NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE COUNCIL
HOUSING CABINET MEMBER
6 December 2002
119 (44) RECOGNITION OF RESIDENTS
ASSOCIATIONS - Riverdale Residents Association - The
Director of Social and Housing Services submitted a report seeking
approval for the official recognition of the Riverdale Residents
Association.
Appended to the report was a copy of the association's
constitution which was in accordance with the council's
guidelines for associations.
The association had been successful in generating positive
community interest in their area regarding tenant participation
opportunities.
Resolved - That the Riverdale Residents
Association be officially recognised by the council and be eligible
for membership of the Residents Forum.
120 (45) Mary Street West Residents
Association - The Director of Social and Housing Services
submitted a report seeking approval for the official recognition of
the Mary Street West Residents Association.
Appended to the report was a copy of the association's
constitution which was in accordance with the council's
guidelines for associations.
The association had been successful in generating positive
community interest in their area regarding tenant participation
opportunities.
Resolved - That the Mary Street West Residents
Association be officially recognised by the council and be eligible
for membership of the Residents Forum.
121 (46) HOUSING AND COUNCIL TAX
BENEFITS - DEPARTMENT FOR WORK AND PENSIONS (DWP) PERFORMANCE
STANDARDS - The Director of Corporate Affairs submitted a
report giving details of performance standards for housing and
council tax benefits issued by the DWP. He sought approval for the
council to adopt these standards and identified resource issues
arising from their implementation.
The Minister for Works and Pensions launched the standards in
March 2002. The DWP produced them with the help of the Benefits
Fraud Inspectorate (BFI), other professional bodies, council
seconded staff, and customer representatives. They were piloted
during 2001 in 14 councils.
The standards had to be used in councils to monitor and improve
performance. They had to be formally adopted and written into the
policies of housing benefits sections.
Details of the aims and objectives of the standards were set out
in the report.
The standards were split into seven distinct sections, each of
which was commented upon in the report.
Resolved - That approval be given to the
adoption of the DWP performance standards, as detailed in the
report.
122 (47) WOMEN'S REFUGE
IMPROVEMENTS - The Director of Social and Housing Services
submitted a report on a proposal to transfer ownership of council
properties to Stonham Housing Association and to assist the
association during refurbishment works and agree decant
arrangements.
The council had supported Stonham Housing Association for a
number of years in its bids to the Housing Corporation to replace
or to refurbish the Women's Refuge in Scunthorpe. Last year the
bid failed partly because suitable decant arrangements for the
women currently in the hostel were not resolved to the satisfaction
of the Housing Corporation.
The level of funding needed to replace the hostel had not been
available in previous years. This was due to the amount of Housing
Corporation funding already committed to other priority projects in
the council's area, eg the Priory Lane redevelopment. The level
of funding required may be a factor in determining whether the bid
for funding is successful again this year.
Stonham had decided against a new build project. The location of
the existing building was good with its close proximity to the town
centre of Scunthorpe and local services. Refurbishment and
extension of the existing refuge was a cheaper option in terms of
capital social housing grant needed from the Housing Corporation.
This option therefore had a greater chance of receiving funding in
the near rather than the distant future.
Should the bid for funding be successful, Stonham Housing
Association would need to decant the existing residents of the
refuge for the period of building works, likely to be nine to ten
months. Stonham would need up to six properties and the report
proposed that these be leased to the Association by the council,
Stonham required a letter of support from the council in order to
submit their bid for Housing Corporate funding. The letter needed
to detail decant arrangements or at least convince the Corporation
of the council's commitment to delivering decant properties
with the details to be resolved prior to commencement of the
capital works.
Resolved - (a) That a letter of support from
the council to help Stonham Housing Association in their bid for
Housing Corporation funding, indicating the council's agreement
to provide sufficient decant properties at the appropriate time, be
approved; (b) that a further report be submitted to the Housing
Cabinet Member on the relative merits of either leasing the decant
properties to Stonham on a short term basis or giving the refuge
residents temporary tenancies with the council, and (c) that a
further report be submitted to the Housing Cabinet Member
considering the possible transfer of the four council properties
currently operating as a Women's Refuge.
123 (48) CAR PARKING
ENFORCEMENT - The Director of Social and Housing Services
informed the cabinet member of the number of complaints from
council house residents about people abusing 'residents
only' car parking areas. He submitted a report seeking approval
for a car parking enforcement strategy, including wheel clamping,
in 'residents only' car parking areas to deal with the
matter
The worst affected areas were Market Hill and the Wilsons Close
and Hinman Walk developments near to Scunthorpe town centre and
involved people who were shopping. With the redevelopment of the
town centre it was felt that the situation would worsen due to
drivers being unwilling to pay for car parking.
Car parking permit procedures were already in use. This helped
authorised residents and visitors to the buildings but there was
still a problem with unauthorised use. Whilst there were by-laws to
stop unauthorised people parking in specific designated parking
areas, these were difficult to enforce. There was also a lack of
staff to monitor the car parking areas.
In view of this it was proposed to explore the use of wheel
clamping to deter people from using the 'residents only'
car parking areas.
Residents and associations in the affected areas had been
consulted and supported the proposal.
Resolved - (a) That a car parking enforcement
strategy in council 'residents only' car parking areas be
prepared; (b) that the Director of Social and Housing Services, in
consultation with the Housing Cabinet Member identify and enter
into a contract with an appropriate contractor to implement the
enforcement strategy; (c) that an implementation plan be prepared
in conjunction with the Housing Cabinet Member, and (d) that a
report be submitted to the Housing Cabinet Member in 12 months
reviewing the strategy.
The following items contain exempt information as defined in
paragraphs 1 and 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local
Government Act 1972.
124 (49) LOCAL SETTLEMENT OF RIGHT TO
BUY COMPLAINT - MRS S. The Director of Social and Housing
Services submitted a report on reasons for seeking cabinet member
approval for the payment of compensation for overpayment of rent
pending the completion of the sale of her property, and for the
costs of repairs undertaken during the period before the sale was
completed.
The matter had been the subject of a complaint by Mrs S via the
Local Government Ombudsman.
Resolved - That the Director of Corporate
Affairs, in consultation with the Housing Cabinet Member, negotiate
the payment of a local settlement to the tenant for overpayment of
rent.
125 (50) YOUTH BUILD - The
Director of Social and Housing Services submitted a report
informing the cabinet member of progress on the youth build scheme
for North Lincolnshire, and seeking to appoint Monica Chatterton of
Doorstep, for an interim period, to drive the project forward until
a training and funding package was in place.
The council's housing strategy highlighted a need to find
ways of tackling youth homelessness in North Lincolnshire. A youth
build scheme had been identified as one option to tackle the
problem. Youth build projects worked with a range of partners to
provide young people with training in construction trades and their
own accommodation. It sought to address the needs of socially
excluded young people.
A small pilot refurbishment scheme was proposed which would
provide training places and homes for a small number of young
people. However a longer-term programme was required to make the
training element of youth build worthwhile.
With this in mind a small working group of interested
stakeholders had been established to develop a North Lincolnshire
youth build scheme.
It was proposed to appoint Monica Chatterton, founder of
Doorstep, a voluntary organisation in North East Lincolnshire, to
facilitate the work of the group and drive the project forward
until a funding and training package was in place.
Resolved - (a) That approval be given to the
appointment of Monica Chatterton, of Doorstep, as described in the
report, on a short term basis, and (b) that the group provide
regular briefings to the Housing Cabinet Member on progress of the
project.
