Agenda item

Report of the Executive Director (Resident Services and Climate Change)

The Executive Director (Resident Services and Climate Change) introduced the report and took the meeting through a presentation which is attached to these minutes.

Members raised the following points:

• A member asked how many instances there had been this year when residents were charged for having their garden maintained and how much income had been raised as a result. Officers said notice could be served if tenants were not maintaining their garden and they could seek recovery of the costs although they would take into account any vulnerabilities of the tenant before doing so. It would be difficult to ascertain how often this happened and what the charges were but incidents like this were rare. The member felt it would be helpful to have income data on this as it was a regular complaint from constituents.  
• A member asked how garden maintenance was monitored. Officers said neighbourhood officers carried out inspections and tenancy audits on a rolling programme which would identify such issues which were also identified by neighbour and/or councillor complaints, and then took appropriate action.
• A member asked whether general tenants could be offered the opportunity to pay for garden maintenance (the garden assistance service offered support to residents who needed it). Officers said they were exploring a paid-for service with the contractor.
• A member noted that a consultation had been carried out with 8,800 tenanted properties on the proposed revised tenancy agreement and asked about the remaining homes. Officers advised that the figure for tenanted properties fluctuated, some properties were used as non-secure properties for temporary accommodation, and the agreement did not apply to leaseholders. The consultation was also only in relation to secure tenancies.  
• The Tenants’ Panel Chair reflected that when consultations were sent out it would be helpful to give a longer response time. Officers said lessons had been learned and in future texts as well as letters would be sent, meaning residents could be immediately directed to the website and more time allowed for post.
• The Tenants’ Panel Chair felt it would be useful for the Council to consider its own grounds maintenance. Officers responded that grounds maintenance had been considered by a recent task and finish group.             

RESOLVED

The Panel:

a)     Noted the content of the report; and

b)     Recommended the revised tenancy agreement for approval by Cabinet.