Issue - items at meetings - Opportunity for Manor Place Housing Office to move to the Whitehawk Hub

Report of Head of Housing and Social Inclusion (copy attached).

(1)               That approval be given for the tenancy management housing service to move from the Manor Place Housing Office to the Whitehawk Hub.

59.1    The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Head of Housing and Social Inclusion which set out a proposal to move the Manor Place Housing Office to the Whitehawk Hub.  The objective of the proposal was to achieve a long term base for the Whitehawk tenancy management service that fitted within the service transformation framework of a “council the city deserves” – improving customer service, working in a more efficient office accommodation, working in more efficient and effective ways, and achieving value for money.

59.2         The Cabinet Member reported that following the Housing Management Consultative Committee, she and Councillor Powell along with the Head of Housing and Social Inclusion had been on a visit to the Whitehawk Hub.   They had walked to the hub from the bus stop and back.   

59.3         The Cabinet Member had noticed that there was a tree overhanging the pathway.  Trimming the tree back would provide more light and space to the pathway.  The Cabinet Member reported that the pathway had been widened and leveled, but had noticed a dip at one point which might cause a problem to people with a walking frame or stick rather than people in mobility scooters.  Any further improvements that could be made would be investigated.

59.4    Councillor Peltzer Dunn referred to his query about cash payments detailed in the minutes of Housing Management Consultative Committee (paragraph 53.27).  The Head of Customer Access & Business Improvement explained that she had asked the cashier to make a note of people calling into the Manor Road office.  A maximum number of 39 people a day were calling at the office.  Staff would visit residents who might have problems in making alternative arrangements for payments.   

59.5    The Head of Housing and Social Inclusion explained that when people paid cash in the office they sometimes made multiple transactions.  The statistics could therefore be misinterpreted.  The figures quoted on page 93 of the agenda were the outcome of a survey.  They were not a percentage of the total number of tenants, but only of those tenants who had taken part in the survey at Manor Place.    

59.6    RESOLVED - That approval be given for the tenancy management housing service to move from the Manor Place Housing Office to the Whitehawk Hub.