location for many agencies and the community is beneficial because the travel distances for providers and rural service users can involve higher travel costs, opportunity costs and unproductive time for staff. The agencies contacted so far are keen to participate in the Project. The uptake and outcomes will be reviewed regularly and the programme adapted accordingly.

Services and activities Service/ activity Details Provider Drop in Centre/ internet Providing a safe, informal environment for the local community to Polden Project Company café/ library meet-reducing isolation and loneliness in Café/ Activity Area volunteers Health and wellbeing of Encouraging residents to enjoy ‘a meal out’ at a convenient, Polden Project volunteers the elderly familiar location without worrying about the restricted public transport and cost. Improving nutrition and emotional wellbeing Healthy eating/ tackling Low cost healthy meals at the café. Healthy Eating Displays and SCC/local catering firms obesity free literature. In activity Space /shops/ CCG dieticians Local firm -Nibbles Practice nurses Health advice and treatment of minor conditions – treatment room Polden Practice Drop in surgery GP consultation every two weeks – in treatment room Polden Practice Chiropody Clinic Local Qualified Chiropodist due to savings in travel to individual Nicholas Hoar clients the service will be provided at a lower cost. Important to maintain mobility. Treatment Room Legal clinic Advice on wills/ power of attorney/ benefits etc Nigel Isaac Mother and baby Advice sessions for half days as required Interview rooms for one Midwives facility to one sessions and Smoking cessation meeting rooms for group Health Visitors therapy Dementia clinics Village Agents Base for our Village Agent leading to easy access to information Kristen Rushby – hot desk for locals. Currently the Agent has no local designated base. It space with wifi as required would cut down her travel time enabling her to see more people. or interview room Youth Skills project Half day/ week Interview room/ meeting room Youth and Community Job Centre Employment advice preparation for employment Half day/ week Job Centre Plus employment clinic. Interview/meeting room. Physical activity and One organised session a week in the Activity Space. Introducing Local Health Authority and exercise exercise and actively encouraging people to include physical trained community activity in their daily lives. members. Library Books can be borrowed Promotes intellectual activity and leisure. Cynthia Galloway Crime Prevention Community PC will meet people and advise about keeping safe PCSO Anusia Rourke and address any concerns people have. Interview room/ meeting room for groups Counselling Support Bereavement and counselling /support for cancer sufferers and CRUISE & Marie Curie and prevention of their carers. Currently to access these services people have to Foundation. depression/ cancer travel great distances. Group therapy is a preferred option for the sufferers counsellors who also promote peer support networks. Interview room for one to one counselling/ meeting room or activity space for group therapy

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7 Accommodation to be provided

7.1 The key elements in the success of the Polden Project will be: • To maximise the use the available space in the most productive way possible so that the Project ‘offer’ is attractive to as many residents as possible • To ensure that the space is flexible to accommodate the various uses that have been proposed • To ensure that the range of uses to be accommodated in the Project is properly programmed to avoid clashes between group activities and activities that require privacy.

7.2 The level of detail required to produce a programme for the Project is not yet available because of the short amount of time available to prepare this Business Plan, which has meant that that it has not been possible to have the necessary discussions with providers. However, this could be easily done in a week or so. 7.3 Accommodation to be provided comprises: • Main Activity Area • Community Café/ library • Consultation Room 1 • Consultation Room 2 • One Surgery for minor treatments • Meeting room/ waiting room • Male/ female/ disabled toilets

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8 Financial summary

8.1 Apart from the café and the chiropody service, which would be available at a reduced rate, the services and activities at the Project would be free to residents. The project will be staffed by local volunteers and those organisations delivering services or activities.

Set up costs Item Estimated cost Comment Legal fees for the conclusion of lease terms Nil Provided on a pro bono basis n by Nigel Isaac Architectural fees Nil Provided on a pro bono basis by Martin Davidson Renovation of building including repainting. £50,000 Discussions have already taken repairs to flooring and suspended ceiling, light place with ‘Villages Together’. A fittings, new toilets, fitting out servery and contribution would also be purchase of other fittings and equipment and expected from the dilapidations due downtakings to be paid by the Co-op

Estimated Annual Running Costs Item £ Detail Rent Nil This would be Sedgemoor’ DC’s contribution to a project where Council tax Nil volunteers will be providing most of the effort. Audit Nil Pro bono Insurances 246 Pro rata with Woolavington Village Hall Gas 623 Electricity 514 Water rates 193 Wifi/ telephone 570 Sinking Fund 1,000 Allowance for repairs etc Staffing Nil Shared with the Village Agent and local volunteers Total Annual running costs (£) 3,146

