Agenda item

(Chairman of the Housing Scrutiny Panel) To consider the attached report (C-076-2013/14).

(1) That the latest out-turn forecasts for each of the projects funded by the Housing Improvement and Service Enhancement Fund in 2013/14, provided at Appendix 1 of the report, be noted;

(2) That the associated expenditure for any slippages on individual projects in 2013/14 be carried forward to complete the projects in 2014/15;

(3) That the following list of housing improvements and service enhancements for 2014/15, and the associated recommendations for each project (as set out at Appendix 2 of the report) be approved:

Doors of Leasehold Flats

(a) That, in order to help ensure that all front doors in blocks of Council flats were fire-protected, a scheme be introduced whereby the Council offers to contribute 75% of the cost of replacing fire-protected front doors to leasehold properties, where the door comes off of an enclosed common part, if leaseholders meet the remaining 25% cost;

(b) That, in order to treat all leaseholders equitably, where leaseholders have already agreed to pay, or have paid, the full amount for the installation of a fire-protected front door, they be given a discount/refund of 75% of the cost, with refunds for installations already paid being applied as a credit to the leaseholder’s 2014/15 annual maintenance charge;

(c) That those leaseholders who, to date, have not agreed to have new fire-protected doors installed, be advised of the proposed scheme and offered to have a new door installed in 2014/15; and

(d) That the scheme be funded through an allocation of funding from the Housing Improvements and Service Enhancements Fund of £125,000 in 2014/15 and £100,000 per annum for the following three years;

Oakwood Hill Estate Enhancement Scheme

(e) That £100,000 per annum be allocated in 2014/15 and 2015/16 (£200,000 in total) to fund an Estate Enhancement Scheme at the Oakwood Hill Estate, Loughton;

(f) That the County Council’s agreement in principle, at the request of the Housing Portfolio Holder, to provide match funding of £200,000 for the Enhancement Scheme be noted; and

(g) That a Member/Officer “Task Force” be established, chaired by the Housing Portfolio Holder, and including senior housing officers, ward members, the ECC divisional member, and representatives from the Oakwood Hill Estate Residents Association (OHERA), the Oakwood Senior Citizens Club and Essex CC Highways;

Communal Kitchens – Sheltered Housing Schemes

(h) That £70,000 per annum be allocated in 2014/15 and 2015/16 (£140,000 in total) to refurbish all 12 remaining communal kitchens at the sheltered housing schemes that now required renewal;

Mobility Scooter Stores

(i) That £50,000 be allocated in 2014/15 to fund the provision and installation of around 25 electric mobility scooter stores, with those schemes with the greatest demand and sufficient space to provide the stores given the greatest priority;

Garden Maintenance Scheme

(j) That Housing Revenue Account (HRA) funding of £40,000 per annum continued to be provided to VAEF for the Council’s Garden Maintenance Scheme for Older and Disabled Council Tenants for a further two years from 2014/2015, with £20,000 funded from the existing budget within the HRA and the remaining £20,000 funded from the Housing Improvements and Service Enhancements Fund;

Wi-Fi – Norway House

(k) That a Wi-Fi system be provided and supported by the Council at Norway House, North Weald, funded by an allocation of one-off funding of £8,000 in 2014/15 and an ongoing support cost of £500 per annum;

(l) That an appropriate level of regulation of internet access be applied, through the use of filters;

(m) That residents not be charged for the Wi-Fi usage, with the cost of access considered to be included within their room charge;

Chalet Replacement Project – Norway House

(n) That £6,000 be allocated in 2014/15 to fund an initial feasibility study to assess the design, planning and other issues – together with the costs - associated with the provision of replacement chalets at Norway House, North Weald;

(o) That the feasibility study includes an assessment of the potential and costs to provide an increased number of chalets in the grounds of Norway House;

(p) That, in principle, the costs of the Chalet Replacement Scheme be met from the Major Capital Project Reserve held within the Fund, at an appropriate time in the future, subject to the approval of the Cabinet; and

