The Committee received for information an update on the work of the Home Improvement Agency (HIA).

Members were advised that the HIA provided a dedicated service to assist any elderly and disabled residents make repairs and adaptations to their homes.  The service had access to the Disabled Facility Grants (DFG) discretionary grants, major and minor grants.  Decision making and grant distribution was in accordance with primary legislation, set out in the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996.

The Committee was pleased by the service statistics, showing that over 80 cases had been completed between October 2021 and December 2022, approximately 54 were in progress and only 14 cases were yet to be allocated. 

Officers confirmed that the team had been enhanced and upskilled to prepare for a re-launch of the HIA in the spring of 2023.  The aim was to be a more holistic service, working closely with other services to improve all aspects of an individual’s life, utilising the grants available but within the specified criteria.  Officers wanted to be in a position to spend all the budget, which hitherto had been underspent, owing to limited resources.  In 2022/2023 the HIA had received the grant sum of £874,000, the remaining balance was £182,000 with an anticipated £570,000 being allocated by the end of the financial year.

Officers highlighted the pieces of work for the year, following a review.  These were to review and re-publish, after consultation with stakeholders, the HIA Assistance Policy and guidance to applicants.  This would include a new update on the Armed Forces Covenant (AFC).  Members requested that the Runnymede Access Liaison Group and Runnymede Foodbank be part of the consultation.

Future spending plans would be updated to reflect discussions with partners and changes to the Regulatory Reform Order.  Staff would also be reviewing all processes and develop a forward plan.  An important part of this was an accredited staff training programme to increase efficiency and become more self sufficient, without reliance for example on third party Occupational Therapists.  Upgrades to casework software would also assist the team and key performance indicators would be introduced to monitor and instigate service improvements.  These would be reported to the Committee from April 2023.  Feedback from service users would form an integral part of the process.

One of the biggest challenges facing the team was the procurement of contractors and their availability.  Members endorsed the commitment to undertake an exercise to widen the pool of contractors over the coming months.

The Committee was very supportive of the service and staff delivering it to some of the community’s most vulnerable residents.  The re-launch was welcomed and Members were keen for it to be promoted widely in liaison with partner organisations.  Officers would be meeting in early February to further the re-launch.  Officers agreed to provide Members with guidance on raising awareness of the HIA and as part of the re-branding a clear pathway for the referral process.

Officers agreed to discuss a particular case that a Member had been involved in separately.

Officers were thanked for their report.