A question session with the Lead Councillor for Community and Housing. Councillor Julia McShane’s areas of responsibility:
l Health l Wellbeing
l Access and Disability l Safety
l Grants and voluntary services l Careline
l Handyperson l Care and Repair
l Housing l Homelessness
l Housing standards (Houses in Multiple Occupation, private rented sector)
Minutes:
The Chairman welcomed the Lead Councillor for Community and Housing and reminded the meeting of Councillor McShane’s main areas of responsibility: Health; Wellbeing; Access and Disability; Safety; Grants and voluntary services; Careline; Handyperson; Care and Repair; Housing; Homelessness; and Housing standards (including Houses in Multiple Occupation and the private rented sector).
In reply to a question about the provision of GP services in the Guildford urban area, the Lead Councillor for Community and Housing referred to the issues discussed at the Committee’s December 2020 meeting with Guildford and Waverley Integrated Care Partnership [minute OS45 details]. The Lead Councillor for Community and Housing indicated that prior to the pandemic the NHS were working to create new surgeries in the north of Guildford. She suggested that discussions with the NHS about progressing the pre-pandemic plans for GP provision might resume later this year. The Lead Councillor for Community and Housing offered to return at a later date to update the Committee on the progress of discussions with the NHS.
In response to a question about the provision of GP services for Ash and Ash Vale, the Lead Councillor for Community and Housing informed the meeting that she had been advised by the NHS that existing practices would be used to absorb patients from the new housing developments in Ash and Ash Vale. The Lead Councillor for Community and Housing offered to return to the Committee to provide an update on the situation.
The Lead Councillor for Community and Housing was asked to comment on the latest performance indicators in her area of responsibility, including the lack of data for some indicators. In response, the Lead Councillor for Community and Housing confirmed that operational pressures had led to non-reporting in some frontline areas, but the data had been recorded and was available. She explained that indicators relating to the number of jobs completed by Care and Repair and the Handyperson services would in future be the responsibility of Community Services; performance indicators relating to adaptations in public sector home, empty homes, and statutory nuisance investigations would be reported by Environmental and Regulatory Services. The Director of Service Delivery confirmed the importance of performance data for decision-making and service delivery.
The Lead Councillor for Community and Housing indicated that the services in her area of responsibility continued during the pandemic, including investigating complaints of potentially illegal evictions and HMO (houses in multiple occupation) and housing inspections. In addition, the meeting was advised that during the pandemic there had been increased demand for care services and community wellbeing support services.
In reply to a question about her current priorities, the Lead Councillor for Community and Housing spoke of community services, improving tenant services and the existing housing stock, and bringing forward new housing developments.
With reference to press coverage of the topic, a member of the Committee asked for an update on the number of empty Council properties and plans to make them available to rent. The Lead Councillor for Community and Housing indicated that in the previous year there had been 95 Council properties vacant but unavailable to rent. She indicated that some Council properties had remained empty for longer than usual due to the COVID restrictions delaying moves and building works. The Director of Service Delivery indicated that, regardless of the impact of COVID, the Council’s housing maintenance could be improved.
In reply to a question about the carbon footprint of the Council’s housing stock, the Lead Councillor for Community and Housing stated that the Council reported annually to the government on the energy efficiency of its housing stock. She outlined planned expenditure to improve the Council’s housing stock and indicated that details were provided within the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) business plan.
A member of the Committee questioned a proposed reduction in the Council’s grant funding of Ash Citizens Advice (CA) and remarked on the value of the services provided by CA to vulnerable residents, the increased demand for CA services during the pandemic, and the increased costs of providing CA services during the pandemic. The Lead Councillor for Community and Housing indicated that discussions about funding for Ash CA had begun in 2020 when the changed financial situation for the Council had become apparent. She indicated that the decision on funding of Ash CA, above £75,000 already confirmed as to be paid, was subject to approval by the Executive. The Lead Councillor for Community and Housing noted that CA Ash and CA Guildford were looking at ways to work more closely together.
The Chairman thanked the Lead Councillor for Community and Housing for attending and answering questions.