Agenda and minutes

Venue: Meeting Room 3, Chalvey Community Centre, The Green, Chalvey, Slough, SL1 2SP. View directions

Contact: Sarah Forsyth - Scrutiny Officer  01753 875657

Note: Meeting moved to MR1 & 2 as MR3 being painted - Informed Ishrat to put a notice 

Items
No. Item

32.

Election of Chair for Meeting

Minutes:

The nomination of Councillor Dar was proposed and seconded.  There being no other nominations it was:

 

Resolved – that Councillor Dar be elected as Chair of the Neighbourhoods and Community Services Scrutiny Panel for the duration of the meeting.

 

Councillor Dar in the Chair

33.

Declarations of Interest

All Members who believe they have a Disclosable Pecuniary or other Pecuniary or Non Pecuniary Interest in any matter to be considered at the meeting must declare that Interest and, having regard to the circumstances descibed in Section 3 paragraphs 3.25 – 3.27 of the Councillors’ Code of Conduct, leave the meeting while the matter is discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with paragraph 3.28 of the Code.

 

Members are asked to confirm that they do not have a declarable interest.

 

All Members making a declaration will be required to complete a Declaration of Interests at Meetings form detailing the nature of their interest.

Minutes:

None.

34.

Minutes of the meetings held on 30 October and 6 November 2013 pdf icon PDF 55 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The minutes of the meetings of the Neighourhood and Community Services Scrutiny Panel held on the 30 October 2013 and 6 November 2013 were agreed as a correct record.

35.

Member Questions

An opportunity for Panel Members to ask questions of the relevant Director/Assistant Director, relating to pertinent, topical issues affecting their Directorate – maximum of 10 minutes allocated.

Minutes:

None received.

36.

What impact has the introduction of the new benefits system had in Slough pdf icon PDF 93 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Roger Parkin, Strategic Director Customer & Community Services, introduced the report, setting out the impact that had been seen from the introduction of the new benefits system.  Members also received information from Neil Aves, Assistant Director Housing & Environment, and Jackie Adams, Service Assurance Technical Specialist.

 

In April 2013 the new localised council tax support scheme had been implemented, and it was confirmed to Members that, to date, there had been a limited impact on residents.  In addition, the previous concern regarding the ‘London Effect’ had not materialised.

 

The Panel discussed three individual elements of the new system: council tax support; housing benefit cap; and the under occupancy (bedroom) tax. 

 

Of particular concern, was the impact on residents who needed to downsize due to the bedroom tax.  Approximately one third of residents impacted had registered to downsize, and the new Allocations Policy prioritised these groups, however, with limited voids available for allocation, there was a delay in moving these residents.  Officers confirmed it could take approximately four to five years to complete the reallocations, which Members expressed concern about.

 

The Panel discussed the use of ‘hardship’ payments to support residents, and noted that many of those in receipt of these payments used them for the bedroom tax.  In addition, the Panel discussed the Local Welfare Provision, which had consolidated two schemes into one, and aimed to support social care clients through life events such as moving, leaving care, financial crisis, disasters e.g. fire, waiting for benefits claims to be settled or travel expenses for job interviews.  There was a risk attached to this funding, as it was not ring fenced.

 

The Panel noted that the limited impact of the new benefits system indicated that Slough had been successful, previously, at ensuring that residents were accessing the benefits they were entitled to.

 

Resolved –

1)  to note the report; and

2)  to add an agenda item to a future meeting looking at how the council can encourage more people to move, freeing up properties for those who wish to downsize.

37.

The Voids Process and the Re-allocation of Empty Council Homes pdf icon PDF 79 KB

Minutes:

Neil Aves, Assistant Director Housing & Environment, introduced the report providing an overview of the current service performance in relation to the repair, clearance and reallocation of council houses.  Vivianne Royal, Customer Senate Chair and co-optee on the Panel also provided information on the Senate’s work looking at this service.

 

The Panel noted that voids process was seen as the weakest element of the service, with Slough coming in the bottom quartile in terms of performance against equivalent authorities.  The key issue was that the current contract did not include enforceable performance standards, with the contractor reviewing their own performance.  This issue had led to a difficult relationship with the contractor, Interserve.

 

The current contract had 18 months left on it, and the lesson had been learned, with the procurement process for the new contract looking to include stronger performance measurements with which the council could hold the contractor to account for the quality of the work provided.

 

The Panel noted the steps to be taken to protect the council from a similar situation in the future, but also felt more should be done now to improve the service with the current contractor, using spot checks to pressure Interserve over basic lapses in quality and timescales for work.

 

Resolved –

1)  that the arrangements for the new contract are reviewed by the Neighbourhoods and Community Services Scrutiny Panel before being signed;

2)  that the current performance data for the voids contract be made available for the Neighbourhoods and Community Services Scrutiny Panel on it’s next agenda as an ‘information only’ item; and

3)  that the Panel receive an update on the performance of the voids contract in nine months, including input from Housing Services, Property Services and Interserve.

 

 

38.

Estates Services Review pdf icon PDF 117 KB

Minutes:

Resolved – that the report setting out details of the current Estates Services Review be noted.

39.

Forward Work Programme pdf icon PDF 70 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Resolved – that the work programme be noted.

40.

Attendance pdf icon PDF 39 KB

Minutes:

Resolved – to note the attendance record.

41.

Date of Next Meeting - 27 February 2014

Minutes:

The date of the next meeting was confirmed as 27 February 2014.