Cabinet Member for Finance

Cabinet considered the report of the Head of Housing and the above Cabinet Member.  The Cabinet Member for Finance introduced the report and outlined how the welfare reforms had affected the budget for Discretionary Housing Payments.

In response to questions concerning the low response to the consultation, the Revenues and Benefits Manager (Financial and Technical) advised that 5,000 letters had been sent out. The consultation process had been reviewed and in future paper copies of the survey would be sent out.  She also agreed to consider other methods of consultation and confirmed that the Appeals Officer worked in the Housing Benefit Team.

In response to a question concerning long term support, the Revenues and Benefits Manager (Financial and Technical) advised that payments were only for the short term and there was liaison with Housing in relation to the type of properties occupied to solve underlying issues rather than provide long term support.

It was suggested that this item could have been a topic for discussion at the Policy Development and Review Committee.

RESOLVED:

(1)  That the Discretionary Housing Payment policy be adopted as outlined in the  report.

(2)  That the policy should include a further stage of review by the Head of Residents’ Services.