Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from the following:

Niall Bolger

Jean Croot                 - Claire Kowalska substituted

Louis Lewis

Neil Mawson

To consider the admission 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).

There were no items of Urgent Business 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 made with respect to those items.

No declarations of interest were made.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 11 October 2011 as a correct record.

Prior to confirmation of the minutes the following matters arising were dealt with:

Election of Vice-Chair

It was noted that at the previous meeting it had been agreed that this issue should be dealt with at the meeting.

It was agreed that Newlon Housing Trust should be given a place on the Board and that Sunita Parbhaker of Newlon Housing Trust should be appointed as Vice-Chair.

Homes for Haringey Door Knocking Exercise

Campsbourne Housing Partnership

A presentation will be given.

Following the presentation the Board put questions to Mr Que and discussed how it may be able to work further with the Makeda Weaver project.

It was noted that there was a sub group of the Safer Communities Executive Board (SCEB) that focused on addressing gang crime and that establishing links between this and the MW project may be useful to both parties.  In addition the Council’s Community Safety Team had helped form a new charity to reduce re-offending that would also be well placed to work with the MW project.

There was agreement that officers from the Community Safety, Adult Safeguarding and Strategic Housing Teams should meet to discuss how the Council could work with the MW project.

In response to a query, as to how Housing Associations could assist the project, the Board was advised that establishing a ‘floating’ supply of housing units across London was one of the projects goals. It was critical to ensure that ex gang members were not tempted back into their former gangs and part of the projects approach people were placed in areas away from their previous homes. Establishing a floating stock of housing would provide the flexibility to place clients quickly and in an area that was appropriate.

The Board was advised the project provided training for staff from partner organisations such as the Council and RSLs and that this may be an area that could be developed in partnership.

It was confirmed that the project had worked with the St Giles Trust to re home clients on the Witness Protection Programme. The project also worked with the families of gang members and it was noted that family members were often as at risk from intimidation and reprisals as former gang members themselves.

The Board was advised that the North London Housing Forum had discussed the ‘Safe and Secure’ project and concern had been expressed that Local Authorities had not been consulted with respect to this. There had been a general consensus that there ought to be provision within this for Council’s to exchange properties for this type of purpose.

The Board agreed that input from the MW project would also be helpful in shaping the Safe and Secure project and that the Director of Assistant Director of Strategic and Community Housing should raise the issue of establishing a protocol between Housing Associations and Councils at the next meeting of the North London Housing Forum. 

RESOLVED:

1. That officers from the Community Safety, Adult Safeguarding and Strategic Housing Teams should meet to discuss how the Council could work with the MW project.

2. That the Director of Assistant Director of Strategic and Community Housing should raise the issue of establishing a protocol between Housing Associations and Councils at the next meeting of the North London Housing Forum.

A verbal update will be provided.  

The Board received a verbal update on the implementation of the new Housing Allocation Policy.

It was noted that the consultation period with respect to this had now ended and the responses received had reinforced the change to a points based system. The Board was reminded that the system was comprised of five bands ranging from A to E.

In terms of re registration those people currently within bands A an B would automatically be re registered. Those in the remaining bands would have to re register and advice would be given to people in these bands around the likelihood of being re homed within the re registration form.

Re registration would commence on 14 February and staff would be available at Apex House to assist anyone that required help with completing the online form. Home visits could be arranged to assist anyone with mobility problems and interpreters could also be arranged if necessary.  

There was agreement that, subject to any data protection issues being resolved, information should be shared with Housing Associations to assist with the re registration process.

RESOLVED:

That the verbal update be noted.

The Board considered a report that presented the new Haringey Older People’s Strategy 2011-2021.

It was noted that a three month consultation had been undertaken that had engaged approximately nine hundred people via newspaper articles, the website and consultation events. The key priorities of the strategy were:

Ø      Improving partnership working to provide joined up services

Ø      Housing options that enable people to live independently for as long as possible

Ø      Ensuring specialist housing and support was integrated to those most in need

Ø      Ensuring the strategy supported the wider Council agenda for older people

The Board was advised that as it was likely the continued changes in funding arrangements and resources the strategy would need to be reviewed in a year to eighteen months time to reflect these. This would also incorporate any policy changes arsing from the Supporting Housing Review and Extra Care commissioning project.

The strategy was commended as a thorough and well put together piece of work.

There was discussion around the ? sheltered housing scheme and how the transition ahead of its closure was being managed in terms of the impact upon the remaining residents. It was noted that the strategic housing team and officers from adult social services were working with the manager of the scheme to ensure a smooth transition in terms of re housing residents. At present twenty people were still resident; there would be discussion with remaining residents around their move before the number of people reduced to a level that was unviable.

It was agreed that the Board should receive a report at the April meeting providing an update with respect this.

RESOLVED:

That the Haringey Older People’s Strategy 2011-2021 be approved.

The Board received a presentation on the planned Overview and Scrutiny Review of Registered Social Housing in Haringey.

It was noted that the key objective of the review was to determine how the Council could facilitate more effective and integrated service provision by the formation of agreed common standards.

The Board discussed the objectives of the review and whilst there was agreement the principle to these it was noted that in practical terms the work outlined may be overly onerous for Housing Associations at a time when resources were limited. Common standards were only effective where there was provision for stock could be swapped between Housing Associations.

It was confirmed that as part of the review all of the Housing Associations with stock in the Borough would be contacted. It was envisaged that this would provide an opportunity for RSLs to set out how the Council could improve engage with them over this and other issues.

Clarity was sought around what the review was intended to achieve and partnership working at the Campsbourne Estate was given as an example of how improvements for residents could be brought about by improving joint working. Identifying how the Council could facilitate this type of working was the review’s main objective.

In terms of the process attached to the review the Board was advised that once the panel had formed its recommendations these would be considered by the Cabinet for adoption. It was clarified that the Overview and Scrutiny process did not have a budget from which it could allocate funding to implement the recommendations it made.

It was suggested that it would be helpful of the review looked at the implications of the new Localism Bill and the role of Councillors in terms of scrutiny and that the review, as currently proposed, may be more useful if it were undertaken once the new Housing Strategy was in place in twelve months time.

There was agreement that there would need to be a consensus built around the type of structure that would be required moving forward before

The Board

The Board

A verbal update will be provided.

The Board

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

There were no new items of Urgent Business.

To discussion any items of AOB.

There were no items of AOB.

The next meeting of the Board would be held on 5 April 2011.

Dates for the new Municipal Year will be set as part of the Councils Calendar of Meeting. Once this became available members of the Board would be advised.

It was noted that the next meeting would be held on April 2011.