Agenda item

- report of Kirsty Everson, Director of Independent Living

Further to Minute No. 92 of 13^th October, 2008, Shiv Bhurtun, Housing Access Manager, presented a report giving an overview of the number of adaptations undertaken during 2007/08 and the current year to 31^st January, 2009, an estimate of the likely costs over the next 3 years of adaptations and the implication on the budget together with an analysis of the significant changes in the number of adaptations undertaken recently.

For 2008/09, in line with Cabinet Minute No. 75 of 7^th September, 2005, the Council had maintained an additional contribution to the Disabled Facilities Grant (the grant provided by CLG to all Councils to use to meet their statutory obligations to provide adaptations in private sector accommodation).  The total available for private sector adaptations was £1,404,000, of which £832,000 was comprised of the DFG.  The Housing Investment Programme also prioritised resources for public sector adaptations and the budget approved by the Cabinet Member for 2007/08 was £1.7M – higher than that anticipated in 2005.  However, due to the reduced amounts of Capital Receipts from Council house sales within the year, the resources available for the public sector had not reached the anticipated budget.

Based on the 2007 Strategic Housing Market Assessment, there was an estimated 18,471 households in Rotherham with 1 or more members in an identified support needs group, higher than the national average.  22% had a long term limiting illness; the figure for children with a limiting long term illness was identified in the 2001 census as 5.02%, 16% above the national average. 

A strategy had been implemented by the Adaptations Team to deal with the increased referrals.  Based on the budget set at the start of the year, should all the backlog cases up to January, 2009, and the normal throughput of referrals (currently at a rate of 60 per months at an average cost of £4,000 per adaptation), be processed, the budget would be overspent.  To ensure that the remaining funding available for adaptations for 2008/09 remained within budget, the Housing Access Manager had strengthened the internal process for agreeing work with each case heavily scrutinised before being considered for approval.  As at 30^th January, 2009, there were 282 cases outstanding that had not been processed as yet due to the potential financial impact on the available resources.  The total backlog of cases would increase by the end of the financial year to 402 cases should referrals continue at the anticipated rate.  The impacts of the increase on overspend were set out in the report submitted.

It was proposed that a bid be made to the Corporate Capital Programme to increase the amounts available from 2010/11.  Assuming the Occupational Therapy backlog was reduced by April, 2009, and the demand for adaptations through the normal route did not exceed more than 20%, it was proposed that funding should be increased by 6% for each year from 2010/11.  This would mean increasing funding by 6% for the public sector from the available resources in the Housing Investment Programme.  For the private sector it was proposed that the Council’s contribution be increased by 6% more than the previously required 40% top up.

Discussion ensued on the report with the following issues highlighted:-

-              The Team could deal with the number of referrals coming through but would result in the budget being heavily overspent

-              Large extensions were considered carefully with Home Appreciation Loans etc. considered

-              The Team worked very closely with the Occupational Therapists

-              The 2009/10 budget for the private sector was £1.41M and £1.8M for the public sector

-              The Decent Homes Programme had carried out level access showers and showers over baths

-              The Team also worked very closely with the Assessment Team and Key Choices to ascertain if there were any other avenues instead of carrying out adaptation work

-              There was no financial contribution at present from partners (NHS or Housing Associations)

Resolved:-  That the report be noted.