Assembly Government is failing to tackle backlog in grants for disabled says AM

12.00.00am GMT Wed 28th Nov 2007

The Welsh Government's draft budget is failing to provide enough resources to cut the 18 month waiting list for disabled facility grants the Welsh Liberal Democrat Housing Spokesperson, Peter Black, has said,

Speaking in the Communities and Culture Committee in the Assembly today, Mr. Black pointed out that there is still an average 18 month wait across Wales for a Council grant for a disabled person to carry out much needed adaptations to their home. Despite this the existing Government budget for such work of eighty million pounds has risen by only one hundred thousand pounds in the next financial year. Mr. Black believes that this increase in a budget line that has already been shown to be inadequate will have no impact on the waiting list.

"In view of the priority that the government is giving to the elderly and the infirm, this is a major oversight on their part," said Mr. Black. "Local Councils are putting as much money as they can into dealing with the backlog of work needed to help the disabled stay in their own home but they are having little impact on waiting times. Despite a number of reforms in the way that disabled facility grants are administered no progress has been made. The fact is that only an injection of extra cash will make the difference we need."

"Unless the Plaid Labour Government sort this out then we will continue to have people waiting for an unacceptable period of time for downstairs bathrooms, stair lifts, ramps and wider doors for wheelchair access and other adaptations. That is unacceptable. The Minister should address this as a matter of urgency."