| 179 | RECORD OF THE MEETING |
| | | The record of the meeting held on 12 May 2008 and the Joint Meeting of all Committees held on 7 May 2008 were signed by the Chairman as correct. |
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| 180 | APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE |
| | | An apology for absence was received from Councillor Maple. |
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| 181 | DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST |
| | | Councillor Griffiths declared a personal interest in any item concerning Danecourt School as his wife is an employee there and in any reference to the Primary Care Trust (PCT) on the grounds that he is a non-executive director of Medway PCT. |
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| 182 | AUDIT COMMISSION REPORT ON STRATEGIC HOUSING |
| | Discussion: |
| | The Assistant Director (Housing and Corporate Services) gave a brief introduction to the report setting out the results of the Audit Commission's inspection of the Council's strategic housing function and the associated improvement plan.
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| Attention was drawn to a revised version of the improvement plan agreed by the Cabinet on 15 July. This had been circulated to all Members of the Council and the Assistant Director (Housing and Corporate Services) explained the differences in the two appendices. Responding to a question, she stated that the reference on paragraph 63 to the need for a percentage increase in affordable housing to 35% had been a note from the consultant and as such this had been removed. The Committee was advised that the issue of affordable housing would be covered in the report on the Housing Strategy due to be considered by Cabinet on 5 August 2008.
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| The Chairman, Councillor Kenneth Bamber, stated that although the Cabinet had already considered this report the portfolio holder had agreed to take note of any comments from this Committee.
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| The following views were put forward -
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| | • | Members felt that the current wording such as "to review" was insufficiently challenging in order to achieve what was required to bring about service improvements. The Committee would expect there to be accountable, measurable targets with milestones that would make a difference
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| | • | To increase the percentage of affordable housing would have a positive impact not only on life outcomes but also for Audit Commission scores for the inspection
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| | • | Action numbers 47, 48, 49 and 50 need to be speeded up as they were important issues to be addressed
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| | • | Although it was accepted that many of the improvements could be contained within existing budgets, in the event additional funding was needed it would be helpful if this Committee were to be involved in considering the priorities for spending for housing alongside other Council priorities
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| | • | More resources should be made available in the budget to allow for minor adaptations (such as the fitting of a shower for someone no longer able to use a bath), as these were important issues for tenants but often delayed because of major adaptations being undertaken elsewhere which took priority
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| | • | Members requested further details relating to the number of Housing in Multiple Occupation licence inspections already undertaken and the number outstanding
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| | • | The Committee asked for a further report with a final version of the improvement plan and a recommended set of performance indicators against which progress could be monitored with quarterly updates to the Committee thereafter. |
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| | > Audit Commission Report on Strategic Housing (pdf file 145.1kb) |
| | Decision: |
| | | | (a) | The comments as set out above were agreed as the comments of the Committee on the report
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| | (b) | The report was noted
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| | (c) | A briefing note is provided setting out the details of Housing in Multiple Occupation inspections. |
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| 183 | LOCAL AREA AGREEMENTS UPDATE AND NEXT STEPS |
| | Discussion: |
| | | The Chairman, Councillor Kenneth Bamber, pointed out a minor alternation on page 56 of the report relating to NI56 obesity among primary school age children in year 6 which should be the responsibility of Children and Adults Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Councillors Wicks and Wildey as portfolio holders.
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The Assistant Director, Communications, Performance and Partnerships and the Head of Democratic Services introduced the report on progress in agreeing the second local area agreement (LAA) and progress in developing new working arrangements for monitoring performance against LAA targets and the role of overview and scrutiny committees in scrutinising the achievement of LAA outcomes. Members were advised that Ministerial sign off had been received for the LAA targets which would be backdated to 1 April 2008. Those partners highlighted in bold text on page 50 of the report were the named partners with a duty to co-operate with the council in the delivery of LAA targets.
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| Members welcomed the opportunity of more robust engagement and scrutiny of partner organisations and accepted the need for this to be handled sensitively so that Overview and Scrutiny Committees could act as a critical friend to partners. The Committee felt that the proposed facilitated event with the Local Strategic Partnership would be helpful in setting the scene and to discuss the accountability framework.
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| Details of web links to the guidance on LAA scrutiny published by the Centre for Public Scrutiny and the IDeA were requested in order that Members could read the documents referred to at the end of the report.
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| The Assistant Director, Communications, Performance and Partnerships undertook to provide details of the additional 16 statutory targets to Members of the Committee. |
|
| | > Local Area Agreements Update and Next Steps (pdf file 75.9kb) |
| | Decision: |
| | | | (a) | The report was referred to the other overview and scrutiny committees drawing attention to Appendix 1 which maps the LAA targets across each committee;
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| | (b) | It was agreed that each overview and scrutiny committee should consider the action plans attached to relevant LAA targets and identify areas where further member development is required so that this committee can commission and coordinate a further programme of briefing sessions to which all councillors are invited;
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| | (c) | It was agreed that a facilitated event would be organised later in the year to bring together the Local Strategic Partnership Board, the five thematic groups and overview and scrutiny councillors to discuss the accountability framework for the LAA and how overview and scrutiny committees can effectively and constructively scrutinise and challenge the lead partnerships;
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| | (d) | A session for all Members will be organised to provide an introduction to the new performance management framework and software as set out in paragraph 3.3.2 in the report. |
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| 184 | PERFORMANCE PLAN INDICATORS 2007/2008 |
| | Discussion: |
| | | The Assistant Director, Communications, Performance and Partnerships introduced a report on Performance Plan Indicators for 2007/2008 and stated that the report took a backward view of the Council's performance. She gave further details of areas of high performance and areas for improvement and responded to Members' questions.
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| She undertook to provide further details in relation to the following indicators
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| | • | BV226b - to explain the impact of not meeting the target
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| | • | BV14 - how much had this increased?
