Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor D Cook.

Apologies were received from Councillor S Doyle and M Bailey as they could not stay for the whole meeting and left at 19:38.

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 23^rd January 2024 were approved as a correct record.

(Moved by Councillor R Claymore and seconded by Councillor D Maycock)

There were none.

There was none.

(Update on responses to the Reports of the Health & Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee)

There were none.

(Discussion item)

There were none.

(To receive the Digest from Staffordshire County Council’s Health and Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee and an update from County Councillor T Jay)

There was no update.

(Report of the Assistant Director, Assets -  follow on from agenda item on the 23^rd January 2024 – link below)  

(Public Pack)To Follow Report - Disabled Adaptations Policy Agenda Supplement for Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee, 23/01/2024 18:00 (tamworth.gov.uk)

The Chair introduced the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Planning, Council Smith and the Assistant Director, Assets, Paul Weston who were returning to Committee with an update Housing Assistance Policy following on from the 24^th January 2024 when the Committee received the report of the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Planning 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 the Committee asked for the item to return with more information.

The Portfolio Holder thanked the Committee for their constructive input at the previous meeting and acknowledged that it was evident that further discussion was required around the number of residents on the waiting list and performance. They asked that the Committee to recognise and move the proposed policy forward as it allowed a provision for applicants to be recognised as ‘Urgent’ or ‘Standard’ and highlighted what the criteria for an ‘urgent’ case was (Policy pages 19/20), whilst recognising that a deeper delve needed to be done into prioritisation and to refine the policy. They also highlighted the additional benefits introduced via the policy for discretionary grants (policy pg 52) were net positives to the current mandatory approach.

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

1.     Who can apply and how many applicants do they currently have.

The Officer confirmed that the scheme is for anyone other than Council tenants. The Council took the service in-house from April 2023. There were 150 transfer cases and to the end of January 2024 they have received 115 referrals.

The Officer highlighted that further to a question at the last meeting that they have no data yet around why cases may not progress however there are a number of reasons for this including; ineligibility once means testing applied; decision to self-fund to avoid wait times; refusal of landlord consent (private rented); current cap on grants meaning funding would not cover works and applying to the wrong area.

2.     What happens where landlord consent is refused? Do the team provide any alternatives options?

The Officer confirmed that the DFG team’s role is to assess the applications and they do not provide other options, however there may be other options through the Council where their property is unsuitable.

3.     How is the means testing calculated and is there an example? Can everyone access the application as there are concerns that residents may slip through the net, and do the Council have any discretion to look at applications that may be refused but fall close to the criteria?

The Officer confirmed that this is a standard process, but that it is a complex calculation and included looking at assets, passport benefits, and what can be paid back. It was noted that children’s applications are not means tested. Whilst people can apply yourself themselves the teams will work with residents to support them with making their application. There are online calculators  ...  view the full minutes text for item 84.

Please see the link to the Forward Plan:

 Cabinet, Forward Plan - 1st February 2024 - 31st May 2024 Plan Document 01/02/2024 (tamworth.gov.uk)

There were no items identified from the Forward plan.

(To receive an update from any Working Groups)

The Chair highlighted that an email had been circulated proposing a working group be created to look to Review of the Implementation or the Service to bring Disabled Adaptations In-House and a scoping document was sent out to Committee asking for volunteers to be on the working Group. Councillors Maycock and Dean had volunteered to be part of the working group.

To the Health & Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee Work Plan

The Chair noted that the next meeting was on March 26^th 2024 and the Committee were expecting the safeguarding update.

To consider excluding the Press and Public from the meeting by passing the following resolution:-

“That in accordance with the provisions of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meeting and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012, and Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act and the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public  interest in disclosing the information to the public”

(Presentation from the Assistant Director, Neighbourhoods)

Presentation from the Head of Housing Management and Neighbourhood Resilience, Lee Birch the re procurement of the Council’s 24 hour Community alarm service.

The Committee moved a recommendation to endorse the approach to the re-procurement of the service.

(Moved by Councillor C Dean and seconded by Councillor D Maycock)