Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Deputy Reverend Stephen Haines, Deputy Henry Jones and Gareth Moore.

There were no declarations.

To agree the public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 20 September 2012.

The public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 20 September 2012 were agreed as a correct record.

Joint report of the Chamberlain and the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

The Sub Committee considered a joint report of the Chamberlain and the Director of Community and Children’s Services in relation to the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and Capital Budgets 2013/14.

RESOLVED: That:

      i.        the provisional 2013/14 revenue budget be agreed and submitted to the Finance Committee;

     ii.        the draft capital budget be reviewed and approved; and

    iii.        the Chamberlain be authorised to review the budgets to allow for further implications arising from departmental reorganisations and other reviews and implications arising from Carbon Trading Allowances.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

The Sub Committee received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services outlining the first HRA business report which provided an overview of the key business performance as linked to the HRA Business Plan, which was approved by Members in March 2012.

Members discussed the Right to Buy scheme and raised concern that the scheme did not work in agreement with the City of London Housing Policy. Although no social housing properties had been sold through the Right to Buy, applications were at their highest level for several years and the Corporation had a legal obligation to inform tenants of the scheme. Members were informed that several London Boroughs had responded to the Secretary of State outlining their concerns.

RESOLVED: That:

      i.        a further report to include information on the restraints of the Right to Buy scheme, the implications and challenges this would have on City of London properties and to what degree, the restrictions on the properties that the Corporation could sell and the policy on how any money received from selling properties would be allocated and spent would be submitted to the Community and Children’s Services Committee.

The Director of Community and Children’s Services to be heard.

The Sub Committee received a presentation from the Director of Community and Children’s Services on the Welfare Reform highlighting the national context for the reforms, an overview of how it would affect the City and its residents and the implications and detailed impacts expected.

Debate followed the presentation and a number of points were raised, among which:

·         The Disability Living Allowance would end for everyone of working age even if they had an indefinite period award. They would need to apply online for the new Personal Independence Payments (PIPs), raising concerns that not everyone would have access to a computer, the internet or even know that the new forms had to be completed. This increased the risk of higher rent arrears.

·         The Benefit Team could administer discretionary Housing Benefit on a temporary basis, for example, if a tenant’s situation was expected to change within six months in regards to the Bedroom Cap.

·         Tenants were legally allowed to accept a lodger in order to occupy empty or spare rooms with permission from their Landlord. The option may not be suitable if the tenant had mental health problems and there were risks with accepting a lodger for example, if small children resided in the property. There was no legal obligation to carry out safeguarding checks.

·         Of the 66 households affected by the Bedroom Cap, approximately ten households were thought to be in receipt of benefits close to £26,000 per year which would be the total benefit cap from April 2013. Larger households would be more affected.

RECEIVED

There were no questions.

There were no items of urgent business.

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.

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

Item Nos.                             Exempt Paragraph Paragraph(s) in Schedule 12A

  10 - 12                                                                       3 

  13 - 14                                                                      -

Part 2 – Non-Public Agenda

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 20 September 2012.

The non-public minutes of the meeting held on 20 September 2012 were agreed as a correct record.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

The Sub Committee considered a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services outlining the options appraisal for the Avondale Square Redevelopment of the Community Centre.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

The Sub Committee considered a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services in relation to the comprehensive lift maintenance contract.

There were no non-public questions.

There were no non-public urgent items.