There were no declarations of interest.

The Chair welcomed all to the meeting but started on a sad note:
"Liz Reeves passed away 11 January. I have known her for many years and, for a long time, she has been a member of this panel. She was chair for the past 8 years. She frequently visited all CHPs and took an interest in all community matters.  She sat on all the specialist panels, attended working groups and represented the council both outside and inside the borough. She was a ttruly remarkable example."

The panel members stood for a minute's silence in tribute of Liz Reeves.

Apologies were received from Councillor Alison Butler, Janet Callingham, Bridget Connors, Peter Cooper, Bob Dean, Margaret Jones, Peter Mason, Paul Phillips, Maureen Symes and Colin Wood.

The Notes of the meeting held on Tuesday 11 October 2011 were agreed as a true record of the proceedings.

There were none.

Keith Robbins gave a summary of the report:

• Croydon's HRA will no longer make annual payments into the national housing subsidy system
• Garaging/parking spaces charge increases by 8%
• Service charges similar - increase 6.1%
• Rent increases in line with government's guidelines, based on September's RPI - 8%
• All money from revenues re-invested in Croydon's own housing stock

The following issues were raised:

• Extra £5.5m to re-invest. Where is additional money coming from?  Is it a straight saving or additional?

Keith Robbins: Not paying negative subsidies to central government. But have to pay interest on financing £224.9m debt. Saving more in terms of not paying to central government than in investment. Getting good interest rate at the moment - 3.3% on £224.9million.

Cllr Dudley Mead: We refer to the negative subsidy as a tenants' tax - we will save £17m but have to pay bill of between £7&11million - rest will be re-invested. This year 48% of tenants did not have to pay anything. If you think you are liable to receive housing benefit, then claim. Only 28% of tenants are paying full rent. We will concentrate on an efficient way to ensure those tenants entitled to benefit get it. In the medium term, there will be a reduction in the quality of accommodation we are offering. We need to concentrate on offering the best we can.

• Would it help if we get money from people who owe it?

Cllr Dudley Mead: I would like to praise our council tenants. 98.7% of rents due was collected last year - much better than the council tax collection rate. Many boroughs have a lot of backsliding in rents paid but there is very little in Croydon.

• New-build programme - built 105 units in 3 years to 2010-11. Is there any indication of the number for 2011-12?

Cllr Dudley Mead: New-build budget £3.75million. Site in borough where housing association was going to build but negotiations fell through. Council decided on Monday to build 17 units themselves, to be completed by this time next year. In addition, 38 more units are through the design/planning stage. We aim to build 350-360.

• Article in ‘Inside Housing' mentions councils received £200m for building bonuses - Croydon received £2.2m.

Cllr Dudley Mead: A number of families are homeless. New homes bonus is to provide homes for the homeless. Bonus into general fund. Accumulate half for homeless families.

• 38 units 2012-13 to be built - what is the target?

Cllr Dudley Mead: Target is to build 25 year on year.
 

The Panel noted:

1.1 Rent increases for all Council tenants for 2012/13, in line with the National formula for social housing rents. The average rent increase will be 8%

1.2 That the full cost of services provided to those tenants who receive caretaking, grounds maintenance and bulk refuse collection services are recovered via tenants service charges, this being achieved with a 6.1% increase

1.3 Charges for garage and parking space rents increase by 8%

1.4 Heating charges for Council tenants remain unchanged, see detailed in Appendix 2

1.5 The recommendation to the Council to approve the budget for the Housing Revenue and Capital Accounts for 2012/13.

Dave Morris (Housing strategy manager) summarised the report:

• Consultation on proposals lasting for 12 weeks until 28 February
• Reasons:
  • changes through Localism Act and Welfare Reform Bill
  • previous consultations in 2010
• Main changes - how assess reasonable preference
• Look to reduce number of offers given
• Recognition to applicants working or contributing to community
• Introducing qualification rules
• Limit qualification to get on register to those who have lived in borough at least 12 months

The following issues were raised:

• Will the qualifications be enforced from April this year?

Dave Morris: We intend to implement them from June.

• Are you relying on information in the applications or for the system to identify?

