The Council, with its key partners, is concerned about the impact of new foster homes, or similar facilities, being located in the district, and in particular, in the Cliftonville area.

Parts of Margate and Cliftonville experience multiple layers of risk and significant deprivation, and are the subject of substantial inter-agency efforts to improve the environment and lives of people already resident in the area.

The Margate Task Force was set up in 2010, and is a multi-award-winning, integrated team, co-located at the Council’s offices, made up of 14 different agencies and 30 staff, working in two of the most deprived wards in Kent (Margate Central and Cliftonville West). MTF aims to identify the most complex social issues and deliver a joint ‘street level’ service to respond to risk and vulnerabilities.

There is evidence from Kent Police, the Clinical Commissioning Group, Kent County Council and others to suggest that the concentration of these premises in this area causes a range of problems, including:

• Significant impact on, and diversion of, the resources of key agencies, undermining the delivery of core services in the area; and
• The children placed in these facilities being at increased risk;
• Harm to the area in which these homes are located.

This policy is supported by Kent Police, the Clinical Commissioning Group and Kent County Council. The policy applies to proposals which include more than 6 residents (including staff).

Policy HO26

Proposals for new foster homes, or similar facilities, will not be permitted within the area identified on the Proposals Map*. Proposals for foster homes elsewhere in the district will be considered in the light of the factors set out above, and in consultation with key service providers.

(*Cliftonville West Ward)

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