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Venue: This a virtual meeting and therefore there is no physical location for this meeting
Contact: Democratic Services Committee Manager
No. | Item |
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Apologies Minutes: Apologies were received from tenant representative Jean-Louis Ayivor. |
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Declarations of Interest Minutes: There were no declarations of interest. |
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Minutes: The minutes of the meeting of the 15th January 2020 were agreed and signed as a correct record subject to the addition of Lynn Thomas, Head of Housing and Will Barfield, Asset Manager. |
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Oral Presentation on the role for the Leaseholder and Tenant Representatives role Diana Minns (Tenant Representative) Vice Chair gave the Committee an overview of the role and responsibility of the Tenant and Leaseholder representatives. The Chair thanked the representatives for their hard work and commitment to the role. Kay Harris was retiring from the role and not seeking re-election. The Chair and Senior Officers thanked her for her dedication and involvement with the various iteration of Housing Scrutiny and Tenant Involvement over a period of over 35 years. Jean-Louis Ayivor, another resident representative, was also standing down. The Chair expressed thanks to Jean-Louis for the experience he had brought to the committee and the contribution he had made to committee discussions. Thanks were also expressed to Committee Manager Toni Birkin who is retiring from the Council. |
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Appointment of Vice-Chair (Tenant/Leaseholder Rep) for 2020/21 Minutes: The tenants and leaseholders representatives agreed to defer the election of a new Vice Chair until the following meeting when the new tenant representatives were in post. |
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Public Questions Minutes: There were no public questions. |
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Minutes: Item chaired by Diana Minns, Vice Chair / Tenant
Representative. Recommendation 2a (decision i) was chaired by
Diana Minns (Vice Chair / Tenant Representative) and recommendations 2b
(decision ii) was chaired by Councillor Todd-Jones. Matter for
Decision The report presented, for the Housing Revenue Account:
i.
A summary of actual income and expenditure compared
to the final budget for 2019/20 (outturn position)
ii.
Revenue and capital budget variances with
explanations
iii.
Specific requests to carry forward funding
available from both revenue and capital budget underspends into 2020/21. iv.
A summary of housing debt which was written off
during 2019/20. Decision
of Executive Councillor for Housing Under Part 1 of
the Housing Scrutiny Committee Agenda, the Executive Councillor Housing
Scrutiny Committee:
i.
Approved carry forward requests totalling
£1,431,300 in revenue funding from 2019/20 into 2020/21, as detailed in
Appendix C of the Officer’s report.
ii.
Approved a delegation to the Head of Finance to
make the necessary
changes to the 2020/21 base budgets to remove the impact of inflation in all
non-pay and non-contractual revenue budgets.
iii.
Approved carry forward requests of £6,560,000 in
HRA and General Fund Housing capital budgets and associated resources from
2019/20 into 2020/21 and beyond to fund re-phased net capital spending, as
detailed in Appendix D of the Officer’s report and the associated notes to the
appendix. Reason for the Decision As set out in the Officer’s report. Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected Not applicable. Scrutiny
Considerations The Committee received a report from the Assistant Head of Finance and Business
Manager. The Committee made the following comments in response to the report:
i.
Expressed disappointment at the failure to deliver
the Decent Homes Standards to all tenants and the associated underspend.
ii.
Sought clarity on the council tax liable on void
properties.
iii.
Suggested that some underspends could be diverted
into energy efficiency measures. iv.
Welcomed the progress made with disabled
adaptation. The Assistant Head of
Finance and Business Manager said the following in response to Members’
questions:
i.
Explained that tenants had the right to refuse
improvement work such as kitchen or bathroom refits. Some had taken good care
of existing facilities and did not want the disruption of replacement work.
ii.
Confirmed that the authority is liable for the
majority of the Council Tax on void properties, with homes vacated for
redevelopment causing the majority of spend. Confirmed that only short-term
discounts or exemptions are available (one month in most cases).
iii.
Confirmed that there had been no change in policy
of discretionary repairs. However, there had been a change in procedures with
council staff no longer undertaking works which were the tenant’s
responsibility. iv.
