Issue - meetings

The Committee gave consideration to a report represented by the Homes, Health & Wellbeing Team Manager, detailing proposals for a pilot scheme to support people to live independently, to stay connected and have greater choice in where and how they live. It was explained that, following consultation and engagement across the county, gaps in availability of services had been highlighted, with several themes set out within the project as follows:

·         Keeping warm and improving energy efficiency of properties

·         Access to trusted tradespeople

·         Opportunity to access financial solutions

·         Support when trying to commission work

·         Providing advice on all options available to people in relation to their homes

·         A healthy homes assessment - which would tap in to professionals who are already visiting homes to help to identify any housing related issues.

·         Other practical support that might be needed to overcome barriers to completing work within their homes

The project then went on to design how a full Good Homes Alliance would respond to all these identified themes with a two phase approach. Phase 1 was the information and signposting phase and would look to ensure all relevant information was available and accessible for all, whilst also including progress with the healthy homes assessment form which would then see people signposted to relevant services.

Phase 2 was the advice and support pilot and was the basis of the requirement for approval of funding being considered by the Committee. It was highlighted that the pilot service would bring together all the different elements of the identified project themes and would deliver the following:

·      Provide triage for those completing the healthy home assessment;

·      Provide advice and support to residents to help them to maintain and improve their homes;

·      Liaise with relevant organisations to resolve housing condition issues for residents;

·      Help residents to access any available funding; and

·      Co-ordinate an holistic response to issues facing residents, helping them to access a range of other services.

It was estimated a pilot with three caseworkers would provide advice to between 1,000 - 1,500 households a year across the whole of Lincolnshire. It would also deliver “hubs” throughout the areas where people would be able to drop in to access advice and support about their homes.

Members were asked to consider approval of £43,933 of funding from the Health and Wellbeing reserve to undertake this pilot, the amount having been determined using existing funding formulas in use across the county.

Members heard that the Centre for Ageing Better would be undertaking an analysis of the project successes in order to determine whether the objectives of the project were being delivered, to then consider opportunities to continue the pilot, including how that might be funded.

The Chairman invited comments from the Committee. Councillor T. Smith declared a non-pecuniary interest as he was a member of the advisory committee assisting veterans with difficulties such as those detailed in the report.

Members were supportive of the pilot scheme, although assurance was sought regarding the monitoring of the scheme and whether it would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 107