This report will be sent to follow.
Minutes:
The Board received a report setting out performance against Local Area Agreement (LAA) targets within its responsibility during the Third Quarter of 2008/09.
Prior to the consideration of the main report the Board received an overview of progress made in respect of the Stretch Target relating to repeat instances of domestic violence for Councillor Nilgun Canver, Cabinet Member for Community Safety.
Councillor Canver advised that the baseline agreed with the Government Office for London (GOL) that the target was measured against had been based in an incorrect calculation. At present the calculation was based on the ?? Negotiations were in progress with GOL and it was hoped that these would result in the calculation being amended.
In terms of the link between repeat instances of domestic violence and the use of Temporary Accommodation the Board was advised that at present there was no analysis of the data examining the link between the two. In order to examine whether there was a link between these issues information contained within individual case files would need to be examined.
In response to a query Councillor Canver confirmed that officers within the Community Safety Team liaised with the Housing Benefits team to ensure that victims of domestic violence were provided with the information and assistance required in a joined up way. It was confirmed that Housing Benefit could be paid to two addresses for a period of one year where victims of domestic violence were unable to live at their permanent address.
The Board discussed this issue and there was agreement that information in relation to victims of repeat domestic violence and the tenure of their property should be provided to the Board. Councillor Canver agreed to raise this issue with officers and suggested that an email addressing how this could be taken forward.
Main Performance Report
At present the LAA Refresh was being carried out and as part of this outstanding annual targets were being agreed. This applied to National Indicator (NI) 154 –Net Additional Homes Provided and NI 155 –Number of Affordable Homes Delivered (gross).
NI 154 –This had originally been intended to seek a reduction in the target for delivery against this indicator. However, this had been one of a number of NIs that the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) had ‘locked down’. Consequently it had been considered more appropriate to remain with the current target and reassess this position in at the two year Refresh stage.
NI 155 –This target had been amended to reflect the Mayor of London’s recent commitment to deliver 50,000 affordable homes over the next three years.
It was noted that performance against NI 156 was showing as Amber at present. A mid year review had been undertaken of progress to date since April 2008 and a new forecast was being produced at present. It was envisaged that there would be a reduction of approximately one thousand households living in Temporary Accommodation by the end of the year.
A document was tabled that provided a breakdown of information in relation to the use of Temporary Accommodation and there was agreement that the Board should received this information on a fortnightly basis. In the absence of quarterly information this would provide a useful picture of whether the actions being taken to address this issue were having an impact.
It was envisaged the Homes for Haringey’s Decent Homes Programme would provide also accelerate the rate of progress being made in this area.
RESOLVED: