Agenda and draft minutes

Venue: Council Chamber - County Hall. View directions

Contact: Wyn Richards, Scrutiny Manager and Head of Democratic Services  Email: wyn.richards@powys.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

To receive apologies for absence.

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from County Councillors J Gibson-Watt, D Rowlands, and E Vaughan.

2.

Declarations of Interest

To receive declarations of interest from Members.

Minutes:

County Councillor Roger Williams disclosed a Personal and Prejudicial Interest in relation to Item 6 – Proposition for the Adoption of ECO3 and left the room when the matter was considered.

3.

Declarations of Party Whips

To receive disclosures of prohibited party whips which a Member has been given in relation to the meeting in accordance with Section 78(3) of the Local Government Measure 2011.

 

(NB: Members are reminded that under Section 78 Members having been given a prohibited party whip cannot vote on a matter before the Committee.)

Minutes:

There were no disclosures of prohibited party whips by Members.

4.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 103 KB

To authorise the Chair to sign the minutes of the last meetings held on 8 November, 22 November and 10 December as correct records.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair was authorised to sign the minutes of the meetings held on 8 November, 22 November and 10 December as correct records.

5.

Common Allocations Scheme Review and Amendments pdf icon PDF 556 KB

To receive and consider the report of the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Governance, Housing and Public Protection.

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report of the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Governance, Housing and Public Protection. (Copy filed with signed minutes)

 

The Head of Housing made a presentation to the Committee outlining changes to the scheme which the Housing Service and its housing partners will be working to. The 1996 Act gives the Council a duty to publish the allocations scheme and keep it updated. In 2014 the Common Allocations Scheme and Register was established for the Council and its housing association partners, with all working to the same system of allocating social housing.

 

Although the legislation is very prescriptive in how houses are allocated, the Council does have some discretion. Housing Associations had raised concerns regarding the way the Common Housing Register was being operated. Independent Consultants were commissioned to undertake a review of the system which concluded that customers required better information as to the housing stock available, there should be a better routing of phone calls, and an improvement to the way that individuals access the Register by looking at the IT system used. As a consequence, a new IT system needed to be implemented, where individuals did not need to phone in, but could access the system using the internet. The Council was also looking at choice based letting rather than the current system of date order / priority bands for allocating housing.

 

A new IT system was being rolled out for the Common Housing Register and this would also contain a register for homelessness which would assist the efficiency of that service as well. The homelessness system would be going live in early February with the Common Housing Register system live by the end of April 2019.

 

The review also identified a need to review the policy in light of new challenges for the Council and practice. Definitions had been clarified and a new wizard would assist individuals with the application process and provide them with options. The new policy would also lead to an assessment of properties into 5 bands. Individuals would also need to be assessed so that if there were any health needs, the individuals could be matched with suitable properties. Additional priorities can be given to individuals e.g. if there was an economic need in an area or if there was a need to get a person living on the streets who was vulnerable into accommodation. Social registered landlords could also lose priority if their properties did not come up to the required standard.

 

The head of Housing was thanked for taking on board the views of housing associations in reviewing the policy.

 

Question:

Turning properties over quickly may not always be possible due to the state of properties. What can be done to expedite repairs being carried out as properties could be empty for up to 9 months?

Response:

The Heart of Wales Property Service (HOWPS) were now close to achieving the level of service required. HOPWS turnaround is set at 17 days in year 2 of the contract. Long  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

6.

Proposition for the Adoption of ECO 3 pdf icon PDF 66 KB

To receive and consider the report of the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Governance, Housing and Public Protection.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received the report of the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Governance, Housing and Public Protection. (Copy filed with signed minutes)

 

County Councillor Roger Williams disclosed a Personal and Prejudicial Interest in this matter as a boiler had been installed in his property under the previous ECO2 Scheme. He withdrew from / left the meeting at 11.30 a.m.

 

The Committee was advised that a letter of concern regarding the ECO3 scheme had been emailed to all Members. The Scrutiny Manager and Head of Democratic Services advised that it would be inappropriate to consider the contents of the letter until the matter had been considered by the Council. Members asked that the Scrutiny Manager and Head of Democratic Services advise all Members that they should not respond individually to the letter and that a Council response would be issued in due course.

 

Members considered that due to the advice it would be more appropriate if the matter be deferred until clarification had been provided regarding the email.

 

RESOLVED that the matter be deferred.

7.

Improvement and Assurance Board - Notes pdf icon PDF 395 KB

To receive the minutes of the Improvement and Assurance Board held on 31 October, 2018

Minutes:

The Committee received the minutes of the Improvement and Assurance Board held on 31 October, 2018.