BOROUGH OF POOLE

COMMUNITY SUPPORT OVERVIEW GROUP

11 SEPTEMBER 2007

The Meeting commenced at 7:00pm and finished at 8:45pm

Members present:

Councillor Bulteel (Chairman)

Councillors Ms Atkinson, Mrs Deas, Mrs Haines, Mrs Lavender (substitute for Councillor Mrs Hillman), Mason, Matthews, Meachin and Rampton.

Also in attendance: Councillor Brown

Members of the public present: 0

CSG17.07APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Mrs Hillman (with the above substitution) and Mrs Long.

CSG18.07MINUTES

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 12 June 2007 were submitted for approval.

With regard to M.COG13.07 – Forward Plan/Working Parties and Training Induction for Elected Members – a Member enquired as to the current situation with regard to the recommendations which had been made in respect of this item. In respect of M.COG14.07 – Appointment of Working Parties/Panels etc, a Member enquired whether these Working Parties had met?

Members felt that information on the Recommendations made at a previous meeting could be made available to track the decision making process. With regard to whether various Working Parties appointed by the previous Overview Group had yet met, the Strategic Director undertook to circulate information on these to Members of the Overview Group.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting held on 12 June 2007, having been previously circulated, be taken as read, confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

CSG19.07DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Councillor Bulteel declared a personal interest in various matters on the Agenda as a Member of the Poole Housing Partnership Ltd Board.

Councillor Meachin declared a personal interest in various matters on the Agenda as his son was currently on the Housing Waiting List.

Councillor Mason declared a personal interest in various matters on the Agenda as a relative was residing in a Council property.

Councillor Matthews declared a personal interest in various matters on the Agenda as his wife had submitted a Housing Application.

CSG20.07URGENT BUSINESS

There was no urgent business.

CSG21.07RESIDENT INVOLVEMENT STRATEGY

The Head of Housing and Community Services submitted a report seeking approval for the Resident Involvement Strategy proposed by Poole Housing Partnership (PHP), the Council’s Arms Length Housing Management Organisation.

He reported that Section 105 of the Housing Act 1985 stated that Landlord Authorities must enable secure tenants to be informed and to be able to make their views known in respect of Housing Management matters. The Borough of Poole (BoP) and Poole Housing Partnership Ltd (PHP) had worked closely with tenants and leaseholders in making decisions that affected their homes as prescribed by this Act. The Management Agreement between the Borough of Poole and PHP Ltd stated that ‘the Council had a partnership with its tenants and leaseholders and to further this relationship the Organisation would honour its own Tenant Compact (based on the Council’s existing Compact) so as to support and encourage tenant involvement’. It also stated that it should be ‘amended from time to time’ and the objectives should ‘be reviewed and consulted upon’.

When PHP became an Arms Length Management Organisation it adopted the Council’s Tenant Compact which had since been renamed Poole’s Tenant and Leaseholder Partnership Agreement. The proposed Strategy would eventually form the new revised Tenant Compact.

The purpose of the Strategy had been aimed at both staff of PHP and tenant representatives. PHP had advised that from this Strategy ‘will flow the Resident Involvement Compact’ which would therefore replace the current Poole’s Tenant and Leaseholder Partnership Agreement.

The aim of the Resident Involvement Strategy was to:

  • continuously empower residents to shape the services they received.
  • embed resident involvement as part of the culture of PHP Ltd.
  • ensure high satisfaction for residents with the participation structure.
  • Support the wider objective of developing strong communities.
  • Ensure all sections of the community had their voice heard, especially under-represented groups such as youth.

The strategic objectives of the Strategy were outlined as follows:

  • Provide customer focussed, high quality services to residents.
  • Make services available and easily accessible to all the community, including ‘hard to reach groups’.
  • Work with and involve residents to provide excellence in service delivery.
  • Empower and encourage residents to participate in and shape the services they received.

The Overview Group was asked to approve the proposed Strategy as it would allow more flexible involvement for residents. The Strategy illustrated a variety of ways that would encourage resident involvement, e.g., through the ‘At Home’ magazine, annual Satisfaction Survey, mystery shopping programme, new tenancy visits, sheltered housing and leaseholder forums, CHATS and HSP.

The proposed Strategy focused on improving consultation and involvement for residents in all aspects of service delivery. PHP Ltd would continue to work closely with the Council and any developments that arose from the Strategy would be reported through existing monitoring arrangements between PHP Ltd and the Borough of Poole.

