Minutes:
“This Council notes
•There are an increasing number of reports coming to Councillors from resident living in properties affected by mould
•Mould within properties can impact on the health of children and adults.
•That this issue affects many properties this Council owns and manages
•That Welwyn Hatfield Council currently has a policy of not replacing windows in homes, that are not deemed to be a priority to be looked through, when the seals have failed. This includes windows in bedrooms including those occupied by children.
•Properties with windows not properly sealed are not energy efficient.
•That windows not properly sealed from the elements can be a key contributor to mould occurring in properties.
This Council resolves
•To request that the Cabinet Housing Panel urgently review the "Window Repairs and Replacement" policy with specific regard to the replacement of 'priority' windows.
•To recognise the scale of the issue of mould within domestic homes in the Borough, and give serious consideration to the findings of a current investigation looking into this.”
It was moved and seconded by Councillors K.Thorpe and P.Shah that the motion be approved.
It was then moved and seconded by Councillors F.Thomson and T.Kingsbury that the motion be amended as follows:-
This Council notes:
·
There are an
increasing significant number of reports coming to
Councillors from residents living in properties affected by
mould
· Mould within properties can impact on the health of children and adults.
· That this issue affects many properties this Council owns and manages
· That Welwyn Hatfield Council currently has a policy of not replacing windows in homes, that are not deemed to be a priority to be looked through, when the seals have failed. This includes windows in bedrooms including those occupied by children.
· Properties with windows not properly sealed are not energy efficient.
·
That windows not properly sealed from
the elements can be a key contributor to mould occurring in
properties.
This Council resolves:
·
To request that the recently
set up Housing Maintenance Task and Finish Group
Cabinet Housing Panel
urgentlyreviews the
“Window Repairs and Replacement” policy with specific
regard to the replacement of ‘priority’ windows
in addition to the current review
into the scale of the issue of mould within council domestic homes in the Borough, and
gives serious consideration to the
findings of a these current investigations looking into
this.
On being put to the meeting there voted:-
The amendment was carried UNANIMOUSLY.
The Motion, as amended, was then put to the meeting and there voted:-
This Council notes:
· There are a significant number of reports coming to Councillors from residents living in properties affected by mould
· Mould within properties can impact on the health of children and adults.
· That this issue affects many properties this Council owns and manages
· That Welwyn Hatfield Council currently has a policy of not replacing windows in homes, that are not deemed to be a priority to be looked through, when the seals have failed. This includes windows in bedrooms including those occupied by children.
· Properties with windows not properly sealed are not energy efficient.
This Council resolves:
· To request that the recently set up Housing Maintenance Task and Finish Group reviews the “Window Repairs and Replacement” policy with specific regard to the replacement of ‘priority’ windows in addition to the current review into the scale of the issue of mould within council homes in the Borough, and gives serious consideration to the findings of these investigations.
On being put to the meeting there voted:-
The Motion, as amended, was declared carried UNANIMOUSLY.
During the debate, a question was raised by Councillor Zukowskyj on the timeframe for any findings and proposed changes recommended by the Task and Finish Panel.
The Monitoring Officer stated that the Task and Finish Panel had just been set up so Officers did not have any information at hand. However, Officers would write to members to update them with the agreed timetable as determined by the Task and Finish Panel.