Agenda, decisions and minutes

At the Annual Meeting, Council determined that the Independent Group will chair this Committee.  The Committee is advised that Councillor Helen Brown is the Chair of the Committee for the municipal year.

That the appointment of Councillor Helen Brown as Chair of the Committee be noted.

The Facilitator advised that at the Annual Meeting, Council determined that the Independent Group would chair this Committee.  The Committee was advised that Councillor Helen Brown was the Chair of the Committee for the municipal year. 

RESOLVED:

That the appointment of Councillor Helen Brown as Chair of the Committee be noted.

To appoint a Vice-Chair for the Committee.

That Councillor Dale Selvester be appointed Vice-Chair of the Committee.

Councillor Linda Thew nominated Councillor Dale Selvester as Vice-Chair of the Committee.  This was seconded by Councillor Dennis Hutchinson.

Councillor Tina Claydon nominated Councillor Ray Hughes as Vice-Chair of the Committee.  This was seconded by Councillor Kevin Rush.

            On being put to the vote, both Councillors Hughes and Selvester received 5 votes each.  The Chair was asked to give her casting vote and confirmed her vote for Councillor Selvester.

RESOLVED:

That Councillor Dale Selvester be appointed Vice-Chair of the Committee.

To receive any Declarations and advise Members accordingly.

None.

None.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meetings held on 8 March and 19 April, 2023.

08.03.2023

That subject to the amendment listed above, the minutes be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

19.04.2023

That subject to the amendments listed above, the minutes be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

8th March 2023

            Councillor Linda Thew referred to paragraph 3 of page 7 for the minutes and suggested that the word ‘asked’ should be included.

19^th April 2023

Councillor Kevin Rush said that he had submitted his apologies for the meeting and asked that they be included.

Councillor Thew referred to the second paragraph on page 15 of the minutes and suggested that the word ‘prions’ be amended to read ‘prisons’.

Councillor Thew also referred to the fourth paragraph on page 16 of the minutes and suggested that the word ‘in-hose’ be amended to read ‘in-house’.

Subject to the amendments listed above, the minutes were moved as a correct record by Councillor Thew and seconded by Councillor Dale Selvester. 

RESOLVED:

That subject to the amendments listed above, the minutes of the meetings held on 8 March 2023 and 19 April 2023 be approved as a correct record and signed by the chair.

(a) That the Forward Work Programme be noted;

(b) That the Facilitator, in consultation with the Chair of the Committee, be authorised to vary the Forward Work Programme between meetings, as the need arises; and

(c) That the Committee notes the progress made in completing the outstanding actions.

The Facilitator presented the current Forward Work Programme for consideration, adding that there were no proposed changes to the items showing for the future meetings in June and July, 2023. 

The Facilitator also outlined the status of the actions arising from the previous meetings, which were shown at Appendix 2 of the report. 

The recommendations, as outlined within the report, were moved by Councillor Kevin Rush and seconded by Councillor Tina Claydon. 

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the Forward Work Programme be noted;

(b)       That the Facilitator, in consultation with the Chair of the Committee, be authorised to vary the Forward Work Programme between meetings, as the need arises; and

(c)        That the Committee notes the progress made in completing the outstanding actions.

That the update be noted.

The Chief Officer (Housing & Communities) introduced the Void Management update as shown within the agenda.  The update provided key figures on the number of void properties and the key activities against the void action plan.  The Committee would continue to receive this information monthly with a formal report on voids being presented to the Committee in September. 

The Service Manager – Housing Assets presented the key figures and key activities against the void action plan, as outlined in the briefing note. 

He outlined the number of new voids and those which had been completed.  From March, 26 void properties were received, and 23 properties were completed, which had been completed prior to the appointment of the new contractors to the service.  From April, 24 void properties were received and 18 completed.  Delays experienced were due to absences and delays in certification.  More voids had been completed, but due to delays in certification they were still yet to be signed off.

The Service Manager also outlined the number of properties requiring major works and those which required minor works along with demand for the properties.

In relation to the key activities against the void action plan, the Service Manager outlined the following:-

·         The Service had met with all newly commissioned contractors;

·         6 out of 6 pre-contract meetings had been undertaken with the new contractors;

·         The signing of contractors were nearing completion;

·         The stock condition survey had commenced in October 2022;

·         Additional resources had been allocated to undertake the stock condition surveys;

·         The Training Coordinator was now in post;

·         The Coordinator was scheduling all required core training for the next 12 months.

The Service Manager also drew the Committee’s attention to the budget information and top 3 reasons for tenancy terminations, which had been requested by Members of the Committee at previous meetings.

Councillor David Evans commented on the number of void properties which had increased in April compared with March and asked whether the Committee would see this figure decrease in future months.  He said that there was a need for more void properties to be brought back into use to get on top of the current situation.  He also asked if the following information could be provided in future briefing updates:- 

• Information on the bedroom type of property becoming void alongside the breakdown of total void figures;
• Type of properties tenants were moving to as part of a transfer to another FCC property;
• Geographical areas of void properties.

The Service Manager commented on the increase of void properties and reminded the Committee that the newly commissioned contractors were only recently in place.  He reiterated his previous comments that the process could not be rushed and that the number of void properties may increase prior to them consistently reducing.  In relation to the request for additional information, he said that information on bedroom types and a heat map to show the geographical location of void properties could be provided and that he would look into whether information on the type of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

There were no members of the press in attendance.