CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL

 

To: Councillors Adey (Chair), Bell, Blencowe, Coleman, Downham, James (Vice-Chair), Pinnington, J Smith, Stebbings, Todd-Jones.

Alternate member: Councillor Adigun-Harris

 

Executive Councillor: Councillor Smart.

 

Non-voting co-optees:  Mr Gault (Social Services) and Dr Gregson (Cambridge NHS Primary Care Trust);  Mrs K Harris, Mr B Haywood and Ms J Tipple (Tenant representatives).

Members of the Housing Management Board – see below

 

(Despatched and placed on public deposit:  Friday 7 April))

 

HOUSING AND HEALTH SCRUTINY COMMITTEE

 

Date:  Wednesday 21 April 2004

Time: 5.30pm

Place: The Council Chamber, The Guildhall

Contact: John Blunt            

Direct Dial:  (01223) 457012

 

 

AGENDA

1.         MINUTES                                                                                                                 

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 14 January 2004

 

2.         APOLOGIES

            To receive any apologies for absence.

 

3.         DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

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

 

4.                  PUBLIC QUESTIONS (See information below)

 

5          ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR ACT 2003 - (Contact: Alastair Roberts Tel 457836)

 

6              Do-It Yourself shared ownership scheme (Contact: Jane Hollingworth Tel 457854)

 

7          agreement ON Affordable housing provision - with South Cambs DC (Contact Jane Hollingworth Tel: 457854)

 

8          UPGRADING COMMUNAL TV AERIAL FACILITIES (Hilary Newby: Tel 457948)

 

9          SETTING THE Cambridge Standard (Contact Bob Hadfield Tel: 457831)

 

10        PARTNERING WITH CITY SERVICES FOR THE PROVISION OF RESPONSIVE REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE 2004 – 2010 (Contact Bob Hadfield Tel: 457831)

 

11        BEST VALUE REVIEW of Sheltered Housing (Contact Paul McCay Tel: 458367)

 

12        STATUTORY Food SERVICE Plan (Contact: Chris Troy Tel: 457901)

            Appendix A

 

13        STATUTORY Health and Safety SERVICE Plan (Contact: Chris Troy Tel: 457901)

            Appendix A

 

14        General Fund: Revenue and Capital Budgets, Carry Forwards and Significant Variances for 2003/04   (Contact: Kaye Black 458142)

            Appendix A

            Appendix B

            Appendix C

 

15        Housing Revenue Account: Revenue and Capital Budgets, Carry Forwards and Significant Variances for 2003/04 (Contact: Kaye Black 458142)

            Appendix A

            Appendix B

            Appendix C

 

16        Reviewing the HOUSING Allocations Policy (Mike Knight Tel: 457948)

 

17        Homelessness REVIEWS/Appeals Committee  (Simon Hunt Tel: 457932)

 

18        WRITE OFF OF FORMER TENANT ARREARS (Contact: Sandra Grundy Tel: 458312)

            Appendix A

 

19        DELEGATIONS OF AUTHORITY

 

The constitution requires the Executive Councillor for Housing and Health to make decisions on placing Closing Orders on domestic premises on the recommendation of the Housing and Health Scrutiny Committee.

 

In order to ensure the effective and efficient use of statutory powers it is recommended that the Executive Councillor for Housing and Health delegates authority to the Head of Environmental Health and Waste Strategy to take action under section 368 of the Housing Act 1985 to close parts of an house in multiple where the means of escape from fire is inadequate.

 

“It is recommended that the constitution be amended as follows:

 

Part 3- Discharge of Council Functions paragraph 9.3.3, Powers Delegated to Head of Environmental Health and Waste Management Service Area Delegations Executive and Regulatory Functions; Powers Delegated by Executive Councillor for Housing and Health: amend delegation to read (amendment underlined)

 

“All powers concerned with ensuring proper maintenance, upkeep and management of properties for the protection of the safety and well-being of private sector residents including action on unfit, overcrowding, or vacant housing, and the exercise of powers relating to houses in multiple occupation but excluding:

 

the making of closing orders except where the closing order is in respect to an house in multiple occupation where it is required by reason of the means of escape from fire being inadequate”.

 

 

19        RECORDS OF DECISION  (Contact Sue Dellar Tel: 457938)

 

To note the attached Decision by the Executive Councillor (Housing and Health): Wulfstan Court/Wulfstan Way Development Phase 3.

 

            The reasons that this decision has been made outside the Committee cycle are set out in the Record of Decision.

 

20        EXCLUsion of  PUBLIC

 

            Before considering the next items on the agenda, the 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 Category 7 as defined in the Council’s Constitution part 4B (Pages154 and 155).

 

21        Compulsory Purchase Order: PROPERTy N (Contact: Yvonne O’Donnell Tel 457951)

 

 

THE NEXT MEETING FOR HOUSING AND HEALTH SCRUTINY COMMITTEE IS ON WEDNESDAY 7 JULY 2004 AT 5.30 PM.

 

 

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.

o0o

You can ask questions on an issue included on the agenda above, or on an issue which is within this committee’s powers. Questions can only be asked during the slot on the agenda for this at the beginning of the meeting, not later on when 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 the working day before the meeting.  Further details  concerning the right to speak at committee can be obtained from the committee section.

o0o

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.

 

 

 

 

Members of Housing Management Board - Councillors Adey, Downham, James, Pinnington, Stebbings, Todd-Jones

Tenant Representatives – Mr Best, Mr Christofis, Mrs Griffiths, Mr Haywood, Mr Routledge, Mr Sweeney

Executive Councillor: Councillor Smart