Question Time: Social Development Monday 02 November 2015
John Dallat
MLA asked Social Development Minister, Mervyn Storey, for an update on the
number of applications for disabled facilities grants during today’s Question
Time. The disabled
facilities grant has a significant impact on the lives of those living with
a disability in the private sector, helping them make adaptations to their
homes. In 2014-15, the Housing Executive approved over 1,200 grants totalling
£12m in assistance. So far this year 537 applications have been received with
almost 500 being approved. The Minister also acknowledged Mr Dallat’s concerns
about the process used to approve grants, agreeing that they can be “somewhat
protracted, particularly if you are dependent on a report from occupational
therapy and are waiting for all of the particular elements to be in a row. ”
Mr Storey agreed to take the concerns on board when it comes to reviewing and
re-evaluating the processes used.
The Minister
then provided the House with an update on his Department’s involvement in the Northside project
for the regeneration of Belfast City Centre. The Department’s preferred
developer for the scheme, Northside Regeneration Ltd, submitted their planning
application for the project in June 2015. The next step is to consider the
applications in consultation with Belfast City Council. Following this, the
Department will need to be satisfied that funds are in place to go ahead and
that the regeneration benefits will be met. The Minister assured that he is
willing to meet anyone with an interest in the project or who may be affected
by it, aware that careful consideration at every stage is required for a
project that could end up costing around £1bn adding, “we want to make sure
that we maximise investment to the benefit of the people in the area and of
organisations.”
During Question
Time the Minister also addressed the issues of social housing, the urban
villages initiative, public realm schemes in North Down, Syrian refugees and
antisocial behaviour.
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