Agenda item

(a)       That the report be noted and that the Housing News publication be reduced from four editions to two editions per year;

(b)       That Councillors P.J. Curtis, G. Hardcastle and R.G. Hampson be nominated to serve on the Member and Tenant Working Group and that Councillors A.M. Bragg and J.E. Falshaw be nominated to serve as substitute members of the group; and

(c)        That it be noted that the Deputy Leader will be continuing as a member of the Member and Tenant Working Group.

The Neighbourhood Housing Manager (North) introduced the report which provided the results of the Welsh Government’s Assessment of the council’s Customer Involvement Strategy (also known as the Local Tenant Participation Strategy).  The assessment considered 12 points in relation to the strategy and action plan.  Ten out of 12 points were rated as satisfactory or good.

A Customer Involvement Strategy Group had been established for many years and included representatives from Members, officers and tenants of the Council.  They had considered the content of the assessment and formulated an action plan for the areas highlighted for improvement.

The Neighbourhood Housing Manager asked the Committee to consider what priorities should inform a revised strategy which would be considered by Scrutiny later in the year.  She also asked Members to consider if the frequency of the Housing News publication should be reduced from four to two editions per year.

Councillor W.P. Shotton proposed that the Housing News publication be reduced to two editions per year with a spring edition to publicise the budget, changes to rents and summer play schemes, and a winter edition to publicise Christmas events, heating and winter arrangements.  He added that hand delivery of the publications would allow environmental visual assessments to be made of tenants’ gardens, pathways and general upkeep of the estates.

The Head of Housing said that various options for cost reductions in production and distribution of the publication had been explored.  The latest edition had been hand delivered by officers and Members and it had taken just one morning to deliver 7,500 copies.

Councillor M.A. Reece asked if school pupils could help distribute the publication.  The Head of Housing said that copies of the publication could be left in GP surgeries and schools.

Councillor H.G. Roberts commented on the organisation of some tenant associations and stressed the importance of having an elected and credible tenants’ group.  The Head of Housing in response said that in some cases a single person would be elected unopposed simply because no-one else had come forward.  She said that the Council could not intervene unless there was a valid reason why a person was unfit to fulfil the duties.  She said that the Council would do all it could to encourage participation.

Councillor P.J. Curtis pointed out that some residents on estates were now owner occupiers and that the Council should be mindful of disproportionate numbers of non tenants on tenant involvement groups.  He agreed with Councillor Shotton that publication of the Housing News be reduced to two editions per year.  Councillor Curtis also asked that anti-social behaviour in the Llywn Aled Sheltered Accommodation Area be monitored and that the Head of Housing liaise with Inspector Dave Massey to address the issues causing distress to elderly residents.

Councillor A.M. Bragg asked how a tenant could get involved with a tenants’ committee.  The Head of Housing said that the formal tenants’ associations had rules and a constitution.  She added that people not wishing to participate in such a formal setting could help with surveys, fun days and service reviews.

The Cabinet Member for Housing said that it would be timely to review the membership of the Member and Tenant Working Group.  The Committee agreed that Councillors P.J. Curtis, G. Hardcastle and R.G. Hampson serve on the group, along with the Deputy Leader and that Councillors A.M. Bragg and J.E. Falshaw be elected as substitute members of the group.

Councillor R. Hughes asked if the anti-social behaviour of neighbours would be addressed and cited the case of a tenant who had suffered with anti-social behaviour for a number of years.

Councillor Shotton said that Flintshire had an Anti-Social Behaviour Officer and that residents may not be aware of this.  The Head of Housing said that the budget for an additional two Anti-Social Behaviour Officers had been approved from April 2013 onwards.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the report be noted and that the Housing News publication be reduced from four editions to two editions per year;

(b)       That Councillors P.J. Curtis, G. Hardcastle and R.G. Hampson be nominated to serve on the Member and Tenant Working Group and that Councillors A.M. Bragg and J.E. Falshaw be nominated to serve as substitute members of the group; and

(c)        That it be noted that the Deputy Leader will be continuing as a member of the Member and Tenant Working Group.