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Agenda and minutes

Cabinet - Thursday, 2nd November, 2017 6.00 pm

Venue: Committee Room 1, Marmion House, Lichfield Street, Tamworth, B79 7BZ. View directions

Contact: Democratic Services  01827 709264

Items
No. Item

54.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor J Goodall

55.

Minutes of Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 235 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 19th October 2017 were approved and signed as a correct record

 

(Moved by Councillor R Pritchard and seconded by Councillor M Thurgood)

 

 

56.

Declarations of Interest

To receive any declarations of Members’ interests (pecuniary and non-pecuniary) in any matters which are to be considered at this meeting.

 

When Members are declaring a pecuniary or non-pecuniary interest in respect of which they have dispensation, they should specify the nature of such interest.  Members should leave the room if they have a pecuniary or non-pecuniary interest in respect of which they do not have a dispensation. 

Minutes:

There were no Declarations of Interest.

57.

Question Time:

To answer questions from members of the public pursuant to Executive Procedure Rule No. 13

Minutes:

None

58.

Matters Referred to the Cabinet in Accordance with the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules

Verbal report from the Chair of Infrastructure, Safety and Growth Scrutiny Committee on Electric Car Charging.

Minutes:

None

59.

Budget Consultation 2018/19 pdf icon PDF 126 KB

(Report of the Leader of the Council)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report of the Leader of the Council to inform Cabinet of the outcomes arising from the consultation undertaken with residents, businesses and the voluntary sector in accordance with the corporate budget setting process.

 

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet endorse the report and take into account the findings along with other sources of information when setting the 2018/19 Budget.

 

 

(Moved by Councillor D Cook and seconded by Councillor R Pritchard)

 

60.

Council Support For The Starfish Winter Nightshelter For The Homeless pdf icon PDF 252 KB

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Housing Services)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Housing Services to outline arrangements for the provision of a Winter Night Shelter for homeless people for 3 months from December 2017 to February 2018 and to request that Council support be given to the setting up and running of the scheme.  This includes releasing £6,000.00 of Homelessness Prevention Grant via a grant to the Starfish Project Trustees and the Tamworth Covenanting Churches to support the employment of a part time project co-ordinator. The co-ordinator will oversee the setting up and operation of the project until March 2018.

 

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet

1.

Agreed to the Council supporting the provision of a Winter Night Shelter for homeless people for 3 months from December 2017 to February 2018. 

 

2.

Agreed that £6,000.00 Homelessness Prevention Grant be provided as a grant to support the setting up and operation of the project to March 2018.

 

3.

Recommended that outcomes from the project are reported to the Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee following the close of the scheme in March 2018.

 

 

(Moved by Councillor M Thurgood and seconded by Councillor R Pritchard)

 

61.

Urgent Renewal of Peel House Lift pdf icon PDF 176 KB

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Housing Services)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Housing Services to set out the current situation in relation to the defective lifts in Peel House, the impact of lift renewals on the current capital programme and the implications relating to Leaseholders.

 

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet

1.

Endorsed Option 3 detailed in the report allowing for the installation of the EVEN lift to be  delayed until at least May 2018

 

2.

Agreed that the ODD  lift is ordered immediately with a view to installing as soon as possible [Mid-March 2018]

 

3.

Agreed that the consultation process for Leaseholders be waived to allow for immediate ordering and renewal of the ODD lift as it is assessed as immediate and necessary urgent works that without could constitute a breach to Health & Safety and compromise compliance with the Council’s Home regulatory standard. Consultation on the EVEN lift was completed prior to ordering the EVEN lift.

 

4.

Agreed that Leaseholders be charged the maximum amount allowable without having completed statutory consultation of £250.00 each. The contract for the installation of the ODD lift be awarded to Classic Lifts on the basis of their previous submission using a mini-competition under the Fusion 21 Framework.

 

5.

Endorsed the virement of £120,160 from the Housing Revenue Account Prior to Paint revenue budget to the Housing Revenue Account Lift Renewals capital budget to fund the installation of the ODD lift which is an addition to the programme.

 

 

(Moved by Councillor M Thurgood and seconded by Councillor D Cook)

 

 

62.

Pilot - Use of Council stock for temporary accommodation pdf icon PDF 650 KB

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Housing Services)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Housing Services to set out the arrangements for a landlord pilot scheme whereby up to 5 council housing properties will be used for temporary accommodation; between Monday 2nd April 2018 until Friday 29th March 2019.   The report details how this supports the Landlord Regulatory Standard (Tenancy) as well as supporting the Councils strategic housing function in the discharge of its statutory duties around homelessness

 

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet

 

1.

Approved a landlord pilot scheme for the use of up to 5 Council properties as temporary accommodation for homeless households for the period during the pilot.

 

2.

Approved the use of non-secure tenancy agreements for the purposes of the scheme for homeless households placed in Council properties.

 

3.

Approved the implementation timetable contained within the report including arrangements for the review and community based impact assessments arising from the pilot forming part of a further report to Cabinet in July 2019

 

 

(Moved by Councillor M Thurgood and seconded by Councillor D Cook)

 

 

63.

The Council's approach to Emergency Accommodation pdf icon PDF 143 KB

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Housing Services)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Housing Services to update Cabinet on the Council’s strategic approach to the supply of temporary accommodation and the work already completed following a review of the authority’s emergency accommodation. To place this work in the broader context of the Homelessness Reduction Act (HR Act) and the Council’s Homelessness Prevention Strategy.  Additionally, the report requests Cabinet approval to set up an Emergency Accommodation Register for the procurement of bed and breakfast accommodation, to approve amendments to the Councils Temporary Accommodation Policy ensuring that it complies with new legislative requirements and a new Former Tenant Arrears Policy for temporary accommodation.

 

 

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet

 

1.

Approved the development of an Emergency Accommodation Register of emergency accommodation providers.

 

2.

Approved changes to the Temporary Accommodation Policy.

 

3.

Approved the Former Tenant Arrears Policy. 

 

 

(Moved by Councillor M Thurgood and seconded by Councillor S Doyle)

 

 

64.

Purchase Of New Build Properties Under The Council's Acquisitions Policy pdf icon PDF 220 KB

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Portfolio Holder Housing Services)

Minutes:

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Portfolio Holder Housing Services to update Cabinet on the progress of new affordable housing delivery in Tamworth and to agree appropriate financial arrangements are in place to enable the purchase of 8 units of new build housing from Waterloo Housing Group for use as Council owned and managed accommodation.

 

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet

 

1.

Agreed that £750,000 be transferred from available budget intended for regeneration and new build activity to the acquisitions budget. This is to enable the purchase of 8 residential units for housing from Waterloo Housing Group in line with the Council’s Acquisitions Policy.

 

2.

Agreed that the Chief Operating Officer and Solicitor to the Council are delegated authority to enter into a contract with Waterloo Housing Group for the purchase of the 8 No dwellings as proposed above.

 

3.

Agreed to clarify financial position and report back to Cabinet

 

 

(Moved by Councillor S Claymore and seconded by Councillor M Thurgood)