Agenda item

Councillors R.M. Hannaford (Portfolio Holder for Housing and Customer Access) and Councillor K. Owen (Portfolio Holder for Environment, Health and Wellbeing) to present priorities for 2014/15. – Report to follow.

The Portfolio Holders for Housing and Customer Access (Councillor Hannaford) and Environment, Health and Wellbeing (Councillor Owen) presented the work programme and broad priorities relevant to their portfolios for 2014/15. They would be working closely with officers to refine and develop these priorities over the coming months. The refined list of priorities for 2014/15, which would also include outcomes and targets, would be published in September 2014 in the Council’s Corporate Plan. Also reported were the priorities for 2012/14 which had been reported previously and a list of priorities and initiatives which had been completed. Portfolio Holders’ statements attached to minutes.

The following responses were given to Members’ questions in respect of the Housing and Customer Access portfolio:-

• it was hoped that a Credit Union could be administered from the Civic Centre as part of the development of a community hub serving the whole of the City and not just focusing on City Council services, this philosophy being reflected by the imminent move of the CAB to the Civic Centre and the desire for social services staff to also maintain a presence in the Customer Service Centre;
• in seeking to deliver a full range of housing options, new solutions would be explored to provide affordable homes including co-operative housing and self-build housing; and
• with 25% of tenants in private sector accommodation, the move to licence HMO’s was an important policy decision and, after consultation, a report would be submitted to the September meeting of this Committee. He stated that the Council had a moral duty to seek the highest standards.   

The following responses were given to Members’ questions in respect of Environment, Health and Wellbeing:-

• work was on going with communities and local organisations to maintain parks and play areas and explore new business models to protect them for the future. Sports clubs were already undertaking ground maintenance work for the King George III Playing Fields and others were coming forward with other collaborative suggestions. A report would be submitted to the September meeting of this Committee;
• there was a need for realism regarding the potential for volunteer support, although Exeter CVS was a good source for identifying such resources. Potential grant sources would also be explored; and
• it was anticipated that the new enforcement regime, as detailed in the report to this Committee, would prove effective.

With regard to the allotment review, consultations were on-going and the deadline for comments had been extended to 4 August for a report to be submitted to the September meeting of this Committee. With a £43,000 deficit, the aim of the review was to reduce costs, improve management and generate income. Reference was made to meetings with Members in attendance and to liaison between allotments representatives on agreeing the way forward. A Member suggested the establishment of a Task and Finish Group to consider the responses received to the consultation but it was felt that there would be insufficient time to report back to the September Scrutiny meeting. The Portfolio Holder invited Members to respond direct to him with their views. He advised that new ways of allotment provision would be examined, for example, through the planning process and utilising existing park areas. He referred to Network Rail owned land at St James’ Park station used as an allotment. He stated that he would also review the method of consultation.