Agenda item

Objective: To review and approve consultation process for the draft Aids and Adaptation Policy.

The Operations Manager Technical and Investment presented the draft Aids and Adaptations policy to the committee. She explained that the purpose of the policy is to inform tenants how to request aids and adaptations in council housing and the process that will be followed. When the policy is adopted an internal procedure will also be produced for staff to follow so that everybody is clear on their role and their contribution to delivering this policy. The policy will help the council to meet the Regulator of Social Housing’s (RSH) Consumer Standards, in particular the Safety and Quality Standard, and the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard.

Aids and adaptations to housing can help people to live independently at home for longer and reduce demand on more acute services such as hospital admissions. The stock database will also be updated with categories of accessibility to match people to the right properties at letting stage.

The policy outlines the four levels of support that attendants can access, including for minor adaptations which do not require a referral from an occupational therapist and can be booked directly with the repairs team. The other three routes require a referral from an occupational therapist and include adaptations that value approximately £2k or above. The occupational therapist provides a full and detailed description of the works required and how they will help the individual to live independently in their property. A financial means test may be carried out, and works will be added either to an existing programme of planned improvements or will be given to a surveyor in more complicated cases. Plans will be drawn up and agreed with the tenant and the tenant will be kept updated with anticipated time scales for completion throughout the process. Eligibility criteria, any qualifying conditions, and the financial means test mirror that used for private housing, but tenants of council housing are funded through the housing revenue account (HRA). If tenants are in receipt of certain benefits the work can be passported through without a financial assessment. If approved by the committee the draft policy will be taken out to full consultation over the next few weeks with tenants, the accessibility forum and colleagues.

The committee’s discussion raised the following points:

-       The challenges faced by young adults with disabilities moving into accommodation was highlighted, particularly due to a lack of supported housing for those who are not elderly. The work being carried out on the stock database to categorise the accommodation in line with the allocation policy provided countywide by Homeseeker Plus, should improve access to suitable properties. Lettings are carried out on a sensitive, case-by-case basis with an agile approach to the potential application and the support agencies.

-       Whilst this work has been carried out for some time, the need to evidence the process for the RSH will also be supported by the database creation.

-       A version of the policy will be created with a younger reading age, plain English and short paragraphs to ensure that it is accessible. Consideration will also be given to creating a version using pictorial aids.

-       Challenges in securing an occupational therapist referral were acknowledged. It was explained that this is managed by Gloucestershire County Council and that it is currently being brought back in-house, which should hopefully lead to improvements in the service. It was highlighted that aids and adaptations are an important focus for councils across the county this year.

-       It was agreed that once the categorisation is completed and processes have been in place for a year a report will be brought to the committee to consider the effectiveness and impact of the work.

-       The importance of continuing to challenge the ableist world we live in was highlighted.

The committee unanimously approved the Aids and Adaptations Policy as a draft for consultation.