Hillingdon Council Cabinet Member and Officer Decisions
Disabled Facilities Grant 2025/26 – Telecare Analogue to Digital Switchover – Release No 4
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Democratic Services Location: Phase II Ext: 0185 DDI: 01895 250185 CMD No: 1579 To: COUNCILLOR EDDIE LAVERY CABINET MEMBER FOR FINANCE & TRANSFORMATION COUNCILLOR JANE PALMER CABINET MEMBER FOR HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE c.c. All Members of the Health and Social Care Select Committee c.c. Sandra Taylor – Corporate Director of Adult Social Care and Health c.c. Sarah Baker – Adult Social Care and Health Date: 27 November 2025 Non-Key Decision request Form D CAPITAL RELEASE REPORT (November 2025) DEPARTMENT: Housing Grants & Adaptations SERVICE AREA / PROGRAMME: Disabled Facilities Grant RELEASE NO: 4 Dear Cabinet Members, Attached is a report requesting that a decision be made by you as an individual Cabinet Member. Democratic Services confirm that this is not a key decision, as such, the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012 notice period does not apply. You should take a decision on or after Friday 5 December 2025 in order to meet Constitutional requirements about publication of decisions that are to be made. You may wish to discuss the report with the Corporate Director before it is made. Please indicate your decision on the duplicate memo supplied and return it to me when you have made your decision. I will then arrange for the formal notice of decision to be published. Liz Penny Democratic Services Officer Title of Report: Disabled Facilities Grant RELEASE NO: 4 Decision made: Reasons for your decision: (e.g. as stated in report) Alternatives considered and rejected: (e.g. as stated in report) Signed ……………………………………………………… Date…………………….. Cabinet Member for Finance & Transformation / Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care Capital Release Report – 27 November 2025 Page 1 (Part 1 Public) CAPITAL RELEASE REPORT (November 2025) DEPARTMENT: Housing Grants & Adaptations SERVICE AREA / PROGRAMME: Disabled Facilities Grant RELEASE NO: 4 Cabinet Member & Portfolio Councillor Eddie Lavery, Cabinet Member for Finance and Transformation Councillor Jane Palmer, Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care Responsible Officer Sandra Taylor - Corporate Director of Adult Social Care and Health Report Author & Directorate Sarah Baker - Programme Manager Adult Social Care and Health Papers with report Appendix A – Capital release request for approval HEADLINES Summary To seek Cabinet Member approval for the release of capital funds from the DFG Putting our Residents First Delivering on the Council Strategy 2022-2026 This report supports our ambition for residents / the Council of: Stay living independently for as long as they are able This report supports our commitments to residents of: A Digital-Enabled, Modern, Well-Run Council This report is linked to the Council’s Digital Strategy, Adult Social Care and Health plan and TEC plan Financial Cost This report seeks approval to release £651,000 from the Disabled Facilities Grant 2025/26 to support the completion of the remaining requirements for the telecare analogue- to-digital switchover, which must be finalised by January 2027. Relevant Select Committee Heath and Social Care Select Committee Relevant Ward(s) All RECOMMENDATION That the Cabinet Member for Financ e and Transformation and the Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care agree to the following capital release request of £651k from the Disabled Facilities Grant 2025/26 budget to enable the completion of the telecare analogue- to-digital switchover. Capital Release Report – 27 November 2025 Page 2 (Part 1 Public) Reasons for recommendation Further to approval at September 2025 Cabinet for Telecare Monitoring and Corporate Out of Hours Call Centre Contract Awards and Transition to Digital Switchover the recommendation allows for service continuity with approved suppliers listed within the report. The UK telephone infrastructure is switching from an analogue to a digital by the end of January 2027, with new analogue lines unavailable in people’s homes from September 2023. The Council is addressing the challenges faced by the switch from analogue to digital telephone services by January 2027 and is embracing the opportunities for more advanced technology enabled care to be deployed over the new digital telephone network. Alternative options considered If the release of the funds is not approved, the analogue to digital switchover will not be completed. Select Committee comments None at this stage. SUPPORTING INFORMATION TeleCare is a monitoring and alert system that can help support people to live independently in their own homes by providing users, carers, family, and friends with reassurance that emergency help is available. Current telecare alarms connect sensors in the home to a 24- hour alarm receiving centre (ARC). The digital switch means existing analogue telecare alarms provided by the Council will operate less reliably, or not at all. New customers are provided with a standard digital telecare package, which includes a base unit and a personal alarm button. As part of the transition from analogue to digital services, this same package is being offered to existing customers. The need for additional sensors is assessed on a case-by-case basis, considering individual circumstances and risk factors. The capital funding request includes an allocation to support the provision of a proportion of these additional sensors. The cost plan with breakdown of units required is as follows: Type Number of Units Cost Per Unit £'s Total Cost £'s Box unit & SIM 2300 210 483,000 Pendant 2300 