Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from the following:

Niall Bolger

Eugenia Cronin                     Susan Otiti substituted

Neil Mawson

Lisa Redfern                          (for part of the meeting –arrived at 7.40pm)

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

No items of Urgent Business were raised.

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 with respect to these items.

No declarations of interest were made.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 23 March 2009 as a correct record.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 11 May 2009 be confirmed as a correct record.

To appoint a Chair for 2009/10.

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet Member for Housing, Councillor John Bevan, be appointed as Chair for 2009/10.

To appoint a Vice-Chair for 2009/10.

RESOLVED:

That Jo Murphy be appointed as Vice-Chair for 2009/10.

To appoint a representative from the Board to the Haringey Strategic Partnership for 2009/10.

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet Member for Housing, Councillor John Bevan, be appointed as the Integrated Housing Board’s representative to the Haringey Strategic Partnership for 2009/10.

The Board received a report presenting

The Board received a report that provided an overview of performance of the programme of projects in receipt of ABG funding and the against Local Area Agreement (LAA) targets within the Boards responsibly during the Fourth Quarter of 2008/09.

A draft document, not for general circulation, was provided to members of the Board, which provided a more detailed breakdown of how the use of Temporary Accommodation (TA) was being addressed in the Borough. It was noted that in the future the Board would receive statistical information on a monthly basis.

In response to a query the Board was advised that there had been extensive discussion with Transitions Team to ensure that there was adequate planning for young people leaving Care in terms of housing. It was noted that the Transitions Team sat within Adult Services and that planning began three to four years before a child’s eighteenth birthday. Where a young adult so in higher education it was possible for them to received support from the Local Authority until the age of twenty-four.

The Board discussed how occupancy was checked to detect instances of fraud. There was agreement that there should be a more detailed report at the next meeting looking at this issue and how the Housing Associations and Council could work together to address this and providing an overview of the new National Fraud Initiative.

Concern was raised at the degree to which the Board was reliant on external agencies to supply information and consequently unable to meet targets that attracted additional funding.  

It was noted that due to a lack of information there were still several areas where performance could not be measured. There was agreement that a report should be produced and submitted at the next meeting providing an analysis of trends over the last two years.

RESOLVED:

1. That the report be noted.

2. That a report should be received at the next meeting providing an analysis of trends, in terms of performance, over the last two years.

The Board received a report that provided an update in relation to the development of the Affordable Warmth Strategy.

It was noted that since the previous meeting a draft project plan had been agreed, which included a twelve week consultation period, following this the Strategy would be presented to the Board in September for approval. Once approved the Strategy would be launched in the Autumn prior to the onset of winter.

The Board was advised that the Council’s Charging Assessment Team was currently working on a joint project led by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) that may be able to provide additional funding for the Affordable Warmth Strategy. There was agreement that there officers should meet outside the meeting to discuss this.

It was suggested that each of the Thematic Boards should receive an information report on the Affordable Warmth Strategy as part of the consultation process.

It was acknowledged that the consultation period was taking place at a time when people were likely to on holiday. However, this had been balanced against the need to get the launch the Strategy before the winter.

RESOLVED:

1. That the report be noted.

2. That an update on progress in implementing the strategy should be received at the next meeting.  

A presentation will be provided.

The Board received a report on the Homes for Haringey (HfH) Door Knocking Project.

The project had been launched in October 2008 and aimed to knock on the door of every tenant and leaseholder in he Borough and aimed to involve every member of staff. The questionnaire had contained five questions and three key areas had been identified where HfH was perceived to be performing well and where it could do better:

‘Performing Well’

• Internal repairs
• Estate cleaning
• Grounds maintenance

‘Could do better’

• Internal repairs
• Communal repairs
• Security

The average rating given to HfH by those surveyed was 3.5 out of 5.

It was noted that once the remaining properties had been contacted the results would be collated and analysed alongside results from the Status Survey.  Staff who had participated would also be surveyed to find out what they had learnt from taking part in the exercise. Following this residents would informed about how their views had informed practice.

The Board was advised that where nobody had been in a survey had been left for them to complete with a return envelope. In addition the call centre had also been used to contact people.

It was noted that seven special projects were being established that would involve people who had participated the survey and indicated an interest.

It was confirmed that there would be an Action Plan setting out how the issues arising from survey would be addressed and there was agreement that it would be useful if the information obtained was used to inform the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment.

RESOLVED:

That the presentation be noted.

To consider any new items of Urgent Business admitted under Item 2 above.

No new items of Urgent Business were raised.

To consider any items of AOB.

Items for Future Meetings

The Board discussed items for future meetings and there was agreement that the following items should be submitted:

• Update on the Affordable Warmth Strategy
• Feedback on the Equalities Impact Assessment of the Homelessness Strategy
• Mayor of London’s Housing Strategy –Response to Consultation

It was also agreed that the Board should receive a ‘reading bundle’ on a monthly basis, which would inform discussion and provide some context around the issues affecting the Board and its work.

Events

The Board was advised that the Homelessness Strategy Implementation Group had agreed that a conference and series of workshops would be held, which all partners would be invited to attend.

To note the dates of future meetings set out below:

• 21 September 2009
• 26 November 2009
• 23 February 2010

The following dates of future meetings were noted:

• 21 September 2009
• 26 November 2009
• 23 February 2010