Issue - meetings

Report of the Service Director, Housing is circulated

Cllr John Brady, Cabinet member for Economic Development, Planning and Housing presented a report which sought approval for minor amendments to the Private Sector Housing Renewal Interim Strategy and Policy 2009/10, details of which were presented. Cllr Brady tabled some further amendments to the scheme for Cabinet’s consideration. A revised eligibility criteria was also presented which incorporated the tabled amendments.

The Council had secured £543,608 of funding from the Government Office for the South West (Regional Housing Pot Capital Grant 2010/11). This funding was awarded to improve private sector housing stock with particular emphasis on helping vulnerable households which included initiatives to help tackle fuel poverty and climate change.

It was proposed to use this funding to introduce three new insulation, energy efficiency and heating grant scheme as detailed in the report presented and supplementary paper as tabled. It was noted that the proposals would complement existing national schemes. Cabinet agreed with the proposals and considered various ways to promote the schemes to encourage take up particularly by vulnerable groups. This included a press release, a timely article in the Wiltshire Magazine, raising awareness through Area Boards, Community Area Partnerships and Parish Councils and the Departments of Community Services and Children and Education liaising to identify vulnerable groups and using the Communications Strategy.

Resolved:

That Cabinet:

a)         approve an amendment to the Private Sector Housing Renewal Interim Strategy and Policy April 2009-2010, adding three new schemes to those already detailed in the Strategy and Policy under Section 10: Financial Assistance:

·              Cavity Wall and Loft insulation Grants for cavity wall and loft insulation for lower income households and those that have been hit by the recession, and do not qualify for other grants.

·              Mobile home sites insulation and heating improvements grants.

·              Cavity wall insulation for flats grants.

The eligibility criteria be amended as follows:

To insert ‘with a household income below £30,000 pa’ at the end of the sentence ‘households where a member has been made redundant/lost overtime/taken lower paid work/with an unemployed relative in the household’.

b)     In respect of the Mobile Home Site Energy Efficiency Improvements, delegated authority be given to the Cabinet member for Economic Development, Planning and Housing to agree to such a scheme at a later date.

Reason for Decision

To improve the private housing stock in Wiltshire with a focus on helping vulnerable households and to help tackle fuel poverty and climate change.