Issue - meetings

The Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing submitted a report updating Members on the ongoing project to develop a Hertfordshire Home Improvement Agency (HIA) to help elderly and vulnerable persons to remain living independently at home.

The Head of Housing and Health invited Members to support East Herts Council becoming a partner in the Hertfordshire HIA.  The Committee was also invited to propose innovative ideas to enhance service provision.  Members were reminded of the background to the HIA and the work that had been completed to date.  The Head summarised a number of other relevant issues from the report and encouraged Members to email him with any ideas they had following the meeting

The Chairman commented on the time it could take for the completion of some home adaptations thus delaying discharge from hospital.  The Head of Service stated that the current process, including means testing for all works, however small, could lead to the whole process taking in excess of 6 months and a new system for low cost works without means testing could take just a few weeks.

Councillors J Jones and M Stevenson commented on the excellence of the changes referred to by the Head of Housing and Health.  The Head of Service advised that the Executive had confirmed East Herts Council’s commitment in a shared service with a view to this going live as part of the Hertfordshire HIA by September 2017.

The Head of Service confirmed to Councillor P Ballam that the proposals should ensure that the needs of Hertfordshire residents were not delayed.  He also responded to a query from Councillor D Oldridge by stating that all participating Hertfordshire Authorities would be working closely together to ensure residents got what they needed. 

Councillor M Stevenson noted that in the long term she would welcome the HIA looking at linking to a wider range of services including telecare.  The Head of Service noted this suggestion.

Members supported the recommendations now detailed.

RESOLVED – that (A) the proposal that East Herts Council becomes a partner in the Hertfordshire Home Improvement Agency (HIA) be supported;

(B)   the opportunities to enhance service provision by virtue of the HIA proposal and funding changes be supported; and

(C)   a pilot adaptations service of non-means tested, fast-tracked, low cost works be evaluated with a view to whether these works could be completed in days rather than weeks.

That (A) the comments of Corporate Business Scrutiny Committee be received;

(B)     the proposal that East Herts Council becomes a partner in the Hertfordshire Home Improvement Agency (HIA) be approved;

(C)    using the Council’s revenue and capital budgets allocated to processing and paying for Disabled Facilities Grants for 2017/18 onwards to fund East Herts’ contributions to the shared Home Improvement Service be approved;

(D)    the Head of Housing and Health be authorised, in consultation with the Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing, to contribute to and agree the detailed arrangements to establish the HIA; and

(E)     the Head of Housing and Health be authorised, in consultation with the Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing, to amend the Council’s Private Sector Housing Assistance Policy to accommodate the new arrangements.