Agenda and minutes

An apology for non attendance was received from Councillor Mitchell.

All Members are required to disclose at this point in the meeting or as soon as possible thereafter, any disclosable pecuniary interest or personal interest in any item(s) being considered at this meeting.  

Councillor Mrs Batty declared a pecuniary interest in agenda item 6 left the room and took no part in the discussion or voting thereon.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 11 September 2019 be signed as a true and correct record.

(NOTE: The Board is required to receive a deputation(s) on a matter which is before the meeting of the Board provided that notice of the intended deputation and its object shall have been received by the Borough Solicitor by 12 noon on Monday 4^th September 2017.  The total time for deputations in favour and against a proposal shall not exceed 10 minutes).

There were none.

(NOTE: The Board is required to allow a total of 15 minutes for questions from Members of the public on matters within the terms of reference of the Board provided that notice of such Question(s) shall have been submitted to the Borough Solicitor by 12 noon on Monday 4^th September 2017).

There were none.

This report considers the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan Financial Model including the revised 2019/20 budget and the 2020/21 budget including recommendations on rent levels for next year.

It also provides updates for members on the latest information with regard to policy changes that impact directly on local authority housing finance services.

Consideration was given to a report of the Borough Treasurer and the Housing Services Manager considering the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan Financial Model including the revised 2019/20 budget and the 2020/21 budget including recommendations on rent levels for the next year.

Coucillor Mrs Batty left the room and took no part in the discussion or voting thereon.

Members thanked officers for their report and complimented them on the clarity of the appendices.

In answer to a Member’s question the Board was advised that the £900,000 was allocated to the Council’s 200-250 void properties.

RESOLVED:

That the Community Board recommend to Council that:

§   The revised HRA Business Plan Financial Model extract (Appendix A) and associated 2019/20 Revised Budget and 2020/21 Budget (Appendix B) is agreed.

§   That Council Dwelling rents increase  by CPI(1.7%@sept 2019) plus 1% .This is the first year of the five year policy  programme as detailed in the new national rent policy introduced in February  2019.

§   The rent for older style garages is increased in line with inflation, as agreed in the Garage Renewal strategy and rent for non GBC tenants who have garages is increased by £1 per week.

To seek Members’ approval to access and use an information sharing platform between members of the Solent Armed Forces Covenant Partnership.

Consideration was given to the Head of Policy and Community Safety seeking approval to access and use an information sharing platform between members of the Solent Armed Forces Covenant Partnership.

Members welcomed the report and hoped that the good work of the covenant would continue.

Members welcomed that the agreement fell within the lines of GDPR and recognised that it would be beneficial for veterans that an agreement in place would ensure they did not have to repeat their stories, which would potentially trigger stress for them.

A partnership with Southampton, Portsmouth, and the Isle of Wight would also ensure greater availability of services and facilities and would allow for a greater sharing of information and support across channels.

RESOLVED: That the board approve the Council as a signatory to the partnership information sharing framework and to the operational agreement and provides delegated authority to the Head of Corporate Policy & Community Safety in consultation with the Borough Solicitor to finalise and agree the necessary documentation.

To seek Board approval to refresh and update the Eastern Solent Coastal Partnership Agreement from 2012.

Consideration was given to a report of the Head of Streetscene seeking Board approval to refresh and update the Eastern Solent Coastal Partnership Agreement from 2012.

Members acknowledged that flooding did not take into account boundaries and that it was  sensible to belong to the partnership and benefit from the support it provided.

Members felt the work of the ESCP was important and that the existing work they had undertaken in Seafield, Parham Road and Anglesey was invaluable.

RESOLVED: That the Board approve entering into the updated Eastern Solent Coastal Partnership Agreement as further detailed in this report.

This report outlines a proposal for the Council to undertake a building programme of new social and affordable housing within the Borough; with an initial aim of building 100 houses in the next three financial years, subject to land availability and planning permission.

