Call-in bid falls short

JONATHAN GRIEVE

COUNCIL bosses confirmed a £300,000 cash injection for a new specialist disabled facility, after a bid to scrap it failed.

Last month, Hyndburn council cabinet members agreed the contribution towards a Lancashire County Council-built £2 million facility in Great Harwood.

Conservative councillors in Hyndburn subsequently asked for cabinet to reconsider the decision by submitting a motion for call-in.

Coun Mike Miller, along with his colleagues Couns Terry Hurn and Patrick

McGinley, said Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) funding should not be used on a capital spending project because it is ringfenced for individuals to improve their quality of life and support people to stay in their own homes for longer.

The county council had asked members in Hyndburn to approve a £300,000 payment to help fund the scheme, to be provided from the DFG.

Coun Miller said using DFG funds for the contributions could leave people without access to cash to adapt their properties to their needs.

But at a special scrutiny committee meeting, members agreed to release the original cabinet decision for implementation.

Coun Miller added it was not clear who would use the new facility and what the criteria is to access the service.

Speaking at the cabinet meeting where the funding was approved, housing cabinet member, Coun Loraine Cox said: “The county council’s capital contribution to the adult accommodation unit supports the aims of the Better Care Fund priorities and supports individuals with disabilities to receive consistent supportive care which enables them to remain in their own homes and current caring situations.

“For this reason using the DFG underspend is an appropriate and valuable use of this funding.”