Agenda item

Members gave consideration to a report presented by the Homes, Health & Wellbeing Team Manager, seeking to adopt the Lincolnshire Discretionary Housing Financial Assistance Policy. It was explained that the Regulatory Reform (Housing Assistance) (England & Wales) Order 2002 allowed Local Housing Authorities to directly or indirectly provide assistance if a policy was adopted and published setting out how it was intended to use this general power to give assistance.

Members heard that West Lindsey District Council received funding from the Government, via Lincolnshire County Council, to fund Disabled Facilities Grants as part of the Better Care Fund, which aimed to draw together health, social care and housing, in order to help people live well and independently in their own homes for as long as possible. As such, this funding was used to provide discretionary housing financial assistance where availability allowed. It was highlighted that currently there was an over demand for the funding, which meant discretionary assistance could not be resourced, although this needed to be monitored alongside demand for mandatory Disabled Facilities Grants. Members heard that the Government had recently announced that it would continue to fund DFGs at the current level until 2025.

The Homes, Health and Wellbeing Manager explained to the Committee that the policy and explanatory notes appended to the report had been developed collaboratively by the seven district councils working with Lincolnshire County Council through the Lincolnshire Healthy and Accessible Homes Group (formerly the Lincolnshire Moving Forward with DFG Group). Additionally, other partners including Occupational Therapists, Adult Social Care & Childrens services, Foundations (the National Body for Disabled Facilities Grants and Home Improvement Agencies) had all been involved in the production of the policy through the Lincolnshire Healthy and Accessible Homes Group. Finally, the policy had also been presented to the Lincolnshire Housing and Health Network senior officers’ group and the Lincolnshire Housing, Health and Care Delivery Group, where it was recommended that it progress through district councils’ adoption processes, hence the consideration by the Prosperous Communities Committee.

Members heard that due to budget pressures for delivery of mandatory DFG’s, should the policy be adopted, it would have to immediately be suspended. Delegated authority to enact the policy was recommended within this report, with the trigger for enacting the policy requiring a 20% underspend on DFG budget for two consecutive years. This would ensure the delivery of mandatory DFGs could be brought back in line.

Members of the Committee were supportive of the introduction of the policy, whilst understanding the requirement for it to be immediately suspended. The Vice Chairman sought to confirm her understanding of the county-wide funding arrangements in that, other councils in the county held credit balances whilst West Lindsey District Council was overspent. This was confirmed to be the case, with Members of the Committee voicing their support for continued lobbying across county.

The recommendations as written int rh report were duly proposed, seconded and voted upon. It was unanimously

            RESOLVED that

a)    the Lincolnshire Discretionary Housing Financial Assistance Policy and associated explanatory notes document be adopted; and

b)    the suspension of the policy immediately from adoption due to insufficient budget be approved; and

c)    authority be delegated to the Director of Planning, Regeneration and Communities in consultation with the Chairman of Prosperous Communities Committee for the following:

·         making minor housekeeping amendments to the policy

·         making amendments to the local variations detailed within the Explanatory notes.

·         Suspend/unsuspend the awarding of new discretionary assistance under this policy based on the triggers outlined in section 3.4 of the published report – namely a 20% underspend on DFG budget for 2 consecutive years.