Payments are not made for the first two weeks unless your situation is considered vulnerable. communications. If you have certain care needs and problems outdoors you may qualify for personal independent payments. Information produced by government departments including items which are respect of which prior approval has not been given by the Council. many Sandwell Council requests online, including reporting missed Please detail any allowances that ALL foster carers can claim in addition to their Established in 2008. This benefit is based on you national insurance contribution and paid when you reach retirement age. Part of the 1930s Tibbington Estate in Tipton was demolished in the 1980s due to mining subsidence, and the land redeveloped with a sheltered housing scheme which opened in 1991. We also have a new specialist fostering scheme, take a look and see if its right for you. ), If you have any questions or queries please dont hesitate to call us on0800 358 0899. But earlier this year, councillors rejected a proposed two per cent rise saying they wanted to stand by residents in the face of massive cuts in funding from the Government. We try and keep Sandwell landlords up-to-date through our website, newsletters and being represented at various landlord events. If your spouse or civil partner's national insurance record was incomplete, the amount payable is reduced. allowances, additional funds such as broadband allowances etc and chair what action you have taken to collect arrears, whatresponse (if any) you have had from your tenant, Information for landlords - Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction, Find out about Voter ID and how to get free photo ID if you need it , Find further information about Local Housing Allowance, Midland Landlord Accreditation Scheme (MLAS), How to appeal against a Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction or Discretionary Housing Payment decision, New benefit notification letters - Important Information, Your Housing Benefit award notice explained. mileage. 8,oCYeQMP,0f bfVo[_+_8 /\/eXT[bzu=jU6""DH^LGdsxw=oG=L'}T2oN'#!f!: 8'5U1;MdU With 24 of the authority's 72 seats contested, Labour held . Help us take action on local issues and build a better Britain. Then there are Chairs of this or that committee raking in, usually, an additional annual 8751 while the Vice Chairs survive with 5256 extra. 3 0 obj Please could you tell me your 2022-23 weekly allowances for former foster 5. http://www.sandwell.gov.uk/mysandwell, 235K The process of demolishing similar properties had in fact started before 1974 during the existence of the former West Bromwich and Warley boroughs, as well as before 1966 under the original local authorities. Members had already voted not to increase their 'basic' allowance for the year, saving the cash-strapped authority 31,000. 3 0 obj Water Lane Families can use their Max Card at venues across the UK to get free or discounted admission. Sandwell Council says the rise will help provide cash to invest in properties and build more new homes. 5. https://twitter.com/sandwellcouncil Councillor Cooper said he made the latest changes following consultation with council staff, but did not want to announce his intentions before the recent elections so it could not be perceived as a ploy to win votes. attached Title of request: Foster Care allowances. Conservative policy in Sandwell is to derail the gravy train by immediately reducing the number of councillors from 72 to 48, as has been done in other councils, and then to examine the Special Responsibility Allowances system. C.P. 7. http://www.sandwell.gov.uk/mysandwell. A subsequent two per cent . It is made up of two components, mobility and care. (All figures are weekly amounts): Before moving into a new home a tenant should check what size accommodation they are allowed under LHA rules. The net Mayoral Allowance for the Civic Year 2021/22 is 15,447 and 1,005 for the Deputy Mayor. Information produced by government departments including items which are skills of the carer and the maintenance allowance is paid according to the age of the child. all age bands, NOT including any fee/reward element for foster carers. Wycliffe House personalised homepage. Employment and support allowance (ESA) is paid to people whose ability to work is limited because ill health or disability. Title of request: Foster Care allowances However, if the claimant has rent arrears or has difficulty managing their finances due to vulnerability, we can consider paying the landlord. The council offices are located at the Council House, Freeth Street, Oldbury town centre, which opened in 1989.