Dave Morris:  There is an undertaking to provide truthful information.

• IT system - are you looking at working with other authorities?

Dave Morris: I am not aware of a matching exercise but we can look into it.

• What happens in a debt situation?  e.g. a couple have their name down - one works but not sufficient to pay.  What would happen - would both suffer?

Dave Morris: The local authority will take a reasonable line on qualification.

• How is the consultation going in terms of response - is it as high as expected?

Peter Brown: We have had a very good response so far and still have another month to go.

ACTION: Dave Morris agreed to report back

• We do not want to make anyone intentionally homeless but there are a lot of applicants on lower bands who will never be housed.  We should not give applicants false hope.

Jim Mansell: Liz Reeves helped to draw up the qualifications. Number of refusals allowed were 7, now reduced to only 2.

• If an elderly couple are tenants, with young children who keep getting into trouble, will there be a problem with the banding?

Dave Morris: As the tenants, they are responsible for household membersbut there is a certain amount of discretion.

• Is the underlying philosophy to reduce numbers on the waiting list or is the council trying to opt out of its responsibility for social housing?

Dave Morris: A lot of people on the waiting list will never get an offer. We are trying to reduce the list to those who really have a chance of receiving an offer.
 

The panel noted the proposals to revise the council's housing allocation scheme and the consultation timeframe.

Marilyn Smithies Palmer and Dave gave a brief presentation (handouts were available at the meeting and the presentation is on the website: 010212a): 

• 13 findings; 2 passes; 6 partials and 5 fails
• Constructive suggestions on how service might be improved 

The following issues were raised:

• Caretakers changing lights and lamps - problem is not getting supplies.

Marilyn Smithies: They cannot go higher than 3 steps. If higher, they have to report it.

• There was a routine monthly check last year - is that happening throughout borough?

Dave Sutherland:  We do that and produce monitoring reports.

Dave Sutherland thanked the inspectors who did a lot of hard work. Issues identified will be taken on board.  With some minor points, such as overtime, a flexible approach is needed as some like overtime, others prefer time off.

ACTION: It was agreed that an up-date report be brought back to the next meeting.
 

An action plan is to be agreed, to be monitored in future by Tenant Scrutiny panel.

The panel showed its appreciation for this big piece of work and agreed to take it forward.

Dave Sutherland (Managing Director Croydon Landlord Services) gave a brief summary of the salient points:

• Time of change around way working
• Far more technology and mobile working
• Visiting people in homes more
• Bringing services all together in corporate centre
• New Addington and Strand House centres will remain
• Changeover will happen September 2012
• 6 main areas:
  • Responsive repairs
  • Programmed works service unchanged
  • Safe and sustainable communities service unchanged
  • 3 districts into centre
  • Caretaking - all under one head of service so more consistency

The following issues were raised:

• Will there be fewer managers and more operational staff? How has it been worked out in terms of finance - and is there a saving?

Dave Sutherland: Reduced overall number of managers by 7, as a result of the layers and spans exercise across the council. Saving around £250,000. As result of changes, number of roles regraded, so some saving may be eroded. Neighbourhood wardens will take on new enforcement powers - dog fouling, littering etc - reduced to 2 tiers from 3. As a result, some roles will be upgraded. Exercise was not to make saving, more to improve the service delivered.

• Have jobs been lost or have they been made up by new posts?

Dave Sutherland: Net loss 4 or 5 as new posts introduced. No compulsory redundancies - natural wastage. Any money saved will be ring fenced - back into the pot for further improvements to stock.

• Will there be a report on what has been saved at the next meeting?

Dave Sutherland: There is a formal process with staff. 

ACTION:  An update will be brought to the next meeting.
 

• How will feedback be provided to councillors?

Dave Sutherland: Technology is working through.  It will be possible to access all the computer system from people's homes so staff can check issues in real time. There will be many more visits and information to share. 

Bob Richardson (Head of planned maintenance and improvements) highlighted the following points:

• Decided best value to not find significant funding to upgrade blocks
• Pick up blocks in particularly bad areas at later date.

The following issues were raised:

• Residents have been receiving enforcement notices after putting up satellite dishes.  If someone has a satellite dish, is the council going to enforce tenancy conditions or turn blind eye? It impacts on the whole issue of enforcement regarding personal satellite dishes.

