Agenda and minutes

(Assistant to the Chief Executive)  To report the appointment of any substitute members for the meeting.

There were no substitutions made at the meeting.

(Assistant to the Chief Executive). To declare interests in any items on the agenda.

In considering whether to declare a personal or a prejudicial interest under the Code of Conduct, Overview & Scrutiny members are asked pay particular attention to paragraph 11 of the Code in addition to the more familiar requirements.

This requires the declaration of a personal and prejudicial interest in any matter before an OS Committee which relates to a decision of or action by another Committee or Sub Committee of the Council, a Joint Committee or Joint Sub Committee in which the Council is involved and of which the Councillor is also a member.

Paragraph 11 does not refer to Cabinet decisions or attendance at an OS meeting purely for the purpose of answering questions or providing information on such a matter.

Pursuant to the Member’s Code of Conduct Councillor Mrs J Whitehouse declared a non pecuniary interest in the following item of the agenda by virtue of being a Trustee of the Lighthouse Furniture Project. The Councillor indicated that she would remain in the meeting for the duration of the discussion on the item:

• Agenda Item 7 Welfare Reform Mitigation Action Plan Quarterly Progress Report Key Action Plan, No 35 Support the introduction and operation of the Home2Home Furniture Recycling Scheme in Epping Forest.

To agree the notes of the last meeting of the Panel held on 17 December 2012. (Attached).

RESOLVED:

That the notes of the last meeting of the Panel, held on 17 December 2012, be agreed subject to the following amendment:

That “Marshall” under “Members Present” be amended to W Marshall, Tenants and Leaseholders Federation.

(Chairman/Lead Officer) The Overview and Scrutiny Committee has agreed the Terms of Reference of this Panel and associated Work Programme. This is attached. The Panel are asked at each meeting to review both documents.

The Terms of Reference and Work Programme were noted.

(Director of Housing) To consider the attached report.

The Panel received a report from the Director of Housing regarding the Housing Improvements and Service Enhancements Fund 2013/14.

In December 2011 the Cabinet approved the strategic approach to the new 30 Year HRA Financial Plan in readiness for the introduction of self financing for the HRA from April 2012. The approach agreed was to plan the repayment of the required loans from the Public Works Loan Board to be taken out to fund the CLG’s required debt settlement over a 30 year period. This enabled the Council to maintain the housing stock to a full modern standard implement a new Council Housebuilding Programme, and allow a lower average rent increase in April 2012 (6%) than assumed by the Government. It also funded an additional £770,000 per annum of housing improvements and service improvements.

The Cabinet had asked the Panel to consider and recommend a proposed list of housing improvements and service enhancements to the Cabinet, utilising the additional funding, which the Panel undertook in March 2012 and its report and recommendations were considered and agreed by the Cabinet in April 2012. At the same time the Cabinet had asked the Panel to consider and recommend to the Cabinet at this meeting the proposed use of the Housing Improvements and Service Enhancements Fund for 2013/14.

The estimated amount available to the Housing Improvements and Service Improvements Budget each year was, in effect, a balancing figure for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) as a whole, over the 30 year period of the HRA Financial Plan.

Since housing-related income and expenditure was ring fenced to the HRA, and the Council had a policy of achieving rent convergence by April 2017, any annual HRA surpluses that were not required for any specific purpose therefore needed to be spent, otherwise they simply resulted in increased HRA Balances, which was why the Housing Improvements and Service Improvements Budget had been introduced from 2012/13. However, since the amount available each year would vary and because some projects would inevitably cost less or more than originally envisaged, or slip, it was suggested that, in future, the budget should be operated as a Housing Improvements and Service Enhancements Fund. 

The Cabinet agreed the Panel’s recommendation that 14 housing improvements and service enhancements be undertaken in 2012/13. Bearing in mind this list was not approved by the Cabinet until after the commencement of the current financial year, it was felt that very good progress had been made with all of the projects over the remaining period of the year. The following summarised the budget position for the overall 2012/13 programme:

(a)        Original budget 2012/13 - £770,000;

(b)        Latest anticipated expenditure forecast - £674,000; and

(c)        Savings/slippage carried forward to 2013/14 - £96,000

The main slippage carried forward was £85,000 for the acceleration of the mains-powered smoke detector installation programme, which was mainly due to the amount of installations required and the late approval of the expenditure for 2012/13 by the Cabinet.

When the HRA Financial Plan was produced in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 52.

(Director of Housing) To consider the attached report.

The Panel received a report from the Director of Housing regarding the Welfare Reform Mitigation Action Plan Quarterly Progress Report.

In March 2012, the Welfare Reform Act 2012 received Royal Assent, the act had many implications for the Council and residents in the district. The main changes effecting the Council were:

(a)        Reducing the amount of housing benefit given to Council and housing association tenants of working age, who under-occupied their property by one or more bedrooms. From April 2013, Council tenants under-occupying their home by one bedroom would have their housing benefit reduced by 14% of the rent, and tenants under-occupying by two or more bedrooms would have their housing benefit reduced by 25% of the rent.

(b)        From October 2013, on a phased basis, paying housing benefit to Council and housing association tenants direct, for them to pay their rent themselves.

(c)        Reducing the maximum amount of rent for which private tenants could receive housing benefit. Only tenants of those private rented properties that had the lowest 30% rents in the district would receive full housing benefit. Any rents above the 30% threshold have had to be paid by tenants themselves.

(d)        Increasing the age threshold for the shared room rate from 25 to 35 years. Single private tenants below this age only received an amount of housing benefit equivalent to the rent they would pay if they lived in a private rented property, shared with another person.

(e)        Reducing the amount of housing benefit for tenants who had non-dependants living with them.

