Decision details

To consider the report of the Head of Regulatory Services seeking approval to spend £1.2M on mandatory Disabled Facilities Grants (DFGs) approved during the 2013/14 financial year. The grants will be paid in 2013/14 and the first quarter of 2014/15. 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 the decision to spend £1.2M on mandatory Disabled Facilities Grants approved during the 2013/14 financial year in accordance with the Housing General Fund Capital Programme.

1)  Approval to spend £1.2M on Disabled Facilities Grants approved during the 2013/14 financial year will help the Council meet its statutory duty to award these grants to adapt the homes of vulnerable disabled people.

2)  Funding for these grants was approved by full Council in February 2013 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 be inconsistent with the Council Plan and Housing Strategy.