Issue - meetings

That the Committee support and endorses the proposal to achieve full cost recovery for the housing revenue account alarms service.

The Service Manager (Housing, Welfare and Communities) introduced a report which provided details of a proposal to increase the service charge to all sheltered residents who were currently using the alarm service and that the service charge would be applied to all sheltered properties at the point they were let in future. 

The Service Manager reported that the Council provided a range of services to residents, the community and visitors for which it could apply a fee or charge and generate income accordingly.  Within the Council’s housing stock (HRA) there were 2592 sheltered housing accommodation units and following a review of the warden service in 2009 this service was ceased, and the Community Based Accommodation Service (CBASS) was created.  The service provided a tenure neutral service for any older person in Flintshire who may need housing related support.

In addition, the service provided a response service for alarm activations.  For

HRA residents this was a 24-hour service, operating an out of hours service from

within the team for outside office hours (evenings, nights and weekends).  The proposal outlined within the report was to apply the increased service charge to all sheltered residents who were currently using the alarm service.  All new residents in sheltered schemes with an alarm would have the charge applied as per current process at the beginning of their new contract.

The Committee praised the alarm service which they said was an excellent service for contract holders in sheltered accommodation and was highly valued by the contract holders.

Councillor Ted Palmer raised concern around the service charge being applied to all sheltered properties at the point they were let in future given that some contract holders in sheltered accommodation were around the age of 55 and may not require the service.  The Committee was reassured that contract holders would be made aware of the service charge ahead of agreeing a let of a sheltered accommodation in the future.

In response to a question around the increase being backdated, the  Service Manager advised that the rise would be implemented from 1^st April, 2024, therefore there would be no backdated costs added.

It was agreed that the comments and recommendation made by the Committee be feedback to Cabinet. 

The recommendation, as outlined within the report, was moved by Councillor Ted Palmer and seconded by Councillor Dennis Hutchinson.

RESOLVED:

That the Committee support and endorses the proposal to achieve full cost recovery for the housing revenue account alarms service.