Issue - meetings

To receive and consider the report of the Director (Early Intervention and Support). 

1.         To approve the draft allocations policy for consultation with the bodies identified at paragraph 17.

2.         To delegate to the Executive Member for Homes and Housing Authority to amend the policy following the consultation responses being considered and to approve the allocations policy, in current or amended form, for adoption. 

Councillor Jane Fitzsimons, Executive Member (Homes and Housing), presented the report of the Director (Early Intervention and Support) which presented the draft allocations policy for the Primrose Gardens extra care scheme. 

The Scheme is due for completion in March 2019. Consequently, the council needs to agree an allocation policy to allocate the apartments in a fair and transparent way.  Due to the nature of the accommodation and the provision of an extra care element, it is necessary to incorporate the view of LCC and agree a series of priorities in order comply with the HCA grant conditions.

As with other allocation policies, the draft policy for Primrose Gardens includes banding to separate and prioritise applicants for accommodation.  Within each of the bands, the policy then gives priority to those who currently living in Chorley, then those who can demonstrate a local connection and finally to those who live elsewhere in Lancashire.

The policy sets out the approach to managing the allocations policy. The decisions will be made by a joint panel that comprises representatives from Chorley Council, the care provider for the scheme and from adult social care.   The policy sets out the aim that decisions on allocation will be through consensus.  However, if agreement cannot be reached then the final decision will rest with Chorley Council as the landlord.

The draft policy will now be shared with agencies in Chorley who target the audience for extra care such as Age UK, Age Concern, LCFT and Lancashire Wellbeing who all support over 55’s, and will also consult with the wider agencies who work to support customers with housing needs.

Decision:

1.         To approve the draft allocations policy for consultation with the bodies identified at paragraph 17.

2.         To delegate to the Executive Member for Homes and Housing Authority to amend the policy following the consultation responses being considered and to approve the allocations policy, in current or amended form, for adoption. 

Reasons for recommendation(s)

The allocations policy is required to ensure that the accommodation within Primrose Gardens is allocated in a fair and transparent manner.

Alternative options considered and rejected

To use the existing Select Move Allocations Policy to allocate the apartments and to not develop a separate allocations policy. This was rejected as the nature of the Primrose Gardens scheme means that different needs and issues need to be taken into consideration in prioritising the accommodation.