Agenda and minutes

There were no Declarations of Interest made at the meeting.

There were no members of the public and press present at the meeting.

- feedback from Councillor Atkin: APSE Seminar – Building Council Housing

(a)        The Chair welcomed Dave Richmond, the newly appointed Director of Housing and Neighbourhood Services, to his first Scrutiny Panel meeting.

(b)        The Chair drew attention to the fact that, as from September, the Scrutiny Panel would meet on a 6 weekly basis.

(c)        Danny Willoughby, a former Scrutiny Panel co-optee, had recently passed away.

            Resolved:-  (i)  That a letter of condolence be sent to Danny’s family.

(d)        A reminder was given that all mobile telephone must be switched off during the meeting unless exceptional circumstances applied.

(e)        It was noted that Alex Armitage had had to give his apologies for the meeting due to having suffered flooding to his property during the recent heavy rain. 

            Derek Corkell reported the Rotherham Lions had a fund specifically for those residents who did not have insurance etc.

            (ii)  That the Strategic Director of Neighbourhoods and Adult Services investigate the issue of any financial aid to those suffering damage to their properties during “mini” floods.

(f)         It was noted that the Director of South Yorkshire Housing Association had been awarded a CBE in the recent Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

(g)        Councillor Atkin gave a brief overview of a conference he had attended on 26^th March, 2009, in London entitled “Financing Council Housing: From Words into Action”.

- presentation by Councillor Akhtar

Councillor Akhtar, Cabinet Member for Housing and Neighbourhoods, gave the following powerpoint presentation:-

Key Areas of Responsibility

-              Neighbourhood Management

-              Area Assemblies

-              Strategic housing e.g. private sector housing investment/statutory enforcement powers

-              Housing Management (through 2010 Ltd.)

-              Homelessness

-              Adaptations

-              Sheltered Housing

-              Building Council Housing

-              Community Safety and Safer Neighbourhood Teams

-              Regulatory Function e.g. Licensing and Trading Standards

Achievements 2008/09

-              Achieved 4 out of 4 for Housing CPA Service Block

-              ALMO achieved 2 Stars

-              100% KPIs hit year end target

-              Achieved Customer Service Excellence

-              Achieved Rotherham Business Customer Service Award

-              Delivered 153 new affordable homes

-              Successfully completed a major consultation ‘Council Housing Directions – Have your Say’

-              Implementation of devolved budgets

-              Introduction of PACTs

-              Learning from the successful pilot of Intensive Neighbourhood Management (Chesterhill)

-              Levels of Crime and Disorder reduced by 12%

-              Exceeded the LAA target for reduction of noise incidents

-              Criminal damage reduced by 6.5%

-              Increased attendance at Area Assemblies

-              7% reduction in off-road motor vehicle reports

-              53.5% increase in domestic abuse detections

-              Re-open Crematorium with Dignity

-              Achieved Pioneer Status for Neighbourhood Crime and Disorder

-              Hate Crime/Community Cohesion Service introduced

-              Restorative Justice Scheme for young people introduced

-              Y & H Environmental Enforcement Group – Award commendation (successful Fly Tipping Strategy)

-              Carried out the Council’s Housing Register Review

-              Introduced Local Lettings Policy

-              Reviewed the Council’s Tenancy Agreement

-              Halved the number of people in temporary accommodation

-              Successful CLG bid – Enhanced Housing Options trailblazer programme

-              Delivered 610 major statutory home adaptations within budget

-              Reviewed Sheltered Housing Service

-              Consultation events at 59 sheltered housing centres before introducing a new Charging Protocol

-              Expanded the range of assistive technology available

Issues for 2009/10

-              HRA Business Plan and financial management within the ALMO

-              Future of the ALMO

-              Resources for improving the quality of life within neighbourhoods

-              Delivering major housing programmes such as affordable, PFI, growth targets

-              Perception of crime and disorder

The Year Ahead

-              Review sheltered housing warden role

-              Build new Council housing

-              Introduce Intensive Neighbourhood Management arrangements in areas that would most benefit

-              Learn from and evaluate devolved budget activity to roll out across all Directorates

-              Carry out a value for money study of Neighbourhood Services

-              Drive up standards of Housing Management Services

-              Reduce the fear of crime

-              Carry on the focus of customer service

A question and answer session ensued with the following issues raised:-

§               Elected Members not notified of the new “golden number” in order to contact Neighbourhood Champions

§               Bureaucratic system for Area Assembly devolved budgets

§               The need for a separate Housing Revenue Budget for the building of Council houses

