Brighton & Hove City Council

 

Housing Management Panel: East Area

 

4.00pm 20 MARCH 2024

 

WHITEHAWK LIBRARY & COMMUNITY HUB

 

 

Present:

 

Co-Chair: Chris El-Shabba, Cllr Williams

 

Councillors: Allen,

 

Residents: Dee Simson, Leah Webb, Anne Glow, Chris El-Shabba, Val Steadman, Rosemary Johnson

 

Officers: Geof Gage, Martin Reid, Justine Harris, Keely McDonald, Grant Ritchie, Luke Harris, Sabina Karabasic, Jane Dowdell, Steve Moreton, Estates Services

 

Clerk: Niall Breen – Democratic Services Apprentice

 

 

 

1.                            WELCOME, APOLOGIES & INTRODUCTIONS                                                                   5-6

 

1.1 Chris El-Shabba started the meeting at 15.58.

 

2.1 There were no apologies.

 

2.                           MINUTES & ACTIONS OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING                                                      7-10

 

2.1 The minutes available were agreed unanimously by the panel as an accurate record of the meeting on 05.12.23.

 

3.                           HOUSING PERFORMANCE REPORT Q3 2023/24                                                          11-30

 

3.1 Martin Reid delivered a verbal brief of the item as included in the agenda.

 

3.2 Residents raised concerns regarding maintenance requests not being logged correctly, leading to repetition of jobs.

 

3.3 Grant Ritchie provided a verbal answer regarding the reasons for which a maintenance request would be closed. They also provided information on the frequency of Gas and Electric checks.

 

3.4 Residents requested confirmation on the statistics of social housing availability across the authority jurisdiction.

 

3.5 Martin Reid confirmed the availability in the housing stock at the time of the meeting as 106 properties.

 

3.6 Residents raised concerns regarding vandalism not being followed up on the misuse of CCTV.

 

3.7 Jane Dowdell provided information to the residents on the procedures followed regarding the procedures for reporting vandalism and other criminal activities.

 

3.8 Residents raised concerns regarding empty and unallocated properties. Martin Reid confirmed the authority had the enforcement powers to ensure properties would be allocated to meet demand.

 

3.9 Residents requested further information on the average time taken to complete maintenance requests. Martin Reid confirmed the average backlog was around two years, but this was affected by the pandemic.

 

3.10 Residents requested information on the allocation of new let properties and how this allocation process as decided. Martin Reid confirmed that the process was being set up to alleviate the waiting lists for social housing by prioritising transfers and downsizing.

 

3.11 Residents requested information regarding the average time residents had to wait in temporary accommodation. Martin Reid confirmed this would be followed up on with a more detailed response.

 

3.12 Residents raised questions and concerns regarding the allocations policy and the income limits imposed. Martin Reid confirmed this would be followed up on with a more detailed response and was also being looked at in the next item – the housing allocations policy review.

 

3.13 Cllr Williams raised concerns regarding the number of live cases in the maintenance backlog and how many of these were considered emergency cases. Martin Reid provided confirmation that the cases were taken in a triage format with individual contexts considered so they could be prioritised accordingly.

 

3.14 Residents raised questions regarding the monitoring of reoccurring cases. Grant Ritchie advised that data was being continuously reviewed and the processes were being continuously improved.

 

4.                          HOUSING ALLOCATIONS POLICY REVIEW: CONSULTATION                                    31-32

      

 

     4.1 Luke Harris delivered a verbal brief of the item as included in the agenda.

 

4.2 Cllr Williams asked if those offered private rental by the authority would remain on the allocations list for social housing. Luke Harris confirmed this was the case with the proposed new policy.

 

4.3 Residents raised concerns regarding access for those who were not digitally literate. Luke Harris confirmed there would be paper copies of the consultation and any accessibility accommodations could be made, they also stated that the end date for the process was the 19th of May 2024.

 

5.                          HOUSING STRATEGY 2024-29

     

      5.1 Steve Moreton delivered a verbal brief of the item as included in the agenda.

      

        5.2 Residents raised concerns regarding the student accommodation off campus taking up a greater percentage of housing available to residents.

 

 

 

 

 

 

6.                          ENGAGEMENT PLATFFORM

 

             6.1 Anita McGrath delivered a verbal brief of the item as included in the agenda.

 

6.2 Residents raised requestions regarding what information was saved by the authority when             using the platform, Anita McGrath confirmed it would be dependent on the individual consultation and in line with GDPR regulations.

 

 

7.                          RESIDENTS QUESTION TIME                                                                                           33-52

           

            7.1 The written and verbal answers to all resident raised questions were accepted.

 

8.                          ANY OTHER BUSINESS

.

8.1 Cllr Williams brought the attention of the panel to a health themed Community Engagement meeting the following Monday.

 

8.2 The panel made note of thanking the authority for EDB funds allocated for the youth centre in central park.

 

8.3 Chair closed the meeting at 17:50.

 

9.                          ITEMS FOR INFORMATION                                                                                              53-70