Purpose

Further to the decision by Cabinet in October, the second
stage of consultation with tenants has commenced, offering choices for the
service in the future.

 

A further round of open meetings has been scheduled for tenants
and the process has been agreed for the removal of the charge in November for
those tenants who wish to leave the service.

Decision

Cabinet:

 

1)   
NOTED the outcome from the Intensive
Housing Management (Housing Support) Review;

 

2)   
APPROVED the establishment of an Independent
Living Framework to provide clarity on the Council’s housing support
arrangements and associated costs;

 

3)   
DELEGATED authority to the Director for
Housing and Communities, in consultation with Portfolio Holder for Housing and
Landlord Services to make minor amendments to the Framework and to publish the
final version on the Council’s website and provide to tenants;

 

4)   
APPROVED that the Council’s Intensive
Housing Management Service will cease and be replaced by the arrangements set
out in the report recommendations 2.5 and 2.6;

 

5)   
APPROVED the implementation of an
Independent Living Support Service applied to properties designated as
‘Sheltered Housing’, as specified at section 5.15 of the report, and;

 

5.1)       
APPROVED that the cost of delivering the
Independent Living Support Service is met by an appropriate service charge, as
set out at section 5.26 of the report;

 

5.2)        
APPROVED that a 20% discount is
implemented in 2024/25, as a contribution to elements of the service that are
ineligible for housing benefit;

 

5.3)        
APPROVED that a 10% discount is
implemented in 2025/26, as a contribution to elements of the service that are
ineligible for housing benefit;

 

5.4)        
APPROVED that the full Independent Living
Service Charge will be implemented from 2026/27;

 

5.5)        
APPROVED the commencement of a four-week
period of consultation on the proposed Independent Living Support Service for
those tenants living within the specified properties;

 

5.6)        
DELEGATED Authority to the Director for
Housing and Communities, in consultation with the Director for Corporate
Services, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Landlord Services and Portfolio
Holder for Corporate Property, Finance and Resources to consider feedback from
the consultation, finalise and implement an Independent Living Support Service
Charge and report back to Cabinet if required;

 

5.7)        
DELEGATED authority to the Director for
Housing and Communities, in consultation with the Director for Corporate
Services and Portfolio Holder for Housing and Landlord Services to create a
one-off budget of up to £50,000 to enable improvements to communal areas of the
sheltered housing schemes in 2024/25, funded from the HRA Regeneration and
Development reserve;

 

6)   
APPROVED the personalised exit and
transitional plan, as set out in

section
5.33 of the report for the remaining ‘dispersed’ Council properties that have
historically been subject to an Intensive Housing Management charge, the
outcome of which will be that each tenant will be directly supported to access
alternative support and lifeline services relevant to their individual needs
and preferences, and;

 

6.1)       
APPROVED the commencement of a four-week
period of consultation on the proposed personalised exit and transitional plan
arrangements for tenants in dispersed properties;

 

6.2)        
DELEGATED authority to the Director for
Housing and Communities, in consultation with the Director for Corporate
Services and Portfolio Holder for Housing and Landlord Services, authority to
consider feedback from the consultation, finalise and implement the exit and
transitional plan arrangements and to report back to Cabinet if required.