Agenda item

The Chair announced that she wished to invite the Cabinet Member for Homes & Planning, Councillor Tim Ball to give an update on Curo.

Councillor Ball stated that as part of their reorganisation the new board at Curo would exist of twelve members and that a Council nominee would be retained. He informed the Panel that the Corporate Audit Committee were due to receive a report relating to Curo at their meeting on Thursday 27th September, 2012 5.30 pm and depending on the outcome of that meeting he may need to address Curo further on this matter.

The Associate Director for Housing commented to remind the Panel that the Councillor position on the board was not a representative of the Council but a board place prioritised for Bath & North East Somerset Councillors and subject to some form of selection process. 

Councillor Steve Hedges asked if the nominee could take issues form the Council to the Board.

The Associate Director for Housing replied that they could.

The Chair invited Barbara Garrett to make a statement to the Panel.

“Up until recently we have had a good rapport with Somer, with an excellent Resident Committee and Area Panels right from the time they took over the housing stock from the Council, involvement had a purpose. Our opinions were sought and given on any subject that involved tenants.”

“We had 26 members and met every 6 weeks. The new format that has been decided will be for 12 / 13 members to meet every 13 weeks. We now have 2000+ extra properties since Redland joined the Trust and less representatives on the Residents Committee, and no Area Panels – this does not make sense.”

“They have changed all our resident involvement since Redland joined the Trust. This seems to have given them the opportunity to down grade our involvement. Redland appears to have had less involvement. We feel that they should have kept to our higher standards instead of lowering them.”

“We have voiced our feelings about the Area Panel being closed and are being allowed by Curo to run until Christmas, after which we are a voiceless group with no funding and no Curo staff to help us.”

“The Resident Committee was a voice for residents to hold Somer / Curo to account, we set our own agenda and invited members of staff or outside speakers to address the Committee on subjects we were interested in or needed clarification on. No longer is this the case as Curo sets the agenda. We have to sit and listen to what they have to announce, no vote, no consultation. If we object to something we are told they may look at our objections only to return 6 weeks later to state they are not going to alter their plans. This is now their version of resident involvement.”

Councillor Brian Simmons commented whether the residents could take any course of action under the Equalities Act.

The Chair replied that she felt sure that Curo would have acted in accordance with the Act.

Councillor Tim Ball commented that he had requested to see Curo’s Equalities Impact Assessment and had been told that one had been completed, but he had yet to receive it.

The Associate Director for Housing commented that it was unfortunate that the members of the public felt this way. He added that it was a statutory obligation for Curo to now introduce a Resident Scrutiny Panel and that the national intention was for this approach to give the residents a greater influence. He said that Curo should also support the meetings, including financially.

He stated that he was happy to offer his help on the matter and mentioned that residents could also contact Curo’s Regulator, the Homes & Communities Agency if they had any queries.

Councillor Brian Simmons commented that complaints from residents had increased fivefold since changing from Somer to Curo with some complaints not receiving any response for over 5 weeks.

Councillor June Player commented that she found it disconcerting that the residents have a very different impression of the new process.

Councillor Tim Ball acknowledged that information delivery could be better and would report that back to Curo. He added that Curo had also offered to be scrutinised by the Housing & Major Projects Panel.

The Chair invited Gerti Sturm to make a statement to the Panel.

“I'm coming to you to ask for your help. Many of our tenants are in Fuel Poverty. An increase of 9% has been announced, which will get more into Fuel Poverty. The help I need (as I'm IT illiterate) is, could you with your expertise and equipment go on line and provide me with the names of Social Housing Providers across Britain who BULK BUY ENERGY for their tenants.”

“After reading of this in the Independent Newspaper, I thought I was on a winner. I cut out the article and together with a letter handed them to Mr Victor Da Cunha. I did not receive a reply, neither did I receive an answer to my second letter which I sent by mail. I then approached him directly during a break at a meeting. The bottom line is, Curo is NOT BULK BUYING ENERGY for its tenants for the foreseeable time.”

“I then asked to have it put on the agenda at the Residents Committee Meeting (RCM). It was put as an item under Any Other Business. When AOB was announced Mr Victor Da Cunha left the meeting. My report got the full support of the members bar one. It was decided that at the next RCM on the 25th October for me to bring the names of all the Housing Authorities who Bulk Buy Energy for their tenants. It was hoped this would give weight to persuade Curo to do the same for our tenants.”

“The Resident Committee Meeting is on 25th October 2012 at 10am at the Maltings. This is an open meeting which you can attend as an observer. Questions can be asked with the consent of the Chair, but with no voting rights.”

Councillor Rob Appleyard, the Council’s nominee on the Curo Board replied that this matter was taken seriously within Curo and that he would report this request back to them.

He added that when the Board was reduced to twelve members a selection process took place to find a balance of skills. He also felt that better communication on any proposed changes would be a key factor in the relationship between the Board and the residents.

He wished to encourage the residents to familiarise themselves with the work of the Scrutiny Panel that had been set up by Curo as this should look to challenge the decisions made by the Board.

He stated that he was surprised that not one Councillor had approached him regarding the governance of Curo and that he felt that Curo were handling the matter carefully.

Councillor Will Sandry commented that he did not feel that Curo appeared to be focussed on the concerns of their residents. He informed the residents present that the Council’s Corporate Audit Committee was due to meet on Thursday 27^th September at 5.30pm and that they would also be discussing the matter and that they would be welcome to attend that meeting also.

Councillor June Player commented that she would attempt to be present at the Residents Committee Meeting on October 25^th and that she understood the concerns they were raising.

Councillor Steve Hedges suggested that Curo could send a representative to ward PACT meetings as a way of engaging more with residents.

Councillor Brian Simmons commented that he hoped the concerns raised by residents over fuel poverty would be heard by Curo.

Councillor Will Sandry commented that some of the activities carried out by Somer / Curo such as only hedge / grass cutting to a certain point and then stopping have been unhelpful. He added that he didn’t believe they were acting in the best interest of the residents.

The Chair commented that she felt that Curo’s offer to be scrutinised by the Panel should be taken up and that the Panel should be informed of the resolution from the meeting of the Corporate Audit Committee.