§               Partners not fully participating

§               The need for improved signage to the new Crematorium car park

§               Which cemeteries were the responsibility of Dignity

The Chair thanked Councillor Akhtar  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

Resolved:-  That the following nominations be made to the bodies set out below for the 2009/10 Municipal Year:-

Councillor P. A. Russell                       Health, Welfare and Safety Panel

Substitute – Councillor Nightingale

Councillor Atkin                                   Recycling Group

Councillors McNeely and                   Looked After Children Scrutiny Sub-Panel

P. A. Russell

Councillor Walker                               Compact Monitoring Group

Councillors McNeely and                   Members Sustainable Development Action

Walker                                                Group

Councillor McNeely                            Member Training and Development Panel

Councillor McNeely                            Churches Together

The Scrutiny Adviser submitted an Outline Work Programme for 2009/10 which set out issues identified for future consideration by this Scrutiny Panel during the forthcoming Municipal Year.

It was not possible to be too specific at the present time on the precise nature of some issues for scrutiny and, therefore, the forward work programme would, to some extent, evolve during the course of the year.

Panel Members and officers had been contacted for their views on issues to be discussed over the Municipal Year.  An outline programme had been formulated reflecting those comments and incorporating issues previously requested at Panel meetings.  There would also be quarterly monitoring meetings held to examine performance and budgetary issues relevant to the Service Areas.  Issues emerging from inspections and monitoring of related themes in the Local Area Agreement would also be scheduled into the work programme.  At present, the Panel had not considered which issues would be subject to more in-depth review.

Issues identified for future scrutiny agendas included:-

-              Impact of the Allocation Policy (12 months on)

-              Garage sites

-              Fly tipping and enviro crime (including street littering)

-              Future plans for the ALMO

-              Licensing – exclusions

-              Progress – intensive neighbourhood management

-              Empty Homes Strategy and use of Empty Dwelling Management Order

-              Fuel poverty

-              Tenant empowerment

-              Future of Council Housing

-              Under-occupation of Council housing

Discussion ensued on the report.  It was felt that the impact on the Allocation Policy, Empty Homes Strategy and under-occupation of Council housing could be linked together, that a further presentation and report on the impact and effectiveness of Enforcement Services and look at the proposals for the Warden Service at an early stage.

Resolved:- That the Scrutiny Adviser be requested to subject the possible Scrutiny Reviews to the Scrutiny checklist for suitability.

The Chair presented the findings and recommendations of the Scrutiny Review into void turnaround times.

The review had highlighted that the involvement of several different teams in the management of void properties lead to confusion as to who was responsible for each stage of the process and a duplication of effort in some areas.  Elected Members were not kept informed about void properties in their Wards and local residents were frustrated when they saw empty houses in their neighbourhoods that were not available to rent. 

The average time taken to re-let empty homes had reduced significantly over the last 12 months and 2010 Rotherham Ltd. appeared to be committed to making further improvements to the service.  Their recent Empty Homes Review carried out at the same time as the Scrutiny review in April, 2009, identified several areas for improvement which now needed to be developed into a realistic plan for action.

2010’s Empty Homes Service Review aimed to map out the whole of the voids management process giving consideration to the deployment of resources, accountability, priorities and benchmarking against other services. 

The Review had made 7 recommendations:-

(a)        That improvements be made to the Choice Based Lettings process in line with the recommendations of the current Scrutiny Review;

(b)        That the verification process be made more efficient by screening out ineligible bids at an earlier stage;

(c)        That clear criteria be published about the circumstances in which decorating vouchers were issued to new tenants and that the allowance of £25 per room be reviewed;

(d)        That, in line with good practice demonstrated by high performing ALMOs, consideration be given to a Reward Scheme to encourage tenants to leave properties in good condition;

(e)        That information be provided to Elected Members on a regular basis on the void properties in their Ward including reasons why a property was empty and when it was expected to be re-let;

(f)         That more detailed information be provided when reporting on voids to give a clearer picture of why properties were empty and the financial implications and

(g)        That action be taken towards the recommendations of 2010 Rotherham Ltd.’s Empty Homes Service Review “Every Day Counts” (April, 2009) be monitored and reported back to the Scrutiny Panel in due course.

The Chair thanked everyone who had taken part in the review.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the findings and recommendations contained within the report be endorsed.

(2)  That the report be forwarded to the Performance and Scrutiny Overview Committee for approval and future submission to Cabinet.

(3)  That the response of the Cabinet to the recommendations be fed back to the Panel.

