Agenda and minutes

The Committee was advised of an apology for absence from Councillor Vanessa King.  [Councillor King attended the meeting remotely.]

To receive from Members, declarations of interest in relation to any items included on the agenda for this meeting in accordance with the Councillor Code of Conduct.

There were no disclosures of interest.

To confirm the minutes of the Committee meeting held on 21 January 2025.

The minutes of the meeting held on 21 January 2025 were approved.

A question session with Councillor Julia McShane, Leader of the Council and Lead Councillor for Housing.  In addition to being the Leader, Councillor McShane’s specific areas of responsibility are Homelessness, Housing Advice, Landlord Services, Housing Maintenance and Repairs.

The Chair welcomed the Leader of the Council and Lead Councillor for Housing.  The meeting was reminded that in addition to being the Leader of the Council, Councillor McShane’s specific areas of responsibility included homelessness, housing advice, landlord services, and housing maintenance and repairs. 

In response to an invitation from the Chair, the Leader of the Council and Lead Councillor for Housing indicated that she would not be making a statement about her portfolio and was happy to take questions. 

The Chair confirmed that many question areas and issues had been shared in advance with the Leader of the Council. 

During the ensuing discussion several matters were explored, and clarifications offered:

·       A member of the Committee questioned the quality of Council house repairs and the Council’s management and oversight of the contractors involved.  In reply, the Leader of the Council and Lead Councillor for Housing advised that a recent tenant survey suggested that 63 percent of respondents were satisfied with repairs and the time taken to complete the most recent repairs.  The Leader of the Council and Lead Councillor for Housing informed the meeting that responsive repairs were inspected to ensure standards of work.  She advised that an independent tenant satisfaction survey was to be introduced in 2025-26 and requested that Councillors encourage Council house tenants to report problems. 

·       The same Committee member noted that almost forty percent of tenants dissatisfied with repairs was a large proportion of respondents and suggested a report in three months’ time on progress in improving the quality of Council house repairs.  The Strategic Director of Housing, Communities and Environment agreed the level of tenant satisfaction with repairs was too low and advised that a higher proportion of completed jobs would be inspected.  He explained the importance of IT to achieving improvements with the housing repair service and advised that a review of the repairs operating model was being commissioned in 2025.  In addition, the Strategic Director of Housing, Communities and Environment advised that tenant feedback through the Housing Operations Board and the Tenant Engagement Group confirmed repairs as an area requiring improvement.

·       A member of the Committee asked the Leader of the Council and Lead Councillor for Housing about the prioritisation of empty Council houses, or voids, for re-letting.  In reply, the Leader of the Council and Lead Councillor for Housing indicated the importance of reducing voids to help meet the housing needs of people in the Borough and to maximise rental income.  The Leader of the Council and Lead Councillor for Housing acknowledged that performance targets for voids had not always been met and that service delivery expectations were lower than desired.  She advised that a reduction in voids was a key action within the Council’s housing improvement plan, with progress reported to the Housing Operations Board.  The Committee was informed that a new voids contractor was to focus on properties requiring extensive works while the in-house repairs team concentrated on properties needing more minor works.  The Leader of the Council and  ...  view the full minutes text for item OSR47

The Interim Assistant Director of Finance indicated that the financial monitoring reports provided to the Committee were slightly later than desired due to the report clearance process and the meeting dates of the Committee.   She advised that the report submitted to the Committee presented the financial monitoring up until 31 December 2024 and that she would provide a verbal update on the latest position. 

The Interim Assistant Director of Finance summarised the key elements of the report submitted to the Committee.  She stated that the General Fund revenue account had a projected underspend on services of £900k and indicated that the General Fund reserves were forecast to be £35m at year end, with approximately £17m unusable and £17m available and classed as usable.  The meeting was informed that the capital programme was expected to spend £111m on its capital schemes by the end of the financial year against a budget of £167m.  The Interim Assistant Director of Finance pointed out that debt due to the Council was £9.4m of which £4.9m was overdue; of this £4.9m, £1.4m was supported by payment plans and £3.5m remained as overdue debt.

With reference to the forecast overspend of £0.174m due to an aged refuse fleet, a Committee member asked if there was a long-term strategy to replace the ageing vehicles.  In response, the Strategic Director of Housing, Communities and Environment confirmed the Council were obtaining advice on the best way to re-procure the fleet.

The Interim Assistant Director of Finance responded to questions on reducing reliance on agency staff and the scheduling of the Committee’s report on the spend on consultants and agency workers.  She advised the meeting of recruitment to the Finance team to end reliance on agency staff and updated the Committee on the negotiation of charges with Comensura, the Council’s preferred recruitment agency.  The Committee member who had raised the issue thanked the Interim Assistant Director of Finance and indicated that he looked forward to seeing the reports that were due to come to the Committee on the topic.

In response to a question on the impact on services from an underspend on staffing in the Planning and Development Control service, the Interim Assistant Director of Finance informed the meeting that the underspend reflected the significant issues recruiting at the principal level within planning.  She advised that while two roles in planning had been vacant there had been an impact on the quality of service delivered to customers; the Committee heard that the two roles had been filled by contractors.  The Lead Councillor for Planning indicated that there was a national shortage of qualified principal planning officers.

In reply to a query on the presentation of capital programme spending within the report, the Interim Assistant Director undertook to revisit the terminology used.

A Councillor asked about revenue generation initiatives and was advised that the report submitted to the Committee was concerned primarily with financial monitoring and projected outturns.  The Interim Assistant Director of Finance indicated she would liaise with  ...  view the full minutes text for item OSR48

To consider and agree the Committee’s work plan.

The Chair invited questions on the work programme and there were none.

RESOLVED:  That the work programme in the report submitted to the Committee be approved.