Issue - meetings

Committee is asked to consider an amendment to the Council’s Disabled Facilities Grant Policy.

Committee resolved to defer this item to the next meeting in September 2026.

The Committee considered a report that sought agreement from the Committee to:

1.     Approve the amendment of the Council’s Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) Policy to remove discretionary means test exemptions for level access showers,

2.     Approve the introduction of means testing for this adaptation type in line with statutory DFG requirements under the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996,

3.     Approve the reduction of the aids and adaptations disregard from £2,000 to £1,000,

4.     Delegate authority to the Group Head of Community Wellbeing, in consultation with the Chair, to implement minor operational changes required to enact the revised policy; and

5.     Note the intention to align Spelthorne’s DFG policy with other Surrey Authorities in advance of Local Government Reorganisation.

The Committee were advised that the grant available to provide level access showers would, if the current demand continued, be depleted before the end of the year and any future applications might not be able to be considered. Committee members acknowledged that there was a need to save money but had concerns that these new proposals would disadvantage vulnerable residents within the borough. The Committee were advised that the proposed means testing criteria would only look at income the household received but would not consider any assets held. This would align Spelthorne with the other districts and boroughs within the West Surrey Unitary Authority.

The Committee asked whether additional funding could be found to top up the grant so that future applications did not need to be means tested and that all applications meeting the current criteria would be approved for the remainder of the financial year.

It was proposed by Councillor Bateson, seconded by Councillor Arnold to defer making any decision on this item until the next meeting of the committee and requested that officers investigate whether additional funding could be found.

Committee resolved to defer this item to the next meeting in September 2026.

The meeting was adjourned at 21.05

The meeting reconvened at 21.15