Agenda item

Councillor Emma Faramarzi, the Cabinet Member for Housing and Public Safety, was in attendance and presented a detailed report summarising progress and performance in respect of each of the following service areas within her portfolio of responsibility:

·       Allocations and Advice Services

·       Empty Homes

·       Estate and Tenancy Management

·       Housing Enabling and Strategic Services

·       Homeline Services

·       Homelessness

·       Housing Right to Buy/Sales Services

·       Neighbourhood Wardens

·       Private Sector Housing Renovation Grants

·       Repair and Improvements to Council Housing Stock

·       Sheltered Accommodation

·       Police Authority/Police and Crime Commissioner liaison

·       Community Safety Partnership including young offenders and reducing anti-social behaviour

·       Environmental and Public Protection Services (including Licensing)

·       Gypsies, Travellers and Unauthorised Encampments

·       Reducing Drugs, Alcohol and Substance Abuse

·       Control Room Operations

At the request of the Chair, Councillor Faramarzi, in her presentation of the report, commented specifically on those elements within her portfolio which she felt had been most successful, those where a different approach might have produced better results and the lessons that might have been learned as a consequence, and the challenges she expected to be faced by the Council relation to these service areas in the coming year and beyond, particularly in relation to on-going budgetary constraints.

Following her presentation of the report, Councillor Faramarzi responded to Members’ specific questions and observations on the following topics:

·       The role, promotion and work of the Event Safety Advisory Group.

·       Charges for work undertaken in respect of food safety through inspection, advice and support including the national Food Hygiene Rating System.

·       The use of the Council’s out of hours service in reducing service requests relating to noise nuisance.

·       The targeting of areas with reported issues involving “Door Step” crime and the activities of Rogue Traders through the heightening of resident awareness.

·       The involvement of Trading Standards Officers in events tackling online and credit card fraud, including working with the office of the Police and Crime Commissioner.

·       The possible review by Government of Licensing Houses in Multiple Occupation.

·       Officer work to improve the conditions of Houses in Multiple Occupation.

·       Officer Involevement on planning applications for Houses in Mulitple Occupation.

·       Core issues that led individuals to live in Houses in Multiple Occupation.

·       The Council’s continued involvement in the Buy with Confidence Scheme.

·       Council action against poor landlords.

·       The issue of the possible renting of garages as residential accommodation.

·       Council action to educate shop owners to prevent the sale of inappropriate or unsafe age restricted products.

·       Issues relating to waiting lists for Council properties.

·       Bidders understanding of tenancies and their conditions.

·       Reasons for offers of housing accommodation being rejected by bidders.

·       The turnaround times for bringing void Council properties back into use.

·       Staffing changes within the Council’s Public Protection Team.

·       Legislation to ensure rented housing is safe to occupy and how Council Officers respond to reports of potentially unsafe accommodation.

          Resolved – (1) That Councillor Emma Faramarzi be thanked for attending the meeting to present her performance report and for her full and open responses to Members’ questions and observations on the issues raised.

          (2) That the information requested by Members during the course of the Committee’s consideration of this item be forwarded to Members via the Committee Officer.