Bob Richardson: We have not separated management from enforcement. Work is going on looking at the situation and is not yet finished. There are two types of dishes.  There are small discreet ones but some of the long range channels still require very large dishes. We would like to see dishes removed but small dishes may be looked at on the merits in individual cases. 
Dave Sutherland: We are piloting a new policy on managing the number of dishes in Heathfield Gardens. Large dishes are unsightly and can damage the fabric of the building. There are alternatives for more blocks - cable etc.
Bob Richardson: 200 blocks are already converted to digital as they had communal systems in place. 
Dave Sutherland: We will concentrate on blocks which cannot access digital when analogue is turned off.

• In the long term the council may need to take a view on the need for a more sophisticated system so blocks have communal systems.

Dave Sutherland: Heathfield pilot is going well.  We need clear rules and regulations, to balance with people's desire to get foreign stations. Bob Bob Richardson: Aspirational long term approach has merit. Objective at the moment is to ensure that, when we switch over, people can access existing terrestrial channels. 

• Sky satellite dishes are fixed (Astra). Problem for people - need motorised dish to pick up different satellites.

Bob Richardson: There are limitations on what can be allowed in both council and private property.

• Ongoing issue - some dishes are 6ft from the ground and very large and hazardous. Some are up and not used. We need to be sensitive but, if there are alternatives, then we have a duty to look at individual cases but to respect the property we own.

Chris Stock (Resident Participation Manager) gave a brief summary:

• Government consultation currently in progress
• 6 standards now 7
• 3 no longer applicable to local authorities
• 4 remaining - main changes in 2:
  • Tenant involvement and empowerment - beefed up
  • Tenancy - flexible - power to make short term tenancies
• Setting up scrutiny mechanism
• Can provide feedback to government consultation

Chris Stock (Resident Participation Manager) gave a verbal report:

• Completed second round of recruitment
• 11 people selected for panel
• 1st stage of induction training in the next 2 days
• Will report back to panel on regular basis
• Information to be on website
• Requested suggestions for issues to be considered by panel.

The following issues were raised:

• How about resident involvement? We are in desperate need of recruiting new people. We need a structure for how to recruit new people.

Chris Stock: That is a main item on next week's agenda of the Resident Involvement Panel. We have ideas to discuss. Out of 11 members of scrutiny panel, at least 6 or 7 are getting involved for the first time and may not be too familiar with knowledge of housing but have other skills. We have a good mix of people.

• Disappointment that tenants' survey done on phone not face to face.
• What about bin cleaning?

Marilyn Smithies: Deep was cleansing covered in inspection but bin cleaning involves different procedures which are not consistent.

Dave Sutherland gave a verbal report:

• Successful outcome to renegotiations
• Outcome - resident permits remain at £10 pa
• Second resident permit at £42 pa
• Visitor permits £1 per week (£50 pa) or £2.40 per day for a scratch card
• Permit for ongoing care visitors £25pa

The following issues were raised:

• With additional income, will there be improvement in car parking?

Dave Sutherland: It is only a small increase.  We have to pay for enforcement work. The revenue raised is used for running the service. This year we are putting money into garage refurbishment.

ACTION: Figures to be sent to Cllr Sean Fitzsimons

• Charges for people to park in bays. How about people who park illegally in garage areas etc? Never seen anyone with parking ticket or clamp.

Dave Sutherland: We do remove a number of cars from estates.  We put on a sticker and to back to remove. We have powers to do that but we do not have a lot of budget for resurfacing parking areas. We will fill in big potholes.

• Are there concessionary permits for any vehicle visiting on regular basis?

Dave Sutherland: There are clear criteria for residents to meet. A permit for a resident can be used on any vehicle visiting that resident.

• Is there any chance of making garages bigger? They were built in the 1950s when cars small. It is difficult to get out of cars in the garage.

Dave Sutherland: We have 4,000 garages - not sure how many are fit for purpose now. There is no simple way of enlarging them. For the last 5-6 years we have not invested in garages. Possibly they might be knocked down to create parking spaces.

