Agenda item
Cabinet Member update
The Cabinet Member(s) will update the Panel on any relevant issues. Panel members may ask questions.
Minutes:
The Cabinet Member for Homes & Planning, Councillor Tim Ball addressed the Panel.
Customer Excellence Standard
He said that Housing Services had achieved the Customer Excellence Standard for the third consecutive year. He commented that achieving the standard was important because it demonstrated to the service, partners and customers that they place a lot of importance on getting things right for customers.
He added that the assessor found clear evidence that Housing Services actively use the Standard as a tool for continuous improvement. She said that the consultation on proposals for an Additional Licensing Scheme for Houses in Multiple Occupation was an excellent example of how they are using customer insight to inform policy and strategy. She also praised the proactive approach taken in reviewing the ‘Homesearch’ Scheme which has led to considerable all round benefits and noted that across the whole service they put customers first.
Energy@Home Starter Project
He advised the panel of a new initiative by Housing services and partners, known as the Energy@Home Starter Project which aims to improve the energy efficiency of a number of homes across B&NES and is expected to run until August 2014.
The project includes grants towards solid wall insulation in parts of Twerton and Southdown and fully funded basic heating and insulation measures for residents on certain benefits across the Authority. The majority of funding for the project comes from a £200,000 grant from Scottish and Southern Energy Company which is targeted on the 15% most deprived areas in the Country – hence the focus on parts of Twerton & Southdown.
Housing Prosecutions
Housing Services recently prosecuted three landlords. The prosecutions were as a result of Council inspections which uncovered poor property conditions for tenants, dangerous fire precautions, inadequate heating, broken window panes, and mould, amongst many other problems. Bath Magistrates handed out a combined total of £16,500 worth of fines and costs against the landlords. So far this year Housing Services have now prosecuted 6 landlords and given 2 simple cautions, which used to be known as a formal caution. This clearly demonstrates the Council’s commitment to the national campaign of stamping out rogue landlords that the Council recently signed up to.
Homelessness Figures
He commented that colleagues may have read in the national press the number of homeless households placed in temporary accommodation by English Councils has increased by around 9% in the last year. He was pleased to confirm that this Council had not experienced this trend and indeed numbers had actually dropped. He informed them that while the national rate of households in temporary accommodation is 2.49 households in temporary accommodation per 1,000 households, the rate in Bath & North East Somerset the rate is only 0.27 households. He said he would be keeping a close eye on these figures and would provide further updates if required.
Councillor Nathan Hartley asked if an update was available regarding the Core Strategy.
Councillor Tim Ball replied that the Inspector was to be provided with information on the 5 prospective Green Field sites. He added these were in South Stoke, Weston, Whitchurch and Keynsham (x2).
Councillor Nathan Hartley asked what the next stages in the process were.
Councillor Tim Ball replied that the Inspector was due to report next week if he felt the planned hearings for November / December could take place. He added that he hoped to be in a position to bring the matter back to Full Council in January.
Councillor Nathan Harley asked for a brief update on the issue of Empty Homes.
The Head of Housing replied that at the start of this piece of work there were around 650 – 700 properties identified and that the figure now has reduced to around 500. He added that due to a change in the way Council Tax data is recorded it was only now possible to collect information on properties that had been empty for two years.
Councillor Nathan Hartley asked for Councillor Ball to send his update to the Democratic Services Officer and suggested that Chairs and Vice-Chairs discuss the matter of Cabinet Member Updates further at their next meeting.