Cambridge City Council

 

 

To: Councillors Bagnall, Bell, Benstead, Currie, Griffiths (Chair), James, Liddle, Pinnington, Stebbings, Todd-Jones
Alternate Councillor: Cllr Smart (LD)

Executive Councillor: Cllr Nimmo-Smith

Tenant representatives – Mrs K Harris, Mr B Haywood, Mr T Sweeney

 

(Despatched and placed on public deposit: 2 July 2002  )

 

HOUSING AND HEALTH SCRUTINY COMMITTEE

 

Date:      Wednesday 10 July

Time:             5.30pm

Place:            Committee Room 1, The Guildhall

Contact: John Blunt Direct Dial:  (01223) 457012

 

AGENDA

 

 

THE COUNCIL'S NEW DECISION-MAKING ARRANGEMENTS

 

There will be a short introduction by the Head of Legal & Democratic Services (or his representative) to make sure everyone at the meeting is clear about the role, functions and procedure of this scrutiny committee and how it relates to decision-making by the Executive Councillor.

 

 

 

1            APOLOGIES           

            Apologies for absence.

 

2            DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Members are asked to declare at this stage any interests which they may have in any of the following items on the agenda. If any member is unsure whether or not they should declare an interest on a particular matter, they are requested to seek advice from the Head of Legal and Democratic Services before the meeting.

 

3            PUBLIC QUESTION TIME

 

4A            PROVISIONAL GENERAL FUND REVENUE OUTTURN FOR 2001/02 AND BUDGET CARRY FORWARD REQUESTS INTO 2002/03                                     

p.

Appendix 1            Outturn against Budgets 2001/2002

Appendix 2    Main Variances

Appendix 3            Summary of Carry Forward Requests

(Chief Executive, Directors of Community Services and Finance)

 

4B            PROVISIONAL HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT OUTTURN FOR 2001/02 AND BUDGET CARRY FORWARD REQUESTS INTO 2002/03                                    

p.

            Appendix A            Housing Revenue Account Summary

Appendix B            2000/1 Housing Revenue Account – Main Variances

Appendix C            Summary Carry Forward Request

(Chief Executive, Directors of Community Services and Finance)

5            HOUSING CAPITAL OUTTURN 2001/02                                                                            p.

            (Directors of Community Services and Finance)

 

6            COUNTY- WIDE SUPPORTING PEOPLE STRATEGY

 

            Introduction

            Report and Appendices 1-5

            Appendix 6    The Policy Framework: Key Objectives & Commitments

            Appendix 7    Needs Analysis

            Appendix 8            Analysis of Supply & Resources Invested

(Director of Community Services)

At its meeting in March the Housing and Health Committee decided that the draft Supporting People Strategy 2002-2007 be approved in principle and that the officers be instructed to present the final Strategy at the Housing and Health Scrutiny Committee meeting in July for recommendation to the Executive Councillor for Housing and Health for approval.

 

The Final Supporting People Strategy will be made available to the committee, but will not be finalised until July 3rd and will be issued as a late circulation.

 

7            REVIEW OF Housing Asset Management Plan                                         p.

           

            Appendix A            Housing Asset Management Plan

(Director of Community Services)

 

8            Housing Strategy 2003/08                                                                              p.

 

            Appendix A             Housing Strategy Document     

(Director of Community Services)

 

9                    revisING THE Tenant Compact for 2002/04                                               p.

 

Appendix 1            New Tenant Compact for 2002/2004

(Director of Community Services)

 

10               Housing Management Board amendments                                    p.                       

 (Director of Community Services)

 

11               Housing Revenue Account Business Plan for 2003/04                       p.

 

Appendix 1            Housing Revenue Account Business Plan

(Director of Community Services)

 

12               MEDIUM TERM FINANCIAL STRATEGY  

             (Chief Executive, Directors of Community Services and Finance)

 

Part 4C (Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules) of the Council’s Constitution includes the requirement for the issuing of a Medium Term Strategy (MTS) document.  This document sets out the financial context in which the budget for the following year will be made, issues which are or will be facing the Council, policy priorities and an indication of the approach which Executive Councillors are minded to take in respect of preparing budget proposals.  The document will also outline proposals for consulting the public regarding budget matters.

