SUBJECT: Discretionary Disabled Facilities Grant for a Disabled Child in Burnt Oak

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1 DELEGATED POWERS REPORT NO. 893 SUBJECT: Discretionary Disabled Facilities Grant for a Disabled Child in Burnt Oak Control sheet All of the following actions MUST be completed at each stage of the process and the signed and dated report MUST be passed to Democratic Service for publishing All reports 1. Democratic Services receive draft report Name of DSO Nick Musgrove Date 4 th September Democratic Services cleared draft report as being Name of DSO Matthew Gaynor constitutionally appropriate Date 4 th September Finance clearance obtained (report author to Name of Fin. officer Matthew Gaynor complete) Date 26 th June Staff and other resources issues clearance Name of Res. officer Jackie McGeachie obtained (report author to complete) Date 29 th June Trade Union response received (Staffing issues Name of TU rep. only) Date 6. Legal clearance obtained from (report author to Name of Legal officer Sarah Laws complete) Date 25 th June Policy & Partnerships clearance obtained (report Name of P&P officer Andrew Natthan author to complete) Date 29 th June Equalities & Diversity clearance obtained (report Name of officer Julie Pal author to complete) Date 29 th June Consultation with Cabinet Member Name of Cabinet Member Cllr Cornelius 10. (report author to complete) Date 15 th September The above process has been checked and Name Pam Wharfe verified by Director, Head of Service or Deputy Date 14 th September 2009 (report author to complete) 12. Signed & dated report, scanned or hard copy Name of DSO received by Democratic Services for publishing Date 3 rd September Report published by Dem Services to website Name of DSO Date 3 rd September 2010 Officer reports: 14. Head of Service informed report is published and Name of DSO can be implemented. Date 3 rd September 2010 Cabinet Member reports: 15. Expiry of call-in period Date 16. Report circulated for call-in purposes to COSC Name of DSO members & copied to Cabinet & Head of Service Date Date

2 ACTION TAKEN UNDER DELEGATED POWERS BY OFFICER IN CONSULTATION WITH CABINET MEMBER(S) (EXECUTIVE FUNCTION) Subject Officer taking decision Cabinet Member(s) Discretionary Disabled Facilities Grant for a Disabled Child in Burnt Oak Director of Planning, Housing & Regeneration Community Services Date of decision 15 September 2009 Date decision comes into effect Summary Officer Contributors Status (public or exempt) Wards affected Enclosures 15 September 2009 Approval of a Discretionary Disabled Facilities Grant for a Disabled Child in Burnt Oak ward. Belinda Livesey Private Sector Housing Manager Public (with separate exempt section) Burnt Oak None Reason for exemption from callin (if appropriate) Not Applicable Contact for further information: Belinda Livesey, Private Sector Housing Manager, Serial No.

3 1. RELEVANT PREVIOUS DECISIONS 1.1 Cabinet Member Decision (DPR no: 631) on 17 September 2008 agreed the Private Sector Housing Grants Policy setting out the extraordinary social circumstances under which discretionary funding in the form of an interest free loan secured as a charge on the property could be awarded. 2. CORPORATE PRIORITIES AND POLICY CONSIDERATIONS 2.1 Two of the Council s key priorities are for A Bright Future for Children and Young People and Promoting Independence. This application, if approved, will support a disabled child and his family and will make a significant improvement to their lives. 2.2 Barnet s Children and Young People Plan 2008/9-2010/11 recognises the need to support parents and carers and support personal and family independence wherever possible. 3. RISK MANAGEMENT ISSUES 3.1 I do not consider the issues involved are likely to raise significant levels of public concern or give rise to policy considerations. 4. EQUALITIES AND DIVERSITY ISSUES 4.1 This grant would fulfil the Council s statutory obligations to promote disability equality by improving the home environment for a disabled child and their family. 5. FINANCIAL, STAFFING, I.C.T. AND PROPERTY IMPLICATIONS 5.1 The Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) budget for 2009/2010 is 1.25 million with an additional carry over from the previous financial year of 161,000. In relation to discretionary assistance there is an annual budget of 150,000, with an additional carry over from the previous financial year 2008/9 of 42, Expenditure profiles for Disabled Facilities Grants project that there is still funding available in the 2009/10 budget for discretionary assistance. 5.3 The grant if approved is anticipated to be paid during the 2009/2010 financial year. 5.4 As this is discretionary assistance, contributions are repayable to the Council on sale or transfer of the adapted property and this requirement forms part of the terms of the grant. 5.5 Work funded by a mandatory DFG have already been completed at this property. Discretionary funding is required for work required by the Council s Building Control Department in respect of additional drainage works. Estimates for the additional works have been obtained through the applicant s surveyor and contractor. The total cost is Discretionary assistance up to the maximum assistance of 20,000 may be utilised in undertaking this project.

4 6. LEGAL ISSUES 6.1 None save as contained in body of report. 7. CONSTITUTIONAL POWERS 7.1 Part 3 of The Constitution, Responsibility for Functions paragraph 6.1 provides for Chief Officers to take decisions in consultation with the Cabinet Member concerned to discharge the functions allocated to them or dealt by them or their staff. 8. BACKGROUND INFORMATION 8.1 Discretionary disabled facilities assistance of is requested. 8.2 Consultation has taken place between Environmental Health and the Children s Occupational Therapist. 8.3 Cabinet Member Decision (DPR no: 631) agreed on 17 September 2008 that, subject to exceptional circumstances, discretionary funding for disabled adaptations would only be given in very few cases where the applicant meets one or more of the following criteria: (a) the applicant has been resident at the property for at least 2 years; or (b) the applicant has/is ceasing full time employment to care for a disabled member of their immediate family; or (c) the applicant can demonstrate that leaving their home will have a significant adverse impact upon the disabled person s schooling or care package; or (d) the applicant requires the adaptation to meet the needs of a child placed with them via adoption or long term foster care. Cabinet also agreed that the discretionary funding would not exceed 20,000 and be registered as a charge on the property and be repayable on sale or transfer. 8.4 The applicant has lived in this property for more than 2 years and purchased it in If the family were to move there would be a significant adverse impact on the disabled child s care arrangements. 8.5 In accordance with the social circumstances and the nature of the child s disability a mandatory Disabled Facilities Grant was approved on 22 nd October The works involved: the construction of a ground floor extension to the existing w.c. compartment to incorporate a level access shower and wash hand basin wheelchair access to both the front and rear of property. This adaptation will allow the disabled child to: (a) have exclusive use of ground floor shower facilities adjacent to his bedroom; and (b) wheelchair access both into the property and into the rear garden.

5 Whilst the builders were on site Building Control highlighted the need for additional unforeseen drainage work to be undertaken. The cost of these works exceeded the maximum grant level of 30,000. This report therefore recommends the approval of an owner/occupier s application for a discretionary Disabled Facilities Grant for the cost of works over and above the 30,000 mandatory grant. 9. LIST OF BACKGROUND PAPERS 9.1 Any person wishing to inspect the file should contact Belinda Livesey, Private Sector Housing Manager DECISION OF THE CABINET MEMBER I authorise the following action 10.1 That authority be given to approve and pay an owner/occupier s Discretionary Disabled Facilities Grant (interest free loan secured as a charge against the property) of which together with a mandatory Disabled Facilities Grant will assist in funding the adaptation of the property for a disabled child and to take all necessary steps to ensure that the grant is secured as a charge on the property as referred to in Appendix 1. Signed Richard Cornelius Cabinet Member for Community Services Date 15 September 2009