Agenda item

The Executive was informed that the Council had received an increased capital allocation from the Department of Communities and Local Government to deliver Disabled Facilities Grants (DFG) in 2016/17.

The Council had received a 50% cut in revenue funding in 2016/17 from Surrey County Council. This funding had been used to fund a Case Officer within the Council’s internal Home Improvement Agency. Members were advised that the Case Officer role was considered to be essential to support older and disabled people in a holistic way to maintain their independence in the home and help them through the application process for a DFG.

It was noted that, as the capital spend on DFGs would increase with the additional funding, there would be a corresponding increase in fee income. It was therefore proposed that this additional income be used to fund the Case Officer for the second half of 2016/17, in place of the reduced funding from Surrey County Council.

RESOLVED that

(i)          authority be given to spend the additional Disabled Facility Grant (DFG) allocation received from the Department of Communities and Local Government; and

(ii)        a Case Officer within the Home Improvement Agency (HIA) be funded from 1^st October 2016 to 31^st March 2017 from additional fees generated from the increased DFG spend.