Agenda item - Minutes of the previous meeting

To consider the minutes of the meeting held on 18 January 2017 (copy attached).

66.1    Councillor Barnett referred to paragraph 54.9 in which she had asked if some areas of the large community lounges could be partitioned to provide a space for mobility scooters.  She had not had a reply to that suggestion. Councillor Barnett also asked for clarification about the Housing Repairs & Improvement Workshop as one email had been cancelled.

66.2    The Executive Director Neighbourhoods, Communities and Housing confirmed that an email had now been sent to all councillors inviting them to a Housing Repairs & Improvement Workshop on Wednesday 22 March 2017. The Workshop was taking place between 9.30am and 11.30am in the Council Chamber at Brighton Town Hall.  The cancelled email had been sent to committee members only as it had subsequently been decided to invite all councillors due to considerable interest in the workshop.

66.3    Councillor Gibson referred to page 10, paragraph 55.3 in relation to right to buy, which read “when the council received the capital receipt it was allowed to use 30% of the total.”  Councillor Gibson considered this was potentially misleading.  The Executive Director agreed to provide new wording regarding this complicated matter.  Generally it was acknowledged that a new purchase could only have 30% off that cost paid by Right to Buy.

66.4    (Wording provided following the meeting is as follows:

The capital receipt from the sale of a council home can cover a maximum of 30% of the cost of building a new home. The remaining 70% is to be found from local authorities’ own resources, borrowing or other monies. Councils have three years to spend the right to buy receipts on new homes. After this period, unspent receipts need to be repaid to the government with interest at base rate + 4%.)

66.4    Councillor Mears referred to page 11 – Housing Revenue Account Budget.  As there had been an amendment at Budget Council to ring fence youth service funding, she considered that it was important that there was a report back to the Committee to explain what was going to happen with the funding.  Councillor Mears referred to page 18, paragraph 56.3. She had received a response to her question this morning regarding the general fund paying the HRA for temporary accommodation on Stonehurst Court.  Councillor Mears asked for clarity about this issue.   The general fund was going to send the rents to the HRA so she assumed that within that rent the HRA will then be responsible for the repairs and management element.

66.5    The Head of Housing replied that she would provide an answer in writing to all committee members.

66.6    Councillor Mears referred to page 23, paragraph 59.3 (Housing Adaptations Framework).  There was a question around the general fund and Councillor Mears had asked for a report back to the Committee.  She stated that when councillors asked for reports back there should be clear indications on timings.

66.7    Councillor Gibson referred to page 17, paragraph 55.33, (d) – “set up a task and finish working group and use the existing consultation process with tenant’s representatives (including Area Panels), members of all parties and officers to review transfers between the HRA and General Fund…..”.  Councillor Gibson stated that he was interested in progress on that issue and asked if it could either be appraised now or to all members of the Committee in writing.

66.8    The Chair replied that a reply would be sent out to members in writing.

66.9    RESOLVED - That the minutes of the Housing and New Homes Committee held on 18 January 2017 be agreed and signed as a correct record subject to the amendments and clarifications outlined above..