APPROVED Minutes Housing & Communities 24 08 22
West Dunbartonshire Council · 24 August 2022
Back to Housing & Communities Committee — 24 August 2022 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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HOUSING AND COMMUNITIES COMMITTEE At a Hybrid Meeting of the Housing and Communities Committee held in the Civic Space, 16 Church Street, Dumbarton on Wednesday, 24 August 2022 at 10.00 a.m. Present: Councillors Ian Dickson, Diane Docherty, Craig Edward, Gurpreet Singh Johal, David McBride, Jonathan McColl, James McElhill, Michelle McGinty, Lawrence O’Neill, Martin Rooney and Sophie Traynor. Attending: Peter Barry, Chief Officer – Housing and Employability; Angela Wilson, Chief Officer – Supply, Distribution and Property; John Kerr, Housing Development and Homelessness Manager; Nicola Pettigrew, Housing Operations Manager; Martin Feeney, Building Services Manager; Alan Young, Housing Asset and Investment Manager; Michelle Lynn, Assets Co-ordinator; Alan Douglas, Manager of Legal Services; Stephen Brooks, Working 4U Manager: Nicola Moorcroft and Ashely MacIntyre, Committee Officers. Also Attending: Chief Superintendent Lynn Ratcliff and Chief Inspector Ryan McMurdo, Police Scotland; Group Commander Fraser Grant, Argyll and Bute, East and West Dunbartonshire, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Apologies: An apology for absence was intimated on behalf of Councillor John Millar. Councillor Craig Edward in the Chair STATEMENT BY CHAIR – AUDIO STREAMING Councillor Edward, Chair, advised that the meeting was being audio streamed and broadcast live to the internet and would be available for playback. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST It was noted that, there were no declarations of interest in any of the items of business on the agenda. RECORDING OF VOTES The Committee agreed that all votes taken during the meeting would be done by roll call vote to ensure an accurate record.
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OPEN FORUM The Committee noted that no open forum questions had been submitted by members of the public. HOUSING AND EMPLOYABILITY DELIVERY PLAN 2021/22 YEAR END PROGRESS REPORT A report was submitted by the Chief Officer - Housing and Employability, presenting the year-end progress report for the 2021/22 Delivery Plan as agreed at Committee on 05 May 2021. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer - Housing and Employability in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed to note progress made on the delivery of the 2021/22 plan. HOUSING ASSET & INVESTMENT DELIVERY PLAN 2021/22 YEAR END PROGRESS A report was submitted by the Chief Officer - Supply, Distribution and Property, providing the year-end progress of the 2021/22 Delivery Plan. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer - Supply, Distribution and Property in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed to note progress made on the delivery of the 2021/22 plan. MORE HOMES WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE – WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL AFFORDABLE HOUSING SUPPLY DELIVERY PROGRAMME A report was submitted by the Chief Officer - Housing and Employability, providing an update on progress with West Dunbartonshire’s More Homes Programme, which oversees the delivery of the Council’s new home building programme. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer - Housing and Employability Housing Development and Homelessness Manager in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, Councillor Edward, seconded by Councillor McGinty moved:- that the Committee agrees :- (1) to note the content of the report and the progress made to date in the delivery of the Council’s More Homes West Dunbartonshire approach including the forthcoming practical completion and handover of the latest development project at Queen’s Quay (Site B) scheduled for early September subject to meeting all planning conditions;
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(2) to approve the commitment that all future new homes programmed within our More Homes delivery programme building are consistent with our Net zero ambitions outlined within paragraph 4.4 of the report; (3) to approve the undertaking to conduct procurement exercises for identified sites within the Future New Build – West Dunbartonshire Affordable Housing Supply Programme. Refer to Table 2 of the report: Identified Additional Future Sites; (4) to approve the undertaking, to conduct procurement exercises for the maintenance contracts required for Net Zero technologies including Solar Panels and MVHR (Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery) units as referenced in paragraph 4.19 of the report, and approve the revenue spend included in the report, including approval to explore and secure multi-year contracts, contracts utilising framework agreements (FA) or contracts utilising dynamic purchasing systems (DPS), beyond the term of approved budgets where efficiencies and savings can be achieved; (5) to approve the transfer of the site at Old Bonhill referenced at paragraph 4.18 of the report from the General Fund to the Housing Revenue Account for the delivery of new Council homes for £160k subject to clear title and; (6) that a briefing note be circulated, on the funding for on-going Alexandria Town Centre public realm improvements be issued to members, focused on Regeneration Capital Grant Funds and Place Based Investment Funding. As an amendment, Councillor McColl, seconded by Councillor Ian Dickson moved:- That the Committee agrees the recommendations contained in the report and all future Council housing development include provision for electric car charging facilities and the infrastructure to allow for future expansion. On a roll call vote being taken, 5 Members voted for the amendment, namely Councillors Dickson, Docherty, McColl, McElhill and Traynor and 6 Members voted for the motion, namely Councillors Edward, Johal, McBride, McGinty, O’Neill and Rooney. The motion was declared carried. SCOTTISH SOCIAL HOUSING CHARTER/REGULATION OF SOCIAL HOUSING IN SCOTLAND ANNUAL UPDATE REPORT A report was submitted by the Chief Officer - Housing and Employability providing West Dunbartonshire Council’s annual progress report on meeting the requirements of the Scottish Social Housing Charter. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer - Housing and Employability, Housing Development and Homelessness Manager and Housing Operations Manager in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed:-
