Brighton & Hove City Council
Housing Management Panel: West Hove & Portslade Area
2.00pm13 September 2023
MINUTES
|
Present:
Councillors: Nann (Co-Chair), Hewitt, Miller, Muten, Robinson
|
|
Representatives: Muriel Briault (North Portslade Residents Association), Malcolm Campbell (Woods House Residents Association), Ted Chapman (Clarendon and Ellen Residents Association), Roy Crowhurst (Woods House Residents Association), Vic Dodd (Ingram Crescent Residents Association), Alison Gray (Clarendon and Ellen Residents Association), Joe Macrae (North Portslade Residents Association), Ann Tizzard (Knoll Community Association) and Patricia Weller (Knoll Community Association)
|
|
Officers: Hannah Barker (Senior Community Engagement Officer), Geof Gage (Head of Housing Investment & Asset Management), Justine Harris (Head of Tenancy Services), Ravi Jaiswal (Digital Engagement Officer), Rob Keelan (Housing Manager), Martin Reid (Assistant Director Housing Management), Grant Ritchie (Head of Housing Repairs & Maintenance), Emma Thomson (Democratic Services Officer) and Sam Warren (Community Engagement Manager) |
|
|
|
Guests: Sarah Booker-Lewis (Local Democracy Reporter)
|
1 Election of Co-Chairs
1.1 RESOLVED: The Panel agreed to appoint Councillor Nann as councillor co-chair of the West Area Panel for the forthcoming municipal year.
1.2 A representative from each Resident’s and Tenants' Association was invited to vote for the resident co-chair of the Panel.
1.3 RESOLVED: Roy Crowhurst was duly appointed as resident co-chair of the North Area Panel for the forthcoming municipal year.
2 Welcome, apologies and introductions
2.1 Cllr Atkinson and Cllr Helliwell sent apologies.
3 Minutes and actions of the previous meeting
3.1 RESOLVED: The minutes from the meeting held on 14th June were agreed as a correct record.
3.2 Rob Keelen provided a verbal update for action WAO1 and WA1 and confirmed they could be closed.
3.3 Regarding action WA2, Justine Harris confirmed her and Muriel Briault had agreed to meet and so the action was still in progress.
4 Responses to Residents Questions
Consultation and communication with residents
4.1 Ann Tizzard queried what the Tenants & Residents Groups Toolkit was.
4.2 The Panel noted the response.
Consultation process and laundry review
4.5 The Panel noted the response.
Grass Cutting and Weeding: Contractors
4.6 Patricia Weller queried the response as Ann Tizzard saw and spoke with staff on Godwin Road.
4.8 Rob Keelen provided advise for if the issue reoccurred.
4.9 The Panel noted the response.
Grass Cutting and Weeding: Ongoing Concerns
4.10 Alison Grey, Ann Tizzard, Patricia Weller and Muriel Briault raised ongoing issues with grass cutting and weeds.
4.11 Cllr Nann and Cllr Miller requested that residents report specific issues with the precise location to their ward councillors and City Parks.
4.12 The Panel noted the response.
Estate Walks Information
4.12 Justine Harris gave a commitment to provide the dates for the rollout of the Estate Walks.
4.13 The Panel noted the response.
5 Housing Performance Report Quarter 1 2023/24
5.1 The Head of Tenancy Services, Justine Harris, Head of Housing Repairs & Maintenance, Grant Ritchie, and Head of Housing Investment & Asset Management, Geof Gage, provided a verbal update on the progress of the Housing Committee Workplan and housing performance for quarter 1 2023/24.
6.2 Cllr Miller queried the performance for repairs and decent homes standards and highlighted various ongoing issues at Elizabeth Court, to which Martin Reid confirmed he would follow up Peter Huntbach and provide a more comprehensive response.
6 Consumer Standard Consultation
6.1 The Head of Tenancy Services, Justine Harris, delivered a presentation on consumer standards.
6.2 Cllr Miller queried the impact of the bill on residents who are leaseholders of council owned buildings.
6.3 Cllr Robinson queried if the bill affected housing associations and if inspections could be requested.
6.4 Patricia Weller queried how well and soon these changes would be enacted in practice.
6.5 Roy Crowhurst queried if consultation meetings would be held with residents.
6.6 Patricia Weller queried if a required percentage of consultation was needed.
7 Health and Safety Update
7.1 The Assistant Director Housing Management, Martin Reid, delivered a presentation which provided an update on the health and safety review that was being undertaken.
7.2 In response to Alison Grey’s query about Goldstone House, Martin Reid and Geof Gage provided an update on the lift replacement programme at Clarendon & Ellen Estate.
7.3 Roy Crowhurst queried what work was being done to mitigate fire risks for electrical equipment, such as scooters, in sheltered housing.
7.4 Ann Tizzard queried what was being done where residents didn’t want sprinkler systems.
7.6 Cllr Miller queried the height of the high-rise buildings and what the schedule for replacing lifts was and raised points about smoke detectors in Elizabeth Court.
7.7 In response to Patricia Weller’s query, Martin Reid confirmed he would provide more detail on how water checks were undertaken.
8 AOB
8.1 Ann Tizzard queried when clear-ups would be happening across estates in the city.
8.2 Ann Tizzard raised points about the length of time for assessments for housing adaptations.
The meeting concluded at 3.45pm