(q) That a site visit be arranged for the Scrutiny Panel (and any other interested members) at the appropriate time, following completion of the feasibility study and prior to further consideration being given to the Chalet Replacement Project; and

(4) The amount allocated from the Fund to the Major Capital Projects Reserve in 2014/15 be reduced from £850,000 to £200,000, due to:

(a) The required second year’s funding for Marden Close and Faversham Hall (£508,000);

(b) The proposals being put forward at Appendix 2 for the allocation of resources from the Fund next year (see below); and

(c) The anticipated cessation of the Government’s Rent Convergence Policy from April 2015;

(5) That the proposed £200,000 within the Major Capital Projects Reserve for 2014/15 be used to either help fund a capital project next year (subject to the subsequent approval of the Cabinet or Housing Portfolio Holder), or be added to the funding made available for the Major Projects Capital Reserve in the following year (2015/16), for a larger capital project at that time; and

(6) That, at its meeting in January 2015, the Housing Scrutiny Panel be asked to consider and recommend to the Cabinet the proposed use of the Housing Improvements and Service Enhancements Fund for 2015/16.

The Vice-Chairman of the Housing Scrutiny Panel presented a report on Housing Improvements and the Service Enhancements Fund for 2014/15, as she had chaired the meeting of the Housing Scrutiny Panel when this matter was discussed on 22 January 2014.

The Vice-Chairman reminded the Cabinet that when it had agreed the strategic approach for the Council’s new 30-Year Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Financial Plan, it had requested the Housing Scrutiny Panel to consider and recommend to the Cabinet a proposed list of housing improvements and service enhancements each year, utilising the additional funding made available as a result of HRA self-financing. For the past two years, the Scrutiny Panel had formulated lists of housing improvements and service enhancements, which had been subsequently approved by the Cabinet. An out-turn report on the forecast expenditure and the progress made on the projects agreed for 2013/14 was provided at Appendix 1 of the report.

The Scrutiny Panel’s recommendations for further housing improvements and service enhancements to be undertaken during 2014/15, funded from the additional HRA resources available next year, included: the Front Door Safety Replacement Programme for Leaseholders in Flat Blocks; the Oakwood Hill Estate Enhancement Scheme; the Refurbishment of Communal Kitchens in Sheltered Housing Schemes; the Provision of Mobility Scooter stores at Sheltered Housing Schemes; the Extension of the Garden Maintenance Scheme for Older and Vulnerable Tenants; the Provision of Wi-Fi at Norway House in North Weald; an initial Feasibility Study for a Chalet Replacement Scheme at Norway House in North Weald; and the In-Year Housing Improvements & Enhancements Fund. These projects were estimated to cost £430,000, and a further £200,000 was recommended to be allocated to the Major Capital Projects Reserve in 2014/15. The amount of resources available to spend on new improvements and enhancements in 2014/15 and subsequent years was much less than anticipated a year ago - mainly due to the proposed cessation of the Government’s Rent Convergence Policy from April 2015, which would significantly reduce the expected levels of rental income from 2015.

The Cabinet was requested to agree the proposals put forward by the Scrutiny Panel for 2014/15, and also to determine if it wished the Scrutiny Panel to consider and recommend the proposed use of the Housing Improvements and Service Enhancements Fund for 2015/16.

The Housing Portfolio Holder welcomed the recommendations made by the Scrutiny Panel and commended them to the Cabinet. The Chairman of the Housing Scrutiny Panel thanked the Vice-Chairman for chairing that particular meeting and presenting the subsequent report to the Cabinet. In respect of the Oakwood Hill Estate Enhancement Scheme, the efforts of one of the local members for Loughton Alderton was highlighted. The Cabinet, in approving the recommendations for 2014/15, applauded the efforts of the Scrutiny Panel and requested it to perform the same task next year.

Decision: