Councillors R.M.Hannaford (Portfolio Holder for Housing and Social Inclusion) and Mitchell (Portfolio Holder for Environment and Leisure) will present a verbal report on the priorities for the forthcoming year in light of the Committee’s work programme.
Minutes:
Councillor R.M. Hannaford presented the following priorities within the Housing and Social Inclusion Portfolio for the forthcoming year:-
· Provide 100 new affordable homes for rent and look at ways we can bring more investment in affordable housing in the City. In particular we will explore new ways of obtaining land on which affordable housing can be built.
· Explore whether we can build council housing directly with the introduction of changes to housing law.
· Review the Older Persons Warden Service in line with the emerging Supporting People Strategy.
· Review existing sheltered accommodation, taking account of the above service review and future projected needs.
· Develop a Quality Management System for housing services that includes feedback/complaints/customer satisfaction/performance/costs etc. and contribute to service reviews and change implementation.
· Start financial benchmarking through Housemark/LA benchmarking clubs.
· Review the existing Tenancy Agreement and make changes as necessary. Include a clause to allow service charges for tenants.
· Review the existing Grounds Maintenance/communal cleaning arrangement to establish specification of the service and its cost.
· Continue to collect and input Tenant Census Information and start to use in service delivery/design.
· Establish a Tenancy Services Review Group to assess the existing Estate Officer role and develop a new 'neighbourhood management' framework. Dealing robustly with anti-social behaviour will be one of our priorities.
· Lead the development of the Choice Based Lettings Regional Scheme for Devon.
· Publish an Empty Homes Strategy as part of the suite of documents to accompany the Housing Strategy.
· Develop a Warm Zone to help reduce fuel poverty.
· Review and update the licences for the City’s four mobile home sites.
· Review the Neighbourhood Engagement Pilot Project to establish the most appropriate model for Neighbourhood Engagement for Exeter Communities, in conjunction with information on ward profiles for the City.
· Use information gained from the Neighbourhood Engagement Pilots to develop a Community Engagement Strategy for the Council.
· Examine information from Local Futures analysis as well as local ward information to identify neighbourhoods with priority needs.
The following responses were given to Members’ questions:-
· provision of any additional housing would be undertaken in conjunction with other housing providers with emphasis on maximising windfall sites. The downturn in the housing market might assist. The PFI process was not a viable option for building council housing.
· it was hoped that the review of tenancy agreements would help improve tenant behaviour although every effort would be made to avoid making individuals homeless. Measures to reduce rent arrears would also be examined. It was hoped to encourage Housing Associations to adopt some of the City Council practices.
· the review of cleansing of communal arrangements would concentrate on City Council owned properties. All householders would be consulted and consideration given to changing the service charges.
· Ward Members would be kept informed of the introduction of new licenses for mobile home sites following changes in the model standards. The changes would seek to ensure sufficiently high quality upgrades were undertaken.
Councillor Mitchell presented the following priorities within the Environment and Leisure Portfolio for the forthcoming year:-
· Start building work on the main museum project.
· Continue with our RAMM out-and-about programme.
· Run an exciting and varied programme of events in the Valley Parks.
· Complete work on the new parks at Summerway, Wyvern and Digby and work with the community west of the Exe on their ideas for a sports Hub Club.
· Continue work towards providing a new pool at Clifton Hill.
· Continue our Free Play City project so that children are encouraged to play safely out of doors.
· Publish and distribute 101 Free Things To Do For Children.
· Support the Wild City Project in partnership with the new Devon Wildlife Trust and look at ways we can enhance wildlife especially in the canal and quay area.
· Extend the Green Accord to other areas in the Council and seek to gain external accreditation for the scheme working with partners including businesses in the City.
· Develop a Tree and Woodland Strategy in consultation with elected Members, officers and partners that protects and enhances the City’s treescape in a sustainable way making allowance for the effects of global warming.
· Achieve Green Flag accreditation for one city centre park.
· Implement the action from both the Local Authority Carbon Management Programme and the Climate Change Strategy.
· Improve the City’s recycling rate to more than 35% and look for opportunities to expand the range of materials we collect from the doorstep.
· Continue to improve our care of public places including authorisation and training of police community support officers to deal with litter and similar offences.
· Install more dog bins and continue with improvements to this service.
· Consider a ‘scores on the doors’ scheme for city food businesses.
· Work with the police and trading standards to reduce the sale of alcohol to minors.
· Increase the use of mobile CCTV both via a new van mounted system and by increasing the range of our existing cameras.
· Review whether we should de-restrict the number of hackney carriages.
The following responses were given to Members’ questions:-
· consultation had been undertaken on the de-restriction of taxis and a report would shortly be submitted to the Licensing Committee.
· Heavitree Pleasure Ground had been identified as the first park to be considered for Green Flag status. One staff Member had been appointed as a Green Flag Judge.
· the 101 Free Things To Do for Children was due to be published and widely distributed in the City.
· additional mobile CCTV equipment had been purchased with improved reception which would help extend coverage to additional areas of the City.
· the Hub Club Partnership at Flowerpot Fields was being supported by the Council.
· the Tree and Woodland Strategy would cover all trees across the City.
· squash clubs would not be replaced at Clifton Hill as part of the new swimming pool project, but a watching brief would be maintained on squash provision in the City.
Scrutiny Committee - Community noted the priorities presented.