Consideration was given to the report of the
Assistant Director – Housing which sought Cabinet approval
for the adoption of three Housing Landlord policies which supported
improved service delivery, accountability and tenant wellbeing.
The Portfolio Holder for Strategic and
Operational Housing introduced the report and highlighted the
following points:
- Disabled Aids and Adaptations Policy
- Outlined the approach to supporting
tenants with disabilities to align with national expectations and
local priorities.
- Introduced means testing and an
appeals panel with impartial tenant representatives.
- Reasonable Adjustments Policy
- Formalised commitment to fairness
and inclusion to ensure that tenants were able to access services
without unnecessary barriers.
- Detailed how reasonable adjustments
would be made to meet individual needs.
- HRA Governance Framework
- Updated document to reflect changes
in partnership structure.
- Clarified roles and responsibilities
for transparency and accountability
- The three presented policies would
support compliance with Regulator of Social Housing’s
Consumer standards and reinforced the council’s commitment to
tenant well-being, service quality and strong governance.
Members considered the report and raised the
following points:
- Members queried whether there was
any reason that 40% of council house residents had a limiting
disability compared to 19% within the district as a whole.
- The Portfolio Holder for Strategic
and Operational Housing responded that there was currently no known
reason as to why the percentage was higher, but a data analyst had
recently been recruited to gain an understanding of this and how it
could inform decision making.
- The Leader asked how the reasonable
adjustments policy would be monitored.
- The Portfolio Holder for Strategic
and Operational Housing commented that decisions taken under the
policy would be monitored by the tenant forum, housing board and
internal clinics.
- She added that complaints were
analysed to determine how changes could be made to improve the
service.
- Members queried whether any
provision was intended to create mobility scooter storage.
- The Portfolio Holder for Strategic
and Operational Housing advised that the provision for storage
currently sat with the individual.
- The Housing Property and Repairs
Manager confirmed that there were some schemes available for the
storing of mobility scooters, but it depended on the suitability of
the individual property to accommodate this.
- The Portfolio Holder for Strategic
and Operational Housing added that this could be topic for
discussion at the tenant forum.
DECISION:
1.
That Cabinet approves:
·
The Housing Landlord Services Disabled Aids and Adaptations Policy
2025-2028.
·
The Housing Revenue Account Governance Framework: Housing Landlord
Service 2025-2026
·
The Housing Landlord Services Reasonable Adjustments Policy
2025-2029
2.
That Cabinet delegates minor operational and legislative amendments
to the Assistant Director for Housing in consultation with the
Portfolio Holder for Strategic and Operational Housing to the
Housing Landlord Services Disabled Aids and Adaptations Policy
2025-2028.
3.
That Cabinet delegates minor operational and legislative amendments
to the Assistant Director for Housing in consultation with the
Portfolio Holder for Strategic and Operational Housing to
the Housing Revenue Account Governance Framework: Housing Landlord
Service 2025-2026.
4.
That Cabinet delegates minor operational and legislative amendments
to the Assistant Director for Housing in consultation
...
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