Issue - meetings

The Council is required to adopt and publish a housing renewal policy, referred to as The Home Health and Safety Policy in this report.  This policy sets out how Housing Services will provide assistance, including financial assistance, to help low-income, elderly, disabled and other vulnerable residents to undertake essential repairs and adaptations to their homes.  The policy supports the aims of the Housing and Wellbeing Strategy 2012 – 2015, particularly around improving health and wellbeing and reducing inequalities within our communities.  The existing policy, agreed by Cabinet on the 13th July 2011, has been reviewed.  This report proposes some enhancements to the policy. 

Councillor Vic Pritchard in an ad hoc statement thanked the Cabinet for responding to the advice from the Wellbeing Panel about special cases and for putting it through the democratic process.

Councillor Eleanor Jackson in an ad hoc statement said she too was pleased to see the Panel’s recommendations integrated into the proposals before Cabinet.  She made particular mention of the support for terminally ill patients and asked that changes be made to increase support given in the final months of life.

Lesley Mansell (Chair, Radstock Town Council) in an ad hoc statement observed that the Equality Impact Assessment was not included with the report.  She referred to paragraph 7 of the report which says that adverse impacts were identified, but does not say that any action plan was prepared.

The Chair promised to provide Lesley with a copy of the document following the meeting and repeated that Equality Impact Assessments could be found on the Council’s website.

Councillor Tim Ball in proposing the item thanked Councillors Pritchard and Jackson for their comments.  He commended the officers for achieving yet another improvement in provision.  He explained that the adverse impacts which Lesley Mansell referred to were justified in paragraph 7.1 of the report.  He promised to bring the policy back to Cabinet next year for an update.

Councillor Paul Crossley seconded the proposal.  He felt that this was one of the best papers being brought to Cabinet at this meeting because it ensured that vulnerable people would be supported.

On a motion from Councillor Tim Ball, seconded by Councillor Paul Crossley, it was

RESOLVED (unanimously)

(1) To ADOPT the proposed Home Health and Safety Policy 2012 as the Council’s Housing Renewal Policy.