Clarified that carry forward requests this year
were higher than last, but that so were the budgets, so that proportionally the
capital carry forwards were not hugely different. Highlighted that Covid-19 is
delaying repairs and planned works in 2020/21 and may affect the ability to
appropriately invest funds carried forward. Further details on the catch up process would be available later in the year. The Committee resolved by 10 votes to 0 with 3 abstentions
to endorse part 1 of the recommendation The Committee resolved by 5 votes to 0 with 3 abstentions to endorse part 2 of the recommendation. The Executive Councillor
approved the recommendations. Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any
Dispensations Granted) No conflicts of interest
were declared by the Executive Councillor. |
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Estates & Facilites Review and Compliance PDF 439 KB Minutes: This Item was
chaired by Diana Minns (Vice Chair / Tenant Representative) Matter for
Decision The report
provides an update on the Estates & Facilities Service Review and
information on compliance related work within the service, including a summary
on gas servicing, electrical testing, recent audit actions and fire safety. Decision
of Executive Councillor for Housing
i.
Noted the
progress of the service review and compliance related work detailed within the
report.
ii.
Agreed that an update
report on the progress on the works to be brought to the September Housing
Scrutiny Committee. Reason for the Decision As set out in the Officer’s report. the progress of the service
review and compliance related work detailed within the report. Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected Not applicable. Scrutiny
Considerations The Committee received a report from the Head of Housing
Maintenance and Assets. The Head of Housing Maintenance and Assets said the following in response to Members’
questions:
i.
Confirmed that two council properties were non compliant with gas safety
certificates. This was a result of the occupants shielding. Those properties
would re visited as a priority as soon as the occupants felt comfortable with
other people inside their homes.
ii.
Fire Risk Assessments had been undertaken in
respect of a number of maisonettes that are above
ground floor level and necessary work identified would be undertaken as soon as
possible. The Committee raised concerns regarding the recent fire at Kingsway
Flats. It was suggested that residents had reported problems with communal
lighting, lack of internal fire doors, communal alarms not working and blocked
stairwells. The Head of Housing Maintenance and Assets responded and stated
that the emergency lighting had been tested regularly and no faults had been
found. All tenanted flats entrance doors will
be replaced with fire doors that meeting current standards and orders
have already been placed with contractors. There was no requirement for a communal fire
alarm. The fire was under investigation and more information would be available
at a future date. The Asset Manager stated that there was an on-going program
to install heat detectors. Additional funding is likely to be required as
this three-year programme also requires work to existing smoke detectors in
dwellings. The Committee thanked housing staff for their prompt and caring approach
to rehousing victims of the fire. Councillor Porrer
proposed and Diana Minns seconded an additional recommendation as follows: That an update report on the progress on the
works to be brought to the September Housing Scrutiny Committee. The Committee supported the additional
recommendation. The Committee unanimously resolved to endorse the recommendations. The Executive Councillor
approved the recommendations. Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any
Dispensations Granted) No conflicts of interest
were declared by the Executive Councillor. |
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Update on the Programme to Build new Council Homes Funded Through the Combined Authority PDF 858 KB Additional documents:
Minutes: This item was
chaired by Councillor Todd-Jones Matter for
Decision The report provides an update on the
programme to deliver 500 Council homes with funding from the Combined
Authority. Decision
of Executive Councillor for Housing
i.
Noted the continued
progress on the delivery of the Combined Authority programme.
ii.
Noted the funding
structure for the Combined Authority programme.
iii.
Noted the risks and impact of the Covid-19
pandemic on the programme. Reason for the Decision As set out in the Officer’s report. Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected Not applicable. Scrutiny
Considerations The Committee received a report from the Head of Housing Development. In response to the report the Committee commented that it was
disappointing that the Kingswat project was delayed
by UK Power Network (UKPN). The Strategic Director (FB) explained that these
delays were unavoidable as UKPN were dealing with Covid
19 emergency works. Council staff were currently working on new ways to engage
with them to ease the progress of future projects. The Head of Maintenance and
Assets explained as this was a refurbishment the issues with the cabling were
not known before works started. In response to a question about the risk ratings in the report the Head
of Housing Development explained that these related to the specifics on the
projects not the overall programme which even with potential for delays was low
risk in terms of achieving the March 2022 SOS target for the funding. The Head of Housing
Development said the following in response to Members’ questions:
i.
