Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meetings held on 26 November and 19 December 2012.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meetings held on 26 November and 19 December 2012 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Councillors and officers to declare any interests which they have in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

Councillors and officers were invited to declare any interests which they had in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

The following interests were declared:-

Personal Interest

Dispensations

To consider call-in items (if any).

There were no call-in items to consider.

To consider a Joint Report of the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services and the Service Director (Place Development).

The report provides the Scrutiny Committee with the opportunity to comment on an illustrative Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Budget.  The Executive will be meeting on 4 February to recommend to Council an HRA budget for 2013/14, including the level of rent and service charges.  The illustrative budget is based on a number of key assumptions set out in the report regarding income from rent and service charges; expenditure commitments contained within the HRA 30 year Business Plan and Asset Management Strategy and indicative spending requirements to support inflationary pressures and identified investment priorities.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to comment on the report and the illustrative HRA Budget for 2013/14. 

Officer contact: Michael Cullen on 474 4631 or email: michael.cullen@stockport.gov.uk

Representatives of the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services and the Service Director (Place Development) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing the Scrutiny Committee with the opportunity to comment on an illustrative Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Budget. 

It was reported that the Executive would be meeting on 4 February 2012 to recommend to Council an HRA budget for 2013/14, including the level of rent and service charges.  The illustrative budget was based on a number of key assumptions set out in the report regarding income from rent and service charges; expenditure commitments contained within the HRA 30 year Business Plan and Asset Management Strategy and indicative spending requirements to support inflationary pressures and identified investment priorities.

The Executive Councillor for Supporting Communities (Councillor Mark Weldon) also attended the meeting to answer Members’ questions.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         Consideration was given to the Asset Management Strategy and Business Plan with particular regard to its robustness in the light of the significant variables that may impact upon it over the course of the next 30 years.

·         It was stated that it was important to plan sufficiently for the future in order to ensure that the housing stock could be maintained and to generate revenue to contribute towards the building of more homes in the future.  

·         It was noted that that heating charges accounted for a significant part of householder costs and that additional rises would likely be needed in the future to address the 20% deficit in costs associated with this.  In response, it was reported that Stockport Homes were working closely with other agencies for heat attenuation schemes and securing match funding for the introduction of energy efficient equipment.

·         Concern was expressed with regard to the impact of welfare reform with particular reference to the payment of housing benefit to tenants rather than to Stockport Homes.  It was noted that there were a substantial number of vulnerable tenants for whom this change would place at substantial risk.  Stockport Homes had put in place a breadth of support services to mitigate the risk to tenants.  It was further noted that Stockport Homes could seek to have housing benefit paid directly to them where tenants were in arrears of eight weeks or longer.

·         Those authorities which had piloted the Universal Credit had shown a reduction in collection rates which posed a significant risk; however, the Business Plan had assumed some degree of increase in bad debt provision.  Moreover, it was stated that Stockport Homes had an excellent track record at collecting rents in previous years and had put in place an action plan to provide budgeting advice and preventative work with tenants.

·         The ability of some tenants to be able to afford increases in the level of rent was discussed.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Director of Corporate Service (Stockport Homes).

The report details the current composition of the Board of Stockport Homes and how the current arrangements were working along with proposals for potential improvements.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to comment upon the proposals contained within the report.

Officer contact: Jill Holt on 474 3511 or email: jill.holt@stockporthomes.org

Representatives of the Director of Corporate Services (Stockport Homes) and Service Director (Place Development) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) outlining the current process for the recruitment of tenants to the Board of Stockport Homes and detailing potential options for alternative methodologies. 

It was reported that four members were currently elected on the basis of two geographical constituencies that corresponded with the Stockport Homes’ East and West housing management areas.  A further board member was appointed on the basis of an agreed ‘Tenant Board Member Selection Protocol’.

The Executive Councillor for Supporting Communities (Councillor Mark Weldon) also attended the meeting to answer Members’ questions.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         Encouraging tenants to stand as candidates for the Board and getting others to vote had proved challenging.

·         Other social landlords utilised a range of recruitment methods; however the advice from bodies representing social landlords was that any methodology needed to have the support of tenants.

·         Some members expressed the view that moving away from direct democratic input into the appointment process was a retrograde step.

·         The turnout at past elections for board members had been very low which had the potential to undermine the intention of a directly democratic process.

·         Any proposals for change to the current process would need to be supported in a consultation with tenants; however, the view was expressed that there needed to be an agreed acceptable response rate.

·         The proposal to undertake further consultation work with tenants to explore whether the system of election should be replaced with selection was broadly supported by the Scrutiny Committee subject to any such consultation providing details of how any proposed selection system might operate.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Democratic Services Manager.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to note the résumé of the meeting of the Safer Stockport Partnership held on 29 November 2012.

Officer contact: Beverley Lowe on 474 3209 or e-mail: beverley.lowe@stockport.gov.uk

The Scrutiny Committee considered a résumé (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting of the Safer Stockport Partnership held on 29 November 2012.

RESOLVED – That the résumé of the meeting of the Safer Stockport Partnership held on 29 November 2012 be noted.

To consider a report of the Democratic Services Manager.                                                       

The report sets out planned agenda items for the Scrutiny Committee’s next meeting and Forward Plan items that fall within the remit of the Scrutiny Committee.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to consider the information in the report and put forward any agenda items for future meetings of the Committee.

Officer contact: Damian Eaton 474 3207 email: damian.eaton@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out the planned items for the Scrutiny Committee’s next meeting and Forward Plan items which fell within the remit of the Scrutiny Committee.

The Chair reported that in addition to the items identified within the report, the Service Director (Adult Social Care) would be submitting a report to the next meeting in relation to the case-finding pilot undertaken in Brinnington which had been requested at the 26 November 2012 meeting of the Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.