Agenda, decisions and minutes

That the Quarter 4 Performance Report be deferrred to the meeting scheduled for 27 June 2012.

Prior to the start of the meeting, the Facilitator explained that the Quarter 4 Performance report had been included on the agenda in error and would be deferred to the meeting scheduled for 27 June 2012, with the report to be re-issued with the agenda for that meeting.

No declarations were made.

No declarations of interest were made.

Nominations will be sought for a Vice-Chair for the Committee.

That Councillor G. Hardcastle be appointed Vice-Chair of the Committee.

Nominations were sought for a Vice-Chair for the Committee.  Nominations for Councillors R. Hughes and G. Hardcastle were both seconded and on being put to the vote, the proposal for Councillor G. Hardcastle to be Vice-Chair was carried.

RESOLVED:

That Councillor G. Hardcastle be appointed Vice-Chair of the Committee.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 7 March 2012 (copy enclosed).

That the minutes be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The minutes of the meeting held on 7 March 2012 had been circulated with the agenda.

Matters Arising

Update on the Repair and Maintenance Service - Councillor G.H. Bateman asked if £200,000 had been transferred from the HRA budget to address the backlog of repairs and the Cabinet Member for Housing confirmed this was the case.

Development of the Community Based Warden Support Service - Councillor P.J. Curtis asked if a meeting of the sub-committee would be convened to report on progress with the service and to receive feedback on the changes made.  The Cabinet Member for Housing agreed that this would be arranged.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

That the report be noted.

The Environment & Housing Overview & Scrutiny Facilitator introduced the report to inform the Committee of its Terms of Reference, set in the context of Terms of Reference of all of the Overview & Scrutiny Committees.  She explained that the Terms of Reference would assist the Committee in determining future items for the Forward Work Programme and took the opportunity to highlight the availability of Overview & Scrutiny training sessions for Members.

Whilst providing an overview of Housing services, the Director of Community Services commented on improved performance during the past two years and suggested that the Committee may wish to consider a consultation paper produced by the Welsh Government (WG) on homes for Wales.  He went on to provide information on the five main services within the Housing section:

·         Housing Asset Management

·         Neighbourhood Housing Management

·         Community Support Services

·         Housing Renewal

·         Housing Strategy

The Head of Housing detailed performance improvements following changes implemented to processes and staffing structures, including work undertaken to reduce the number of empty properties and rent arrears.  She also spoke about challenges in the service such as taking steps to address the 25% increase in homelessness presentations which would be further affected by welfare reforms.

The Director listed the priorities for the year ahead:

(i)         increasing the supply of affordable housing by delivering the objectives of the Housing Strategy by 2016;

(ii)        minimising homelessness by offering integrated services and ensuring that no person is placed in temporary accommodation for more than 12 months, by 2016;

(iii)       ensuring that the Housing Landlords service achieves performance in the top quartile by 2016;

(iv)       ensuring that quality standards are raised in the private sector by delivery of the revised private sector improvement policy; and

(v)        completion of the Flint Masterplan and delivery of new homes and services in Flintshire and wider areas.

In response to questions raised by Councillor A.M. Halford, the Director confirmed that the Empty Homes Working Group had been disbanded following agreement of the Members involved and he suggested that the WG paper be circulated to Members with a possible workshop arranged.  Following a further query on the Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS), the Leader referred to Council Priority No. 8 carried over from the former Council administration together with other Cabinet priorities.  He stressed the importance of understanding subsidy changes and early discussions with officers and WG representatives on how to achieve the WHQS with involvement from Overview & Scrutiny Members.

Due to concerns about increasing pressure on services, Councillor S. Jones asked about monitoring of the Welfare Rights and Homelessness service to ensure that the workload was manageable.  On Anti-Social Behaviour, she spoke of the need to involve outside bodies on issues beyond the jurisdiction of the Council.  The Director gave assurance that the Welfare Rights service would continue to be monitored and that wider partners would be involved in anti-social behaviour issues.

The Cabinet Member for Housing remarked on a meeting on anti-social behaviour in 2011 in which different groups had signed up to a Compact and said  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

That the draft Forward Work Programme be agreed on the basis outlined above.

The Facilitator introduced the report which gave Members the opportunity to consider and update the Committee’s Forward Work Programme.

A suggestion was made by the Facilitator that the next meeting of the Committee on 27 June 2012 receive reports on the Private Sector Housing Renewal Policy, the Quarterly Performance Report and the Welsh Government (WG) White Paper on homes for Wales.  The Cabinet Member for Housing pointed out that the latter document was available on the WG website and the Facilitator offered to provide hard copies to Members on request.

The Facilitator also proposed that the meeting arranged for 25 July 2012 be changed to a workshop open to all Members to consider the Common Housing Register and for a workshop to be arranged to discuss the Committee’s Forward Work Programme for the coming year which could be informed by the Cabinet’s Priorities.

Councillor A.M. Halford referred to previous discussion by the Committee on the collection of water rates from Council tenants and asked that this be included for consideration as a priority, together with loans/mortgages for home owners and the tracker system.  Councillor R. Hughes asked that garage surveys also be included.

Following a query by Councillor R. Dolphin on the proposed changes to grass cutting collections, the Head of Housing confirmed that this service would be tendered.  Councillor J.E. Falshaw asked if mulching had been discussed and the Head of Housing agreed that this would be taken into consideration.

The Facilitator said that all items listed as ‘to be scheduled’ in the inherited Programme, together with any new items would be considered by Members at the Forward Work Programme workshop.

RESOLVED:

That the draft Forward Work Programme be agreed on the basis outlined above.

The meeting commenced at 10.00am and ended at 11.00am.

There were no members of the press or public in attendance.