Agenda and minutes

Further to Minute No. 89(3) of 30^th November, 2009, the Director of Housing and Neighbourhood Services reported on the detailed work that had been carried out by the Neighbourhoods and Adult Services Performance Team and 2010 Rotherham Ltd.’s Empty Homes and Performance Teams.  A new calculation methodology was also proposed from 1^st April, 2010.

Progress against the recommendations of the Scrutiny Review was as follows:-

Recommendation 1 - That improvements are made to the CBL process in line with the recommendations of the current Scrutiny Review

Progress had been reported separately by Housing Choices Manager

Recommendation 2 -That the verification process is made more efficient by screening out ineligible bids at an earlier stage

Reported as complete in November, 2009

Recommendation 3 – That clear criteria are published about the circumstances in which decorating vouchers will be issued to new tenants and that the allowance of £25 per room is reviewed

2010 Rotherham Ltd. had reviewed and clarified the process and clear information was made available to tenants via the website.  Complete.

Recommendation 4 – That in line with good practice demonstrated by high performing ALMOs consideration is given to a reward scheme to encourage tenants to leave properties in good condition

The “Fond Farewell” scheme had been up and running since October, 2009, and to be evaluated during April, 2010.  If it was identified that the scheme was saving money over and above that paid out, then consideration would be given to extending the scheme.

Recommendation 5 – That information is provided to Elected Members on a regular basis on the void properties in their Ward including reasons why a property is empty and when it is expected to be re-let

2010 Rotherham Ltd. continued to provide regular briefings to Members on empty properties in their areas.

Recommendation 6 – That more detailed information is provided when reporting on voids to give a clearer picture of why properties are empty and the financial implications

Empty properties were monitored via joint RMBC/2010 Rotherham Ltd. Working Group.

Recommendation 7 – That action taken towards the recommendations of 2010 Rotherham Ltd.’s Empty Homes Service Review ‘Every Day Counts’ be monitored and reported back to the Sustainable Communities Scrutiny Panel in due course

A further 2 of the 16 actions had now been completed (14 in total) – review of decoration allowance and review of all new procedures.

The joint Empty Properties Working Group had compiled a database of all properties that had been empty for over 16 weeks which was monitored and updated on a weekly basis.  A target was set to reduce the number of properties empty for longer than 16 weeks from 116 in November, 2009 to 75 by the end of March, 2010.  As at 31^st March, 2010, the figure stood at 76 with a further target set of 25 by March, 2011.

As a result of concerns raised by Members, the Council had carried out a series of reality checks and reported to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 166.

The Director of Housing and Neighbourhood Services reported on the impact of the challenges in letting properties that no longer met the requirements and needs of the customers in Rotherham.  The report also identified difficult to let bungalows across the Rotherham area which had been void for over 5 months (during 2009/10) on average and impacted in income and performance.

It was proposed that the Allocation Policy be amended in order to increase accessibility by a wider range of customers and reduce impact on rent lost.  It would give preference to customers who were assessed to benefit from early intervention to access aged persons or sheltered accommodation but, where there was no demand, allow other applicants who met the age criteria and were willing to pay associated charges assigned to the property such as Rothercare or Sheltered charge, be offered the properties.

Currently sheltered properties could only be accessed by applicants aged over 55 years of age and had been assessed to be in priority need due to their health or social circumstances.  A Tenancy Agreement for sheltered properties included visiting Warden and Rothercare facilities and, therefore, applicants accessing such types of tenancies had to demonstrate requirements for such support service.

By not amending the Allocation Policy would mean a continuing impact on voids as well as frustration for applicants who were unable to access such accommodation.  The following amendments were proposed:-

Amendment to the Allocation Policy for Allocating Sheltered Accommodation

The age limit be reduced from 55 to 50 for sheltered accommodation with the following preference order:-

-        Over 50 with an assessed need for the Sheltered Warden Service with Priority Plus status (this would include Council tenants who were under occupied)

-        Over 50 with an assessed need for the Sheltered Warden Service

-        Over 50 who had lesser need and had been assessed for Rothercare but were willing to pay the associated property charges

-        Over 50 who had no medical assessed need but were willing to pay the associated property charges

Amendment to the Allocation Policy for Allocating Accommodation with Rothercare

Properties with Rothercare be let in the following preference order:-

-        An applicant with an assessed need for ground floor accommodation with Rothercare facility with Priority Plus status (this would include Council tenants who were under occupied)

-        An assessed need for ground floor with Rothercare facility in the Priority Group

-        Applicants over the age of 60 in the General Groups who had no medical assessed need but were willing to pay the associated Rothercare property charges

Amendment to Local Lettings Polices

-        Further to the Policy amendment to allow “Aged Persons” accommodation to be allocated to all disabled people assessed as needing a bungalow irrespective of age (Minute No. 120 of 18^th January, 2010 refers), 50% of each complex to be solely advertised to older applicants over the age of 60. 

-        The remaining 50% to be advertised to any age group with an assessed need

-        All sheltered complexes and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 167.

Resolved:-  That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in those paragraphs indicated below of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

Resolved:-  That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in those paragraphs, indicated below, of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (information relating to the financial/business affairs of any person (including the Council)).

(Exempt under Paragraph 3 of the Act - information relating to the financial/business affairs of any person (including the Council))

The Director of Housing and Neighbourhood Services submitted proposals for the spending of the 2010/11 Regional Housing Board allocation for sheltered housing modifications.

It was proposed that the 2010/11 RHB allocation of £480,000 be committed to create level access to 127 properties at the following sheltered schemes:-

Francis Howlett (Whiston)

Vale Road (Thrybergh)

Elizabeth Parkin (Ravenfield)

Resolved:-  That the 2010/11 budget spend proposal be approved.

(Exempt under Paragraph 3 of the Act - information relating to the financial/business affairs of any person (including the Council))

Consideration was given to a report detailing the income, expenditure and net position for the Neighbourhoods Department within the Neighbourhoods and Adult Services Directorate compared to the profiled budgets for the period ending 31^st January, 2010.  It also included the projected year end outturn position which currently showed a forecasted overspend of £610,000 (14.6%) by the end of March, 2010.

Resolved:-  That the contents of the report be noted.

(Exempt under Paragraph 3 of the Act - (information relating to the financial/business affairs of any person (including the Council)).

(Exempt under Paragraph 3 of the Act - information relating to the financial/business affairs of any person (including the Council))

The Finance Manager presented the submitted report which detailed the projected outturn for the Housing Revenue Account by the end of March 2010.  It was currently projected to outturn with a surplus of £2.408M.

It was noted that the costs of pension and severance relating to the downsizing of the workforce at 2010 Rotherham Ltd. which may fall on the HRA were not included in the forecast outturn.

Resolved:- That the report be noted and received.

(Exempt under Paragraph 3 of the Act - information relating to the financial/business affairs of any person (including the Council))