Meetings

Meeting Details

Housing and Neighbourhoods Committee
4 Feb 2021 - 17:30 to 19:30
Occurred

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  • Documents
  • Attendance
  • Visitors
  • Declarations of Interests

Documents

Agenda

Standard Items
1 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

 

To receive any apologies for absence. 

 

 

 

1

 

There were no apologies for absence.

 

 

 

2 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.

Whenever you declare an interest you must say why the interest arises, so that it can be included in the minutes. 

 

 


2

 

There were no declarations of interest.

 

 

 

3 pdf MINUTES (134Kb)

 

The Committee to confirm the minutes of the last meeting by assent.

 

 

 

3

 

The minutes of the meeting held on 1 October 2020 were confirmed by assent.

 

 

 

4 MATTERS ARISING

 

To consider any matters arising from the above minutes.

 

 


4

 

With regard to minute number 9, Resident Engagement Strategy, Councillor Wainwright reported that he had not received the budget figure for tenant engagement. The Housing Director reported that she had emailed the information to Councillor Wainwright and would re-send following the meeting. Councillor Wainwright also queried why the strategy had not been added to the Forward Plan. The Housing Director reported that the strategy would be added to the Forward Plan and it was hoped to bring a report to Committee during June/July this year.

 

With regard to minute number 7, Council Homes Programme, Councillor Williamson clarified his request to the Committee as the minute did not make his intentions clear. The Housing Director noted his update.

 

 

 

 

 

5 pdf FORWARD PLAN (18Kb)

 

Report attached.

 

 

5

 

The Committee received and noted the Forward Plan.

 

The Committee requested that the Residents Engagement Strategy be added to the Forward Plan.

 

RESOLVED:-

 

That the Committee note the Forward Plan with the addition of the Residents Engagement Strategy.

 

 

 

 

Report attached.

 

 

6

 

The Committee received and considered the report from the Strategic Director and Community Protection Manager.

 

The Strategic Director and Community Protection Manager gave an update of the Council's Selective Licensing Scheme to the Committee.

 

Councillor Smith-Clare asked whether the scheme would be rolled out to other wards in the Borough. The Strategic Director reported that it was hoped to introduce the scheme in other wards once the added value work was embedded.

 

Councillor Wainwright asked that Ward Councillors be kept in the loop as they were often the first port of call from landlords. The Strategic Director reported that she would discuss this request with the Monitoring Officer.

 

Councillor Martin highlighted the need for Community Connectors in the community to build relationships and trust with residents who were often afraid to report unsatisfactory housing conditions for fear of landlord reprisals. 

 

RESOLVED:-

 

That the Committee note the report and to receive a further update in six month's time.

 

 

 

 

Report attached.

 

 

 

7

 

The Committee received and considered the report from the Housing Transformation Manager.

 

The Housing Transformation Manager reported the salient areas of his report detailing key performance indicators during quarters 1 & 2 of 2020/21.

 

Councillor Martin asked for clarification regarding HN09 and asked whether the number and contact details for the community groups could be shared with Members. The Housing Transformation Manager reported that he would take advice as to whether the data could be shared.

 

RESOLVED:-

 

That the Committee note the report.

 

 

 

 

Report attached.

 

 

 

8

 

The Committee received and considered the report from the HRA Service Accountant.

 

The HRA Service Accountant reported the salient areas of the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budget 2021/22 to 2025/26, HRA capital programme 2021/22 to 2025/26, HRA Rent and Service Charge proposal 2021/22 and the revised HRA revenue and capital forecasts for 2020/21.

 

Councillor Wainwright referred to page 39 of the agenda report; decarbonisation, and highlighted the problem of damp in numerous properties within his ward which posed a health concern to the residents and he was unhappy that damp walls were just washed down without the root cause being tackled. The HRA Service Accountant reported that work to external walls and loft insulation was covered under this but she would ask the head of property & Asset Management for further details. The Housing Director reported that she would forward a note to Members explaining decarbonisation.

 

Councillor Wainwright referred to page 43 of the agenda report and asked whether the contact for communal digital aerials had been sorted. The Housing Director reported that it was a long term contract and she would investigate and report back to Councillor Wainwright after the meeting.