• Should more be spent on garages as part of resident activity?

Dave Sutherland: £1.3m is raised in garage rents - from anyone who wants a garage. We regularly repair garages. We recognise the need to invest more in garages but have put priority into getting homes up to standard. We are keen now to put together a modest programme each year.

• Repairs have been ongoing for some time - most have been repainted. There is a move now towards tidying up areas.
• 3 years or so ago the council put an extra charge on garages.

Dave Sutherland: 8% increase on garages for this year.  More than 3 years ago we looked at the income and compared rates to other authorities (Sutton, Merton, Bromley) - which were charging considerably more. We put £1 per week on all garages to invest in garages at that time. However, we got young offenders to paint garages and they painted over every number etc. so we had to paint them again.

London Tenants' Federation (LTF) - Michael Hewlett gave feedback from the latest meeting:

• Holding regular meetings
• Concentrated mainly on mayor's new strategy for London
• Mayor taking responsibility for housing in London
• Conference in November - 23 boroughs attended

Mayor's Housing Forum - Michael Hewlett:

• Not met - next meeting Friday 3 February

ARCH - Michael Hewlett:

• Financial circumstances - VAT, tax etc - to form into limited company by guarantee

TSA Residents' Group - Michael Hewlett:

• Disbanded all their scrutiny groups

Croydon Voluntary Sector Alliance - Guy Pile Grey:

• Executive meeting next Wednesday to set next meeting in motion.
• Croydon to pilot NHS 111 service - for non-emergency medical treatment.
• 14 March event at CVA about dementia - publicise to get views to get better service and find out how best to cope in that circumstance.

Croydon Congress - Marilyn Smithies:

• 20th October 2011. This was the 2nd meeting of Croydon Congress:
• Theme: Recovery & Regeneration
  • Welcome by Cllr Mike Fisher with feedback on 1st meeting of Croydon Congress including next steps on ‘Big Society' and high level facts and observations on civil unrest.
• Keynote Speakers
  • Nigel Hugill, Chair, Centre for Cities - national & regional context.
  • Cllr Tim Pollard, Deputy Leader (Regeneration & Economic Development) and Children, Families & Learning - Croydon's agenda for growth.
  • Christian Guy, Director of Policy, Centre for Social Justice - Social Recovery.
  • The Big Debate / Questions & Answers - facilitated by Toni Letts, Vice Chair NHS Croydon and Chair of London Specialised Commissioning Group.
• There are only 2 Congress meetings per year
• To date, there has been no follow-up to this meeting

All Ages Inter-generational Conference - Sian Foley:

• Successful event 4 November
• 60 young people from youth clubs across borough + 30 adults
• Presentation from young people and adult members - what learnt working together
• Event interactive - workshops, quizzes
• 1st meeting of Steering Group in January - working on action plan
• 2nd annual event in October half term
• 50 pledges - bring together to get projects
• Top 5 priorities
  • Lack of opportunities to communicate and understand each other
  • Poor communication - working with BT rangers
  • Lack of places for people to meet
  • Want ringfenced funding £75,000 to enable projects to develop
  • Develop strategy
  • All Ages newsletter
  • Want to get involved in residents' conference - 24 April
  • Produce DVD

Resident Involvement Champions - Chris Stock:

• Leading group of LAs and housing assoc to bring scrutiny panels tog across London
• Meet up and share good practice
• Hope to have in place early summer
• Tenants' conf erence 24 April - in Open House - have to book
• Afternoon - assessment of housing services - voting and scoring

Michael Hewlett - Another workshop needed to review estate inspections. Volunteers needed.
Chris Stock pointed out that the pioanel had agreed that estate inspections were to be one of the local offers. A group of local residents is to be formed.  The following panel members volunteered: Michael Hewlett, Dave Palmer, Kim Wakely, Eric Webb, John Piper, James Fraser, Stephen Pollard, Marilyn Smithies.

Street parties - contact Sian Foley about getting roads closed off - see website: diamond-jubilee

All in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Croydon at 6.30pm:

• Monday 2 April 2012
• Tuesday 24 July 2012
• Tuesday 2 October 2012
• Wednesday 6 February 2013