Confirmed that the first Housing Pods to ease rough
sleeping are to be installed across three sites around Cambridge. Four more
Pods were available and would be installed as soon as suitable sites had been
identified.
ii.
Suggested that staff would be monitoring how the
Pods worked for individual users. The Committee resolved by 5 votes to 0 and 3 abstentions to endorse the
recommendations. The Executive Councillor
approved the recommendations. Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any
Dispensations Granted) No conflicts of interest
were declared by the Executive Councillor. |
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Additional documents: Minutes: This item was
chaired by Councillor Todd-Jones Matter for
Decision i.
At the end of March 2020,
and in line with lockdown measures introduced at the time, the Government asked
local authorities to ensure that rough sleepers were provided with emergency
accommodation to help reduce the risk of transmission of the Covid-19 virus.
The City Council, along with partner organisations, working in the homelessness
sector, and the County Council had worked in partnership tackle the significant
logistical task of identifying those rough sleeping and at immediate risk and
securing accommodation offers for all of them. The Government gave an initial
financial commitment (see 8a of the Officer’s report) and an invitation to
apply for further funding as required. ii.
The report updated members
on progress to date, broadly outlines phase two of the council’s plan - to
secure longer term housing options for those currently accommodated on a
temporary basis – and explains how officers would manage the process. It
explained why the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy, previously due for
publication this month, had been delayed and will now be brought before Housing
Scrutiny Committee in January 2021. Decision
of Executive Councillor for Housing
i.
Noted the progress the Council has made on
rehousing rough sleepers during the Covid-19 pandemic and endorse the proposed
principles for delivering the phase two action plan.
ii.
Noted that a new Homelessness and Rough Sleeping
Strategy will be brought to Housing Scrutiny Committee in January 2021.
iii.
Agreed that a monthly
update report on the progress of the Phase 2 action plan will be circulated to
members of the Housing Scrutiny Committee for the critical time period between
now and September. Reason for the Decision As set out in the Officer’s report. Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected Not applicable. Scrutiny
Considerations The Committee received a report from the Head of Housing. The Committee made the following comments in response to the report:
i.
Welcomed the report and thanked officers for their
hard work in achieving the temporary housing of so many rough sleepers under
difficult circumstances.
ii.
Expressed concerns about the stress on staff and
sought an assurance that staff were being fully supported.
iii.
Sought assurances that those housed in hotels would
not be evicted back onto the streets now that hotels are about to re-open. The Head of Housing said the following in response to Members’
questions:
i.
Confirmed that staff would be attempting to assist
all those temporarily housed. Most people had complied with support
arrangements and had behaved in an acceptable way. However, assisting those
whose behaviour was unacceptable, or criminal was more problematic.
ii.
When the Police were involved an individual’s
licence could be ended quickly. A multi-agency approach was used, including
management of prison release.
iii.
Housing and support had been set up very quickly
and lessons would be learnt for the longer term. iv.
There were some concerns over the longer-term
funding for this initiative.
v.
Confirmed the individuals housed had a range of
vulnerabilities, including one with a registered disability. vi.
The new pod housing was currently not in use but
might be suitable for some of those in temporary housing. Councillor
Martinelli proposed and Councillor Porrer seconded an additional recommendation
as follows: A monthly update
report on the progress of the Phase 2 action plan will be circulated to members
of the Housing Scrutiny Committee for the critical time period between now and
September. The Committee supported the additional
recommendation. The Committee unanimously resolved to endorse the recommendations. The Executive Councillor
approved the recommendations. Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any
Dispensations Granted) No conflicts of interest
were declared by the Executive Councillor. |
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To Note Decision Taken by the Executive Councillor for Housing |
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Confidential Decision: Sale of Shared Ownership Property PDF 186 KB Minutes: This item was
chaired by Councillor Todd-Jones The Committee noted the decision without debate and therefore no exclusion of the press and public was necessary. |
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Confidential Decision: Disposal of Housing Revenue Account Property PDF 287 KB Minutes: This item was
chaired by Councillor Todd-Jones The Committee noted the decision without debate and therefore no exclusion of the press and public was necessary. |