Brighton & Hove City Council
Housing Management Panel: Central Area
7.00pm12 September 2023
MINUTES
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Present: Councillors McLeay (Chair), Rowkins
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Representatives: Sarah Sweeney, Emma Salcombe, Norman Williams, Eileen Stewart, Rosemary Johnson |
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Officers: Francis Mitchell, Hannah Barker, Sam Warren, Justine Harris, Grant Ritchie, Geof Gage
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Guests: Sarah Booker-Lewis LDRS
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1 ELECTION OF CO-CHAIRS
1 – ELECTION OF CO-CHAIRS
1.1 Francis Mitchell moved that, as per the Terms of Reference for Housing Area Panels, the Councillor co-chair would be a sitting member of the Council’s Housing and New Homes Committee unless no member of the Panel was a member of the Committee. For the Central Area Panel, Councillor McLeay was the only sitting member of the Housing and New Homes Committee, and as such was the only eligible member for election to the position of Councillor co-chair.
1.2 Sam Warren stated that, as nobody had stepped forward, the position of resident co-chair for the Central Area Panel would remain open and the resident co-chair would be ratified at the next meeting. Sam Warren stated that those from Tenants & Residents Associations could stand and vote for the position of resident co-chair.
2 WELCOME, INTRODUCTIONS & APOLOGIES
2 – WELCOME, APOLOGIES & INTRODUCTIONS
2.1 Apologies were received from Linda King, Alan Cooke and Pippin Boardman.
3 ACTIONS & MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING
3 – ACTIONS & MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING
3.1 The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed as correct record.
3.2 Norman Williams raised concerns regarding action CA2 of the previous meeting.
a. ACTION - Geof Gage to follow up on Norman Williams’ concerns regarding laundry room reviews and changes to laundry room doors and provide an update to the next area panel meeting.
3.3 Norman Williams raised concerns regarding action CA3, stating that the cupboard at Essex Place had not been cleared.
a. ACTION – Justine Harris to follow up with cleaner at Essex Place to ensure cupboard is cleared.
4 RESPONSES TO RESIDENTS QUESTIONS
4 – RESPONSES TO RESIDENTS QUESTIONS
C3.1 – Estate Development Budget
4.1 Sam Warren provided a
verbal summary of the response as written in the papers.
4.2 Emma Salcombe raised
concerns about the central area having lost a portion of its EDB
funding to a city-wide initiative and suggested that, before EDB
decisions are made that effect multiple areas the spend is broken
down and proposed to each area.
4.3 Sam Warren said that a
city-wide pot could be implemented in the next financial
year.
4.4 Norman Williams
queried whether the EDB vetting process was robust enough, citing
an organisation that did not engage in sufficient
consultation.
4.5 Emma Salcombe
elaborated by stating that the organisation in question consulted
two small online groups and suggested that the organisation should
have consulted a larger community group.
4.6 Emma Salcombe raised
concerns regarding proxy votes not being allowed at EDB
meetings.
4.7 Norman Williams requested a copy of the EDB rules.
a. ACTION – Sam Warren to provide Norman Williams with EDB rules.
C3.2 - Parking and Visitors Bay
4.8 A resident stated that
cones were being left in visitors bays to reserve spaces,
preventing genuine visitors from parking.
4.9 Emma Salcombe raised concerns regarding residents selling their visitors permits and requested a larger action group investigate solutions to this issue.
a. ACTION
– Geof Gage to raise issues with parking and visitor
permits with Benjamin Tedder.
4.10 Hannah Barker suggested that Benjamin Tedder meet with residents to discuss their concerns.
5 HOUSING PERFORMANCE REPORT QUARTER 1 2023/24
5 – HOUSING PERFORMANCE REPORT QUARTER 1 2023/24
5.1 Martin Reid delivered
the report for this item.
5.2 Emma Salcombe raised concerns regarding the roof in the walkway to the rear of Essex Place, citing that the issue had persisted for over four years due to poor-quality repair jobs. Emma Salcombe stated that there was a focus on quick fixes rather than permanent solutions.
a. ACTION
– Martin Reid / Grant Ritchie to follow up with Emma
Salcombe regarding leaking roof in the walkway to the rear of Essex
Place.
5.3 Sarah Sweeney raised
concerns regarding slippery terracotta tiles.
5.4 Eileen Stewart raised concerns regarding slippery tiles at Somerset Point.
a. ACTION
– Geof Gage to look into slippery tiles in cases raised
by Sarah Sweeney and Eileen Stewart.
5.5 Martin Reid stated that various measures were planned to reduce running costs of accommodation such as providing housing stock with more efficient insulation and solar photovoltaic panels to improve energy efficiency.
6 CONSUMER STANDARD CONSULTATION
6 – CONSUMER STANDARD CONSULTATION
6.1 Justine Harris
delivered the report for this item.
6.2 Emma Salcombe raised
concerns regarding groups of teenagers engaging in anti-social
behaviour such as drinking alcohol, smoking cannabis, and setting
objects alight in the carpark. It was suggested that such behaviour
is reported to the Police.
6.3 Justine Harris
encouraged attendees to submit a report to the tenancy team in the
event of anti-social behaviour.
6.4 Emma Salcombe stated
that while PCSO’s are present in the central area, they
tended to be deployed in areas frequented by tourists rather than
residential areas.
6.5 Norman Williams highlighted the efficacy of reporting crimes via the online Crimestoppers form.
7 HEALTH AND SAFETY UPDATE
7 – HEALTH AND SAFETY UPDATE
7.1 Martin Reid delivered
the report for this item.
7.2 Sarah Sweeney raised
concerns regarding the length of time needed to identify asbestos
in residential properties.
7.3 Grant Ritchie provided
an overview of the different types of asbestos used in residential
properties and outlined the reasons for asbestos identification
taking time, citing that where Artex ceiling was used there would
only be a limited asbestos content, posing a low risk.
7.4 Martin Reid stated
that while the Council was responsible for communal areas, it is
the responsibility of the landlord to perform electrical tests
within private lets.
7.5 Geof Gage stated that as the provider, SGN was responsible for external gas pipes.
a. ACTION
– Geof Gage to contact SGN regarding proactive
maintenance of water pipes.
7.6 Norman Williams raised concerns about poor water quality due to pipes having not been replaced since 1966.
8 AOB
8 – Positive Community News
8.1 The panel was informed
that children were very happy with the newly constructed play
area.
8.2 Norman Williams shared that new parking lights had been installed.
9 – AOB
9.1 Concerns were raised
regarding the garage on Montague Place parking cars on the street,
blocking the pavement.
a. ACTION – Geof Gage and Benjamin Tedder to look into the garage parking cars on Montague Place, blocking the pavement.
The meeting concluded at 9.05pm
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Signed |
Chair |
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Dated this |
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day of |