Agenda, decisions and minutes
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Contact: Ian Senior 03450 450 500
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Declarations of Interest Minutes: Councillor Mark Howell declared a personal interest as an employee of the Papworth Trust, a charity that includes a Registered Social Landlord.
Councillor Alison Elcox declared a personal interest by virtue of being a South Cambridgeshire landlord.
Councillor Ben Shelton declared a personal interest as an employee of a letting agent in Cambridge. |
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Minutes of Previous Meeting The Portfolio Holder is asked to sign the minutes of the meeting held on 16 November 2011 as a correct record. Minutes: The Housing Portfolio Holder signed, as a correct record, the Minutes of the meeting held on 16 November 2011, subject to the following:
Min. 40 (Spong Drove, Willingham) At the end of the first sentence, the phrase “shared accommodation” should be “shared equity”.
Min. 41 (Shared Ownership Policy) At Point 4, the Portfolio Holder stated that the Minute should stress the self-selecting nature of the process. It should therefore be reworded to read, “Bidders would only be allowed to rent a property in their chosen village or a village nearby if they had risen to the top of the housing waiting list and had successfully bid for that property.” |
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Capital and Revenue Estimates for the Housing Portfolio Additional documents:
Decision: This Recommendation is not subject to call-in.
The Housing Portfolio Holder
(a) endorsed the Revenue and Capital Estimates for the Housing General Fund as shown at Appendix A to the report (Revenue) and Appendix B (Capital) and recommended them for inclusion in the overall estimates to be considered by Cabinet on 9 February 2012; (b) confirmed the proposals for housing general fund capital expenditure shown at Appendix D(1-7), for inclusion in the capital programme, (c) endorsed the proposed housing charges for 2012/13 as shown in Appendix C and recommended them for approval by Cabinet, and (d) requested that Cabinet include £140,000, for possible additional expenditure on accommodation for homeless people, on the list of precautionary items for 2012/13. Minutes: The Housing Portfolio Holder considered the Revenue Estimates for 2012/-13 and the Capital Programme up to 2016-17 for the Housing General Fund.
The Principal Accountant highlighted the proposed housing charges that would affect tenants, licensees, leaseholders and residents during 2012-13. These changes were the result of new Housing Revenue Account (HRA) arrangements involving the implementation of a thirty-year Business Plan. This Business Plan would be reported direct to Cabinet, and was not therefore an issue at this Portfolio Holder meeting.
The Principal Accountant highlighted a number of aspects referred to in the report and its appendices.
The Corporate Manager (Affordable Homes) confirmed that the transfer of the Home Improvement Agency did not represent a cost saving, and that Performance Indicators were in place to assess the new joint arrangement. Officers were continuing to investigate the potential for the Agency to employ its own Occupational Therapist.
The Principal Accountant summarised the position relating to recharges and virements, and reminded the Portfolio Holder about the precautionary sum set aside in 2011-12 in respect of possible increased demand on the Homelessness service. The Portfolio Holder said that Homelessness officers had helped prevent homelessness, and supported the proposal to increase the precautionary sum to £140,000.
Councillor Ben Shelton said that he expected the issue of the Great Shelford shopping car park to have been resolved by the end of the current financial year, and commended South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Lands Officer for her efforts in persuing the matter.
The Portfolio Holder reported on efforts being made to tackle the problem of empty homes.
The Housing Portfolio Holder
(a) endorsed the Revenue and Capital Estimates for the Housing General Fund as shown at Appendix A to the report (Revenue) and Appendix B (Capital) and recommended them for inclusion in the overall estimates to be considered by Cabinet on 9 February 2012;
(b) confirmed the proposals for housing general fund capital expenditure shown at Appendix D(1-7), for inclusion in the capital programme,
(c) endorsed the proposed housing charges for 2012/13 as shown in Appendix C and recommended them for approval by Cabinet, and
(d) requested that Cabinet include £140,000, for possible additional expenditure on accommodation for homeless people, on the list of precautionary items for 2012/13. |
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Affordable Homes Restructuring Plan 2012-13 Decision: This Recommendation is not subject to call-in.
