Decision details
Revised Private Sector Housing Assistance Policy
Decision Maker: Cabinet
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: Yes
Is subject to call in?: No
Purpose:
The report highlights the main changes and additions to the Policy, which take into account the changes in government guidance, and the new schemes introduced to help spend the increased Disabled Facilities Grant allocation.
Decisions:
The report presented the new Private Sector Housing Assistance Policy and highlighted the changes and additions made since the previous policy was published in 2012.
The report had been considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at their meeting on 17 July 2018. Their comments were circulated to the Cabinet Members at the meeting.
Proposed by Councillor Ewart-James,
Seconded by Councillor Mrs Berry; and
RESOLVED:
(Voting figures: 9 for, 0 against, 0 abstentions).
1) The policy supports the continued investment in improvement of the housing stock of the district, enables more vulnerable and sick people who are on low incomes to remain in their homes for longer, thus preventing them from burdening hospitals and care systems too early, and enables timely discharge from hospital where housing conditions are preventing a discharge.
2) The changes in how the funding is delivered to local authorities for Disabled Adaptations, the new guidelines on the Better Care Fund and the significant increase in funding means that the policy needs to change to take these changes into account.
4) The No Use Empty Plus loans scheme has been successfully running since 2015, helping to bring more empty properties back into use, but this needs to be set out in the new policy.
5) The Home Safe loan limit of £5,000 is not enough to deal with the majority of cases where vulnerable persons’ homes are in need of repair to remove hazards.
6) A consultation exercise for a period of six weeks will commence after the policy is approved by Cabinet by publishing on the website and by sending to interested parties, including disabled charities, KCC Occupational Therapists, Home Improvement Agencies and the pensioner forum.
Report author: Kerry Petts
Publication date: 14/08/2018
Date of decision: 18/07/2018
Decided at meeting: 18/07/2018 - Cabinet
Accompanying Documents: