You have all heard that a corpse was found in Caroline House on the evening of
A damning report for Somer Housing on Caroline House, in 2005
The review found that there are some "serious problems around health, safety and security at Caroline House", and that "...this is adversely impacting on delivering support and so contributing effectively to the supporting people agenda."
Read the full report on the B&NES Council website.
Here are some extracts:
"There was an awareness amongst staff and management of the fact that Caroline House was not working as intended, and that there were some serious problems around health and safety and maintenance at Caroline House… There is a problem with vandalism in the block… Because the front door is insecure it is difficult to know whether it is service users, their visitors or those with no associations with the block who cause the damage… Corporate policies and procedures are in place to cover security, health and safety but they are not keeping the project safe… Serious concerns about the safety of the building were noted on
A number of particular incidents were pointed out by Bath Self Help staff including:
- A young female tenant was recently raped in her studio flat. The insecure front door had enabled her attacker, who was known to her, to gain access to the building.
- Concerns were expressed by one member of staff that drug dealing is being conducted on the premises.
- A serious threat had been made by a service user against a member of staff. (He had threatened to throw him down the stairs and break his legs).
There hasn’t been any follow up from B&NES on the recommendations of the report
We understand from B&NES Council that they are unable to find any reference as to whether or not the action plan from the report of 2005 has been followed through. Unfortunately, since this report, the Council has not carried out any environmental health review of the premises or indeed any other reports until…
Any follow up from Somer Housing?
The review recommended that Bath Self Help [Somer Housing] produce action plans by
Can Somer manage a bigger hostel when it cannot deliver on a smaller scale?
Somerset & Avon Police is still investigating what happened recently at Caroline House; but it is said that the person died two weeks before being found, probably from a drug overdose. If this is true, questions will need to be answered. How did such a tragic event even occurred in the premises when Somer is meant to provided support and supervision? We can all appreciate that it is in the nature of Somer`s housing activities that this type of accident can sadly occur, but why did it take so long for the body to be discovered?
Everybody needs to be aware that Somerset & Avon Police has also confirmed that 95 police visits have taken place at Caroline House, from
Leaving aside that putting so many vulnerable people together is counter-productive, that full integration into the community is by far a better option, and that all of those who have been involved in housing the extremely vulnerable, are of the opinion that the facility Somer (and currently B&NES Council) proposes will probably compound the long term problems of the residents. We must ask ourselves whether Somer Housing is competent to manage a big scheme with 65 residential units (if not more), as they propose to build at Caroline House /3&4 Longacre, when it seems they cannot adequately manage the existing premises of 17 units.
It does not bode well that at a public meeting in January 2008: Somer Housing was unable to confirm funding to maintain and supervise the new building for more than 3 years, once the new extension is completed.
A rape, drug dealings and health, safety & security issues, a dead body, what else will it take for B&NES to stop Somer Housing's current proposals to extend Caroline House and 3&4 Longacre?
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