Decision details

For the Place Select Committee to consider the recommendations arising from the review of Older People’s housing provision and agree resulting action to ensure appropriate future provision that meets the needs of the District’s ageing population.

(1)        That further consideration be given to reducing the amount of low-demand sheltered housing in the Council’s ownership and developing the resultant vacant land or buildings to provide either general needs housing, temporary homelessness accommodation and/or more appropriate accommodation for older people in order to help meet the housing needs of local people registered on the Housing Register in the future;

(2)        That the “Sheltered Housing Standard”, attached at Appendix 1 of the report, be adopted - with an objective of all sheltered housing schemes retained in the long term meeting the Standard over a reasonable period of time;

(3)        That a further report be submitted to a future meeting of the Communities Select Committee with:

            (a)        recommendations about which sheltered housing schemes should be             decommissioned over a period of time and their site(s) redeveloped;

            (b)        an initial proposed approach to decanting the existing residents;

            (c)        a Communication Strategy for the Project;

            (d)        initial redevelopment proposals for each of the identified sites;

            (e)        indicative budget costs; and

            (f)         an Equalities Analysis; 

(4)        That the following criteria be used for the assessment of sheltered housing schemes considered most suitable for redevelopment:

            (a)        the number of bedsits;

            (b)        the lettability, demand and location of the scheme;

            (c)        the long term costs of improvements/repairs;

            (d)        the amount of sheltered housing within the locality;  

            (e)        the number of lettings to local residents compared to applicants on the

            Supplementary Waiting List; and          

            (f)         the demand for general needs housing in the locality; and

(5)        That a further report from the Select Committee be submitted to the Cabinet with its recommendations, after it had considered the further report in decision (3) above from Officers.