Agenda item

Report from the Strategic Director of Adult Care, Housing and Public Health.

Recommendations:

That Cabinet:

1.    Approve the adoption of the new Aids and Adaptations Assistance Policy (Appendix 1) and note the new scheme of delegation for authorising grants.

2.    Approve the proposed increase in Disabled Facilities Grant fees from 10% to 15% in order to pay for additional administrative and technical services costs associated with the new Policy and note that the Council is permitted to include necessary and reasonable fees associated with Disabled Facilities Grant applications within the overall cost of the eligible works.

3.    Delegate authority to the Strategic Director of Adult Care Housing and Public Health who can subdelegate to the Assistant Director of Housing in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing to prioritise or withdraw discretionary assistance in accordance with the Aids and Adaptations Assistance Policy and in line with the available budget.

4.    Delegate authority to the Strategic Director of Adult Care Housing and Public Health to make minor amendments to the Policy when the need is identified.

Consideration was given to the report which sought approval of the new Aids and Adaptations Assistance Policy and of the proposed increase in Disabled Facilities Grant fees from 10% to 15%. The current Aids and Adaptations Policy was adopted in April 2015. On 10th July, 2023, Cabinet agreed to review the Policy and to put in place some temporary delegations to facilitate continued delivery of the aids and adaptations service. The review had now concluded, and the report recommended the adoption of a new Aids and Adaptations Assistance Policy (Appendix 1) including a new set of financial delegations. The proposed Policy set out how the Council intended to exercise its powers under the Regulatory Reform (Housing Assistance) Order 2002 by consolidating the traditional assistance for aids and adaptations with a range of new discretionary grants.

The review took place between July and October 2023 and details were set out in section 4 of the report. In addition to considering the latest best practice, the review considered best utilisation of the Service, comparing access from residents living in different housing tenures and the most common types of adaptations needed and associated costs and budgets. Views and feedback from stakeholders, partners and Service users was gathered. Council officers heard directly from residents who had lived experience of aids and adaptations. In total more than 200 people were involved in the review.

The review was underpinned and supported by the Government’s latest guidance for local authorities, published in 2022. The guidance set out expectations on local authorities and the rights of a disabled person making an application for grants. Officers also consulted with Foundations, the national body for Home Improvement Agencies, in the development of the guidance.

The table at Appendix 1 of the proposed Policy provided an outline of all the aids and assistance schemes. The Policy would help increase the number of people accessing aids and adaptations. This would enable more people to remain living independently in their own homes. The Policy also offered more cost-effective solutions as an alternative to high-cost adaptations through better use of stock and more flexible grant arrangements.

The report was considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board (OSMB), who advised that the recommendations be supported. Although it was not a formal recommendation, they did ask that the Service consider creating a register to monitor which properties had aids and/or adaptations. The Cabinet Member agreed to this request. OSMB also requested that an update be provided to OSMB (or nominated Select Commission) on the impact of the Policy, 12 months after its implementation. This requested was accepted by Cabinet.

Resolved:

That Cabinet:

1.    Approve the adoption of the new Aids and Adaptations Assistance Policy (Appendix 1) and note the new scheme of delegation for authorising grants.

2.    Approve the proposed increase in Disabled Facilities Grant fees from 10% to 15% in order to pay for additional administrative and technical services costs associated with the new Policy and note that the Council is permitted to include necessary and reasonable fees associated with Disabled Facilities Grant applications within the overall cost of the eligible works.

3.    Delegate authority to the Strategic Director of Adult Care Housing and Public Health who can sub-delegate to the Assistant Director of Housing in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing to prioritise or withdraw discretionary assistance in accordance with the Aids and Adaptations Assistance Policy and in line with the available budget.

4.    Delegate authority to the Strategic Director of Adult Care Housing and Public Health to make minor amendments to the Policy when the need is identified.

5.    Agree that an update be provided to OSMB (or nominated Select Commission) on the impact of the Policy, 12 months after its implementation.