Agenda item - Chairs Communications

49.1    The Chair stated the following:    

“I am pleased to welcome you all to Housing and New Homes Committee. As we have a packed agenda, I will keep my Communications short. As you may have read in the local paper or seen on the news, we unfortunately had a fire on Friday in one of our flats on Donald Hall Road. My thoughts are with the gentleman who was admitted to hospital following the fire in his flat.

Although I am satisfied with the way the fire was contained to one flat, the fire doors worked and the fire service were able to quickly put out the fire, I was very disappointed with the initial response from officers and I have asked the Executive Director to review what happened, and how we can ensure that we learn from this incident and report back to the tenants  and members.

On a more positive note – I was pleased we have been successful in a bid to MHCLG for funding from their Rogue Landlord Enforcement Grant Fund. We have been awarded the full amount requested of £34,820.00.

 This is to support development of an online form for private rented tenants who are experiencing issues with the management and standards of their home.  This will enable a full assessment of the issue at the first point of enquiry and enable the council to make best use of resources to more effectively target enforcement activity. 

I was very pleased to visit Tilbury Place on Monday with Councillors Hill and Gibson to see the latest development in our initiative to increase the supply of council owned temporary accommodation. This scheme will provide 15 units of much needed council owned accommodation to achieve savings against the cost of procuring more expensive options in the private market.”