[2]. Title of request: Freedom of Information request - Councillors allowances Find further information about Local Housing Allowance. Licence. [3], In May 2021 the Conservative Party regained its presence on the Council, gaining 9 seats from the Labour Party. For your information residents can now use their MySandwell account to log However, disability living allowance is claimed for children less than 16 years of age. Rules are set by the government but it is paid by the local council. However, if you If you think your tenant is receiving benefit and not paying their rent, please report this to us as soon as there is a problem. Residents can also check their Residents can also check their The Max Card is the UKs leading discount card for foster families and families of children with additional needs. The 3.99 per cent figure covers a basic council tax increase. Basically a list of who claims what. This includes travel and holiday deals , money off top fashion brands, savings on homeware and electricals, through to deals on mobile phones, utilities and gym memberships. BBC. [5]www.sandwell.gov.uk/mysandwell. B69 3DL, If you have any questions or queries please dont hesitate to call us on, Library, Thimblemill Road, Smethwick B67 5RJ. Oldbury Since many Labour councillors are related or married to another Sandwell councillor, the council is a game of Family Fortunes for a lot of them. I can confirm that this will be reviewed and allocated to the appropriate Remember we have lost 2,000 over the last five years.". Download personalised homepage. It does not depend on your income or savings or whether you have paid national insurance contributions and it can be paid along with child benefit. [11] It is proposed that the council would need to borrow the money to refit the 70million arts centre to make it suitable for the college whilst investors in the original project may sue the council if this proposal were to go ahead. For information please go to Licence and Open Parliament Licence at [1]www.nationalarchives.gov.uk. We hope our response fully satisfies your expectations. council tax balance on MyAccounts and find "MyNearest"on their looking after young people in 18+ Staying Put arrangements, broken down by year 1, You may already have a form of photo ID that is acceptable. Our new film, simply called Childhood, highlights the impact of neglect on children. stream Dear Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council. (05798215). Title of request: Freedom of Information request - Councillors allowances. many Sandwell Council requests online, including reporting missed If your tenant signs a data protection waiver formwe can share some information with you but this may be limited. endobj Income support is a means tested benefit or income related benefit, intended to provide certain living expenses for you or your partner if you have one. Water Lane Tenants can also sign a section on their application form to give permission to share information but this has strict limits about what can be shared. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: Information Commissioner's Office Download to their weekly allowance, e.g., holiday allowance or mileage. In August 2021, the council's external auditors, Grant Thornton, initiated a value for money governance review into Sandwell's arrangements for securing economy, efficiency and effectiveness in. This is a non means tested benefit which has replaced disability living allowance for people who are disabled either physically or mentally and who need extra care and support with their daily living. Visible links 1. http://www.sandwell.gov.uk/ LHA is normally paid to the claimant. The allowance paid to Staying Put Carers is 170pw. But it matters, and we get that. A prospective tenant can use a trial calculator to work out how much benefit they might receive. The allowance is the same for each Member and is paid in monthly instalments, in arrears, throughout the year. Attendance Allowance is not means tested, there are no national insurance tests and is paid in addition to any other benefits. Check your circumstances on the calculator or contact the welfare rights team. right to copy or use them other than for private study, non-commercial We couldnt load the mail server logs for this message. Find out about Voter ID and how to get free photo ID if you need it . Discounts for carers offers exclusive discounts, cashback and vouchers for carers and care workers. "It is also the fact our staff have suffered. Re: your request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The Leader of the Council said that "successful small businesses are essential for the economy and for thriving local communities"[6]. personalised homepage. Cheshire <> You will find details of the Open Government [8], Smethwick Regeneration: Midland Metropolitan University Hospital, Windmill Eye NeighbourHood and a 23.5million redevelopment of Holly Lodge College of Science (creating a state of the art learning environment for 1,250 pupils), The Portway Lifestyle Centre, Wednesbury Leisure Centre, The Crofts and Charlemont Flats, Regeneration of West Bromwich: a significant piece of investment including provisions for new retail, entertainment, arts, education and transit links. personal allowance, based on an amount set by the government. Please detail any allowances that ALL foster carers can claim in addition to their weekly allowance, e.g. Please note, this response and any documents which are enclosed are 2. file:/// One of the most controversial projects has been that of The Public, a community arts venue. View as HTML. each. Help us protect your right to hold public authorities to account. 932 328 0633. International: +52 932 328 0633. 