NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE COUNCIL
HOUSING CABINET MEMBER
15 August 2002
96 (22) BETTER HOMES - PROGRESS ON KEY
ISSUES - The Director of Environment and Public Protection
and the Director of Social and Housing Services submitted a joint
report which considered progress on Key Better Homes issues and
proposed a resourcing strategy to tackle key elements of
performance in some specific areas of housing research, enforcement
and advice relevant to the council's priorities.
The Better Homes best value review was highlighting some areas
of under-performance and under-resourcing which needed to be
addressed if progress was to be made. An improvement plan and
resourcing strategy had been developed to take forward existing
work, increase intervention levels and, in some areas, introduce
new initiatives.
The targets set for 2001/2002 by the council for the number of
unfit homes made fit or demolished, and for vacant private sector
dwellings returned into use or demolished had not been achieved for
a variety of reasons. Whilst substantial Home Zone money had just
been received for the next five years to improve some streets in
the Crosby area of Scunthorpe for both pedestrians and residents, a
more fundamental improvement plan for the council's wider area
as a whole was underway and a resourcing strategy being
devised.
Resolved - (a) That key issues in respect of
Best Value Indicators 62 (the proportion of unfit private sector
dwellings made fit or demolished) and 64 (vacant private sector
dwellings returned into occupancy or demolished) be progressed, and
(b) that proposals for funding strategies to tackle the key
elements of the Housing Improvement Plan in respect of a
cross-tenancy stock condition survey and an independent housing
advisory service be developed.
The following item contains exempt information as described in
paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act
1972.
97 (23) HOUSING SERVICES
RESTRUCTURE - The Director of Social and Housing Services
referred to minute 156 of the Cabinet of 19 July 2002 approving the
overall principles for the restructuring of the housing service and
submitted a report giving details of establishment changes
necessary to bring about the restructure of the public sector
service.
The restructure addressed the shortcomings identified by
external inspection and aimed to improve the services provided to
council tenants and other customers.
Attached as appendices to the report were detailed proposals for
each part of the service.
Resolved - (a) That the overall proposals for
the restructure and staffing of the housing service be approved,
and (b) that the staffing implications be referred to the Corporate
Services Cabinet Member for approval.
