Agenda item

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

            Prior to consideration of the following item the Convener declared an interest in relation to the subject matter by virtue of her being the Council’s representatives on the Board of Care and Repair Initiative Scotland. The Convener left the meeting prior to any consideration of this item, and the Vice Convener took the chair for this item of business only.

With reference to article 33 of the minute of its meeting of 19 November, 2009, and article 15 of the minute of meeting of the Finance and Resources Committee of 28 January, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Housing and Environment which advised on the outcome of discussions with Castlehill Housing Association in relation to the provision of the Care and Repair Service (incorporating Aberdeen Affordable Warmth) within Aberdeen for the financial year 2010/2011.

By way of background the report advised that the Aberdeen Care and Repair Service had been launched by Shelter (Scotland) in 1987 and had been fully funded by them until 1993, when the responsibility for funding was jointly taken over by Aberdeen District Council and Communities Scotland.  The introduction of the Private Sector Housing Grant (PSHG) in April, 2003 saw the Council take over full responsibility for funding the Aberdeen Care and Repair Service through the PSHG budget.

The report explained that the service assisted older homeowners (aged 60 and over) and those with a disability or long term illness, to repair, maintain and adapt their homes to allow them to remain living within the community; and that this service consisted of (1) a property repair and maintenance service; (2) an advice service; (3) a small repairs service; and (4) Aberdeen Affordable Warmth. 

In addition, the Care and Repair service managed the Aberdeen Care and Repair Group charitable fund, which was launched in 1987 to provide funding assistance for the client group who were unable to finance necessary works for themselves.This work could raise around £50,000 per annum.   The report advised that the current service value was £338,000 (£280,000 excluding Aberdeen Affordable Warmth).

The report explained that the report submitted to the aforementioned meeting of this Committee contained the latest information available to officers at that time in relation to the PSHG grant being capital funding only. Since this meeting, the Scottish Government had agreed to split the former PSHG funding as follows:- 40% revenue and 60% capital, which would allow local authorities to review their revenue budgets. At the previously mentioned meeting of the Finance and Resources Committee the PSHG budget had been approved. 

The report outlined three possible options for the provision of a Care and Repair Service and described the possible ramifications and risks associated with each option.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)         to agree to enter into a new Service Level Agreement with Castlehill Housing Association for the delivery of the Aberdeen Affordable Warmth Service for the period from 1 April, 2010 until 31 March, 2011 inclusive;  and

(ii)        to agree to enter into a new Service Level Agreement with Castlehill Housing Association for the delivery of the Aberdeen Care and Repair Service for the period from 1 April, 2010 until 31 March, 2011 inclusive, as per option 1 as detailed within the report, namely:- to retain all elements of the service (handyman, advice and assistance on repairs and maintenance, and assistance for disability improvements) but achieve a cost saving by reducing staff numbers to two officers, three handymen, one part time finance officer and one part time administrative assistant at the cost of £167,844 for the Care and Repair Service and £58,000 from Aberdeen Affordable Warmth, with the requirement of £225,844 of funding from the PSHG, based on Castlehill Housing  Association recuperating £60,000 of income through recharging clients for works carried out through the handyman service;  and to note that in the event that they failed to do this, Castlehill Housing Association would have to make good the shortfall.

At this point Councillor Malone resumed the Chair.