Hartlepool leaders promise action on need for accessible homes for families with disabilities

Bosses at Hartlepool Borough Council agreed to form a special working group to look at the issue following a formal request by Labour councillors.

The need was raised following a local authority report which noted 22 families currently on the housing waiting list seeking three bedrooms or more, including one of the rooms being on the ground floor.

It added this showed it is “clear there are not enough suitable homes for families who need accessible housing” in Hartlepool.

And while council officers noted figure had “slightly reduced” since publication, it was accepted there is still a clear need.

Councillors unanimously backed the creation of an officer working group to explore the issues and develop recommendations to meet the needs of families.

Danielle Swainston, council assistant director for joint commissioning, said the initial figures represented just part of their work after the concerns were raised over the lack of accommodation for people needing accessible properties.

She added: “There are currently a number of families on the housing waiting list who need three bedrooms or more, one of those being on the ground floor.

“We are proposing that we set up an officer working group to establish that need and to explore the issues.

“We’ve already started to think about housing panels and also some work in terms of strategic needs housing assessments.”

Cllr Rachel Creevy, who raised a motion on the issue to at a meeting of the full council, stressed the importance that talks also including social housing providers.

She added: “I’m really chuffed that this is moving forward.”

Reports noted the council also has the opportunity to deliver new homes to respond to the specific needs through its housing revenue account, and this would be “fully explored” by the working group.

They also added the council’s special needs housing team work closely with social housing providers to share information about unmet needs to ensure accessible accommodation is included within new developments.

Officers added the working group will now go away and communicate with relevant partners, before bringing recommendations back to councillors in June.

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