Agenda for Housing Cabinet Member Meeting on Wednesday, 9th September, 2009, 4.00pm
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Agenda, decisions and minutes
PDF 209 KBVenue: Committee Room 3, Hove Town Hall. View directions
Contact: Caroline De Marco, Democratic Services Officer
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Procedural Business
(b) Exclusion of Press and Public - To consider whether, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, or the nature of the proceedings, the press and public should be excluded from the meeting when any of the following items are under consideration.
NOTE: Any item appearing in Part 2 of the Agenda states in its heading either that it is confidential or the category under which the information disclosed in the report is exempt from disclosure and therefore not available to the public.
A list and description of the categories of exempt information is available for public inspection at Brighton and Hove Town Halls. Minutes: 30 (a) Declarations of Interests
30.1 There were none.
30 (b) Exclusion of Press and Public
30.2 In accordance with section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 (“the Act”), the Cabinet Member considered whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during an item of business on the grounds that it was likely, in view of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the press and public were present during that item, there would be disclosure to them of confidential information (as defined in section 100A(3) of the Act) or exempt information (as defined in section 100I(I) of the Act).
30.3 RESOLVED - That the press and public be not excluded from the meeting.
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Minutes of the previous meeting
Minutes of the Meeting held on 17 July 2009 (copy attached). Additional documents: Minutes: 31.1 Councillor Simpson referred to Item 29.4 of the minutes which stated that a report on adaptations would be submitted to the next meeting. The Director of Adult Social Care & Housing explained that she had to give her apologies to the Cabinet Member as the paper would not be ready until the November Cabinet Member Meeting.
31.2 RESOLVED – That the minutes of the Housing Cabinet Member Meeting held on 17 July 2009 be agreed and signed by the Cabinet Member.
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Cabinet Member's Communications Minutes: 32.1 The Cabinet Member explained that there were no communications to report on this occasion but she would have communications to report to the Housing Management Consultative Committee in October.
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Items reserved for discussion (a) Items reserved by the Cabinet Member
(b) Items reserved by the Opposition Spokespersons
(c) Items reserved by Members, with the agreement of the Cabinet Member.
NOTE: Public Questions, Written Questions from Councillors, Petitions, Deputations, Letters from Councillors and Notices of Motion will be reserved automatically. Minutes: 33.1 RESOLVED – All items were reserved for discussion.
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Petitions No petitions have been received by the date of publication. Minutes: 34.1 The Cabinet Member considered the following petition signed by 25 people:
“We the undersigned, being residents of Ardingly Court, Brighton, wish to disassociate ourselves from the Ardingly Court & Kebbell Lodge Residents Association in order to seek recognition as a Residents Association representing the interests of Tenants and Leaseholders in Ardingly Court only.”
34.2 The Cabinet Member reported that officers were dealing with this matter and would be responding to the residents accordingly.
34.3 RESOLVED – That the petition be noted. |
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Public Questions (The closing date for receipt of public questions is 12 noon on 2 September 2009)
No public questions have been received by the date of publication. Minutes: 35.1 There were none.
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Deputations (The closing date for receipt of deputations is 12 noon on 2 September 2009)
No deputations have been received by the date of publication. Minutes: 36.1 There were none.
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Letters from Councillors No letters have been received. Minutes: 37.1 There were none.
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Written Questions from Councillors No written questions have been received. Minutes: 38.1 There were none.
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Notices of Motions No Notices of Motion have been referred. Minutes: 39.1 There were none.
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Minutes of the Adult Social Care & Health Housing Overview & Scrutiny Committee Minutes of the meeting held on 18 June 2009 (copy attached). Minutes: 40.1 The Cabinet Member considered the minutes of the Adult Social Care & Housing Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on the 18 June 2009 (for copy see minute book).
40.2 RESOLVED – That the minutes be noted.
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12 Shenfield Way - Feedback on Consultation Report of Director of Adult Social Care & Housing (copy attached). Decision: (1) That the termination of the lease with A2 Dominion Housing Association in respect to 12 Shenfield Way be approved and that the property be transferred back to A2 Dominion Housing Association.
(2) That the 3 service users who reside at 12 Shenfield Way move to 15 Preston Drove with their existing staff team to ensure that they receive a consistent service.
(3) That the existing budget from 12 Shenfield Way is transferred to 15 Preston Drove. Minutes: 41.1 The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Director of Adult Social Care & Housing which detailed the outcome of the consultation process regarding 12 Shenfield Way, a Registered Care Home for people with Learning Disabilities and outlined the options for the future of the service (for copy see minute book).
41.2 Councillor Simpson asked about the timescale for the move to Preston Drove. The Places for Change Manager replied that the move would be completed by the end of November.
41.3 RESOLVED – Having considered the information and the reasons set out in the report, the Cabinet Member accepted the following recommendations:
(1) That the termination of the lease with A2 Dominion Housing Association in respect to 12 Shenfield Way be approved and that the property be transferred back to A2 Dominion Housing Association.
