Agenda item - Minutes of the previous meeting

To consider the minutes of the meeting held on 2 March 2016 (copy attached).

2.1     Councillor Moonan referred to paragraph 67.8 with regard to the SWEP protocol.  She asked this paragraph to be amended.  The SWEP was not about emergency accommodation.  The SWEP would enable a  number of hostels to be kept open in bad weather.  Normally, the criteria was if there were three days of successive cold the SWEP was put into operation.

2.2     Councillor Mears referred to paragraph 64.2 with regard to the review of the future use of the former Oxford Street Housing Office.  She stressed that she had been informed that the report was to be submitted to the Committee on 2 March 2016.  This was then changed to 15 June 2016 but it had not appeared on the agenda.   Councillor Mears asked when the report would be brought to the committee.  The Head of Housing apologised for the delay and stated that the council was in further negotiations with the HCA about the funding of this work.  There was still further work required to formalise the costings which officers would bring to the committee as soon as possible, hopefully in September 2016.   

2.3     Councillor Gibson referred to paragraph 70.19 with regard to the Selsfield Drive scheme.  He asked for the last line to read “There was a need for living rents/social rents as well as local housing allowance rents”.

2.4     Councillor Mears referred to paragraph 64.4 with regard to the overspend on the Mears Contract.  Page 106 of the Policy, Resources & Growth Committee agenda of 9 June (Targeted Budget Management report) had quoted that £513,000 had been recovered from overcharging on the partnership contract.  Councillor Mears asked for confirmation that this was the final figure.  The Head of Housing confirmed that the figure presented to the Policy, Resources and Growth Committee was the figure received.  

2.5     Councillor Mears referred to paragraph 74.8 and 74.9 relating to her questions about homelessness and bed spaces.  With the closing of certain hostels there was a shortfall of 14 beds.  Councillor Mears asked how these beds would be made up and asked for an update on the current situation.  The Assistant Director, Adult Social Care agreed he was happy to provide a response for Councillor Mears on the future hostel provision in the city. 

2.6     RESOLVED - That the minutes of the Housing and New Homes  Committee held on 2 March 2016 be agreed and signed as a correct record subject to the amendments set out in paragraphs 67.8 and 70.19 above.