Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Anthony Llewelyn-Davies.

Deputy Henry Jones declared an interest as a leaseholder on the Middlesex Street Estate, and as a business leaseholder.

Gareth Moore declared an interest as a tenant of the Golden Lane Estate.

To agree the public minutes of the meeting held on 23 May 2012 (copy attached).

The public minutes of the meeting held on 23 May 2012 were approved, subject to Peter Leck to be marked as present.

Joint report of the Chamberlain and Director of Community and Children’s Services (copy attached)

The Sub Committee received a joint report of the Chamberlain and Director of Community and Children’s Services, which compared the outturn for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) in 2011/12 with the final agreed budget for the year.

The Housing Service Director undertook to investigate the £16,000 overspend of the ‘Tenants Grants and Compensation’ budget.

Members were informed that any underspend in the HRA budget would be rolled over to the following year. A revised business plan would be submitted to the November Sub Committee meeting and would include opportunities and/or recommendations for reinvesting any surpluses/savings.

RECEIVED

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services (copy attached)

The Sub Committee received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services, which presented Members with the third Annual Report for Tenants and summarised the results of the STAR tenant satisfaction survey.

The STAR survey showed that tenant satisfaction with the overall service provided by the City of London had remained high and in the top quartile nationally. This was a great achievement given the recent front-line staffing changes and the national rent increases that followed.

The Annual Report to Tenants provides information on the STAR survey results as well as the routine performance information. The Report will be delivered to all tenants over the next few weeks.

The Housing Services Director agreed that there is on-going work to ensure satisfaction with the repairs service is treated as a priority and that we look more deeply at why some tenants do not feel that we take their views into account. Managing expectations is important as part of this work.

Members debated the possibility of officers discussing with residents the option of increasing service charges to cover the cost of offering further services, should they want them. This will be explored during the financial modelling of the HRA business plan and contained in the above mentioned report to Committee in November. 

The Housing Service Director informed Members that two new members of staff with previous call centre experience had been hired to answer general enquiry calls, in a bid to improve telephone satisfaction levels. He was conscious of the rising levels of energy bills and would be investigating ways in which energy could be provided to residents in a more cost effective way.

RECEIVED

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services (copy attached)

The Sub Committee received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services which provided an update on events and activities on the City of London Corporation’s 11 social housing estates.

Members were informed that the consultation on the name of the new library and community centre was currently underway to include a wide group of stakeholders. Residents on the Middlesex Street estate had already been consulted and their views would be taken in to account.

The Sub Committee agreed that the work of Harper Ozkulac, the estate officer for the Holloway Estate, should be highlighted.

RECEIVED

There were no questions.

Jubilee Celebrations

The Sub Committee was shown a short PowerPoint presentation comprising pictures of various housing estate residents celebrating during the Jubilee weekend.

RECEIVED

Jubilee Party Funding

Deputy Henry Jones thanked the City of London Corporation and the Housing Management Sub Committee for their financial contribution towards the Jubilee parties on the housing estates.

MOTION - That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act as follows:-

                            10 - 11                                                                           3

                            12 - 13                                                                           -  

    RESOLVED - That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the

    public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds

    that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3

    of Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act as follows:-

             10-11                                                                          3         

             12-13                                                                          -

SUMMARY OF MATTERS CONSIDERED

WHILST THE PUBLIC WERE EXCLUDED