(2) That the 3 service users who reside at 12 Shenfield Way move to 15 Preston Drove with their existing staff team to ensure that they receive a consistent service.
(3) That the existing budget from 12 Shenfield Way is transferred to 15 Preston Drove. |
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Amendment to Allocations Policy
Report of Director of Adult Social Care & Housing (copy attached). Additional documents: Decision: (1) That the report to amend the Allocations Policy be approved. Minutes: 42.1 The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Director of Adult Social Care & Housing which reported that the current Housing Register Allocations Policy was approved by the Cabinet Member for Housing on 11 March 2009. The report requested approval for a further minor amendment in the Housing Register Allocations Policy which would include in Band A employees who are leaving accommodation tied to their employment. This would enable those employees who are no longer required to live in tied accommodation to remain in employment and to be given high priority to successfully bid and enable them to move to alternative accommodation (for copy see minute book).
42.2 RESOLVED – Having considered the information and the reasons set out in the report, the Cabinet Member accepted the following recommendation:
(1) That the amendment to the Allocations Policy be approved. |
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Social Exclusion Strategy Pilot
Report of Director of Adult Social Care & Housing (copy attached). Additional documents: Decision: (1) That it be agreed to launch the Turning the Tide Pilot in Moulsecoomb and Bevendean to be lead by Housing Strategy with the relevant staffing resources.
(2) That a series of tenant/resident focus groups run in the pilot area to look at the key themes and identify priorities for the local community.
(3) That the financial implications be noted.
Minutes: 43.1 The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Director of Adult Social Care & Housing which set out the draft Social Exclusion Strategy – “Turning the Tide” (for copy see minute book). The strategy outlined the aims and objectives to address anti-social behaviour, intergenerational social exclusion and quality of life experience for residents in social housing living in areas of multiple deprivation in Brighton and Hove. To do this the strategy adopted a robust parallel approach of support and enforcement in order to “turn the tide” by addressing behaviours that impacted negatively on individuals, families and the community. The strategy was a work in progress, currently at the second draft stage. Comments/feedback from key stakeholders, partners and council tenants would be sought before presenting a final draft to Cabinet for approval/agreement later this financial year.
43.2 The Cabinet Member reported that the pilot would be operated from the Selsfield Road Housing Office and that Stanmer and Hollingdean Ward would be included in the pilot project. The focus would initially be on council tenants but if the model is successful, the council could act as an enabler to social landlords who could adopt this approach. Extending the initiative to other social landlords would not be funded out of council resources.
43.3 Councillor Simpson raised the following questions and concerns. She was concerned that the pilot was not fully funded. The cost could be large if it was rolled out across the city although she acknowledged that there would be savings from the benefits it might produce. She considered the pilot period of 9 months was a short time to give an impression of whether the scheme was a success or not. The work would involve intensive work with individuals. She hoped measurable results could be achieved in that time and that the work would not be a duplication of work already being carried out. Councillor Simpson mentioned that there had been some recent incidences involving vulnerable tenants which had been due to a lack of sound insulation. She asked if these issues were being tackled.
43.4 The Director of Adult Social Care & Housing explained that some work was already funded and a whole mixture of funding streams would fund the pilot project. If the strategy was successful following the nine months pilot, officers would be looking at resources across the council that could be spent more effectively on this type of work. Meanwhile, officers would meet in a working group to ensure there was no duplication.
43.5 The Social Inclusion Manager explained that whilst the strategy needed to be long term the pilot would focus on the short-term measures and identified some ‘quick wins’ that could make an impact in the nine month timescale. The evaluation of the impact of the pilot would be fed into the final draft of the strategy and influence the longer term aims.
43.6 In relation to noise nuisance, the Assistant Director Housing Management stressed that the point of the strategy was to look at problems in the round. Noise nuisance was often due to behavioural problems. There was a need to identify the problems and provide support at the same time as carrying out enforcement and environmental improvements. With regard to sound insulation, there was a specific problem in some blocks. Officers were looking at these blocks in terms of investment programmes.
43.7 The Cabinet Member and Councillor Simpson agreed that they would like a report to be submitted to the Housing Management Consultative Committee setting out where there were problems with sound insulation and noise issues.
43.8 The Cabinet Member thanked the Social Inclusion Manager and the Head of Housing Needs & Social Inclusion for their work on the strategy. The report would be submitted to the Housing Management Consultative Committee on 12 October 2009. The Cabinet Member requested that local councillors in Moulsecoomb & Bevendean and Stanmer & Hollingdean be briefed on the strategy.
43.2 RESOLVED – Having considered the information and the reasons set out in the report, the Cabinet Member accepted the following recommendations:
(1) That it be agreed to launch the Turning the Tide Pilot in Moulsecoomb and Bevendean to be lead by Housing Strategy with the relevant staffing resources.
(2) That a series of tenant/resident focus groups run in the pilot area to look at the key themes and identify priorities for the local community.
(3) That the financial implications be noted.
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