 

A copy of the draft MTS is being submitted to all Scrutiny Committees for the purpose of consultation. 

 

Scrutiny Committees are asked to submit any views on the MTS to the Leader, who will consider these in agreeing the final version of the MTS document following the Strategy Scrutiny Committee meeting on 15 July 2002.

 

The final version will then be submitted to Council on 25 July 2002 for adoption.

 

The MTS report is attached as a separate document, for ease of reference and to enable Members to retain it for later use.

 

13               grants TO VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS – ANNUAL REVIEW 2002           p.

 

Appendix 1            Statutory and Voluntary Sectors Cambridge City Compact

(Director of Community Services)

 

14               Health and Safety SERVICE Plan                                                                p.

 

Appendix A            Service Plan for Health & Safety Law Enforcement 2002/2003

(Head of Environmental Health And Waste Strategy)

 

15            MONITORING ETHNIC MINORITY HOUSHOLDS AND THE HOUSING REGISTER                                                                                              *To Follow*

(Director of Community Services)

 

16        use of emergency powers - inspection and servicing of electrical and mechanical installations

(Director of Community Services)

Following consultation with the Chief Executive, Director of Finance, Executive Councillor for Housing, Chair and Spokes of the Housing Scrutiny Committee, the Director of Community Services accepted a tender for the inspection and servicing of electrical and mechanical installations in sheltered schemes.  The tender received was valued at £118,995.16 against an original estimate of £60,000. The tender was accepted for 12 months only and officers instructed to investigate ways of reducing the cost for future years. Under the constitution the use of emergency powers must be reported to the next appropriate committee meeting.

 

17            APPOINTMENTS TO OUTSIDE BODIES                                                               p.

(a)       To consider nominations to the outside bodies shown on the attached list.

 

(b)       Community Health Council co-opted member on Housing and Health Scrutiny Committee:  The Chief Officer of the CHC, Penny Fowler, has asked whether it could have a co-opted member on our Housing and Health Scrutiny Committee.  She suggested that Peter Cryer, one of our non-councillors reps on the CHC, would be very able in this role.  We currently have reps from Social Services and housing related organisations on the Committee, but none specifically on the health side, so this suggestion would fill that gap, although any potential co-optee would need to be aware that the majority of the Committee's work is housing related. 

 

18            DELEGATIONS TO OFFICERS

 

On 23 May, Executive Councillors agreed to delegate executive functions to officers as set out in Part 3 of the Council’s Constitution.  These delegations are very similar to those which existed under the committee system. Scrutiny Committees are asked to consider the delegations as agreed and raise any matters for further consideration by the Executive Councillor(s). The delegations agreed on 23 May by the Executive Councillor for Housing and Health are attached.

 

19            EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC

 

Before considering the next item on this agenda, the Sub-Committee is recommended to exclude members of the public from the meeting on the grounds that, if they were present, there would be disclosure to them of information defined as exempt from publication by paragraphs 7 and 9 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

 

20     LOCAL AUTHORITY Social Housing Grant funding of AFFORDABLE housing units at Headington Drive, Cherry Hinton, by Granta Housing Society                                                                                                  p.

(Director of Community Services)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Information for the Public

 

You are welcome to attend this meeting as an observer, although it may be necessary to ask you to leave the room during the discussion of matters which are described as confidential on the agenda.

 

You can ask questions on an issue included on the agenda or on an issue which is within this committee’s powers. Questions are usually asked during the slot on the agenda for this at the beginning of the meeting, or, at the discretion of the Chair,  later  if an issue is under discussion by the committee. If you wish to ask a question related to an agenda item contact the committee officer (listed above under ‘contact’) before the meeting starts.  If you wish to ask a question on a matter not included on this agenda, please contact the committee officer by 10.00am on the working day before the meeting.  Further details  concerning the right to speak at committee can be obtained from the committee section

 

In the event of the fire alarm sounding (which is a continuous ringing sound), you should pick up your possessions and leave the building by the route you came in. Once clear of the building, you should assemble on the pavement opposite the main entrance to the Guildhall and await further instructions. If your escape route or the assembly area is unsafe, you will be directed to safe areas by a member of Cambridge City Council staff.

 

 

The next meeting of Housing and Health Scrutiny Committee is on 30 October 2002.