Decision details

To consider the report of Head of Regulatory and City Services seeking approval to spend £1.2M on mandatory Disabled Facilities Grants (DFGs) approved during the 2014/15 financial year and the first quarter of 2015/16. Each grant is means tested and awarded in accordance with the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996. The purpose of the grant is to enable independent living by adapting homes that are owner occupied, rented privately or from a Registered Provider (housing association), to meet the long term needs of disabled occupiers.

To approve, in accordance with Financial Procedure Rules, capital expenditure of £1.2M on mandatory Disabled Facilities Grants, phased £900,000 in 2014/15 and £300,000 in 2015/16, provision for which is contained within the Housing General Fund Capital Programme.

(i)  Approval to spend £1.2M on Disabled Facilities Grants approved during the 2014/15 financial year will help the Council meet its statutory duty to award these grants to adapt the homes of vulnerable disabled people.

(ii)  Funding for these grants was approved by full Council in February 2014 and is contained within the Housing General Fund Capital Programme.

Not spending this resource on Disabled Facilities Grants would mean that the Council would not fulfil its statutory duty to award these mandatory grants and this would not be consistent with the Council Plan and Housing Strategy.