Council Failing Disabled Homes

Lib Dems are calling for more action to be taken to make homes for the disabled more habitable after the council revealed hundreds of thousands of pounds set aside for this purpose has not been spent.

The money had been set aside to fund disabled facility grants, to enable improvements to the homes of people with disabilities to allow a more reasonable standard of life. However despite a waiting list of over 260 people, this year the council failed to spend 40% (£500,000) of the budget for the grants. Now Lib Dem Group Leader Michael Headley is demanding action to tackle the problem.

Cllr Headley said:

"It is scandalous that there is a waiting list of over 260 people and the council still can't manage to spend this money to help them. We are talking about almost half the budget set aside for these grants not being spent. Disabled facility grants allow disabled people to modify their homes so that they are better suited to their needs. They fund things like bathroom and toilet modifications so that the people living in these homes have facilities they can actually use. This isn't about luxuries it's about essential improvements to give people a better quality of life. The council has shown very poor political management in failing to see that this money was spent on bringing about these improvements. Because of this many people will have to suffer on for another year when the money was already sitting there waiting to be used.

It is down to the Mayor and his cabinet to turn things around and start making a difference. I am contacting the Mayor to demand that urgent action is taken to get this back on track. Until then this money will just sit in the council's coffers waiting to be used, failing the very people it was intended for."

ENDS