(f)         From April 2013, on a phased basis by local authority area until September 2013, application of a Benefit Cap of £500.00 per week (£350.00 for single claimants).

(g)        From April 2013, introduction of a new Local Council Tax Support Scheme replacing the current national Council Tax Benefit Scheme, with overall funding reduced by 10% from current levels, resulting in reduced Council Tax Support of at least 20% for working age claimants.

(h)        From October 2013, on a phased basis, introducing one universal credit payment to replace a range of different welfare benefits, including housing benefit.

Effects and implications on the Council and tenants – CIH Study

To help the Council prepare for the charges, the Council commissioned the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) to undertake a major study into the impact and implications of the welfare reforms on the Council, tenants in the district and homelessness in Epping Forest, as well as make recommendations on how the Council should respond to the changes, for the benefit of both the Council and residents.

A presentation to members and officers from the CIH in September 2012 on the key findings from the study took place. In summary, they identified the following implications for the Council:

(i)         Increased rent transaction charges of around £52,000 per year, due to the Council’s tenants in receipt of housing benefit having to pay their rent themselves, on a phased basis, from October 2012, through Allpay, direct debit etc.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 53.

(Director of Housing) To consider the attached report.

The Panel received a report from the Assistant Director of Housing (Operations) regarding the Housing Directorate’s Service Strategies on Under Occupation and Housing Advice.

The Directorate’s service strategies were produced 15 years ago within an agreed framework and since then had been regularly updated. In total, 17 strategies had been produced; they assisted the Directorate in achieving the Customer Service Excellence award and Quality Accreditation, and had been important in meeting the minimum requirement for Supporting People funding under the conditions of the contract. The Panel considered and endorsed the updated service strategies.

RECOMMENDED:

That the Housing Directorate’s Service Strategies on Under-Occupation and Housing Advice be endorsed and recommended to the Housing Portfolio Holder for adoption.

(Director of Housing) To consider the attached report.

The Panel received a report from the Director of Housing regarding the Housing Strategy: 6 Month Progress Report on Key Action Plan 2012/13.

In September 2009, the Cabinet adopted the Housing Strategy 2009-12. The Strategy assessed the District’s current and future housing needs and set out the approach to meeting those needs. The strategy included a Key Action Plan which set out the proposed actions that would be taken by the Council contributing towards the achievement of the housing objectives over the first year of the Housing Strategy. It had been agreed that the Key Action Plans should be produced and updated on an annual basis for approval by the Cabinet.

The Strategy had been deferred for a year to 2013 due to the number of important issues that were being concluded over the following year. The Housing Portfolio Holder had agreed that a further Housing Strategy Key Action Plan for 2012/13 should be produced and considered by the Panel, which had been subsequently adopted.

RECOMMENDED:

That the 6 Month Progress Report on the Housing Strategy Key Action Plan 2012/13 be noted.

(Director of Housing) To consider the attached report.

The Panel received a verbal report from the Director of Housing regarding the Council Rent Increase for 2013/14. At the recent Finance and Performance Management Cabinet Committee, members recommended to the Cabinet on the proposed Council Rent Increase for 2013/14. It was advised that there would be an increase in Council rents, on average, by 4.63% per week.

RECOMMENDED:

That the proposed recommendation of the Finance and Performance Management Cabinet Committee to the Cabinet on the Council rent increase for 2013/14 be noted.

(Director of Housing) to consider the attached report.

The Panel received a report from the Director of Housing regarding the Tenant Satisfaction Survey Benchmarking – 2012.

The Housing Directorate had been a member of Housemark, a national housing benchmarking club, for many years. Housemark had devised a new standard Tenant Satisfaction Survey Form, called STAR, for its members to use, to continue to measure tenant satisfaction and benchmarking with other registered providers.

In addition to required standard questions, registered providers could also add a small number of questions of their choosing. The Housing Directorate had commissioned Feedback Services to undertake a Tenant Satisfaction Survey on behalf of the Council. The survey, completed in 2012, had a high response rate of 49%, representing around 17% of all tenants.

Feedback Services produced a report, considered by this Panel in August 2012, which summarised the overall level of tenant satisfaction as “the vast majority of tenants were satisfied with the services provided by the Council.” Since then, more landlords had undertaken their satisfaction surveys and Housemark had produced a Headline Benchmarking Report comparing the satisfaction of the Council’s tenants for the core areas with that of the 46 other registered providers submitting data in 2012. It was advised that the Council’s satisfaction levels were within the top two quartiles for 5 out of 6 core areas, with 2 of these within the top quartile.

However, satisfaction levels were within the bottom quartile for one of the core areas, relating to housing providers listening to tenants. Officers advised that this had come as a surprise, since the Council had a good track record of informing and consulting tenants on relevant issues and responding to their comments. Officers acknowledged that they needed to understand possible reasons for this lower level of satisfaction with the Council listening to tenants’ views. It was therefore suggested that officers discuss with the Tenants and leaseholders Federation as to what these possible reasons might be. Officers also intended to raise this issue with Housemark at the next liaison meeting with them.

RECOMMENDED:

(1)        That the headline findings of Housemark’s Tenant Satisfaction Survey Benchmarking Report 2012 be noted;

(2)        That it be noted that within the headline findings, the Council was within the two top quartiles for 5 out of the 6 headline categories; and

(3)        That officers discuss with the Tenants and Leaseholders Federation possible reasons for the Council’s tenants apparently having lower satisfaction with “listening to their views” compared other providers.

To consider which reports are ready to be submitted to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at its next meeting.

The Chairman advised that he would make a verbal report to the next Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the Panel’s recent work.

The next scheduled meeting of the Panel will be on Tuesday 19 March 2013 at 5.30p.m. in Committee Room 1.

The next meeting of the Panel would be on 19 March 2013.