40 92,000 Smoke Alarm 1000 55 55,000 Fall Detector 300 70 21,000 Total £651,000 Going forward, d igital telephony allows for faster and greater transmission of data, providing opportunities for more advanced and intelligent solutions, including multifunction TEC devices Capital Release Report – 27 November 2025 Page 3 (Part 1 Public) which combine traditional risk management telecare with enhanced data to inform care reviews and enable early identification that a person requires a health or social care intervention. To manage the digital switchover to a digital telecare alarm by January 2027, we are: • Working closely with the Telecom providers to ensure residents ’ safety during the switchover period. • Ceasing to offer analogue only TEC units for new customers and investing in an upgrade programme to provide digital TEC to existing customers. • Continuing to work with our new TEC suppliers and explore services that maximise the opportunities for implementing multifunction TEC devices which support risk management, remote care delivery, self-care (e.g. reminders) and provide greater opportunities for use of data to inform care reviews and identify early decline in a person’s wellbeing. Financial Implications Disabled Facilities Grant 2025/26 (Budget £5,582k, Previously Released £1,243 k, Capital Release Requested £651k) – Appendix A The 2025/26 capital programme approved by Cabinet and Council in February 2025 included a budget of £2,146k for the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) for major adaptations to private properties for elderly and disabled residents to live independently. In July 2024, Cabinet approved £3,436k of rephased DFG budget from 2024/25 into 2025/26 giving a total revised DFG budget of £5,582k for 2025/26. From the £3,346k rephased budget, £71k has had previous release. The report seeks the capital release of £651k from the disabled facilities grant 2025/26 budget for the telecare analogue to digital switchover to enable independent living. The cost plan is made up of quotations and does not include any internal fees or contingency. The telecare switchover project is fully grant funded and there is no recourse to the Council with carrying out this project. The remaining £3,688k of the Disabled Facilities Grant 2025/26 budget is subject to the capital release process. RESIDENT BENEFIT & CONSULTATION The benefit or impact upon residents, service users and communities To ensure a smooth transition during the digital switchover, officers are working collaboratively with major telecommunications providers—including BT, Plusnet, EE, Virgin Media O2, and Sky— to safeguard Hillingdon Telecare users. These users have been identified as vulnerable, and officers are actively coordinating with providers to ensure their migration to digital services is handled with appropriate care and priority. Telecoms providers have now launched a national campaign aimed at mitigating potential risks associated with the switchover. This includes tailored Capital Release Report – 27 November 2025 Page 4 (Part 1 Public) support for vulnerable customers, proactive communication, and technical measures to minimise service disruption during the transition period. Consultation carried out or required The switchover from analogue to digital is a national requirement and does not require local consultation. As the Council reviews and develops the future telecare arrangements, officers will establish the impact on residents in a range of ways including individual conversations, resident forums and third sector engagement. CORPORATE CONSIDERATIONS Corporate Finance Corporate Finance has reviewed this report and concurs with the financial implications set out above, noting that the proposed DFG works are fully funded by external grant provision provided by the DLUHC Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) capital grant within the Better Care Fund to support the Council's wider programme of reablement, and reducing the reliance on residential care placements. Legal Legal Services confirm that the Council is responsible for this function pursuant to various provisions under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014. Under section 1, it is the general duty of the Council, in exercising its other functions under Part 1, to promote the relevant individual’s wellbeing. Under section 2, the Council must provide or arrange for the provision of services, facilities or resources, or take other steps, to contribute towards preventing or delaying the development by adults in its area of needs for care and support , contribute towards preventing or delaying the development by carers in its area of needs for support , reduce the needs for care and support of adults in its area, and reduce the needs for support of carers in its area. Furthermore, under section 18, the Council is required to meet an eligible adult’s needs for care and support and, under section, to meet an eligible carer’s needs for support. Carrying out the telecare analogue-to-digital transition work will assist in the Council meeting these various statutory duties. Thus, there are no legal impediments to the capital release being authorised, although any contract that is entered into must comply with the Council's Procurement Standing Orders. The Council must also uphold its public sector equality duty under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 and adhere to the other requirements of the Equality Act 2010, which is particularly relevant in this instance due to protected characteristics of age and disability likely being applicable to the customers involved. There is also a need for the Council to act in accordance with the Care and Support Statutory Guidance. Capital