Issue - meetings

a)         That Members note the progress of the Housing Renewal Service over the last 8 months and that 6 monthly reports are submitted to this Committee; and

b)         That Members support the proposal to remove the DFG regime for Council Tenants from 1 April 2013, excluding those that have moved from owner occupation in the previous 12 months.

The Housing Renewal Manager introduced a report to update Members on the last six month’s activity in the Housing Renewal Service.

Loans for Repairs and Improvements

• The transition from Grants to Loans in 2010 has resulted in a loan register to date of £768K (monies to be repaid to the Council).

• Demand for assistance remained high, with 26 loans completed in Quarter 2 and a similar forecast for Quarter 3.

            Empty Homes activity and Houses into Homes Scheme

• Flintshire Housing Renewal was the lead for the North Wales region and had to date claimed for the region £1,570,597 out of a total of £2,332,532. 

• Flintshire’s current claimed share of this resource was £526K.  This would provide loans for 22 units of accommodation across the county.

• The empty property database was now operational and contained details of 406 properties.

Disabled Facilities Grant

The Housing Renewal Manager reported that there was a proposal to remove the Disabled Facilities Grant Regime for Council tenants from 1 April 2013, excluding those that had moved from owner occupation in the previous 12 months. It was proposed that work would instead be scheduled upon receipt, without the need for application forms, means testing and requesting applicants to evidence income and savings, which would mean less administration and greater control.

Councillor P.G. Heesom said that he agreed with the recommendations and asked for records of Council houses with disabled adaptations to be kept.

            RESOLVED:

a)         That Members note the progress of the Housing Renewal Service over the last 8 months and that 6 monthly reports are submitted to this Committee; and

b)         That Members support the proposal to remove the DFG regime for Council Tenants from 1 April 2013, excluding those that have moved from owner occupation in the previous 12 months.