Decision details

The Cabinet Member approved the Housing Renewals Policy 2017 - 2019.

The recommendation to approve the Housing Renewals Policy will ensure financial assistance is available to address serious defects in privately owned properties occupied by vulnerable elderly and disabled residents and low income families.  Heating and insulation measures also help to increase the energy efficiency of properties and assist in reducing fuel poverty.

The introduction of Repairs Assistance to private landlords supports the Selective Licensing Scheme and, together with Empty Homes Assistance and the private leasing scheme, contributes to the prevention of homelessness and increases the amount of available housing for Housing Needs to allocate to families in housing need.

Introducing a top up to the £30,000 mandatory Disabled Facility Grant will mean that major ground floor adaptation proposals, that have been through the most reasonable, practicable, necessary and appropriate test, will be able to be progressed and completed. 

The introduction of the discretionary Disabled Facility Grant to Support Health addresses government recommendations to utilise the grant in a more preventative way in order to reduce hospital admission and costly social care packages and create fast track pathways to facilitate early discharge from hospital and for residents to remain living independently in an accessible, safe, warm and healthy environment.

Not have a Housing Renewals Policy – rejected.  The requirement for a Policy under the Regulatory Reform Order 2002 is detailed in 9.3 below

Not refreshing the Policy – rejected. The refreshed Policy addresses:

·         the changes to the funding of Disabled Facility Grants through the Better CareFund

·         the funding issues currently being experienced with major disabled facility  adaptations

·         the need to use the Disabled facility Grant in a more preventative way.

The introduction of Repairs Assistance to landlords and to owners of empty property improves the stock condition, contributes to the prevention of homelessness and increases the available affordable housing in the city

None

Housing Renewals Policy 2017 – 2019

BRE Building Research Establishment Integrated Dwelling Level Housing Stock Modelling Report July 2016

Building Research Establishment Quantitative Health Impact Assessment: The Cost of Private Sector Housing and Prospective Housing Interventions in Peterborough July 2016.

Foundations - The Disabled Facilities Grant: Before and After the Introduction of the Better Care Fund - July 2016