Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of 1 July 2014 and to authorise the Chairman to sign them.

The minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 1 July 2014 was agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman

The Committee received a presentation from the Head of Economic Development Services.  

The Head of Service, Economic Development outlined the services objectives and how the service operated in order to meet these objectives.

The Committee was informed that the service had a five year target
part of which was to deliver Romford 2020 as an increasingly vibrant and prosperous Town Centre.

That Romford was a place with good transport infrastructure, employment opportunities and a vibrant community. It had a good mix of high street shops, some restaurants, cafés, a traditional market and the museum.

That most of the shopping centres in Havering had a low vacancy rate, in Romford it was 6.47 compared to the national average of 12.4 %. It was recorded that over 25 million people visit Havering Town Centres.

The Committee was informed growth was required if in 2020 Romford was to remain a town where families settled, businesses flourished and visitors were welcomed.

The Head of Service outlined that in order to ensure Romford Town was a vibrant economic area part of the responsibility of the service was to support the new Crossrail station and environment in Romford.

It was explained that the service was working with Crossrail to deliver a high quality station design and station gateway development by bidding for TfL Complementary Measures funding

The Service aims to achieve public realm improvement valued at about £5 million, in addition to the new station with a southern entrance in Romford.

These improvements would lead to vitality and viability of the town centre and increase commercial business rates capital funds for the council.

The Service detailed its objectives for delivering high quality housing in Rainham. It was explained that strong partnership with the Greater London Assembly (GLA) and the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham would ensure viability/contamination studies are completed and sites in the area come to market.

The service was also supporting Havering Town Centres, developing partnerships, attracting funding and delivering an annual programme of events. These programmes include also the delivery of specialist markets, promotional activities and town centre events.

The Committee was informed that the service was also involved in Improving the Skills Levels of Havering’s residents, improving the match of skills provision to business needs and implementing a Harold Hill skills and employment programme.

The service had developed a Skills and Employment Strategy and built relationships whilst developing funding opportunities with Havering College and other partners.

Members gathered that these initiatives would improve accessibility to labour market for long term unemployed and improve skills attainment particularly in Harold Hill

The service also outlined its objective for London Riverside in 2020 to support the delivery of twenty new Businesses with £1 billion of private investment

The Committee was informed that the involvement of the service related to:

•      Agree land use strategy and improvement to public realm;

•      Building on partnership with the GLA to promote and market development opportunities;

•      Improving bus links into area;

•      Supporting businesses to resolve Broadband  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

Members are to note the attached information.

The Director of Property Services, Homes & Housing presented the briefing information on Councillor Guide on Fire Safety, informing the committee on steps that Homes & Housing had taken to ensure safety of council residents in LBH properties.

The Committee was informed that the Homes & Housing had developed a Fire Action plan since the release of the findings ensuring a random check of windows in council is carried out.

A two yearly fire risk assessment of council building in conjunction with the Fire Service. A review of clutter policy to keep corridors clear. The service was also looking to provide external storage for mobility scooters. In response to an enquiry the Director of Property Services explained to the committee that there was a regime to check emergency lighting regularly. That is was now part of the responsibilities of the Estate Inspection team to check alarms and other lightings.

The Committee was informed that it was part of the tenancy that was signed to inform new tenant on safety and fire regulation in their building.

Members were also informed that there was a stay put in your flat policy in case of a fire issued to resident.     

The Committee noted the briefing information.

Presentation to the Members.

At the request of the Committee, the Director of Property Services, Homes & Housing gave a presentation on the Housing Capital Programme & Contractor Performance.

Members were informed that since the release of the performance table, two of the contractors had not been offered new decent homes contracts.

The presentation detailed the following as the programme context of the housing capital programme.

That the Capital Programme 2014 – 15 was in a second and final year of the programme to deliver decent homes from the decent homes grant.

The Committee were informed that at the completion of the 2014/15 programme, the decent homes grant would result in a level of 97% decency council homes.

The programme had so far achieved:

·            Spent £38,719,000 in the last 3 years on decent homes works;

·            4,567 homes now comply with standard; and

·            £33,058,868 had been spent on “other” projects.

The Director of Property Services, Homes & Housing informed the Committee that the 2014 programme was £44.86m in value with the following allocations

–        £34.6m Decent Homes (inc £23m grant);

–        £4.26m of upkeep works; and

–        £6.0m of improvements/remodelling and development works

While the 2013/14 programme had been £33.5m in value with the following allocations

–        £26.9m Decent Homes (inc £15m grant);

–        £4.71m of upkeep works; and

–        £1.89m of improvements/remodelling and development works

The Committee were informed that the programme content to be delivered included:

•         Decent Homes - kitchens, bathrooms, windows, roofs etc.;

•         Large scale projects – Non Traditional Houses/ Napier & New Plymouth;

•         Flats Above Shops – first steps towards addressing issues with these blocks;

•         New Build programme – match funding, “change of use” projects; and

•         Investment & Upkeep – major voids, aids and adaptations, structural repairs etc.

The Director of Property Services, Homes & Housing informed the committee that the arrangement to select contractors for the programme was governed by the delivery strategy and approved by Cabinet in February 2013 following the return of council homes from the Almo.

Members were informed that the services made an emphasis for local companies and local supply chain to be involved in the delivery of the decent homes programme.

The presentation detailed the following issues and performances of the four contractors on the programme.

•       Had problems during 2013/14 with particular contractors;

•        Dissatisfaction expressed by Leaseholders relating to section 20 process;

•       Detailed assessment undertaken to understand reasons so remedies could be implemented;

•       The service focused on ensuring a positive outcome for residents with concerns;

•       Many of the issues related to the Kitchen and Bathroom replacement contracts;

•       These contracts represented 25% of the programme by value and 40% by the number of units involved;

•         Five contractors were involved with various allocations awarded;

•        Involved a range of dissatisfaction issues;

•         Failure to adhere to agreed time scales for works;

•         Poor quality of finishing;

•         Lack of respect to residents;

•         Inability to communicate with residents; and

•         Failure to keep promises to rectify problems  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

The Committee is to consider a report on the Corporate Performance information for Quarter 4 that was presentenced to Cabinet at its meeting on 30 July 2014.

The Committee considered a report that set out the Council’s performance against the Living Ambition Goal for Quarter Four (January to March 2014).

The Committee without any discussion agreed to note the Performance Indicators report for Quarter Four.

The Committee is to consider a report on the Annual Corporate Performance information that was presentenced to Cabinet at its meeting on 30 July 2014.

The Committee considered a report that set out the Annual Corporate Performance information that was presented to Cabinet at its meeting on 30 July 2014.

The Committee without any discussion agreed to note the Annual report.

Under Urgent Business

The Chairman of the Landlord Licensing Scheme Topic Group gave an update to the Committee on the first meeting of the Group. The Group had requested further information on the London Landlord Accreditation Scheme (LLAS) following the release of the 2008 document and data on the hot spot areas in the borough where public sector leasing and private housing existed. 

The Chairman informed other Members present that he had requested and received a list of Key and Non Key Decisions from March 2014 to date taken by Cabinet members and Senior Officers in order to review the decisions and consider if there was a need for any scrutiny work to be undertaken. The information would be circulated in order for Members to review and suggest a list of about fourteen short listed decisions for the Committee to include on the work programme.