Agenda and draft minutes

Members are reminded of their responsibility to declare any pecuniary interest in respect of matters contained in this agenda.

If you have a pecuniary interest you must withdraw from the meeting. Normally you should leave the room before the business starts to be discussed. You do, however, have the same right to speak as a member of the public and may remain in the room to enable you to exercise that right and then leave immediately. In either case you must not seek to improperly influence a decision on the matter.

Councillors Charlie Bromilow, Matthew Lynch and Steve Murfitt declared a non-pecuniary interest in all items on the agenda.

Fiona Hepburn, Housing Options and Support Manager, will give a short presentation to give Members some background information and context.

To assist Members in scoping the review the following are enclosed:

·         Registered Providers who operate within Chorley and the numbers of housing units owned

·         The New Home Relet Standard for Chorley Community Housing and Places for People

Fiona Hepburn, Housing Options and Support Manager, will give a short presentation to give Members some background information and context.

Chorley Community Housing and Places for People are the two largest landlords managing the majority of social housing in borough.

The Council interacts regularly with the Registered Providers (RPs) in terms of securing new properties via the Select Move Choice based lettings scheme, Community Safety Partnership working, Planning and Community Engagement.

The Homes and Communities Agency, relaunched as Homes England, are the regulators of RPs.  Their objective as social housing regulators is to work alongside RPs performing their functions in a way that minimises interference.

RPs are regulated to make sure that they’re well managed and financially secure, to maintain confidence, protecting homes for tenants, however the council have limited information in terms of how this is enforced by Homes England or what powers, if any, they have when issues are reported.

There have been a number of changes introduced nationally which the RPs claim are impacting on their business models. In particular, the Welfare Reform changes which have been introduced over a number of years. RPs have seen an impact on the pattern of demand for properties and revenue streams seeing a reduction of 1% each year for four years which commences April 2016.

Members considered the Decent Homes Standards.  In 2000 the Department for Environment, Transport and the Regions published its Housing Green Paper, Quality and Choice: A Decent Home for All.  It requested a step change in the quality of the stock and the performance of social landlords with a committed to ensuring that all social housing is of a decent standard within 10 years.

The Decent Homes Standard was a technical standard introduced by government which underpinned the Decent Homes Programme which aimed to provide a minimum standard of housing conditions for all those who are housed in the public sector.  The standard evolved and the criteria against which 'decency' is measured were set early in the programme and changed in 2006 by the introduction of the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) under the Housing Act 2004.

Absence of Category 1 hazards under the HHSRS became the test of criterion, replacing the previous statutory 'fitness' standard. The then government were of the opinion that the tough new statutory assessment of housing standards raised the bar to drive further housing improvements which also led to an increased number of homes that could be considered to contain hazards.  This replaced any tangible standards measures which were seen in the decent homes standards.

For purpose of background information and understanding the decent homes standards guidance which provided a framework for RPs to assess standards within their stock, were:-

·         The property should meet the HHSRS

·         To be in a reasonable state of repair

·         To have reasonably modern facilities and services

·         To have efficient heating and effective insulation

Some examples of how properties can be deemed not a decent standard by an RP.

·         Hazards in your home such as  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.OS.2

Members will need to consider what the desired outcome of the review will be and how this can be achieved.

Members considered the scoping document and discussed each of the requirements in turn. 

Members suggested several potential future topics:

·         protecting and supporting vulnerable people,

·         impact of welfare reform,

Members were keen to consider RP’s investment in their portfolios versus improvements to existing properties and their policies on properties that have been adapted.  The use of the service charge and the need to excellent customer service and communication with residents was highlighted. 

Decision: that the draft scoping document be circulated to Members for comment. 

Thursday, 22 February at 6.30pm. 

Thursday, 22 February at 6.30pm.