Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from the following:

Robert Black             

Niall Bolger                -Kate Dalzell substituted

Paul Bridge                -David Sheridan substituted

Eugenia Cronin        

Neil Mawson

Lisa Redfern

It was noted that Margaret Allen had replaced Matthew Pelling and that Janice Gunn had been co-opted as the Supporting People Provider Forum.  

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 15 October 2008 as a correct record.

RESOLVED:

That, subject to the addition of the insertion of the word ‘door to door’ to LC78, paragraph 5, the minutes of the meeting held on 15 October 2008 be confirmed as a correct record.

Members of the Board must declare any personal and/or prejudicial interests with respect to agenda items and must not take part in any decision required with respect to these items.

No declarations of interest were made.

The Chair will consider the admission of any items of Urgent Business. (Late items will be considered under the agenda item where they appear. New items will be considered under agenda Item 12 below).

No items of Urgent Business were made.

To consider progress against the targets set out in Haringey’s LAA.

The Board received a report setting out performance during the second quarter, July to September, in relation to the Local Area Agreement targets within the Boards responsibility and projects receiving funding from the Area Based Grant (ABG).

It was noted that the Board lead on six LAA targets one of which was a Local Indicator.

Performance in relation to National Indicator (NI) 156, which related to the number of households living in temporary accommodation, was Amber. There were a number of measures being taken to address this including:

• Conversion of private sector leased properties and housing association leases into assured short-hold tenancies
• Communicating with households in temporary accommodation regarding alternative housing options
• Identifying abandoned properties 

N1 154 -It was envisaged that this target would be met by June 2009. Although the target was reported on annually progress would be measured and reported at the Boards next meeting.

NI 187 –A survey was being undertaken in the Spring and the results of this would inform this target and reported on at the Boards next meeting.

NI 155 –Information was available in relation to this target and the Board would received this information at the next meeting.

In response to concerns that there was still a significant number of people presenting as homeless the Board was advised that there would always be a certain number of people that presented as homeless. There was a focus on preventative measures to address this, including the Rent Deposit Scheme, which assisted people enter the private rental market.

The Board was advised that Homes for Haringey and the Council were investing heavily in improving and promoting energy efficiency in the Borough. An Affordable Warmth Strategy would be produced and published in Spring 2009.

There was agreement that officers from Homes for Haringey responsible for producing the Affordable Warmth Strategy should be invited to attend the next meeting to give an overview of the work being carried out.

It was requested that investment in the creation of new homes should be tracked and included within the quarterly performance report.

It was noted that at present the cross cutting target in relation to the number of repeat instances of domestic violence was not being met. There was agreement that link between the failure to meet this target and the number of people living in temporary accommodation should be examined and reported to the Board at its next meeting.

The Chair noted that it may be useful if the Cabinet member for Community Safety should be consulted.

 RESOLVED:

1. That the report be noted.

2. That officers from Homes for Haringey responsible for the production of the new Affordable Warmth Strategy should be invited to attend the next meeting.

3. That investment in the creation of new homes should be tracked and included within future quarterly performance reports.

4. That the link between the failure to meet the LAA Stretch Target in relation to repeat instances of domestic violence and the number of people in temporary accommodation be examined and reported on at  ...  view the full minutes text for item 86.

To receive a briefing on the Integrated Housing Board Risk Register.

The Board received a report presenting a draft Risk Register for adoption.

Each of the HSP Thematic Boards had been required to produce a Risk Register in order to assess the impact and likelihood of inherent and residual risk attached to achieving LAA targets within their responsibility.

The Board was given an overview of how the Risk Register worked and how it would be used in practical terms.

Concern was raised that the model proposed was not refined enough to form an effective measure of risk. It was noted that this was a generic model, which the Thematic Boards had been provided with. There was agreement that the model should be revised to include more detailed information and it was suggested that the Register adopted by the Well-Being Strategic Partnership Board should be used as a basis for this.  

It was also suggested that the Board should only receive reports on a limited number of high level risks and that lower level risks should be monitored by officers and reported on if appropriate.

Once the Risk Register had been amended it would be circulated to Members of the Board for comment.

RESOLVED:

1. That the Risk Register presented should be revised to incorporate more detailed information and more refined descriptors.

2. That the amended Risk Register should be circulated to Board for comment.

To note the feedback from the recent meetings of the Landlords Forum and the Registered Social Landlord/Developers Forum.  

The Board received a report that provided feedback from the Consultative Forums.

As part of the Consultative Framework adopted by the Board on 15 October 2008 three stakeholders forums had been established:

• Landlords Forum
• RSL/Developers Forum
• Advice Providers Forum

It was noted that the Landlords Forum and RSL/Developers Forum had met since the Boards previous meeting.

Over one hundred people had attended the Landlords Forum and the main item for discussion had been the new Housing Strategy. Attendees had had the opportunity to answer questions put to them in relation to the Strategy anonymously via electronic voting and this had provided feedback that would inform the development of the Strategy. 

It was suggested that it would be useful to gauge how many landlords were willing to accept tenants receiving Benefits and their views around this.

The Board was advised that a commitment had been made to Landlords at the meeting that research would be undertaken into rent arrears and the link to tenants receiving Benefits. This would also be reported to the Board.

There was agreement that prior to the next Landlords Forum Board members should be asked to suggest questions.

RESOLVED:

1. That the updates provided from each of the Forums be noted.

2. That the feedback given by each of the Forums be considered as part of discussions in relation to the development of the new Housing Strategy.