Janice Manning, Food, Health and Safety Manager, gave the following powerpoint update on the implementation of the Smokefree Legislation:-

The Health Act 2006

-              An Act to make provision for the prohibition of smoking in certain premises, places and vehicles

Smokefree Legislation

-              Applies to all places of work used by more than 1 person and places open to the public

-              “Work” includes voluntary work

-              premises were “open to members of public” if the public, or section of the public, has access whether by invitation or payment, or not

-              Work and public vehicles would also be required to be smokefree

-              Employers would continue to have a duty of care to protect the health, safety and welfare at work of all employees under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

Requirements apply to:

-              Premises which were enclosed or substantially enclosed

o       Business premises

o       Multi-occupied and shared housing

o       Public places

-              Vehicles

o       Used as public service vehicles

o       Used at any time by more than 1 person in connection with their business or employment

Smoke Free (Premises and Enforcement) Regulations

-              Enclosed – roof or ceiling + wholly enclosed by walls (not including doors, windows or passageways)

-              Substantially enclosed – roof + opening in walls representing 50% or less of total wall area (opening does not include openings that can be opened or shut, such as windows or doors) – the 50% rule

-              Temporary structures such as tents included

-              Roof includes fixed or movable structures that could cover all or part of the premises as a roof (including canvas awnings)

-              “If it can be enclosed it will be considered enclosed”

Smokefree Offences

-              Smoking in a smokefree premises

-              Failing to prevent smoking in a smokefree place (anyone who controls or manages smokefree premises and specified people for smokefree vehicles)

-              Failing to display required no-smoking signs (anyone occupying or managing smokefree premises and specified people for smokefree vehicles)

-              Also an offence to obstruct an enforcement officer or provide a false or misleading statement

Smokefree (Penalties and Discounted Amounts) Regulations)

Work undertaken – Awareness Campaign

-              Compiled and distributed several leaflets providing specific information to different businesses such as social clubs, churches, hairdressers

-              Seminars and workshops undertaken, visits to commercial premises were made to provide guidance to businesses and the public upon implementation of the legislation

-              Promotional work undertaken e.g. radio adverts and interviews, advertising on buses, banners posted on buildings and in bus stations, carrier bags and beer mats etc.

-              Articles written  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

The Panel noted the Neighbourhoods and Adult Services Forward Plan of key decisions for the period 1^st June-30th September, 2009.

Caroline Webb, Senior Scrutiny Adviser, presented the submitted report indicating that Sections 119 to 128 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 (C.28) and Sections 19 to 21 of the Police and Justice Act 2006 (C.48) made new provisions for the function of overview and scrutiny in local authorities. The provisions of both Acts were now effective. The provisions relating to crime and disorder in both the 2006 and 2007 Acts commenced on 30th April, 2009. The Council’s constitution needed to be amended to reflect the changes.

At its meeting on 29th April, 2009, it was agreed by Cabinet that, in the light of the above, there should be a review of scrutiny terms of reference.

It was noted that the Democratic Renewal Scrutiny Panel had been designated as the Crime and Disorder Committee.

The terms of reference for this Scrutiny Panel were:-

-              Borough-wide Housing Strategy

-              Accountability of the ALMO and other housing providers

-              Environmental issues to include pollution control, waste reduction/recycling, control of litter, dog fouling and fly tipping

-              Trading Standards and Food Standards/Health and Safety

-              Neighbourhood Strategy Development and Management

-              Sustainable Development and Strategy

-              Neighbourhood management and development through democratic forums such as Area Assemblies and Parish Councils

-              Borough-wide Housing Strategy across all tenures

Resolved:- (1) That the legislative changes regarding overview and scrutiny functions be noted.

(2)  That the terms of reference for this Scrutiny Panel be noted.

- minutes of meetings held on 20^th April and 1^st June, 2009

The Panel noted the decisions made under delegated powers by the Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods held on 20^th April and 1^st June, 2009.

Resolved:-  That reports be submitted on the following:-

garage sites

Airey properties

Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder

- minutes of meeting held on 16^th April, 2009

The minutes of the meeting held on 16th April, 2009, were agreed.

- minutes of meeting held on 27^th March, 17^th and 28^th April, 2009

The minutes of the Performance and Scrutiny Overview Committee held on 27th March and 17^th and 28^th April, 2009, were noted.

- minutes of meeting held on 28^th April, 2009

The minutes of a meeting of the Recycling Group held on 28th April, 2009, attended by Councillors R. Russell (in the Chair), The Mayor (Councillor Ali), Atkin, Favley, Havenhand, Nightingale and Wyatt were noted