Consideration was given to a report of the Head of Housing outlining a proposal for the Council to undertake a building programme of new social and affordable housing within the Borough; with an initial aim of building 100 houses in the next three financial years, subject to land availability and planning permission.

Members acknowledged that the proposal would provide 31 much needed houses as the waiting list for those with housing needs was currently over 1000.

In answer to a Member’s question, the Board was advised that the properties would be eligible for right to buy but that subject to the right to buy affordability rules it would potentially not be for 15 years.

The Board was also advised that there would be specific units allocated to specific disability needs including family sized accommodation that would exempt the properties from being available under the right to buy scheme.

A member questioned whether it would be appropriate to use the green space proposed at Tukes Avenue, as it was felt that the spaces should be retained and that previously the land had been considered for a road extension but the retention of the area as open space had been deemed a more appropriate use.

It was suggested that land close to Lapthorn Close, Prideaux-Brune Avenue and Maynard Close would be more appropriate. 

A Members advised that he was grateful for the identification of other potential sites and advised that there was a significant difficulty with many potential tenants wishing to stay in areas where existing family was located and that this was particularly the case with families in Bridgemary.

It was accepted that difficult decisions may need to be made with regard to the use of any land for the construction of additional properties, but recognised the need for such properties was significant in the Borough.

Members expressed a desire to see the wider communities consulted with regard to the proposals and ensure that the relevant additional services required for the increase in properties was provided and also that it was important that Ward Councillors were consulted on the decision.

In answer to a Member’s question it was confirmed that any proposals would still need to be granted planning permission and that affordable housing was determined as 80% of the average rent for the Borough.

RESOLVED:

That the Board approves:

• The principle of a programme to build social and affordable housing on Council owned land; initially over the next three years but with a long-term objective to build more, as set out in this report;
  
  

§  Associated capital costs to be added to the Capital Programme (for approval by Full Council on 5^th February 2020) of £7.5m; and

§  Officers to develop associated delivery mechanisms and, in particular, seek to appoint both project management and construction development providers to enable work to commence in the new financial year.

That the board approve the review of the existing byelaws in force so as to ensure that they are relevant and enforceable. 

Consideration was giving to a report of the Boroughs Solicitor and Monitoring Officer seeking approval for a review of the current Council Byelaws.

Members were advised that there were 52 byelaws and that many of them were out of date.

In answer to a Members question, the Board was advised that there were currently PDFs of 23 of them that could be provided but the rest would need to be documented before they were available.

It was recognised that the proposed review was a significant piece of work and that it would take some time to undertake.

RESOLVED: That the review of the existing byelaws in force so as to ensure that they are relevant and enforceable be approved

which the Chairman determines should be  considered, by reason of special circwhich the Chairman determines should be  considered, by reason of special circumwhich stances, as a matter of urgencyumstances, as a matter of urgency

There were none.

That in relation to the following items the public be excluded from the meeting, as it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the public were present during these items there would be disclosure to them of exempt information within Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, and further that in all circumstances of the cases, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, for the reasons set out in the report

RESOLVED: That in relation to the following items the public be excluded from the meeting, as it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the public were present during these items there would be disclosure to them of exempt information within Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, and further that in all circumstances of the cases, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, for the reasons set out in the report

Report to follow.

Consideration was given to a report of the Head of Housing advising the Board of the outcome of the Asset Management Services (Lot1) and Gas and Electric Services (Lot 4) contract review; and obtain the recommendation of a five year extension to the existing Contract Period, from 1^st April 2021 to 31^st March 2026. 

RESOLVED: That the recommendation in the report be approved.

FOLLOWING THE EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

Consideration was given to a report of the Head of Streetscene seeking Board approval to form a Direct Services Organisation to enable the delivery of services relating to the Boroughs Parks and Open Spaces.

RESOLVED: That the Board approve the formation of a Direct Services Organisation (“DSO”) to deliver grounds maintenance services across the Borough.