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(1) to note the contents of the report, recognising the ongoing impact the Covid- 19 pandemic has had on 2021/22 performance and the key areas of focus for the Housing Improvement Board during 2022/23 outlined at paragraph 4.19 of the report; and (2) to agree that a further progress report on the Scottish Social Housing Charter be submitted to the November 2022 meeting of the Housing and Communities Committee. This report will include detailed benchmarking performance information against all local authorities in Scotland highlighting the impacts of the pandemic on housing and homelessness services across Scotland. “HOME AT THE HEART 2019-24” WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE’S RAPID RE- HOUSING TRANSITION PLAN UPDATE AND NEW APPROACHES TO HOMELESSNESS PROGRESS REPORT Chief Officer - Housing and Employability, providing an update on “Home at the Heart” our Rapid Re-housing Transition Plan (RRTP), for the period 2019-24 and new approaches to homelessness, submitted a report. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer - Housing and Employability Housing, Development and Homelessness Manager, Housing Development and Homelessness Team, in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed:- (1) to note the progress made in the first three years of “Home at the Heart”, which has informed an update report submitted to the Scottish Government at the end of June 2022 and note the main objectives for Year 4 in Appendix 1 of the report; (2) to approve that the Year 3 underspend outlined at paragraph 4.11 of the report is used to meet the objectives of the West Dunbartonshire Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan, together with the Year 4 funding allocated by the Scottish Government; (3) to approve the spend and activity template of the Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan, as Appendix 2 to the report; (4) to note the uncertainty around future funding and specifically the risk to our Housing First approach; and (5) to note that an annual update and progress report will be provided to the Housing and Communities Committee in May 2023. “INVOLVING YOU”, WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL’S TENANT PARTICIPATION STRATEGY 2021-24 – ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT
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A report was submitted by the Chief Officer - Housing and Employability, providing an annual progress report on the implementation of “Involving You”, West Dunbartonshire Council’s Tenant Participation Strategy which covers the period 2021-24. After discussion and having heard the in Chief Officer - Housing and Employability further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed to note the progress and the achievements made in relation to the implementation of the first year of the strategy’s action plan, including the key role played by tenant representatives in improving housing services. UK SHARED PROSPERITY FUND A report was submitted by the Chief Officer - Housing and Employability, highlighting the launch of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and outlining a proposed approach for West Dunbartonshire Council input into the Glasgow City Region Investment Plan. After discussion and having heard the Working 4U Manager in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed:- (1) to note the publication of the UKSPF prospectus including the associated financial allocations; (2) to note the general approach to the development of the Glasgow City Region Investment Plan; and (3) to note the general approach for the proposed allocation of resources. HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT BUDGETARY CONTROL REPORT TO 31 JULY 2022 (PERIOD 4) A report was submitted by the Chief Officer - Resources, providing an update on the financial performance to 31 July 2022 (Period 4) of the HRA revenue and capital budgets for 2022/23. After discussion the Committee agreed:- (1) to note that the revenue analysis showed a projected annual favourable variance of £0.008m; and (2) to note the net projected annual position in relation to the capital plan was highlighting an in-year adverse variance of £0.319m ( 0.43%) as detailed in Appendix 4 of the report. FINANCIAL REPORT 2022/23 AS AT PERIOD 4 (31 JULY 2022)
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A report was submitted by the Chief Officer - Resources, providing an update on the financial performance to 31 July 2022 (Period 4) of those services under the auspices of Housing and Communities Committee. After discussion, the Committee agreed:- (1) to note the contents of the report, which showed the revenue budget forecast to underspend against budget by £0.089m (2.17%) at the year-end. (2) to note the net projected annual position in relation to relevant capital projects which was showing no projected variance; and (3) to note the progress on efficiencies incorporated into budgets for 2022/23. SCRUTINY REPORTS (A) POLICE SCRUTINY REPORT A report was submitted by the Divisional Commander, Police Scotland, providing members with an update on progress against the Local Police Plan. After discussion and having heard Chief Superintendent Ratcliff and Chief Inspector McMurdo, Police Scotland, the Committee agreed to note the update provided. (B) FIRE AND RESCUE SCRUTINY QUARTER 4 REPORT A report was submitted by the Local Senior Officer, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, providing appropriate performance data measured against priorities in the West Dunbartonshire Local Fire and Rescue Plan. After discussion and having heard Group Commander Grant, Argyll and Bute, East and West Dunbartonshire, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, the Committee agreed to note the content of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service West Dunbartonshire Council Quarter 4 Report. The meeting closed at 1.22 p.m.