Standard Items
1
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
You have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in a matter to be discussed if it relates to something on your Register of Interests form. You must declare the interest and leave the room while the matter is dealt with.
You have a Personal Interest in a matter to be discussed if it affects
• your well being or financial position
• that of your family or close friends
• that of a club or society in which you have a management role
• that of another public body of which you are a member to a greater extent than others in your ward.
You must declare a personal interest but can speak and vote on the matter.
1
There were no Declarations of Interest given at the meeting.
2
Forum members noted the Code of Conduct.
3
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
To receive any apologies for absence.
3
Apologies for absence had been received from Mrs D Gillett, Mr J Jones, Mr P Kirkpatrick, Councillor Linden and Mrs K Watt.
To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 3 September 2014.
4
The minutes of the held on 3 September 2014 were confirmed.
5
MATTERS ARISING
To consider any matters arising from the above minutes.
5
There were no matters arising from the minutes.
6
RECYCLING REVOLUTION
The Environmental Services Officer will give a presentation.
6
The Environmental Services Officer gave a presentation on the new recycling measures to be introduced by the Council.
The Chairman thanked the Environmental Services Officer for her informative presentation.
7
FUTURE TENANT FORUM MEETINGS
- Schedule, structure and locations.
7
The Chairman reported that the next meeting of the Forum would be held on Wednesday, 12 November 2014 and the AGM on Wednesday, 3 December 2014. The meeting scheduled for 7 January 2014 would be cancelled.
8
COST SAVING MEASURE
8
The Chairman reported that this item would be deferred to the next meeting.
Forum members are asked to consider the attached plan.
- update on plan progress
- discussion to consider options for annual priorities.
9
The Community Development Manager took the Forum through the salient areas of the draft report in the absence of Karin Watt.
She asked that the Forum consider an annual priority to focus on each year. The Member Services Officer proposed that suggestions should be sent to her by the end of the next meeting in November and the priorities could be voted for and decided at the Annual General Meeting.
A member raised concerns that the Tenants Handbook, scrutiny of the Repairs Service and the introduction of Tenant Inspectors had been put on hold. The Community Development Manager explained the reasons for this but assured the Forum that these work streams would progress.
A Member reported that he felt it was imperative that the Scrutiny Panel be allowed to scrutinise the Repairs Service which he felt was delivering an under par service at the present time.
The Chairman reported that the Scrutiny Panel would begin the exercise of looking at Mutual Exchanges and that a Repairs Scrutiny exercise could commence, once the changes had been implemented through the JVC initiative. The Community Development manager encouraged tenants to participate in shaping the customer care and tenant involvement element of the JVC.
10
BRINGING TOGETHER LOCAL TENANTS
- Open discussion and suggestions regarding a local event.
10
The Chairman asked Forum members to identify two workshop themes for the proposed event which would be held during Spring 2015. A Forum member suggested the Future of Tenant Participation as a workshop theme which was duly noted.
Forum members are asked to complete and submit this form to be considered for co-option on to the Forum.
It was noted that no nominations for co-option to the Tenants Forum had been received.
12
TRANSPORT UPDATE
An update will be given at the meeting.
12
The Chairman reported that the transport issues at the last meeting had been investigated and the taxi firm had admitted liability.
13
REPORTS AND UPDATES
- Feedback from Community Housing Board
- Communications Group
- Foster Liaison Group
- Scrutiny Panel
- Joint Venture Update Meeting
13
It was reported that the last meeting had been taken up with a presentation on the JVC which had gone live from 1 October 2014.
It was reported that the publication might be reduced to three regular issues per year with a fourth edition comprising both annual report and Tenant's news in a single sized publication. This approach was considered to reflect the intensity of the workload when producing two, separate publications at once, during 2014, and to reduce postage costs associated with sending out a double issue. ore tenant news and views articles were required.
It was reported that the last meeting had been postponed until November.
Repairs scrutiny was temporarily on hold until the new JVC had bedded in. a date would be circulated to instigate a scrutiny exercise on Mutual Repairs.
- Joint Venture Update meeting
The Chairman reported that this meeting had been most helpful. However, another Forum member reported that he felt disillusioned after this meeting as the officer had set out a course of action which he felt should have already been in place.
The nomination form is attached. Please complete and return to the Member Services Officer no later than the close of the next meeting on 12 November 2014.
14
The Chairman reported that submitted nomination forms should be signed by the nominee with a proposer and seconder who must be a member of the Forum.
Completed forms should be submitted to the Member Services Officer by the close of the next Forum meeting in November.
15
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
To consider any other business as may be determined by the Chairman of the meeting as being of sufficient urgency to warrant consideration.
15
The Chairman asked that the voting process for the Community Housing Board be forwarded to the Councillor for Lothingland.
She asked the Councillor to find a tenant in his ward who would be willing to join the Forum.
A Forum Member reported that the recent Out There Festival had been a resounding success and public donations to local charities was up on last year. He thanked all the Forum members who had volunteered as stewards.
16
DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETINGS
The next meetings will be held on Wednesday 12 November 2014 and Wednesday, 3 December 2014 at 5.30 pm.
16
It was noted that the next Forum meetings would be held on Wednesday, 12 November and Wednesday, 3 December 2014.