Agenda and minutes
Venue: MP702 - Town Hall, Mulberry Place, 5 Clove Crescent, London, E14 2BG. View directions
Contact: The Committee Services Officer Tel: 020 7364 5554 E-mail: rushena.miah@towerhamlets.gov.uk
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WELCOME, INTRODUCTIONS & APOLOGIES Minutes: Apologies were received from Councillor Andre Woods. There was an apology for lateness from Councillor Shah Suhel Ahmeen.
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DECLARATIONS OF DISCLOSABLE PECUNIARY INTERESTS To note any declarations of interest made by Members, including those restricting Members from voting on the questions detailed in Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act, 1992. See attached note from the Monitoring Officer.
Minutes: There were no declarations of pecuniary interests made. |
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MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING & MATTERS ARISING Minutes: The minutes were approved and signed by the Chair subject to the following amendments: • Members recalled an action for Clarion to attend a scrutiny meeting to discuss its performance; however this was not included in the minutes. Sandra Fawcett, Chair of THHF, advised that she had notified Clarion about the request and they had agreed to meet the Committee. This action was noted for the Strategy and Policy Manager to follow up on. • With regard to the action in agenda item 8 (Social Housing Performance Report Q2), Members clarified they requested for smaller RPs to attend the Housing Scrutiny Sub Committee (HSSC) meeting to discuss performance and any challenges they faced. The Chair asked Members to identify a few RPs they wanted to invite and draw up questions they would like to ask them. Members agreed Universal Credit should be a topic where additional RPs were invited to attend the HSSC meeting
Matters arising: With regard to item 6 bullet point 3 of the minutes (Fire Safety and Building Regulations), a Member queried why Improvement Notices had not been issued if the council had the power to take action. Members requested a written update from Mark Baigent Interim Divisional Director of Housing regarding Improvement Notices.
ACTIONS: • For Clarion to attend a Housing Scrutiny Committee to report on their performance. • For RPs to be invited to the Housing Scrutiny Committee. Members are to contact Abidah Kamali, Strategy and Policy Manager with suggestions for which RPs to invite to discuss the Universal Credit item for the next meeting and put forward some questions that they would like to put to the invited RPs. • For Mark Baigent, Interim Divisional Director, to provide an update on the issuing of Improvement Notices.
RESOLVED: 1. To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 20 November 2018, having made the above amendments. |
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Presented by Mark Baigent, Interim Divisional Director Housing & Regeneration. (10 min presentation followed by 15 min Q&A).
(18:50-19:15) Minutes: [The Chair decided to take agenda items in a different order than published. Item 6: Service Charges for Leaseholders was taken first followed by items 4 and 5. For convenience the minutes will follow the order published in the agenda].
The committee received a report from Mark Baigent, Interim Divisional Director Housing & Regeneration on the Housing Budget.
In response to Members, Officers provided the following:
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TOWER HAMLETS HOMES OPTIONS APPRAISAL (STRATEGIC REVIEW) Presented by Mark Baigent Interim Divisional Director of Housing & Regeneration. (10 min presentation followed by 15 min Q&A)
(19:15-19:40) Minutes: The Committee received an update from Mark Baigent – Interim Divisional Director of Housing on the Tower Hamlets Homes Options Appraisal.
Members had expected ‘to review recommendations and take an informed view of the options presented and implications’. However, due to delayed progress of the review and stakeholder engagements, there was instead a presentation which highlighted the scope of the review, progress and next steps, including a statutory consultation of the options under the Housing Act S105.
The Committee was advised that due to issues of confidentiality, reporting was limited to the Steering Group, which provided Governance for the review. Officers said options would be presented to the Mayor for direction and a consultation would then follow.
The Committee raised concerns around the approach presented and made the following requests:
o Why are the terms of reference of the review, information from consultants, advice and analysis by Steering Group members and notes from Steering Group meetings confidential? o Why can’t the Housing Scrutiny Committee review the draft report and recommendations and feed into the decision making process? Are there legal implications that prevent this?
It was noted that if the Committee were not given the opportunity to review the draft prior to a Cabinet decision, there would be a risk of calling in the decision via the Overview & Scrutiny Committee.
The Committee agreed the Mayor’s response should be circulated to both Members of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee and Housing Scrutiny Committee, preferably before the next Housing Scrutiny Committee meeting on the 26th of February 2019.
RESOLVED:
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SERVICE CHARGES FOR LEASEHOLDERS Presented by Richard Hards – Head of Leasehold Services and Ann Otesanya – Director of Neighbourhood Services, THH. (15 min presentation followed by 20 min Q&A).
(19:40-20:15) Minutes: The Committee received a presentation from Richard Hards, Head of Leasehold Services THH, and Ann Otesanya, Head of Neighbourhoods THH, on services charges for leaseholders.
In response to questions from Members Officers provided the following:
RESOLVED:
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ANY OTHER BUSINESS 7.1 HSSC Scrutiny Review – Housing Open Spaces
7.2 Items for next meeting. Minutes: Members said they would like to invite smaller RPs to the meeting to discuss Universal Credit. Clarion, THCH and East End Homes were identified as RPs Members were interested in inviting.
Sandra Fawcett sought clarity on the discussion. She said the Committee were now discussing bringing in RPs to discuss Universal Credit however, earlier in the meeting Members wished to discuss performance issues. She wanted a steer on what she should communicate to her RP colleagues.
It was agreed that THCH would be invited to the next meeting to share best practice and provide an update on Universal Credit and Clarion would be invited to the April meeting to provide an update on their performance.
The Committee were reminded that the first meeting of the Scrutiny Review sessions would be held on the 19 February 2019.
RESOLVED:
END 20:16 |
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DATE OF NEXT MEETING Extraordinary Meeting – 26 February 2019, 6.30pm, Town Hall Mulberry Place.
Minutes: Tuesday 26 February 2019, 6.30pm, Town Hall, Mulberry Place.
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