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| Members also commented on the possibility of the Assistant Director, Organisational Services contacting best performing authorities with regard to staff sickness to see whether lessons could be learned from them in an attempt to improve the worsening staff sickness level trend. It was also requested that BV212, which related to average days taken to re-let council dwellings, should be referenced in any regular report on housing which came back to the Committee. In relation to BV213 it was felt that this target fitted well with the Strategic Housing Action plan as a measure of how well the Council was performing. For HC8 the comment was made that more effort needed to be put into bringing local authority homes back into use to avoid loss of rent. |
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| | > Performance Plan Indicators 2007-2008 (pdf file 282.1kb) |
| | Decision: |
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| 185 | CAPITAL BUDGET MONITORING 2008/2009 |
| | Discussion: |
| | The Chief Finance Officer introduced a report on capital budget monitoring for the period to May 2008 and responded to Members' questions. He undertook to circulate a briefing note on the revised position regarding empty homes. He was also asked to provide a briefing note on the scheme entitled `Quality Bus Corridor' referred to on
page 119 of the report clarifying it if was proposed to increase the number of bus lanes. Responding to a further question he undertook to provide a briefing note on the impact of the sale of Park Lodge on the Gillingham Park scheme. |
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| | > Capital Budget Monitoring (pdf file 126.7kb) |
| | Decision: |
| | | | (a) | Members noted the spending forecasts summarised in Table 1 and additions to the capital programme as detailed in section 5 of the report.
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| | (b) | A briefing note is to be provided to Members on the current and new Empty Homes programme, the reference to a `Quality Bus Corridor' referenced on page 119 of the report and the impact of the sale of Park Lodge. |
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| 186 | REVENUE BUDGET MONITORING 2008/2009 |
| | Discussion: |
| | | The Chief Finance Officer introduced a report on revenue budget monitoring based on actual income and expenditure to May 2008 and responded to Members' questions.
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| He confirmed that with regard to utility bills a recent estimate indicated a rise of some 40% on previous bills and this amount was not reflected in the current figures.
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| Concern was expressed about the plans to revise lease arrangements for the Twydall shops on the basis that any increases might bring about a decision to close the shops down. The Assistant Director, Housing and Corporate Services, stated that all decisions to increase rent would be discussed with the shop owners and would look at all factors to avoid this happening. She stated that for one particular business in that area the lease did not contain a `keep open' clause. Some Members felt that, for any future leases, an attempt should be made to put that clause into the contract. |
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| | > Revenue Budget Monitoring (pdf file 265.2kb) |
| | Decision: |
| | |
| 187 | HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT CAPITAL PROGRAMME 2008/.2009 |
| | Discussion: |
| | | The Housing Services Manager introduced the report on the Housing Revenue Account Capital Programme for 2008/2009 and responded to Members' questions. He amended paragraph 2.1.3 of the report, on page 157 to read `work will commence in early August'.
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| In relation to paragraph 2.12 of the report Members requested a full property listing showing works to be carried out in each property should be made available at the Member briefing offered.
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| The Assistant Director, Housing and Corporate Services, responding to a question stated that where the council has agreed to upgrade bathrooms or kitchens, tenants are able to specify higher than standard quality units at their own cost. Given the tight timelines to meet the decent homes standard by 2010 it was requested that a list be provided to committee members of any council properties that have been refurbished beyond the standard quality together with the reasons why.
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| Members welcomed assurances that properties were to be surveyed to establish what works were needed before any work is undertaken in future and that all work would be checked thoroughly after the repairs are undertaken. Members stressed the importance of ensuring the contractor was working strictly in compliance with the schedule of rates. |
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| | > Housing Revenue Account Capital Programme (pdf file 50.1kb) |
| | Decision: |
| | | | (a) | Members endorsed the Housing Revenue Account detailed capital programme for 2008/2009
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| | (b) | It was agreed that quarterly progress reports would be presented to the Business Support Overview and Scrutiny Committee giving both activity progress against that targeted and financial progress against budget
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| | (c) | A Member briefing is to be set up to go through the detailed information relating to housing repairs to include information as set out in the discussion above
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| | (d) | A list is provided to committee members of any council properties that have been refurbished beyond the decent home standard quality, together with the reasons why. |
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| 188 | WORK PROGRAMME |
| | Discussion: |
| | | The Overview and Scrutiny Co-ordinator informed the Committee that if they wished to consider the Medium Term Financial Plan it would need to be after it had gone to Cabinet unless a special meeting were to be called in view of the fact that the next meeting of the Committee would be two days after Cabinet. Members confirmed they would be happy to see the Plan after it had been considered at Cabinet.
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| Members also were asked if they wished to receive a briefing note on the castles and English Heritage item but they indicated that they would prefer to have a full report addressing concerns previously raised and outlining action proposed to mitigate risks associated with the potential financial implications of maintaining and repairing these buildings.
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| Responding to a query about a briefing on cross leasing the Overview and Scrutiny Co-ordinator undertook to send a further copy of the briefing note previously circulated to Councillor Harriott. |
|
| | > Work Programme (pdf file 377.0kb) |
| | Decision: |
| | | | (a) | The work undertaken by all overview and scrutiny committees in the last cycle and to be considered at the next cycle of meetings (set out in appendix 2 to the report) was noted;
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| | (b) | It was noted that a report on English Heritage sites/castles is brought to the meeting on 9 December 2008;
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| | (c) | It was noted that the item on licensing would now be dealt with at Licensing and Safety Committee;
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| | (d) | Members agreed that the item on social housing/cross leasing is removed from the work programme in accordance with paragraph 3.6 of the report.
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| | (e) | The Medium Term Financial Plan should be added to the work programme for 4 September 2008 meeting. |
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