Agenda item

A report of the Head of Landlord Services enabling the Group to review the draft Housing Adaptations Policy 2018-2022.

A report of the Head of Landlord Services, enabling the Group to review the draft Housing Adaptations Policy 2018-2022, was submitted (item 7 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

The Cabinet Lead Member for Housing and the Head of Landlord Services assisted with consideration of the item and provided the following details of the comments on the draft policy that had been made by the Housing Management Advisory Board and responses to issues raised:

(i)            The Housing Management Advisory Board had been provided with reassurance that when adaptations were refused, and tenants encouraged to seek more suitable accommodation, their transfer applications would be prioritised.

(ii)          Other issues considered by the Housing Management Advisory Board were: there was general agreement that requests for level access showers should be considered on a case by case basis, whether sufficient resources had been identified to meet the need for adaptations, the issue of adapting non-standard properties would be tackled by moving tenants to more suitable accommodation where possible, stair lifts in communal areas could cause problems as they created a potential obstacle, and the ongoing review of the Council’s sheltered housing stock.

(iii)         Each request would be considered on its own merits based on the needs of the tenant, cost and the best use of the Council’s housing stock.

(iv)         Once the new policy was adopted arrangements for monitoring the performance measures set out in the policy would be put in place.  That would be part of a wider performance management framework, some of which was already in place.  Performance was currently reported to the Housing Management Advisory Board but was not currently benchmarked against other organisations.  Performance information could be requested by the Performance Scrutiny Panel as part of its work programme.

(v)          It was recognised that the response times for dealing with requests needed to be improved.  It was hoped that the new policy would speed up decision making by providing a clear decision making process.  For example if a request for an adaptation was outside the policy that could be more quickly identified.  The Council was also working with its contractors in relation to timeliness.

(vi)         There were occasions where adaptations were reversed, for example showers being replaced by a bath.  However, there were significant costs associated with that and wherever possible the Council sought to match the needs of applicants to suitable properties when making housing allocations.

(vii)        The amount of funding required to meet the Council’s statutory responsibilities in terms of making adaptations to its housing stock was not expected to change significantly in the medium term.  In order to ensure that mandatory work could be undertaken, money could be and was vired from other budgets into the adaptations budget when necessary.  In exceptional circumstances work could be deferred to the following financial year.

(viii)      The Council used a specialist provider to supply the equipment for adaptations.  It was not known whether the provider used new or refurbished equipment.

(ix)         Where it was not possible because of the configuration of a property to install a ramp to provide access, the possibility of installing a platform lift would be considered.  That was an option that had been suggested as an amendment to the policy by occupational therapists.

RESOLVED

1.         that the report be noted;

2.                     that further information be provided to the Group regarding whether its specialist contractor made use of refurbished equipment for adaptations in Charnwood.

Reasons

1.         To acknowledge the information received.

2.         To provide the Group with further information regarding the matter.