Agenda for Cabinet Housing Panel on Monday 25th June 2018, 7.30 pm

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Council Offices, The Campus, Welwyn Garden City, Herts, AL8 6AE

Contact: Marie Lowe 

Items
No. Item

1.

APPOINTMENT OF CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIRMAN

To note that Councillors J.Boulton and T.Kingsbury were appointed Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Committee for the 2018/19 municipal year at the Cabinet meeting on 5 June 2018.

Minutes:

It was noted that the Cabinet had appointed Councillors J.Boulton and T.Kingsbury as Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Panel respectively for the 2018/19 Municipal Year.

2.

SUBSTITUTIONS

To note any substitution of Panel Members in accordance with Council Procedure Rules 19 – 22.

Minutes:

The following substitution of Committee Members had been made in accordance with Council Procedure Rules 19-22:

 

Councillor H.Bower for Councillor R.Lass.

 

3.

APOLOGY

Minutes:

An apology for absence was received from Councillor R.Lass.

4.

MINUTES

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 16 April 2018 (previously circulated).

Minutes:

The Minutes of the meeting held on 16 April 2018 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

5.

ACTIONS UPDATE pdf icon PDF 52 KB

Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) which lists the actions from previous meetings and their current status.

Minutes:

The status of actions agreed at the Panel meeting on 16 April 2018 in the report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) was noted.

6.

STRATEGIC CHALLENGES AND RESPONSES

Presentation from the Corporate Director (Housing and Community) and Head of Community and Housing Strategy giving a summary of the Council’s strategic challenges and responses to these.

Minutes:

Members received and noted presentations from the Corporate Director (Housing and Community) and Head of Community and Housing Strategy giving a summary of the Council’s strategic challenges and responses to these.

7.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMME MONITORING REPORT JUNE 2018 pdf icon PDF 61 KB

Report of the Corporate Director (Housing and Communities) updating Members on the Council’s Affordable Housing Programme (AHP).

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report of the Corporate Director (Housing and Communities) updating Members on the Council’s Affordable Housing Programme (AHP).

 

At their meeting of the 4 December 2012 Cabinet agreed a range of methods to deliver the Council’s Affordable Housing Programme (AHP) and that a monitoring report should be presented to the Panel, setting out the budget and progress in delivering new affordable homes.  An overview of progress to date was attached at Appendix A and B.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the content of the report be noted.

8.

WORK PROGRAMME 2018/19 pdf icon PDF 52 KB

The pro-forma which sets out the Panel’s work programme has been updated since the last meeting to enable forward planning of items to be considered to take place.

Minutes:

The pro-forma setting out the Panel’s work programme had been updated since the last meeting to enable forward planning if items to be considered to take place. Further information will be added to the work programme ready for the new Municipal Year.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the updated work programme be noted.

9.

EXCLUSION OF THE PRESS AND PUBLIC

The Panel is asked to resolve:

 

That under Section 100(A)(2) and (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be now excluded from the meeting for items 14 and 15 (if any) on the grounds that they involves the likely disclosure of confidential or exempt information as defined in Section 100A(3) and Paragraph 4 (consultations or negotiations relating to labour relations) of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the said Act (as amended).

 

In resolving to exclude the public in respect of the exempt information, it is considered that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Minutes:

The Panel is asked to resolve:

 

That under Section 100(A)(2) and (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be now excluded from the meeting for item 10 on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of confidential or exempt information as defined in Section 100A(3) and Paragraph 3 (private financial or business information) of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the said Act (as amended).

 

In resolving to exclude the public in respect of the exempt information, it is considered that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

10.

WATER HYGIENE/TESTING COMMUNAL HOUSING

Exempt report of the Corporate Director (Housing and Communities Services) setting out the Council’s obligations to ensure that all cold water storage tanks and communal systems are free from Legionella Bacteria, and that they conform to The Control of Legionella Bacteria in Water Systems L8 regulations (for the control of legionella bacteria in water systems).

Minutes:

Exempt report of the Corporate Director (Housing and Communities Services) setting out the Council’s obligations to ensure that all cold water storage tanks and communal systems were free from Legionella Bacteria.  Officers clarified that the contract would be for four years.

 

The Chairman emphasised to Members the Council’s obligation to ensure that all cold water storage tanks and communal systems were free from Legionella Bacteria, and that the obligation conformed to The Control of Legionella Bacteria in Water Systems L8 regulations (for the control of legionella bacteria in water systems).  It was of paramount importance that a robust contract was in place and that the necessary work was carried out to minimise the risk to the Council and users.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That, subject to the comments from appropriate Leaseholder consultation, the award for the re-procurement of this essential contract be recommended by Cabinet Housing Panel to Cabinet for award to the best value tenderer of the 15 submitted as set out in the report of Officers.