Peeblesshire Foster Carers Snubbed

Despite pleas by social work chiefs, Peeblesshire councillors have rejected a bid by foster carers to continue looking after vulnerable children.

Michael and Liz Cashin, of Tantah House may be forced to quit fostering as a result of this recent planning rejection.

The couple have fostered over 46 children in a career spanning 13 years at their home on Edderston Road.

But Tweeddale Area Committee’s decision this week to refuse their planning application could see their crucial services lost.

The Cashin’s were given approval for a stand-alone annexe to their home in February 2005 to provide accomodation and a level of self sufficiency for their teenage foster children.

At present the couple foster three children and were hoping to foster three more with the additional space offered by the annexe.

However, months after the couple submitted their application the Care Commision recommended that the number of children fostered by a couple be capped to just four.

The financial implications of this led the Cashin’s to request for condition 1 on the original consent, restricting the use of the new building to an annexe , to be removed to allow the property to be used as a seperate dwelling.

Michael Cashin said: “We understand that this is retrospective planning but it’s just not financially viable for us to build this annexe and not make full use of it.

“We would gain no financial advantage from this, the new building is eco-designed. A normal home costs £1,000 per sq metre to build, this cost us £1500 per sq metre, so it’s far from a money scam on our part.”

Scottish Border Council’s Director of Technical Services Callum Hay highlighted the councils position on the matter in his report.

He said: “The removal of this condition would result in a third new dwellinghouse being approve off a private road within a settlement since 1984. It is normal policy for a maximum of two dwellinghouses to be served by a private access.

“I consider a condition asking for the road to be upgraded to an adoptable standard to be too onerous to impose on the applicants and it is for this reason that i am recommending refusal.”

Liz Cashin said: “The stretch of road in question is only 70 metres and we proposed improvements which would not just benefit us but our neighbours also but because we don’t own the road the upgrade is prevented.

“We intend to appeal this decision and if this fails we will have no option but to sell and therefore cease fostering. All we’re guilty of is naivety, idealism and ignorance.”

Peeblesshire councillor Catriona Bhatia said: “We have to rule on planning policy alone free from any surrounding social issues. This is unfortunate for the Cashin’s because they offer a valuable service but if we were to grant this then we would only open the flood gates for others.”

This view was echoed by local councillor Bill Herd, who also feels however that more negotiation time would likely have seen an agreeable solution for all. He said: “The main issue regarding the road could perhaps have been solved with more negotiations and a different outcome could have been reached.

“I put my views to the area committee but was roundly beaten. I have a great deal of sympathy for the couple but it boils down to a planning issue in the end not a social issue.”