To receive an update on the development of Haringey’s new Housing Strategy.

The Board received a report that provided an update on progress in relation to the Housing Strategy since its last meeting.

On 4 November the Council’s Chief Executive’s Management Board (CEMB) agreed that the HSP should play an active role in the development of the Housing Strategy. In addition to this it also commented that it should set out how value for money would be achieved.

Since the Boards last meeting the following bodies had considered the Housing Strategy:

• Stakeholder Group
• Landlords Forum
• RSL and Developers Forum
• Council’s Cabinet

The Board was advised supporting people affected by the current economic climate and ensuring that the Strategy made provision for this had been a key issues raised.

Since the Board’s last meeting the Strategy had been developed to address the needs of Children and Young People and Safeguarding and other issues.

The Board discussed the role of Place Shaping and how this should be integrated within the Strategy and it was noted that the Council’s Local Development Framework (LDF) formed the key tool in respect of this. There was a consensus that this was a broad issue, which should be considered by a wider forum.

There was agreement that Place Shaping should form one of the themes for discussion at the Housing Strategy Conference being held in February. The Board would be advised prior to Christmas when this would be held.

It was requested that any additions to the Strategy should be circulated to the Board prior to inclusion.

RESOLVED:

1. That progress made in relation to the Strategy be noted.

2. That the approach and timetable proposed for the continued development of the Strategy be noted.

3. That the content of the working document appended to the report be noted.

1. That Place Shaping should form one of the topics for discussion at the Housing Strategy Conference.

To receive a short presentation on the nature and extent of under occupation in social housing and to consider the options for reducing the under occupation of family homes.

The Board received a brief overview of the measures being taken to address under occupation and then broke into groups to discuss how Partners could contribute to these.

The following feedback was received:

Group 1

Group 2

To consider the merits of setting aside land on housing estates for the purpose of growing food, following the success of pilot schemes.

The Board received setting out how projects had been established to encourage and assist people living on estates to grow their own food.

This type of initiative had grown in popularity in the current economic climate and consequently the Board had requested at its last meeting that a meeting. The Board was advised that residents of the Tiverton Estate were looking to form a scheme and that they planned to visit an estate in Brixton where a scheme was in place.

It was noted that funding may be available from Homes for Haringey to assist in the purchasing of equipment and it was suggested that a representative form Homes for Haringey should attend the visit to Brixton to see how they could provide support to residents interested in started schemes like this.  

RESOLVED:

To note the update provided.

To receive a short presentation, by Councillor Brian Haley, on the opportunities to increase tree planting and improve street lighting on housing estates.  

The Board received a brief presentation from Councillor Brian Haley, Cabinet Member for the Environment, on Tree Planting and Street Lighting programmes in the Borough.

A commitment had been made to ‘re-light’ the Borough by 2010, which meant that all of the lighting that was not up to the standard recommended by the Police, would be replaced. The new lighting was also ‘greener’ and more energy efficient.

Additional trees were also being planted in certain areas of the Borough including Estates and this contributed towards the Council’s objective to lower carbon emissions in the Borough.

In response to concerns that leaseholders were expected to contribute towards the cost of new street lighting, when the existing lighting had been installed in the last ten years, Councillor Haley advised that the Council was contracted by Homes for Haringey to carry out works. The Council was not responsible for identify lighting that needed to be replaced.

Homes for Haringey’s representative agreed to look at the concerns raised and report back to via the Chair.

Further concerns were expressed that the lighting recently installed on Lordship Lane was inadequate and that it was not as effective as the previous lighting had been. Councillor Haley suggested that the Council’s Street Lighting Officer should meet with Sue Brown to discuss this issue further. 

Concern was raised that a large proportion of the lighting on the Tiverton Estate did not work and there was agreement that Homes for Haringey should look at this issue.

In response to concerns that many residents in the Borough experienced difficulties with trees that either overshadowed their properties or caused cracks in the pavements, the Board was advised that species of tree were now being employed that had smaller root systems. The Council and Homes for Haringey (whichever was appropriate) would take action to address these problems.

Councillor Haley reiterated his earlier comments in relation to community safety and the Council’s commitment to ensuring that all of the lighting in the Borough was up to the recommended standard. Although there was a cost attached to this the Council considered that it was a priority to ensure that streets in the Borough was as safe and well lit as possible.

RESOLVED:

That the presentation provided be noted.

To consider any new items of Urgent Business admitted under Item 4.

No new items of Urgent Business were raised.

To consider any items of AOB.

The Board noted that the following items of AOB:

Inspection of Adult Services

The Council’s Adult Services were currently being inspected and they would be speaking to officers from the Housing Service and Homes for Haringey to assess the Services worked together.  As a result of the inspection work in relation to Safeguarding Older People had been delayed and would not be completed until mid January.

Introductory Tenancies

Consultation had now begun on the use of Introductory Tenancies and the Council’s Cabinet would be considering this on 16 December.

Once the consultation process concluded the Board would receive a report prior to Councillor Bevan and Councillor Canver, Cabinet Member for Safer Communities and Enforcement considering this issue.

The next scheduled meeting of the Integrated Housing Board is due to take place on 23 March 2009.

Please note that the Council’s Calendar of Meetings for 2009/10 is being drafted at present. Once dates have been agreed by Council they will be circulated to members of the Board.

It was noted that the next meeting was due to be held on 23 March 2009.