Subject to consideration of a more detailed sheltered housing report in February, the Housing Portfolio recommended that Cabinet approve the proposed restructure of Affordable Homes as set out in Table 1 in the report dated 18 January 2012, subject to sufficient funds being made available for potential redundancies. Minutes: The Housing Portfolio Holder considered a report seeking his approval for staff changes necessary to meet the new demands arising from the introduction of the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) self-financing regime and the changes to the housing regulatory framework.
The Corporate Manager (Affordable Homes) referred to Table 1 in the report, and to the figure for potential redundancies in the Sheltered Housing service, which at this stage were indicative only. In Table 1, the Housing Options Administrative Assistant post should have appeared in the box below where it was shown.
Subject to consideration of a more detailed sheltered housing report in February 2012, the Housing Portfolio recommended that Cabinet approve the proposed restructure of Affordable Homes as set out in Table 1 in the report dated 18 January 2012, subject to sufficient funds being made available for potential redundancies. |
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Right To Buy Consultation Response Additional documents:
Decision: Stating his preference for the Local Model, the Housing Portfolio Holder agreed to respond as follows to the Government’s consultation on the Right To Buy
Minutes: The Housing Portfolio Holder considered a report seeking his approval for the draft response to the Government’s Right to Buy (RTB) consultation.
Those present discussed the implications of the various options. It was agreed generally that this Council should remain “master of its own destiny”, and that the National Model was totally unacceptable.
Stating his preference for the Local Model, the Housing Portfolio Holder agreed to respond as follows to the Government’s consultation on the Right To Buy
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Affordable Homes Health and Safety Minutes: The Housing Portfolio Holder received and noted a report updating him about Health and Safety issues relevant tothe Affordable Homes service. |
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Equalities Update - Q3 Additional documents: Minutes: The Housing Portfolio Holder received and noted a quarterly update on equalities from October to December 2011.
The Equality and Diversity Officer confirmed that South Cambridgeshire District Council would meet the deadline of 6 April 2012 for publishing its equality objectives. The Portfolio Holder requested that all stakeholders be provided with paper copies of the document when available. The objectives would be reported to the Housing Portfolio Holder meeting in June 2012.
Equality Impact Assessments would form the basis of a report to a future Housing Portfolio Holder meeting. The Portfolio Holder made it clear that, if EqIAs were not completed by the deadline date, he would summon relevant Corporate Managers (or other appropriate lead officers) to his Portfolio Holder meeting to explain the reasons for the delay.
Those present noted the continued improvement in South Cambridgeshire District Council’s standing in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index. The 2012 results had just been announced, and the Council had moved up another 115 places to be 205th out of 363 participating local authorities.
The Portfolio Holder congratulated the Equality and diversity Officer for being highly-commended as runner-upin the individual Equality and Diversity Champion of the Year category at the Equality and Diversity Awards event held on 14 October 2011. The Portfolio Holder also congratulated the Equality and Diversity Officer on his role as consultant to both Cambridge City Council and Uttlesford District Council. |
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Ballot and Election of Tenant Participation Group Members Minutes: The Housing Portfolio Holder received and noted a report informing him about the following
a) The reasoning behind the ballot b) How the ballot was run c) The ballot results d) Resident Involvement and governance further developments
Jim Watson (a member of the Tenant Participation Group) attended the meeting and addressed those present.
The Portfolio Holder asked that the Tenant Participation Group be a standing item on future Housing Portfolio Holder agendas, and that one member of that Group be invited to address Members and officers present at Portfolio Holder meetings. |
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The Portfolio Holder will maintain, for agreement at each meeting, a Forward Plan identifying all matters relevant to the Portfolio which it is believed are likely to be the subject of consideration and / or decision by the Portfolio Holder, or recommendation to, or referral by, the Portfolio Holder to Cabinet, Council, or any other constituent part of the Council. The plan will be updated as necessary. The Portfolio Holder will be responsible for the content and accuracy of the forward plan. Minutes: The Housing Portfolio Holder noted the Forward Plan as at 10 January 2012. Officers referred to a number of changes that had become necessary as a result of issues now being part of other projects. Further Issues were identified, and officers would provide Democratic Services with appropriate details so that an updated Forward Plan could be prepared. |
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Date of next meeting 15 February 2012 in the Monkfield Room, starting at 5.30pm Minutes: The next meeting would take place on Wednesday 15 February 2012, starting at 5.30pm in the Monkfield Room. |