 

RESOLVED:-

 

That the Committee recommend to Full Council:-

 

(i) The increase in rents of CPI + 1%, as set out in the new Rents for Social Housing Policy for 2021/22. For 2021/22 this equates to 1.5%,

 

(ii) The Revenue Budget for 2021/22, together with the forecast projections for the period up to 2025/26, including the extended borrowing to support the provision of additional HRA homes,

 

(iii) The Capital Budget for the period 2021/22 to 2025/26,

 

(iv) The HRA Service Charges for 2021/22; and

 

(v) The revised HRA Capital and Revenue forecasts for 2020/21.

 

 

 

 

Report attached.

 

 

 

9

 

The Committee received and considered the report from the Housing Strategy, Policy & Performance Officer.

 

The Housing Strategy, Policy & Performance Officer reported the updated Use of Retained Right to Buy Receipts Policy which reflected operational changes and requirements as detailed in the report.

 

Councillor Wainwright asked if Members could be informed of the addresses and tenure of the affected properties. The Housing Strategy, Policy & Performance Officer reported that this would form part of the yearly update to the Committee.

 

RESOLVED:-

 

That the Committee recommend to Policy & Resources Committee:-

 

(i) That the Committee approve the updated use of Retained Right to Buy Receipts Policy and recommend the adoption of the policy by Policy & Resources Committee; and 

 

(ii) That Policy & Resources Committee approve the Use of Retained Right to Buy Receipts Policy and delegate approval of expenditure in accordance with the use of Retained Right to Buy Policy to a Strategic Director in conjunction with the Section 151 Officer.

 

 

 

 

 

Report attached.

 

 

 

10

 

The Committee received and considered the report from the Housing Director.

 

The Housing Director reported the work undertaken by the Great Yarmouth Homeless Alliance, which was a multi-agency group established to support reductions in homelessness across the Borough.

 

Councillor Smith-Clare thanked the Housing Director for the excellent report for the much needed scheme within the Borough and asked for reassurances that youth homelessness would be included. The Housing Director reported that DIAL would be leading the scheme and YMCA would be involved.

 

Councillor Williamson reported that he fully supported the scheme and suggested that the homeless model adopted by Denmark should be considered as they housed the homeless person first and then tailored the required support services to their needs.

 

Councillor Martin reported that Covid had highlighted the plight of the homeless and although the Government had implemented the "Everyone In" scheme, homelessness needed a long term solution.

 

Councillor Talbot asked how the Council supported the homeless who needed to detox as Herring House was unable to offer support. The Housing Director reported that the Borough did not offer any "wet houses" and discussions had taken place as to whether and how the Council could meet this need.

 

RESOLVED:-

 

(i) That the Committee endorses the Great Yarmouth Homeless Alliance Commitment; and 

 

(ii) Requests and annual update on the work of the Homeless Alliance.

 

 

 

11 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.

 

 


11

 

The Chairman reported that there was no other business being of sufficient urgency to warrant consideration at the meeting.

 

 

 

12 EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC

 

In the event of the Committee wishing to exclude the public from the meeting, the following resolution will be moved:-

"That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part I of Schedule 12(A) of the said Act."

 



Attendance

Name
No other member attendance information has been recorded for the meeting.
NameReason for Sending ApologySubstituted By
No apology information has been recorded for the meeting.
NameReason for AbsenceSubstituted By
Cara Walker  

Declarations of Interests

Member NameItem Ref.DetailsNature of DeclarationAction
No declarations of interest have been entered for this meeting.

Visitors

 

PRESENT:-

 

Councillor Grant (in the Chair); Councillors Cameron, Candon, Flaxman-Taylor, Galer, Grant, Hacon, D Hammond, Martin, Talbot, Smith-Clare, Wainwright & Williamson.

 

Mrs P Boyce (Strategic Director), Mrs N Turner (Housing Director), Ms K Watts (Strategic Director), Mrs K Sly (Finance Director), Mr J Williams (Community Protection Manager), Mr T Chaplin (Housing Transformation Manager), Mrs D Patterson (HRA Service Accountant), Mrs C Spooner (Housing Strategy, Policy & Performance Officer), Mrs S Wintle (Corporate Services Manager) & Mrs C Webb (Executive Services Officer).

 

 

 

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