4 0 obj Data Protection rules may prevent us from discussing a claim with you but you should still report this to us. Wellman Building Since the Local Government Act 1985, Sandwell Council has effectively been a unitary authority, serving as the sole executive, deliberative, and legislative body responsible for local policy, setting council tax, and allocating budget in the district; although public transport, fire and police services, and the local government pension fund (West Midlands Pension Fund) are jointly run by the seven metropolitan boroughs of the West Midlands county. each. H. Attendance at meetings outside the Sandwell Council House, Oldbury by a Councillor in connection with the role for which a Special Responsibility Allowance is paid and who have elected to be a member of the Council's Transport Protocol. [7] The following month, the council gave its backing to ambitious plans to make its children's service amongst the best in the country by teaming up with private sector firm iPOWER. Thank you for your Freedom of Information Request. Dont forget, as a foster carer, you can save money by using your Max Card, applying for a Blue Light Card, Discounts for Carers Card or membership at the Company Shop see The Benefits of Fostering for Sandwell download for details. Please let us know if a further response is expected or if you are having trouble responding. are dissatisfied, you are entitled to an Internal Review. stream Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article. You have to be in receipt of a qualifying benefit and been in receipt of the qualifying benefit for 26 weeks before the decision in regards to the loan and you application must be for certain categories. services through our wholly owned subsidiary However, for most people who qualify for our help, Sandwell Council will meet the cost of the service, and you will normally pay us a contribution towards the total cost . Attendance at site visits or visits to Council or other establishments All rights reserved. Since the late 1980s, however, it has also demolished a considerable amount of post-1919 council housing. 5. https://twitter.com/sandwellcouncil In November 2013 venue was closed after the council decided that it would no longer subsidise it as an Arts Centre. collections; fly tipping and pot holes. Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council, Download a zip file of all correspondence. Information covered by parliamentary copyright is covered by the The current Local Housing Allowance rates for Sandwell are shown below. Dudley Road 3. https://twitter.com/sandwellcouncil Council Tax reduction can be claimed if your income is low enough for help. Download Benefits and allowances Charities Children 7 people with area of practice: Children; Commercial property 2 people with area of practice: Commercial property . We hope our response fully satisfies your expectations. Visible links Your donations keep this site and others like it running. SocietyWorks Ltd We couldnt load the mail server logs for this message. We are a not for profit fostering agency. It is not means tested and the person being cared for has to be in receipt of a qualifying disability benefit and there is an earnings limit whereby if earnings are above 102.00 per week there is no entitlement. Cheshire But then it is also odd that the council claims to be maintaining front line services while ritualistically whingeing about cuts. attached 1 0 obj . Online housing services. I write further to your request, for information regarding Foster Care Homestamp: A consortium of different local authorities, housing organisations, public services and private landlords, working to improve standards in the private sector and offering support and useful, easy to access information for both landlords and tenants. Please detail any allowances that ALL foster carers can claim in addition to their weekly allowance, e.g., holiday allowance or mileage. By 2014, all but two of Sandwell's 72 councillors were Labour members. for all age bands, NOT including any fee/reward element for foster Are you the owner of any commercial copyright on this page? Despite the delays, it is anticipated that the majority of the regeneration will be completed by early 2014. Well be combining live events all over Sandwell with online sessions, so you choose what suits you best. 1,501 talking about this. allocated. Children's Services In April 2013, an OFSTED report criticised Sandwell's children's services highlighting failings around domestic violence and rating the service inadequate. A site to help anyone submit a Freedom of Information request. The figures shown are the maximum amount payable and the actual Housing Benefit entitlement may be lower than the figure below. Current fees and allowances are detailed below. Although we may not necessarily tell you what action we may be taking or even tell youif your tenant is claiming benefit, we will still investigate reports of arrears. Reference: FOI-431401843 Current and former employees report that Sandwell Council provides the following benefits. Internal review requests should be submitted within 40 days of the date of collections; fly tipping and pot holes. 1 0 obj positions, vice chair etc. Very public spiritedly, at Tuesdays meeting, the Labour dominated council also rejected an increase of 2.2% in councillors pay. LHA rates are based on set allowances for different sizes of accommodation within given areas. Date of request: 22/06/2022 For new claimants personal independent payment (PIP) has replaced disability living allowance. [2]https://my.sandwell.gov.uk/. We're waiting for David Davey to read recent responses and update the status. [5]www.sandwell.gov.uk/mysandwell. But it matters, and we get that. He was succeeded by deputy leader Steve Elling.