Below is the statement which I have just delivered at tonight’s Monash Council meeting in relation to our final decision to sell Monash Gardens and Elizabeth Gardens.

Statement by Monash Mayor Geoff Lake

 

Regarding a resolution of Council at its meeting on 28 January 2014

 

I am pleased to announce that tonight Monash Council has decided to sell the Elizabeth Gardens and Monash Gardens aged care facilities and the Monash Gardens Village to Royal Freemasons.

 

In selecting Royal Freemasons from among the other shortlisted bidders, Council has accepted the unanimous report of its Evaluation Panel.   We firmly believe this is an excellent result for the residents, their families and the Monash community. It ensures that high quality care will continue to be provided to older members of the Monash community and at the current sites.

 

Royal Freemasons is a well-respected, experienced ‘not-for-profit’ provider of aged care in Victoria. Royal Freemasons currently operates five residential aged care facilities in metropolitan Melbourne. All of their facilities have received full accreditation from the Commonwealth Government. No sanctions have been imposed at any of their facilities.   Royal Freemasons is also an experienced operator of independent living units and retirement apartments, operating 10 independent living sites across Victoria.

 

A key reason why Royal Freemasons has been selected following the tender process is because it is able to provide a standard of care at least as good – and if not better – than that provided by Council. Being a larger provider than Council, they have the economies of scale to provide more services than Council. They have dedicated dietician and physiotherapist services. They also have a Senior Geriatrician and a Chief Nurse who oversee clinical care practices across their facilities.

 

Royal Freemasons has committed to honour the terms of the agreements that Monash Gardens and Elizabeth Gardens residents have with Council. Royal Freemasons has also committed that services and activities will continue in their present form for at least seven years and in some areas will be enhanced. Residents’ meals will continue to be prepared on-site at the facilities.

 

Royal Freemasons intends to offer employment to a significant number of the staff who currently work at the facilities. This is because they rightly recognise, as Council does, that continuity of staffing will help ensure the smoothest and most caring transition for residents. In the coming days and weeks staff at the facilities will be provided with information and support to assist them in making an informed decision on whether to take up employment with Royal Freemasons. Royal Freemasons is also keen to see the facilities’ volunteers continue in their roles and involvement at the facilities.

 

Royal Freemasons is committed to operating the Monash Gardens and Elizabeth Gardens services at their existing locations for many years to come. As part of the sale, Royal Freemasons has agreed to a covenant over the land at Monash Gardens, which will ensure the land can only be used for residential aged care and retirement village purposes for the next 15 years. Separately, Royal Freemasons is expected to enter into a lease agreement with the Victorian Department of Health in relation to the Elizabeth Gardens facility.   In the long term, Royal Freemasons will consider expanding the aged care and retirement living services provided on the sites. Royal Freemasons is committed to ongoing investment in its facilities to ensure they meet a high standard.

 

The net cash sale price (after allowance for adjustments is made) will be $21,840,000 million. We consider this a very good result for Council and Monash ratepayers.

 

The transfer of ownership is expected to occur on 1 May 2014.

 

Royal Freemasons has developed a detailed transition plan which should ensure residents, staff and family members come first and are treated with the greatest respect and care throughout the transition. Royal Freemasons has experience in successful transitions, having recently transitioned an aged care facility in Sydenham into its care.   Representatives of Royal Freemasons will introduce themselves to the staff from the facilities at information sessions that Council has convened for tomorrow morning. Royal Freemasons’ senior staff will also hold initial meetings with residents and family members at Monash Gardens tomorrow evening, at Elizabeth Gardens on Thursday evening and at Monash Gardens Village on Friday afternoon.   In the letters we will write to residents and family members – informing them of tonight’s decision – we will also be providing a contact phone number and email address for Royal Freemasons so people can contact staff responsible for the transition.

 

Finally, it should be noted that completion of the sale itself is subject to the satisfaction of a number of conditions, including the approval of the Commonwealth Department of Social Services to the transfer of Council’s bed licences to Royal Freemasons.   As part of our commitment to transparency, we provide the following information on how Councillors voted on the sale:

 

Councillors who voted in favour of the sale:

• Cr Geoff Lake
• Cr Micaela Drieberg
• Cr Katrina Nolan
• Cr Brian Little
• Cr Jieh-Yung Lo
• Cr Paul Klisaris
• Cr Rebecca Paterson
• Cr Bill Pontikis

Councillors who voted against the sale:

• Cr Robert Davies
• Cr Theo Zographos

In closing, we would like to reiterate Council’s view that this decision represents the best possible outcome for residents in terms of securing the highest quality care and accommodation possible at the facilities into the future.