Estimated annual Income Item £ Detail Polden Medical Practice 10,000 Per year for five years Villages Together 5,000 Per year for five years Parish Councils 5,000 Per year from parishes Cafe sales 5,200 @£20/day Somerset County Council Health and well Being Fund 1,000 Hire income from service providers 1,000 PPG 1,600 Year 1 only Annual Total 28,800

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Five-year cash flow Item Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Total Income Villages together 50,000 50,000 Villages together 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 25,000 Polden Medical Practice 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 50,000 Café Sales 5,200 5,200 5,200 5,200 5,200 26,000 Parishes contribution 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 25,000 Polden Practice PPG 1,600 0 0 0 0 1,600 Total Annual Income 76,800 25,200 25,200 25,200 25,200 177,600 Expenditure Renovation works 50,000 50,000 Insurances 246 246 246 246 246 1,230 Gas 623 623 623 623 623 3,115 Electricity 514 514 514 514 514 2,570 Water rates 193 193 193 193 193 965 Wifi/ telephone 570 570 570 570 570 2,850 Sinking Fund 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 2,850 Total Annual Expenditure 53,146 3,146 3,146 3,146 3,146 63,580 Surplus 23,654 22,054 22,054 22,054 22,054 114,020

8.2 The cash flow indicates that, even with a £1,000/ annum sinking fund, the project could make a £114,000 surplus by year 5.

Other sources of funds 8.3 Because of the limited time available it has not been possible to pursue other sources of finance for the project, however in the near future the Company intends to pursue among others: • Hinkley Point C Community Fund • Perry’s Charity Paper Banks • Campaign for Youth Social Action • Good Lunch • St Francis Youth Club

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9 Risk analysis

9.1 Apart from the possibility that Sedgemoor DC may decide to reject the Business Plan and lease the property to the pharmacy, the Project is relatively risk free.

Nature of risk Severity Likelihood Impact What action is recommended By whom? to mitigate these risks? Sedgemoor lease High Medium If this happens the Sedgemoor DC has been asked The the building for a potential benefits to abandon its proposal to lease Community pharmacy to the community the property to the pharmacy. will be lost. The Polden Community supports the project. Insufficient funds High Low If ‘Villages Early approaches to ‘Villages Polden Project can be raised to Together’ does not Together’ have been positive. Local Parish start the project provide the Councils resources to carry out the renovation work the project may have to be abandoned Number of users is Low Low Low Services will be free and Polden Project below expectations sufficient financial commitments have been made, and the running costs are low, to ensure that the project can continue. The project has substantial community support and will be promoted through the seventeen parish councils, local churches, the local GP practice, local newspapers the WI and other community groups. Project runs into Medium Low Medium Substantial financial Various financial difficulties commitments have already been organisations made. Running cost are low and are well covered by pledged income.

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10 Those involved in the preparation of this business Plan

10.1 A large number of the members of the Polden Community has been involved in the preparation of this Business Plan including: • Councillor Hamlin • Dr Andy Rowling - Polden Practice GP Partner • Jacquie Longman - Polden Medical Practice PPG Chair • Robert Hemms - Polden Medical Practice PPG Secretary • Martin Davidson - Polden Medical Practice PPG Member • Jess Dorrett - Nurse Prescriber, Nurse Practitioner General Practice Nursing – Cossington residents representative • Teresa Hemms - Polden Medical Practice PPG Member • Peter Beer - Woolavington Residents Association Chair • George Terry - Cossington Parish Council Chair • Alan Sharp - Woolavington Parish Council Chair • Barry Galloway - Woolavington Village Hall Chair • Cynthia Galloway - Woolavington Village Hall Committee Member • Richard Culverhouse – Bawdrip Parish Council

11 Research

11.1 A number of government publications relating to rural area support similar initiatives e.g. • Age UK (2015),’Missed opportunities’: the impact on older people of cuts to rural bus services - May 2013 • Rural England (2015), Older people in rural areas: vulnerability due to ill health • Defra (2016) Statistical Digest of Rural England • Rural England (2017) State of Rural Services • Commission for Rural Communities - Rural Disadvantage Reviewing the Evidence CRC (2012) Social Isolation experienced by people in rural communities • Department for Transport - Transport and accessibility to services • Rural England, Older people in rural areas: vulnerability due to poor health • LGA (2016) Combating loneliness: guide for local authorities • NICE guidelines.