Agenda and minutes

Resolved:-  That consideration of the report be deferred.

Jane Davies-Haire, Landlord Relations Manager, presented a report proposing the development of a clear Service Standard in consultation with stakeholders and customers in relation to the development of tenant management organisations and other tenant empowerment opportunities.  It was also proposed that a Communication Strategy be implemented to raise awareness of Members, staff and customers of the opportunities that were available.

A specialist Tenant Empowerment Officer role had been created which supported the Council’s commitment to tenant empowerment and take forward this important agenda.  The  main functions of the role were:-

-              To provide effective liaison between the Council, 2010 Rotherham Ltd., RotherFed and tenants and leaseholders

-              To provide Members and staff with information about tenant empowerment

-              To safeguard the Council’s assets and ensure that management responsibility for services/facilities was only handed to groups that could clearly demonstrate an ability to manage effectively and deliver improved services to tenants and leaseholders

-              To benchmark with other local authorities and ALMOs and create an arena for sharing good practice across 2010 Rotherham Ltd., RotherFed and Council

-              To ensure appropriate links were made to other tenures including private sector and tenants of housing associations

It was important to develop a clear Communication Strategy demonstrating how awareness of the Council and 2010, other partners, Elected Members and tenants and leaseholders would be raised. 

Key tenant empowerment issues to be addressed were:-

o             Confirming roles and responsibilities

o             Completing actions identified by Council Housing Directions Sub-Group 2

o             The Tenant Compact – “Here’s the deal”

o             Aston Tenants and Residents Association

o             Area Housing Panels

Discussion ensued on the report with the following issues raised:-

-              Area Housing Panels and Tenants and Residents Associations were completely independent of each other

-              The seminar should encompass the wider issue of tenant empowerment including compacts and the Place Survey

Resolved:-  (1)  That an all Members Seminar be arranged to raise awareness of tenant empowerment opportunities.

(2)  That the views of Elected Members should be sought prior to information regarding tenant empowerment being provided to tenants and leaseholders via the website, newsletters and a series of awareness raising events.

(3)  That a further detailed report on Aston Tenants and Residents Association be submitted in July, 2009.

Kirsty Everson, Director of Independent Living, presented a report proposing changes to the Furnished Homes Scheme to create a more diverse model offering choice, flexibility and measures that would ease financial burden when individual needs or circumstances changed, becoming a more personalised service for customers.

Since the Scheme became operational in September, 2004, over 700 households had been assisted to obtain furniture with 246 properties furnished in 2008/09.

The drivers behind reviewing the Service were:-

-              Current Service operated on a lease replacement basis.  When an item of furniture required replacing it was arranged based on an initial inventory and regular inspections.  At the time of setting up the Scheme in 2004, Housing Benefit legislation stipulated that the home always had to remain furnished with the ownership of the furniture remaining with the Council.  However, this did not allow for the changing needs of the customer who may decide at a later date that they no longer required the furnished service

-              At present there was a limited range of furniture available and only open to Council tenants

-              Rent became unaffordable if a tenant came out of benefit entitlement which acted as a barrier to those who wanted to access employment or who were employed on low incomes.

Consideration was given to 2 models:-

Model 1

Based on 4 furniture bands, each band allowing customers to choose an amount of furniture they required.  The items were not specified so the customer could choose anything they wished to meet their needs.  Each band would have a set of incremental weekly charges.  If a customer wanted to include carpets and/or curtains (the most expensive items), this would be considered an additional charge to the chosen selection.

Model 2

Whilst similar to Model 1, each piece of furniture would have a specific value.  The customer chose the base package and picked a selection of items up to the value of 5 e.g. cooker 1 point, sofa 1 point.  Band charges would need to be higher as the cost of carpets would have to be factored into the overall weekly charge.

The proposed weekly charges were set out in the report.

Consideration was given to each of the Models.  Model 1 offered more scope and increased the choice available for customers in terms of the number of items and potential cost.

Discussion ensued on the proposed Models with the following issues raised:-

-              The new scheme would be more flexible

-              An inventory was signed when commencing the scheme and, provided the damage was not malicious, would be replaced

-              The Scheme was tied to the Tenancy Agreement and the enforcement that brought

-              The new Scheme would allow a tenant to reduce their furniture package as their financial circumstances changed

Resolved:-  That Model 1 be adopted.

Mark Ford, Safer Neighbourhoods Manager, submitted an update on the process for the redevelopment of project proposals to be funded through either LAGBI or identified budgets within Neighbourhood and Adult Services.  Such proposals would enable the delivery of local initiatives which met community priorities as identified for example in the Area Plans of the Area Assemblies.

Appendix 1 of the report submitted contained detailed proposals of projects to be funded within the 2009/10 financial year from the Rother Valley South, Wentworth North, Rotherham South, Wentworth South, Rother Valley West, Rotherham North and Wentworth Valley Co-ordinating Groups.

Discussion ensued on the projects with queries against a number of them.

Resolved:-  (1)  That, subject to clarification of the queries raised, the projects to be funded from identified Neighbourhood and Adult Services’ budgets be approved.

(2)  That the LAGBI project proposals be submitted to the Cabinet for ratification.

Resolved:-  That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (information relating to the financial or business affairs of any person (including the Council)).

Resolved:-  That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the Council)).

Resolved:- That this report be deferred to a future meeting.