Agenda item

To consider progress against the recommendations arising from the Disabled Facilities Grants review.  

98.1           The report of the Environmental Health Manager, circulated at Pages No, 56-63, provided an update on progress against actions contained within the Disabled Facilities Grants (DFGs) report.  Members were asked to consider the report.

98.2           Members were reminded that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had reviewed the way in which DFGs were undertaken in 2015/16 and the Committee received six monthly updates on the progress made against the actions arising from that review.  The figures set out at Page No. 62 of Appendix 1 to the report demonstrated the spend against the DFG allocation for the last four years.  The Head of Community Services indicated that it was a routine and restrictive process so there was little that could be done to improve it; however, the Council was getting better at taking advantage of opportunities to do things which were slightly outside of the process.  He explained that, in January 2018, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government had allocated additional funding to local authorities that committed to spend it before 1 April 2018.  The extra funding was available for DFG adaptations and to be used more broadly on other social care capital projects.  Tewkesbury Borough Council had taken advantage of the funding and had been allocated £112,304 – it had worked closely with Severn Vale Housing Society and had spent 80% of its allocation on residents with the remaining money going back into the countywide pot.

98.3           A Member noted that there was an underspend of approximately £500,000 for 2017/18 and he questioned why this was the case.  The Head of Community Services explained that the Council had not spent its full allocation since 2014/15 and he reiterated that the money had to be spent on adaptations.  Whilst people could be encouraged to apply for DFGs, the level of demand in the borough did not correspond to the allocated money.  He clarified that the additional funding which the Council had applied for was completely separate and there had been more freedom to spend that.  Any unspent money had to be given back.  In response to a query, he indicated that Severn Vale Housing Society carried out a lot of adaptations for its tenants via the DFG process and he was not aware of any registered providers carrying out works outside of that process.  The Deputy Chief Executive advised that every application had to be referred by an Occupational Therapist and he understood there was a waiting list for these assessments which was outside of the Council’s control.  In response to a query as to whether anything was being done differently now compared to 2014/15 when the amount spent had exceeded that which was available, the Head of Community Services advised that the regime itself had not changed other than the allocation being significantly increased in 2014/15.  The money came from the Better Care Fund - which had changed in recent years with the reform of public health - and the government had given a lot more money to local authorities.  He clarified that the extra spend in 2014/15 was due to demand.

98.4           The Chair indicated that the Committee currently received progress updates on a six monthly basis and he sought a view on whether reports should be received on an annual basis going forward, given that there was little movement in relation to the outstanding actions.  Members agreed this would be more appropriate and it was

RESOLVED          1.   That the progress against the recommendations arising from the Disabled Facilities Grants Review be NOTED.

2.   That it be AGREED that future progress reports be provided on an annual basis.