Brighton & Hove City Council

Housing Management Panel: WEST HOVE & PORTSLADE Area

18.00pm 19 JUNE 2024

ROOM G91 – HOVE TOWN HALL, NORTON ROAD, BN3 3BQ

Present:

Councillors: Nann (Co-Chair), Hewitt

Clerk: Niall Breen (Democratic Services Officer)

Representatives: Muriel Briault, Patricia Weller

Officers: Geof Gage, Martin Reid, Grant Ritchie, Hannah Barker, Anita McGrath, Jane White, Emma Gilbert, Sam Nolan, Justine Harris, Robert Keelan, Sharon Halle-Richards

Guests: Sarah Booker-Lewis (Local Democracy Reporter),

1    WELCOME, INTRODUCTIONS & APOLOGIES                                                         5 – 6

1.1 Cllr Nann delivered a verbal brief on pre-election protocols.

1.2 Cllr Nann, read out a statement of condolences for Roy Crowhurst former resident chair.

1.3 There were apologies from Cllr Atkinson, Cllr Grimshaw, Ann Tizzard, Pete Earl, Michael Campbell, Joe McKay, Alison Gray,

2    MINUTES & ACTIONS                                                                                                 7-18

2.1 RESOLVED: The panel agreed unanimously that the minutes were a fair and accurate record of the previous area panel meeting.

2.2 Matters arising page 14, regarding West Area Estate Walks. Neither resident was able to attend, there for the record was incorrect.

2.3 Cllr Hewitt confirmed there had been a Hangleton walk but no Knoll aalk.

2.4 Minutes were agreed as otherwise accurate.

2.5 Actions:

2.5 – WA1, regarding providing information surrounding the works programme to Cllr Grimshaw, complete.

2.6 – WA2, regarding ensuring equitable access to new policy information, complete.

2.7 – WA3, regarding ensuring potential resident vulnerabilities are properly considered by external contractors, complete.

2.8 – WA4, regarding overgrowth management and maintenance. Emma Gilbert (EG) provided a verbal response and confirmed it as in progress/to follow up.

2.9 – WA5, regarding consultations surrounding garage licensing. Residents deemed the response unsatisfactory. EG provided a verbal response on the matter.

2.10 – WA6, regarding residents’ inclusion in EDB consultations. Keely McDonald confirmed this as in progress.

2.11 – WAO7, regarding providing Cllr Baghoth with further information regarding price caps. There was a comprehensive response, officers also confirmed it had been picked up in budget setting, complete.

2.12 – WAO8, regarding providing Ward Cllrs with further info relating to the new regime of inspections for landlords, Martin Reid (MR) provided a verbal update, complete.

2.13 – WAO9, regarding updating the panel on customer service statistics, complete.

3    HOUSING PERFORMANCE REPORT 4 2023-24                                                    19-42

3.1 Emma Gilbert provided a verbal brief of the item as included in the agenda papers.

3.2 Residents queried the response times to designated emergencies, MR clarified this was 24hrs, with 95%+ compliance in the previous Quarterly statistics.

4    HIAM BUILDING SAFETY RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY                               

4.1 Jane White delivered a verbal only briefing – no item in papers.

5   LAUNDRY REVIEW

5.1 Jane White delivered a verbal only briefing – no item in papers.

5.2 Cllr Hewitt queried out of the 120 approximate households identified to use the facilities, how many properties was this spread across, officers clarified this was 14, with 1 in West Area, Phillip Court, noting some blocks/estates used the same laundry facility for a wider area.

6    RESIDENTS’ QUESTION TIME                                                                                 43-66

6.1 W3.1 – Residents raised concerns surrounding the misrepresentation and confusion between the ability of tenants, leaseholders, freeholders and other parties of relevant interest to sit on and contribute toward EDB decision panels. Sam Nolan provided a verbal answer. Residents noted dissatisfaction/confusion over approach to engagement strategy with regard to EDB panel decisions.

6.2 W3.2 – Residents deemed the response unsatisfactory, situation ongoing. Officers confirmed they would follow up with City Parks. Hannah Barker (HB) clarified process should not lead to HAP. They confirmed it should not go pass tenancy associations and should go direct to CityParks or CityClean depending on responsibility.

6.3 W2.1 – Agreed as complete.

6.4 W2.2 – Agreed as complete

7    POSITIVE COMMUNITY NEWS

7.1 Residents noted events taking place in Hangleton Community Centre over the summer such as  tabletop sales, events for the ‘big munch’ during school holidays and spring hop with 90 people.

7.2 Noted proposal to move conference around city to increase engagement/attendance.

8    ANY OTHER BUSINESS

8.1 Muriel Briault raised concerns regarding overgrowth maintenance.

8.2 Meeting ended at 19:30

9    ITEMS FOR INFORMATION                                                                                      67-88