Over £1m set aside to adapt properties
More than £1 million is set to be spent adapting homes of scores of disabled people.
More than £1 million is set to be spent adapting homes of scores of disabled people.
Originally earmarked for sprucing up dilapidated homes in Oldbury, it will now go on improving living conditions of Sandwell's disabled population.
Sandwell's finance boss Councillor Steve Eling is set to approve the spending on Friday. Although the waiting list of Sandwell Homes tenants has been virtually removed since a massive investment in 2007, referrals for major adaptations are on the rise, up 14 per cent in 2008/09 compared to the previous year.
At present 209 homeowners in Sandwell are on the waiting list for disabled facilities grants – which would cost the council approximately £2.3 million.
Applications were temporarily suspended in September 2008 so that the budget would not be overspent, but these are now being approved.
If more money is not found it is likely applications will again have to be suspended for 2009/10.
However, it is now proposed that £1.2m which had been allocated to address poor house conditions in Rood End, Oldbury is spent on disabled facilities.
It will no longer be used to address poor housing after a recent neighbourhood renewal assessment showed that the sum of money is insufficient in addressing the £17.5m recommendations which were being made.
An alternative approach will now be developed to tackle some of the poor housing conditions.
It is therefore being proposed to use the money to reduce the waiting list for homes.
Councillor Eling said that the adaptations for the homes could include anything from ramps to stairlifts, internal lifts and hand rails.
He said: "There is always a demand for disability facilities grants for people who own their own homes.
"This is where people develop disabilities, primarily older people that need adaptations in their homes, in order for them to continue to stay living at home.
"The fact that some housing money has been freed up, being able to re-allocate that money means a lot of people are going to get the adaptations a lot sooner than they would have."
