Approved Minutes Housing and Communities Committee 23 11 22
West Dunbartonshire Council · 23 November 2022
Back to Housing & Communities Committee — 23 November 2022 and its agenda
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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, 23 November 2022 at 10.00 a.m. Present: Councillors Ian Dickson, Diane Docherty, Gurpreet Singh Johal, David McBride, Jonathan McColl, James McElhill, Michelle McGinty, John Millar, Lawrence O’Neill, Martin Rooney, Hazel Sorrell and Sophie Traynor. Attending: Peter Hessett, Chief Executive; 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, Asset Co-ordinator; Nigel Ettles, Section Head – Litigation (Legal Officer) and Nicola Moorcroft and Lynn Straker, Committee Officers. Also Attending: Superintendent Derek Lang and Chief Inspector Ryan McMurdo, Police Scotland; Group Commander Gregg McKearney, Argyll and Bute, East and West Dunbartonshire, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. Councillor Gurpreet Singh Johal in the Chair STATEMENT BY CHAIR – AUDIO STREAMING Councillor Johal, 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 MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING The Minutes of the Meeting of the Housing and Communities Committee held on 24 August 2022 were submitted and approved as a correct record. VARIATION IN ORDER OF BUSINESS Having heard the Chair, the Committee agreed to vary the order of business as hereinafter minuted. SCRUTINY REPORTS (A) POLICE SCRUTINY REPORT A report was submitted by the Divisional Commander, Police Scotland providing Members with an update. After discussion and having heard Superintendent Lang and Chief Inspector McMurdo, Police Scotland, the Committee agreed to note the update provided. (B) FIRE AND RESCUE SCRUTINY REPORT A report was submitted by 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 McKearney, 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 2 (1 July 2022 – 30 September 2022) Report.
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HOUSING AND EMPLOYABILITY DELIVERY PLAN A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Housing and Employability providing the Housing and Employability delivery Plan for 2022/23. 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 the contents of the Plan. SUPPLY DISTRIBUTION AND PROPERTY DELIVERY PLAN 2022/23 – HOUSING ASSET AND INVESTMENT AND BUILDING SERVICES A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Supply, Distribution and Property providing the Housing, Asset and Investment and Building Services elements of the Supply Distribution and Property (SD&P) Delivery Plan 2022/23. 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 the contents of the Plan. MORE HOMES WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE STRATEGIC INVESTMENT PLAN 2023/24 – 2027/28 UPDATE REPORT A report by the Chief Officer – Housing and Employability seeking approval for the More Homes West Dunbartonshire Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) for 2023/24 – 2027/28 which was required to be submitted to the Scottish Government. After discussion and having heard the Housing Development and Homelessness Manager in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed:- (1) the draft Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) 2023/24 - 2027/28 which formed Appendix 1 to the report, designed to assist in the delivery of an ambitious programme of new affordable homes as supported by the new West Dunbartonshire Local Housing Strategy 2022 -27; and (2) to invite the Chief Officer – Housing and Employability to successfully implement the Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) in partnership with relevant stakeholders. 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.
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After discussion and having heard the Housing Development and Homelessness Manager in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed:- (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 practical completion and handover of the latest development project at Queens’ Quay (Site B); (2) to approve the undertaking to conduct all necessary procurement exercises for the new identified sites within the Future New Build – West Dunbartonshire Affordable Housing Supply Programme identified in section 4.3 of the report, to deliver new council homes; and (3) to approve the acquisition of the former Clydebank Health Centre site, at the cost of £707,400 from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, for the delivery of new Council homes. FORMER TENANT RENT ARREARS WRITE-OFFS 2022-2023 QUARTER 2 A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Housing and Employability, seeking approval for the write-off of rent arrears for Quarter 2 of 2022/23 for former tenants, arising from various years and reasons as detailed in Table 1 of the report. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – Housing and Employability in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed to approve the write-off of former tenant arrears accounts, totalling £167,878.17. SCOTTISH SOCIAL HOUSING CHARTER / REGULATION OF SOCIAL HOUSING IN SCOTLAND – PROGRESS REPORT A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Housing and Employability providing the Scottish Social Housing Charter indicators and an update into how the Council is meeting the requirements of the Scottish Housing Regulator’s Regulatory Framework. After discussion and having heard the Housing Development and Homelessness Manager in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed:- (1) to note the contents of the report recognising the continued impact the COVID -19 pandemic had on 2021/22 performance; (2) to note that a Charter Improvement Plan had been developed based on a comprehensive assessment of performance and had informed the production and publication of an annual Charter Performance Report;
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(3) to endorse and retrospectively approve the Annual Assurance Statement which had been signed by the Housing and Communities Committee Convener, on behalf of the Housing and Communities Committee and submitted to the Scottish Housing Regulator in line with our regulatory requirement; and (4) to note that a full annual progress report on the Scottish Social Housing Charter would be submitted to the September 2023 meeting of the Housing and Communities Committee. HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT (HRA) BUDGETARY CONTROL REPORT TO 30 SEPTEMBER 2022 (PERIOD 6) A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources providing an update on the financial performance to 30 September 2022 (Period 6) of the HRA revenue and capital budgets for 2022/23. After discussion, the Committee agreed:- (1) to note the revenue analysis showed projected adverse variances of £1.363m which will be offset by reducing the contribution from revenue to capital (CFCR) therefore netting to a revenue break even position; and (2) to note the net projected annual position in relation to the capital plan highlighted an in-year variance of £27.230m (41.5%) which is made up of projects requiring reprofiling of £27.816m (42.4%) and overspend of £0.585m (0.9%). FINANCIAL REPORT 2022/23 AS AT PERIOD 6 (30 SEPTEMBER 2022) A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources providing an update on the financial performance to 30 September 2022 (Period 6) of those services under the auspices of the Housing and Communities Committee. After discussion, the Committee agreed:- (1) to note the contents of the report which shows the revenue budget forecast to overspend against budget by £0.131m (2.82%) at the year-end; (2) to note the net projected annual position, in relation to relevant capital projects, was showing no projected variance; and (3) to note the progress on efficiencies incorporated into budgets for 2022/23. The meeting closed at 12.12 p.m.