Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Assistant Director Housing.

Scrutiny Committee – Community considered the report at its meeting on 3 March 2015 and its comments will be reported.

The report of the Assistant Director Housing was submitted explaining the continuation of the current arrangements for supporting residents in the Council’s older persons’ accommodation following withdrawal of Devon County Council’s ‘Supporting People’ funding after 31 March 2015. The Council would continue to fund these services from the Housing Revenue Account for a period of 12 months during which further investigation of different models of service delivery and funding arrangements to meet customer demand in the future would be undertaken.

Members discussed demand for the service, the ability and willingness of the elderly and vulnerable to pay for the warden service and alarm systems and the need to undertake a review to fully establish the specific needs of the elderly and vulnerable to ensure that any service was targeted at those that most need it.

The Portfolio Holder for Customer Access stated that the Council had 522 dwellings for older people on 22 different sites in the city and many of the Council’s tenants were not financially well placed to be able to pay for this service. The proposal would enable the Council to review the support required for the older and vulnerable tenants including developing partnerships with the voluntary and community sector.

Scrutiny Committee – Community considered the report at its meeting on 3 March 2015 and its comments were reported.

RESOLVED that:-

(1)          the continuation of funding for the warden service (one Senior Warden and four Wardens) plus the Home Call alarm service to residents in the Council’s older persons’ accommodation from the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) for a period of up to 12 months in the first instance from 1 April 2015, be approved. The estimated cost of making up the shortfall following the withdrawal of Devon County Council funding would be £182,000 (£131,000 for the wardens plus £51,000 for Home Call;

(2)          additional funding of up to £40,000 from the HRA to fund community development/engagement worker(s) to build capacity among residents of older persons’ accommodation and develop partnerships with the voluntary and community sector to reduce dependency on state provision be approved; and

(3)          the different models of service delivery and funding arrangements to meet customer demand in the future be further investigated.

To consider the report of the Assistant Director Housing. 

The Service Lead Performance, Strategy and Resources presented the report explaining the continuation of the current arrangements for supporting residents in the Council’s older persons’ accommodation following withdrawal of Devon County Council’s ‘Supporting People’ funding after 31 March 2015. The Council would continue to fund these services from the Housing Revenue Account for a period of 12 months.

He responded as follows to Members’ queries:-

• discussions were on going with the voluntary sector regarding potential support. The Estuary League of Friends was particularly active in Topsham and  Age UK were  being consulted on possible areas where they could support; and
• the potential for consulting with the City’s Housing Associations, who presently accounted for 7% of the City’s housing, to adopt a common position on this issue would be explored.

A Member remarked that this initiative was one example of the Council responding positively to the Government’s re-wiring of public services drive.

Scrutiny Committee - Community noted the report and requested Executive to approve:-

(1)        the continuation of funding for the warden service (one Senior Warden and four Wardens) plus the Home Call alarm service to residents in the Council’s older persons’ accommodation from the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) for a period of up to 12 months in the first instance from 1 April 2015. The estimated cost of making up the shortfall following the withdrawal of DCC funding would be £182,000 (£131,000 for the wardens plus £51,000 for Home Call);

(2)        additional funding of up to £40,000 from the HRA to be used to fund community development/engagement worker(s) to build capacity among residents of older persons’ accommodation and develop partnerships with the voluntary and community sector to reduce dependency on state provision;      and

(3)        the investigation of different models of service delivery and funding arrangements to meet customer demand in the future.