Agenda item

Presentation to be provided, setting out current performance, focus and challenges for the portfolio.

To follow.

Councillor A Pearson, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Communities provided a presentation setting out current performance, focus and challenges for the portfolio.

During the discussion of the presentation the following points were noted:

·         Cllr Pearson thanked the Scrutiny Committee for their intervention into the voids process and the excellent results that have come from this in regard to health and safety of electrical, gas, water, asbestos and fire safety and in working with the Regulator the council has managed to solve these problems.

·         267 site visits to properties for health and safety checks have taken place out of 272 properties, though it is hoped that all properties will be checked by the end of March, unfortunately, some tenants will not allow the workmen access to their properties.

·         All asbestos surveys are due to be completed by March 2020.

·         Council properties no longer have coal fires, these were all removed about 15 years ago.

·         The overall value of council housing stock is £68m.

·         Mrs Rahman, People Manager handed out 3 case studies which showed the importance of the Me and My Learning service and how intervention can make such a difference with support for education, finances, employment, interaction. Concern was given to the closure of the Sure Start Centres and the impact it has had.

·         Mrs Rahman advised of that there was currently in progress a ‘Pre Tenancy Course’ booklet which is being circulated to existing tenants, this covers everything that a tenant will need from responsibilities, home maintenance, rent, tax support, how to end a tenancy, how to claim recharges, compensation, cleaning, how to report  and deal with Anti Social Behaviour, financial tips, debts, savings, UC, online services, direct debits, paying bills etc.

o   This leaflet will be emailed to Scrutiny when it is finished.

·         Due to the slow turn around of void properties, the costs of B&Bs had increased.

·         Councillor Pearson agreed to email members details on how many social properties were being made available to the council in the next 12 months including the number of supported units. Information was also requested about how the properties are going to be matched to peoples’ needs, as a high percentage of those people accepted as homeless have very complex needs/mental health issues.

·         Councillor Pearson advised that the Director for Growth and Regeneration had a presentation about options to the development of Melton Mowbray and he will request a copy of this be sent out to Scrutiny members.

·         Mention was made to the ‘People Move Programme’ which comprises of involvement with schools, GP referrals, park walks, coordinated walks, people with health issues follow a programme. 

·         It was clarified that ‘active people’ are classed as those who had more than 150 minutes of physical activity a week; inactive are those who undertook less than 30 minutes of activity a week.

·         Students at Longfield Academy completed the Safer Melton Partnership Community Safety Consultation about concerns facing students of incidents in the neighbourhood, sadly drugs and knife crime were top of the list.