Issue - meetings

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Housing, Homelessness and Planning)

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Housing, Homelessness and Planning asked  for Cabinet to approve and formally adopt the Housing Assistance Policy (Appendix A) for the delivery of mandatory and discretionary Disabled Facilities Grants (DFGs) for private sector residents, and in the interim period of not having a Council Adaptations Policy, adopt the same Policy position and foundations for Council delivery.

 In addition, approve and formally adopt the Interim Policy Position Statement (IPPS) for Council adaptations in scenarios where the Council can reject, refuse, of pend permission for an adaptation request, for example where tenants are intending to purchase their property, are in arrears or facing eviction action, or are looking to move home, and the exceptional circumstances that will be used for applying discretion in these scenarios (Appendix B).

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Planning)

The Chair welcomed the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Planning, Councillor S Smith and the Assistant Director, Assets, Paul Weston to present the report of the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Planning on the Disabled Adaptations Policy to review and consider the proposed draft Housing Assistance Policy (for the delivery of Mandatory and Discretionary Disabled Facilities Grants) prior to submission to Cabinet for full approval and adoption, before handing over to the Portfolio Holder.

The Portfolio Holder highlighted that the Housing Grants, construction, and Regeneration Act 1996 is the main piece of relevant legislation around this piece of work. The Council do not currently have a policy on place. It was noted that the policy affects the most vulnerable in society before handing over to the Assistant Director, Assets who highlighted the following –

Ø  In the absence of a Housing Assistance Policy the Council have been delivering grants through the mandatory grant process which places a cap on grants at £30000 and has no option for discretionary grants or alternatives to providing grants.

Ø  The Policy, whilst recognising that the Council has a limited budget provided by Government via County through the Better Care Fund through County(there is no new money attached), takes into account the caps on grants which was set in 2008 that has not changed in line with rising costs and allows for the Council to offer a Top up Grant of up to £25000.

Ø  As there is no additional funding the additional grants could reduce the amount of grants awarded overall.

Ø  The Professional Fees Grant will help cover costs for grant applications that do not progress or where they do and that the costs would have been recovered from the grant itself.

Ø  The Help to Move grant would allow applicants to seek alternative accommodation where adapting the property will not suit their needs.

Ø  Means-testing of grants will continue.

Ø  Passporting, eligibility and timings remain in line with the statutory process.

Ø  This is purely for grants; this does not apply to Council tenants however it does apply to private renting tenants and tenants of Social Housing Providers as this is the way the legislation is written.

The Committee made the following comments/observations and asked the following questions:

1.     Do we have any data around why some grants do not go through and was this due to lack of support?

The Officer confirmed that data is captured however this was not available at the meeting but there were several reasons for this, such as people passing away, moving out of the area, moving into care or with family, or not fitting in to the criteria for the grants. And whilst people can make direct applications, generally the process is set up to support people end to end.

2.     Clarification around third-party applications? Would an adult child making an application on behalf of parents be mean tested?

The third-party application covers when someone is making an application on behalf of the applicant.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 72