Purpose

Proposes amendments to the Private Sector
Assistance Policy.

Content

10.1

The committee considered a
report of the Executive Director Neighbourhood Services seeking
approval from the Housing Policy Committee for proposed amendments
to the Private Sector Housing Assistance Policy (the Policy), which
was adopted in January 2020. These proposed amendments relate to
the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) funded assistance in the
Policy, including Mandatory DFGs and discretionary financial
assistance. The report summarised the proposed amendments, along
with the results from the public consultation.

 

 

10.2

RESOLVED
UNANIMOUSLY: That the Housing Policy
Committee:-
 

1.   
Consider and approve the following amendments to the Private Sector
Housing Assistance Policy (Appendix 1).
·      
Amendment 1 – Include Mandatory Disabled Facilities Grants
(DFGs) in the Policy
·      
Amendment 2 – Introduce a local land charge within the
Mandatory and Top Up Disabled Facilities Grants (DFGs)
·      
Amendment 3 – Changes to the Accelerated Adaptations Grant
eligibility, to be renamed as the Accelerated Disabled Facilities
Adaptations Grant
·      
Amendment 4 – Removal of the Minor Works Grant
·      
Amendment 5 – Amend the purpose of the Disabled
Person’s Home Appreciation Loan
·      
Amendment 6 – Changes to the Relocation Loan to separate out
the two purposes and reduce the loan amount for the DFG element to
a maximum discretionary amount of £40,000

 

 

10.3

Reasons for Decision

10.3.1

The Council has a statutory
duty to provide Mandatory DFGs, and powers to provide other
financial assistance for housing renewal at its discretion. The
changes to the Policy will enable the Council to effectively use
the DFG budget to prioritise Mandatory DFGs while offering further
assistance when necessary and to those most in need.

 

 

10.3.2

We ask Committee to consider
and approve the following amendments to the Private Sector Housing
Assistance Policy (Appendix 1).

·      
Amendment 1 – Include Mandatory Disabled
Facilities Grants (DFGs) in the Policy.

·      
Amendment 2 – Introduce a local land charge
within the Mandatory and Top Up Disabled Facilities Grants
(DFGs).

·      
Amendment 3 – Changes to the Accelerated
Adaptations Grant eligibility, to be renamed as the Accelerated
Disabled Facilities Adaptations Grant.

·      
Amendment 4 – Removal of the Minor Works
Grant

·      
Amendment 5 – Amend the purpose of the
Disabled Person’s Home Appreciation Loan.

·      
Amendment 6 – Changes to the Relocation Loan
to separate out the two purposes and reduce the loan amount for the
DFG element to a maximum of £40,000.

 

 

10.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

 

 

10.4.1

Alternative Option 1: Do not amend the Policy
 
The Policy could remain as it
is with no amendments, but there is a risk
that the DFG budget would not
be sufficient and the statutory duty to
provide Mandatory DFGs would
not be met.
 
Additionally, no change to
Policy would mean we do not apply the local land charge and do not
recoup some of the funding to reinvest in further adaptations. This
option is therefore not recommended.

 

 

10.4.2

Option 2 – Review the full Policy in 2025
 
The proposed amendments to the
Policy could be delayed until a full review of the whole Policy in
2025. The proposed DFG amendments would then form part of this
review.
 
Delaying the change until 2025
would impact on how effectively the DFG budget is used this year
and going forward so this option is therefore not
recommended.