Date 26/2/10. Date 1/3/10. Date 3/3/10. Date 18/2/10. Date 26/2/10. Date 26/2/10. Date 17/3/10. Date 19/3/10. Date 19/3/10.

Transcription

1 1009 DELEGATED POWERS REPORT NO. SUBJECT: Discretionary Disabled Facilities Grant for a Disabled Child in Hale. 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 Jonathan Regal 2. Democratic Services cleared draft report as being constitutionally appropriate 3. Finance clearance obtained (report author to complete) 4. Staff and other resources issues clearance obtained 5. Trade Union response received (Staffing issues only) 6. Legal clearance obtained from (report author to complete) 7. Policy & Partnerships clearance obtained 8. Equalities & Diversity clearance obtained 9. The above process has been checked and verified by Director, Head of Service or Deputy 10. Signed & dated report, scanned or hard copy received by Democratic Services for publishing 11. Report published by Dem Services to website Officer reports: 12. Head of Service informed report is published and can be implemented. Date 1/3/10 Name of Fin. officer Jahinger Mannan Date 3/3/10 Name of Res. officer Jackie McGeachie Date 1/3/10 Name of TU rep. n/a Date Name of Legal officer Victoria Gray Date 18/2/10 Name of P&P officer Andrew Nathan Name of officer Julie Pal Name Stewart Murray Date 17/3/10 Cabinet Member reports: 13. Expiry of call-in period Date 14. Report circulated for call-in purposes to COSC Name of DSO members & copied to Cabinet & Head of Date Service Date

2 ACTION TAKEN UNDER DELEGATED POWERS BY OFFICER IN CONSULTATION WITH CABINET MEMBER(S) (EXECUTIVE FUNCTION) Subject Officer taking decision Discretionary Disabled Facilities Grant for a Disabled Person in Hale Ward. Director of Planning, Housing and Regeneration Date of decision 17 March 2010 Summary Officer Contributors Status (public or exempt) Approval of a Discretionary Disabled Facilities Grant for a disabled person in Hale ward. Kevin Thompson Private Sector Housing Manager Public (with a separate exempt report) Wards affected Enclosures Hale None Reason for exemption from callin (if appropriate) Not applicable Contact for further information: Kevin Thompson, 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 One of the Council s key priorities is Promoting Independence. This application, if approved, will support a disabled adult and allow her to live independently in her own home. It will make a significant improvement to her life. 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 Councils statutory obligations to promote disability equality by improving the home environment for a disabled person and allow her to live independently in her own home. 5. USE OF RESOURCES IMPLICATIONS (Finance, Procurement, Performance & Value for money, Staffing, IT, Property, Sustainability) 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 There are no staffing implications. 6. LEGAL ISSUES 6.1 None save as contained in body of report. 7. CONSTITUTIONAL POWERS 7.1 The Council s constitution, in Part 3, 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.

4 8. BACKGROUND INFORMATION 8.1 Discretionary disabled facilities assistance of 20, is requested. 8.2 Consultation has taken place between Environmental Health and the Adult 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 be given in exceptional 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 per case 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 client were to move there would be a significant adverse impact on the disabled person s care arrangements. 8.5 In accordance with the social circumstances and the nature of the person s disability she is entitled to apply for a mandatory Disabled Facilities Grant. The works involve: the construction of a ground floor extension to incorporate a wheelchair accessible kitchen; and wheelchair access via steplift to the rear of property. This adaptation will allow the disabled person to: (a) have wheelchair use of the ground floor kitchen; and (b) wheelchair access into the rear garden. 8.6 Two estimates for the works have been obtained by the Council s Care & Repair Team. These are for 60, and including VAT and Care & Repair fees. 8.7 The lowest of these estimates means the total cost of the eligible works exceeds the 50, combined grant ceiling by 10, The applicant is aware of this and it is her intention to fund the excess by private means. The applicant is aware that these finances must be made available and paid as a first payment to the contractor before any grant monies are paid. 8.8 A copy of the Environmental Health Officer s report is contained in the exempt report. 9. LIST OF BACKGROUND PAPERS 9.1 London Borough of Barnet s Grants policy. 9.2 Any person wishing to inspect the background paper listed above should telephone Kevin Thompson on

5 10. CONSULTATION WITH CABINET MEMBER(S) 10.1 The Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration has been consulted and has agreed the award of a grant. 11. OFFICER DECISION I authorise the following action 11.1 That authority is given to take all necessary steps to approve and pay an owner/occupier s Discretionary Disabled Facilities Grant (interest free loan secured as a charge against the property) of 20, and to ensure that the grant is secured as a charge on the property. Together with a mandatory Disabled Facilities Grant this will assist in funding the adaptation of this property identified in the exempt report for a disabled person. Signed Stewart Murray Director of Planning, Housing and Regeneration Date 20 March 2010