In response to comments with regard to the effectiveness of estate visits, the Head of Housing and Community Services stated that this matter had been raised with PHP Ltd and the main problem was that some issues raised during estate visits were not housing related matters and Officers from other Service Units of the Council were not present to take these on board. It was hoped that the Safer Neighbourhoods Initiative would broaden visits which could, in future, encompass all areas, not just those under the responsibility of PHP Ltd. All parts of the Council would be included in the Safer Neighbourhoods Initiative and specific Officers would have responsibility for taking issues forward in a different way.

The Strategic Director stated that improvements needed to be made with regard to taking forward issues raised in the Community and there was a need to be clear on what issues could or could not be taken forward. It was essential to prioritise residents’ concerns and issues to avoid any frustration in not achieving their aspirations.

In response to a question on the number of tenants who would be involved in the process, the Head of Housing and Community Services stated that one of the aims and objectives was to increase the number of residents able to engage with PHP Ltd at a level and in a way that suited them.

RECOMMENDED that Cabinet approve the Resident Involvement Strategy, being a three year Plan for Resident Involvement.

For:Unanimous

CSG22.07GOVERNMENT GREEN PAPER – “HOMES FOR THE FUTURE: MORE AFFORDABLE, MORE SUSTAINABLE”

The Head of Housing and Community Services presented a report requesting Members’ consideration of the Government Green Paper – ‘Homes for the Future: More Affordable, More Sustainable’.

He stated that the Government had set an ambitious target of building 240,000 new homes a year by 2016. It intended to support that growth through ten actions:-

  • Increased infrastructure support
  • Review of regional plans
  • New housing and planning delivery grant
  • New guidance to help Councils identify enough land for the next 15 years as required by Planning Policy Statement PPS3
  • Action to permit applications for housing where Councils had not identified enough land
  • Action to encourage developers to bring forward housing more quickly
  • More use of public sector land
  • Better use of disused land
  • Better use of existing buildings
  • Creation of New Homes Agency (formerly referred to as Communities England)

The Meeting was advised that the majority of actions fell within the Local Economy Overview Group Portfolio but the creation of a New Homes Agency was under the responsibility of this Overview Group.

The Head of Housing and Community Services gave a short Powerpoint Presentation with regard to the Green Paper proposals and the proposed response by the Borough of Poole as follows:-

Green Paper Proposals / Borough of Poole
Response
- National strategy for
aging population
- Lifetime homes
- More options
- Need for more family
homes (25% of all new
affordable housing being
3 bed or larger)
- More investment
/flexible bidding
- LA/ ALMO building
new affordable
homes
- Retain proceeds of
shared equity sales
- Temporary to
permanent initiative
extension
-Continue the decent
homes programme
- New opportunities for
first time buyers
- Local labour in
construction
schemes
- New delivery
mechanisms for
affordable housing / -Older persons
accommodation and
support strategy supports
this approach
-Longest wait in Poole is
for 3 bed properties –
currently 7 years.
- Support but re-assert
role of LA
-Support but value for
money
- Support sale
proceeds and net
rental income being
retained
-Support but consider introduction of
Scheme
-Argue for scheme to
be run in south West
-Support decent
homes programme
-Support although
unlikely to meet
needs in Poole
-Support and employ
in Town centre regeneration
-Support proposals
and work them up

Finally, in the Green Paper contained eleven commitments as follows:

  • £ 8 billion investment in affordable homes over next three years 505 increase
  • 70,000 affordable homes a year provided by 2010/11
  • At least 45,000 homes to be rented affordable, 25,000 shared ownership and shared equity
  • 50,000 rented homes at next spending review
  • Additional shared ownership created by Council backed local housing companies
  • Expansion of shared equity mortgages
  • More affordable housing through planning gain
  • More flexibility for Councils and ALMOs to build on Council land where represents value for money
  • Continuation of the decent homes programme
  • More investment /flexible bidding
  • LA/ ALMO building new affordable homes

In conclusion, the Head of Housing and Community Services stated that the proposals signalled a step change in Housing delivery. The Borough of Poole would need to respond and develop proposals to make it competitive in attracting funding.