[13]. We don't know whether the most recent response to this request contains information or not if you are, The Governance Team, How this could be described, at the council meeting on Tuesday, by Cllr Eling, Sandwells Labour finance chief as the government penalising the people of Sandwell is difficult to understand. If you have any questions or queries please don't hesitate to call us on 0800 358 0899. Reforma Email address. Please note that even if a tenant is claiming benefits, arrears are still the responsibility of the tenant, not the local authority. %PDF-1.7 Your donations keep this site and others like it running. If you dont see one, please check your trash or spam folder thanks! Councillors allowances - a Freedom of Information request to Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council - WhatDoTheyKnow We don't know whether the most recent response to this request contains information or not - if you are David Davey please sign in and let everyone know. Your eligibility for this benefit is tested under the work capability assessment. Two of the four tower blocks on the 1960s Riddins Mound Estate in Cradley Heath were demolished in 1996. All foster carers are entitled to apply for a Blue Light Card, this costs just 4.99 and provides 2-years access to an amazing range of discounts online and on the high street! See the online calculator to see if you may be eligible to claim. Basically a list of who claims what. Click the button to start your fostering journey today! <> Printed from https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/councillors_allowances_20182021 on March 05, 2023 03:43. You can get child benefit if you are responsible for a child or young person and it is not means tested unless you are a higher rate taxpayer. Housing Benefit can help people pay their rent if their income is low enough when assessed. Are you the owner of any commercial copyright on this page? Their twice yearly e-magazine, The Bugle is a key source of information and a 'must read' for landlords. 12K Carers Allowance is paid to carers who are regularly caring for 35 hours or more per week for a severely disabled person. You don't have to be related to, or live with, the person you care for. Calle Adolfo Lpez Mateos S/N. information relating to Councillor allowances and position held. Information covered by parliamentary copyright is covered by the Job Seeker's Allowance is paid to people from the age of 18 who are actively seeking employment. SocietyWorks Ltd [7]www.sandwell.gov.uk/mysandwell. covered by Crown copyright can usually be used under the Open Government We all know that money isnt the first consideration when you are think about becoming a foster carer. A seat on Sandwells cabinet nets another 15,768. Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future 4. https://www.facebook.com/sandwellcouncil If you receive disability living allowance and your condition deteriorates if you request the claim to be reviewed then it will be assessed as a new PIP claim unless you are over the age 65 and in these cases only the care part can be looked at and increased. Please submit your request through your account I write further to your request, which was received on 22 June 2022, for council tax balance on MyAccounts and find "MyNearest"on their It is strongly recommended that anyone moving to a new home in Sandwell who expects to claim benefits checks their eligibility and likely level of entitlement before doing so. Date of request: 22/06/2022 Councillors allowances mySociety research or news reporting. For the fifth year running Sandwells council tax has been frozen. Bereavement Allowance cannot be paid above state pension age. Since the Local Government Act 1985, Sandwell Council has effectively been a unitary authority, serving as the sole executive, deliberative, and legislative body responsible for local policy, setting council tax, and allocating budget in the district; although public transport, fire and police services, and the local government pension fund (West Which benefits does Sandwell Council provide? Subscribe to one or all notification sources from this one place. We are owned by, but independent from, Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council. It is not just about them it also about members doing out bit and showing out commitment." This means that we that we are responsible for all children in care in Sandwell. Bereavement Allowance is payable if you were aged 45 or over when yourspouse /civil partner died and is payable for 52 weeks following their death. Help us protect your right to hold public authorities to account. You may already have a form of photo ID that is acceptable. A further 69,000 will now be saved by scrapping several 'special responsibility' allowances paid to councillors who take on additional roles within the authority. WhatDoTheyKnow also publishes and archives requests and responses, building a massive archive of information. *Select how many bedrooms you are entitled to. [citation needed], In May 2013, it was announced that following a re-shuffle, there was a freeze on allowances for Sandwell Council Cabinet Members and that the membership of the cabinet was reduced from 10 to 8. You could get Carer's Allowance if you care for someone at least 35 hours a week and they get certain benefits. council tax balance on MyAccounts and find "MyNearest"on their Run by Volunteers and powered by Alaveteli. The council has also agreed to freeze council tax for a fifth year in a row.