EAST AREA PANEL
14 FEBRUARY 2023
MINUTES
Attendees:
Residents: Chris El Shabba (Chair), Alan Cooke, Rosemary Johnson, Ben D’Montigny, Lee Catts
Councillors: Cllr Williams, Cllr Simson
Officers: Martin Reid, Grant Ritchie, Sam Warren, Gabriel Tiranti, Francis Mitchell, Matthew McCaw, Justine Harris, Geof Gage
1 – WELCOME, APOLOGIES & INTRODUCTIONS
1.1 There were apologies from Keely McDonald.
2 – ACTONS & MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING
Minutes –
The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed subject to minor amendment.
Actions –
EA1 – Rosemary Johnson confirmed that Martin Reid had contacted her regarding this action and stated that it felt that anti-social behaviour was on the decline in Craven Vale.
EA2 – Justine Harris stated that she had not been able to contact Janet Gearing regarding this action.
EA3 – Martin Reid stated that this matter had been resolved and provided an update to the meeting.
EA4 – Justine Harris provided an update on this action to the meeting. Rosemary Johnson was not satisfied with the response given and asked if residents are paying fixed amounts per month towards communal heating & hot water, how are rates fixed on residents standing charges and how would those residents have incentive to save on energy bills.
EA5 – Geof Gage stated that no residents were wrongly charged for aerial systems that are not connected and invited Lee Catts to share information regarding residents for whom this may be the case.
EA6 – Justine Harris stated that a site visit would be carried out in Robert Lodge in March.
EA7 – Martin Reid provided an update to the meeting. Justine Harris stated she would contact Cllr Simson regarding concerns raised over parking on Sandhurst Avenue
EA8 – Justine Harris provided an update to the meeting. Ben D’Montigny suggested the printing of posters to relay information regarding recycling services.
3 – EDB REVIEW CONCLUSION REPORT
3.1
Sam Warren delivered the report on this item.
3.2
Cllr Williams was informed that EDB underspend money does not
accumulate.
3.3
Janet Gearing stated that the panel had previously been informed
that unspent money went back into the EDB budget and was divided
amongst the four areas of the city. Sam Warren stated that had been
the case five or six years ago, but that this had since
changed.
3.4
Alan Cooke expressed that he was disturbed to hear that EDB
underspend money does not accumulate, stating that previous
discussions at the task and finish group had indicated that the
East Area would keep 20% of total underspend.
3.5
Sam Warren stated that the recommendation in the report was for all
EDB underspend to be ringfenced back to EDB. Sam Warren also stated
that EDB underspend stays with its area, and at the end of the
financial year goes into the HRA.
3.6
Rosemary Johnson stated that the report made no mention about
non-resident leaseholders, raising concerns that they would be
charged for EDB bids but have no say in what the money is spent on,
citing that a badly thought out EDB bid could potentially knock
thousands from leaseholder’s property prices. Rosemary
Johnson also expressed concerns that some elected Area Panel
representatives can no longer vote on EDB bids as they are not
council tenants. Martin Reid stated that he and Sam Warren would
meet with Rosemary Johnson outside the meeting to address her
concerns regarding leaseholders.
3.7
Sam Warren stated that members of tenants and residents’
associations will still be able to vote, additionally stating that
if the EDB conclusion paper and the Area Panel paper aren’t
aligned on leaseholder voting then this would need to be
addressed.
3.8 Cllr Simson was informed that the EDB toolkit would be available at either the next Area Panel meeting or the meeting after that.
4 – HOUSING COMMITTEE WORKPLAN PROGRESS UPDATE AND HOUSING PERFORMANCE REPORT QUARTER 3 2022/23
4.1
Martin Reid delivered the report on this item.
4.2
Lee Catt stated that multiple repair teams have to be sent out due
to incorrect diagnoses of issues, citing an incident where three
teams were sent to his home with one repair team claiming he would
require a new shower pump costed at approximately £300, and
another repair team claiming he would not need a new shower pump,
but would need to replace a £10 rubber washer. Lee Catt
stated this repair was successful, but due to the first team not
repairing the shower there had been water left on the floor which
had caused it, along with the toilet, to need to be replaced.
Lee Catt stated that the job should have cost the council £10
but has likely cost in excess of £3000.
4.3
Grant Ritchie stated that Interfinder, a new repair tracking
system, was being bought in at the end of the month that will allow
tenants to access their repair reports in more detail.
4.4
Janet Gearing was informed that sub-contractors are used in
large-building and window repairs as well as specialist tasks such
as scaffolding and asbestos removal.
4.5
Lee Catt highlighted the correlation between low-quality windows
and an increase in mould, stating that in the rooms inside his flat
with new high-quality windows, mould and condensation is not an
issue.
4.6
Grant Ritchie outlined the processes around preventing and removing
mould from properties.
4.7
Martin Reid outlined examples of planned investment to improve
housing stock within the city.
4.8 Martin Reid stated that he would talk with Ben D’Montigny about what information would be most useful to have from residents to ensure that repairs are completed correctly the first time.
5 – AREA PANEL REVIEW: TERMS OF REFERENCE AND REPORT
5.1
Sam Warren delivered the report for this item.
5.2
Rosemary Johnson raised concerns regarding mixed wording and was
informed that the report should have referred to ‘tenants
only meetings’ as ‘residents only
meetings’.
5.3
Cllr Simson was informed that resident co-chairs would be elected
at the beginning of each financial year by each area panel.
5.4 Alan Cooke stated that section 2c of the report would exclude him as a freeholder from attending meetings.
6 – RESPONSES TO RESIDENTS QUESTIONS
6.1
Alan Cooke stated that the question ‘Council Staff and Lack
of Responsiveness’ had been left out of the papers and asked
‘Why senior and other Council staff often don’t respond
to their emails or questions to area panels’. Sam Warren
stated that this question was sent to the Resource Centre to be
reworded.
7 – POSITIVE COMMUNITY NEWS
7.1 Lee Catt stated that anti-social behaviour had decreased as drug-dealers had been moved from the estate.
7.2
Alan Cooke invited all attendees to the Craven Vale Coronation
Party being held on Sunday May 7th.
7.3 Ben D’Montigny shared that hibiscus planting was underway on Bristol Estate and stated that approximately 12,000 plants were being planted in the west side of the estate and thanked CRPE, the landscapers, the gardeners and the volunteers for their work.
8 – ANY OTHER BUSINESS
8.1
Justine Harris agreed to contact Cllr Williams regarding why EDB
bids had been rejected.
8.2
Cllr Simson stated that Woodingdean Tenants and Residents
Association had amalgamated with the Community Association.
8.3 Cllr Williams expressed disappointment in the closure of the Whitehawk Inn.
The meeting concluded at 21:18.