Members raised the following issues and agreed that they should be incorporated in any response on the Green Paper as follows:

  • The definition of Affordable Housing needed to be looked at to have more of a “local label”. There was a need to change assumptions that Affordable Housing was not just in respect of rented accommodation but also related to shared ownership. The reality was that housing in Poole was too costly and that a large number of residents were not able to get onto the housing ladder. There was also a stigma relating to the term “Affordable Housing”.
  • There was a national crisis with regard to costs for housing and housing in the whole of the United Kingdom was now unaffordable for a large number of people.
  • There were concerns with regard to the number of flats being made available as Affordable Housing and there were not enough homes for families in view of the land costs in Poole, making any development less viable for developers. This also had an effect on the open spaces which were needed for families and flats did not provide this amenity.
  • The current threshold of providing Affordable Housing was causing problems and needed to be addressed through the Core Strategy process.
  • Previously, the Fair Rents Tribunal controlled rents but this was no longer in being and therefore tenants were now vulnerable due to increases in rent which in some cases they were unable to meet, especially when many leases were for limited periods of 6 months only which created instability and hardship.
  • “The Buy to Let” initiative had encouraged some of the problems now being experienced in the rented sector.

Members of the Overview Group requested that a copy of the response to the Green Paper to be circulated to Members in due course.

RECOMMENDED that the proposed responses as set out above, including the comments made by Members of the Overview Group, together with the comments made by the Local Economy Overview Group be submitted to the relevant Portfolio Holders, as this Council’s response to the Government Green Paper.

For:Unanimous (Councillor Meachin was not present for the vote on this item).

CSG23.07GOVERNMENT CONSULTATION PAPER – DELIVERING HOUSING AND REGENERATION: COMMUNITIES ENGLAND AND THE FUTURE OF SOCIAL HOUSING REGULATION

The Head of Housing and Community Services submitted a report and made a short presentation on the Government Consultation Paper with regard to the creation of a new Government Agency – “Communities England”. The consultation paper requested a response by 10 September 2007. It was suggested that the Overview Group considers a response and recommended it to the Portfolio Holder to make a decision on behalf of the Council.

The Government proposal was the amalgamation of the two quasi autonomous National Government Organisations – the Housing Corporation and English Partnerships. The proposal followed independent Reviews which were undertaken, most notably the Cave Review of the Regulation of Social Housing undertaken by Professor Martin Cave. The Paper proposed eight key functions of the new Agency, Communities England, as follows:-

  • Increasing the supply of Housing
  • Regenerating underperforming urban areas
  • Transforming disadvantaged estates through promoting mixed communities
  • Sustaining strong and existing communities
  • Using public sector assets more effectively
  • Innovating to improve efficiency
  • Leavering in significant increases in private finance
  • Driving the adoption of high and rising of environmental standards

If the proposals proceeded the new Agency would be operational by April 2009.

The Head of Housing and Community Services outlined the proposals contained in the consultation paper and the proposed Borough of Poole response:

Consultation Paper Proposals / The Borough of Poole Response
  • Option appraisal agreed with new Agency
  • Transfer of housing growth point status
  • Capital funding for hostels
  • Transfer sustainable communities academy
  • Urban development Corporations
  • Retention of functions by CLG
  • Integration HC and EP housing investment roles
  • Support place shaping role
  • Accountability to ministers with three year plan
  • Separate regulator of social housing
  • New enforcement powers
  • Regulator will ensure engagement on place shaping role
  • Amalgamation of Ombudsman service
/
  • Support options appraisal sign off
  • Support as will help with town centre regeneration
  • Support hostel capital funding transfer
  • Support academy transfer
  • Neutral on UDC
  • Support CLG functions retained
  • Support integration
  • Support place shaping role
  • Support accountability
  • Support separate regulator
  • Support new enforcement powers
  • Support requirement to engage
  • Support amalgamation of Ombudsman service

Finally, the Head of Housing and Community Services stated that, overall the proposals were positive as they rationalised the approach to investment and regulation. However, the Local Authority role was not enhanced but local authorities could run affordable housing investment and regulate all social housing provision. It would be a loss of economy of scale but an increase in local accountability and democratic mandate.

A Member stated that the Paper proposed the transfer of capital investment funding responsibilities to Communities England. This investment was primarily directed towards hostel/rough sleepers where there was a high demand and there were concerns that this funding would have an effect on the Supporting People budget and programme

RECOMMENDED that the proposed response as set out above be agreed and that the Portfolio Holder be asked to respond accordingly on behalf of the Council.

For:Unanimous

CSG24.07FORWARD PLAN

A Member asked if Travellers Sites could be included as an item on the Forward Plan.

Members felt that there would be merit in discussing possible items for inclusion in the Forward Plan at the next meeting of the Overview Group and that this should include the Overview Group Terms of Reference.

AGREED that an item on the Forward Plan be included on the Agenda of the next meeting of the Community Support Overview Group.

CHAIRMAN

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