Release Report – 27 November 2025 Page 5 (Part 1 Public) Procurement A Direct Award under ESPO Framework 203_25 (Technology Enabled Care Products and Services, Lot 1.1) is permitted. Pricing is regulated at the framework level, ensuring that any proposed price increases are fully justified by each supplier. ESPO permits direct negotiation for large orders and given the anticipated volumes, this will be undertaken by Procurement and the Contract Manager once formal approval is granted. The list of suppliers approved at September 2025 Cabinet for equipment are; o LEGRAND ELECTRIC LTD o CHIPTECH INTERNATIONAL o APPELLO SMART LIVING SOLUTIONS LTD o TUNSTALL HEALTHCARE (UK) LTD The ESPO Framework provides a versatile structure designed to facilitate the digital switchover. The procurement process will collaborate closely with service leads to ensure compliance with framework requirements and the delivery of optimal value for money. Infrastructure / Asset Management N/A Planning N/A Capital Release Protocol The release of all capital funds, and certain revenue funds, held by the Council is to be made by a formal democratic decision. No expenditure can be placed or committed by officers until this formal approval is given by Democratic Services. Release of funds must be for identified projects only and strictly not for the general release of funds for projects to be identified at a later date. No block releases of capital or funding will be allowed, except if authorised by the Leader of the Council in advance t o Corporate Finance. The release of funds will only be made if previous Council, Cabinet or Cabinet Member agreement has been given to the project and only if there is an approved budget. BACKGROUND PAPERS NIL. Capital Release Report – 27 November 2025 Page 6 (Part 1 Public) APPENDIX A Disabled Facilities Grant 2025/26 - Telecare Analogue to Digital Switchover Release No. 4 Location Project / Expenditure Title Information Funds Release Sought Approve Hold More Information Required Multiple - Boroughw ide Telecare Analogue to Digital Switchover Telecare Analogue to Digital Switchover 651,000 Total seeking release 651,000 Previously released 1,243,060 Budget 5,581,899 Remaining budget 3,687,839
View Decision / Minutes Text
Executive Decision Notice – 16 December 2025
This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk
OFFICIAL EXECUTIVE DECISION NOTICE
PUBLISHED BY DEMOCRATIC SERVICES
Notice is hereby given that the following decision(s) have been made today by
Cabinet Members at the London Borough of Hillingdon:
Title of decision CAPITAL RELEASE REPORT (November 2025)
DEPARTMENT: Housing Grants & Adaptations
SERVICE AREA / PROGRAMME: Disabled Facilities Grant
RELEASE NO: 4
Reference No. 1579
Date of decision Tuesday 16 December 2025
Call-in expiry date Tuesday 23 December 2025
Relevant Select
Committee
Heath and Social Care Select Committee
Relevant Wards All
Decision made
Cabinet Members making
the decision
Councillor Eddie Lavery, Cabinet Member for Finance and
Transformation
Councillor Jane Palmer, Cabinet Member for Health and
Social Care
Decision APPROVED
The Cabinet Member for Financ e and Transformation
and the Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care
agreed to the following capital release request of £651k
from the Disabled Facilities Grant 2025/26 budget to
enable the completion of the telecare analogue- to-
digital switchover.
Reason for decision The Recommendations ensured that the Council is
addressing the challenges faced by the switch from
analogue to digital telephone services by January 2027 and
is embracing the opportunities for more advanced
technology enabled care to be deployed over the new digital
telephone network.
Alternative options
considered and rejected
If the release of the funds is not approved, the analogue to
digital switchover will not be completed.
Classification Part I – Public
Link to associated report Report can be found here
Executive Decision Notice – 16 December 2025
This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk
Relevant Officer contact
& Directorate
Sarah Baker - Programme Manager Adult Social Care and
Health
Any interest declared by
the Cabinet Member(s) /
dispensation granted
N/A
Implementation of decision & scrutiny call-in
[Internal Use only]
When can this
decision be
implemented by
officers?
Officers can implement Cabinet Member decision in this notice only
from the expiry of the scrutiny call-in period which is:
5pm on Tuesday 23 December 2025
However, this is subject to the decision not being called in by
Councillors on the relevant Select Committee. Upon receipt of a
valid call-in request, Democratic Services will immediately advise
the relevant officer(s) and the decision must then be put on hold.
Councillor scrutiny
call-in of this
decision
Councillors on the relevant Select Committee shown in this notice
may request to call-in this decision. The request must be before the
expiry of the scrutiny call-in period above.
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Further information These decisions, where applicable, have been taken under The
Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access
to Information) (England) Regulations 2012.
This is the formal notice by the Council of the above executive
decision, including links to the reports where applicable.
If you would like more information on this decision, please contact
Democratic Services on 01895 250636 or email:
democratic@hillingdon.gov.uk.
Circulation of this decision notice is to a variety of people including
Members of the Council, Corporate Directors, Officers, Group
Secretariats and the Public. Copies are also placed on the
Council’s website.
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