Area Board Meeting

Minutes of meeting held on 26 April 2012 – Elvington Community Centre, Elvington.

Present:

Tenant Reps:

June Bailey (Chair) (JBai)Brenda Lyons (BL)

Roy Barlow(RB)Mary Duncan (MD)

Dave Quarrinton (Vice Chair)(DQ)Sandra Murray (SM)

Pat Poole(PP)Sarah Kidney (SK)

John Battles(JB)Tony Troth-Alexander (TA)

Dennis Haywood (DH)

Chris Hanagan (Tenant Board Member) (CH)

Cllr Pip Russell

Cllr Sue Chandler

East Kent Housing

Louise Taylor (LT)Janet Oxborrow (JO)

Keith Cane(KC)David Ashby (DA)

Elliot Austin(EA)Verity Johnson (VJ)

Observers

Cllr Brivio

1. Welcome and Apologies

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June Bailey, the Chair,welcomed everyone to the meeting and introductions around the table were made.

Apologies were received from: Dave Aldred and Paul Whitfield

The group noted that Dave Aldred had failed to attend any of Dover’s Area Board Meetings (four in total) and Janet was asked to write to him about this.

2. Minutes of last Meeting and Matters Arising

With regard to Action Point 1 – JO confirmed that DH had been provided with the H&S paperwork from KC. JBai pointed out that it should have gone to all board members and JO apologised and said she would send it out to everyone.

Action Point 2 – JO read from email dated 21.3.12 from Elly Toye as follows:

The amount charged was agreed at the time of procurement and is more costly presumably because it's an automated system rather than just a telephone line to a person. I believe that a call to place a bid lasts less than half a minute.

In the last fortnight, of the 22000 bids placed only 45 were phone bids and I know from experience that many people phone customer services and ask them to place bids on their behalf. The Area Board asked if their concerns could be noted and considered when the contract was due for renewal. JO to forward information to Elly Toye & Paul Whitfield.

EA agreed to supply a landline number for Swale Heating.

Sandra Murray proposed thatthe minutes be accepted as a true record andMary Duncan seconded. June Bailey signed the minutes.

LT gave an update on Solar Panels – there will be more information available at the next meeting.

3. Monitory and Scrutiny

Louise went through the report that had previously been circulated and made the following observations:

  • The voids were now down to 19½ days
  • LT responded to a question from CH regarding a void property at St Monicas and explained how the void period is calculated.
  • EA gave an update on the repairs figures and explained that the discrepancies are due to an administration error caused by Meers not closing jobs correctly.
  • There is a 97% satisfaction rating from tenants.
  • LT agreed to get statistics for Swale Heating.

Cllr Chandler said that she was pleased to see the improvement in the void figures.

Roy Barlow asked why Manley House had been sold for £20,000. Cllr Chandler said this was not correct and she would get the information and pass it to JO for distribution. Roy said he was quoting an article from the local press.

Forward Plan – if members wanted anything discussed at future meetings from the forward plan they should let the Chair know.

Scrutiny Up-date

JO gave an update as follows:

  • There are three scrutiny groups covering:

(a) Environmental Improvements

(b) Estate Inspections & Grading

(c) Improvements to flats with a mixture of Tenants & Leaseholders

There are three area board members – one on each group and six other tenants who have volunteered to be involved.

Dennis Haywood – Environmental Projects

Brenda Lyons – Improvements to blocks of flats with a mix of tenants and leaseholders.

Sandra Murray – Estate Grading

There will be three main meetings of the Scrutiny Groups one in June, September and November and a premilary meeting to set the scope of the meetings on 3May 2012 in Thanington.

4. Matters for Information and Consultation

Area Managers Update

LT gave an up date on the profiling questionnaire which is being designed and will be sent to all tenants and leaseholders.

Dover are piloting an alternative way to manage decorating procedures for new tenants.

British Gas are going to manage the gas meters in void properties which should help reduce the void turnaround time as they will sort out any debts on the meter and give tenants a £5 credit on the meter.

EKH now has its own sound recording equipment which can be used in noisy neighbour complaints – the most common complaint received from tenants.

Area Board Handbook

Copies handed out to all Area Board Members – this is a ‘living document’ and will be updated as required.

Papers considered by Main Board

KC explained that the last quarter’s decisions had been distributed.

ASB Policy

The ASB policy had previously been distributed and LT gave an overview of the document. Pat Poole and Dave Quarrinton had been involved in the group that had formulated the policy for EKH. Pat Poole said it had been a pleasure to be involved in this group. It was very interesting and tenants views had been taken into consideration.

CH asked how ASB on mixed developments was resolved. Cllr Chandler explained that EKH works with all partners, including other landlords to resolve ASB.

5. Matters for Information and Consultation – Dover District Council

LT gave an update on the Right to Buy thresholds that had been increased to a maximum of £75,000. There will be an article in the newsletter covering this.

Cllr Chandler said that there will be a change in procedures so that more of the receipts received from right to buy properties will be re-invested in social housing.

Future Meetings

JBai explained that at a meeting the previous day the tenant board members had discussed the timescale of Area Board Meetings and had agreed that there should be four extra meetings per year.

These meetings will be linked with tenant training sessions and would be informal meetings to cover feedback from sub and scrutiny groups.

The next training session on 30 May 2012 has been cancelled and replaced by a Training/informal Area Board Meeting on 13 June 2012 from 2pm in the Brave Room at DDC. This meeting is not compulsory for non tenant board members although all members are welcome.

Date and time of next meeting:

Thursday 26 July 2012 – 6pm – 8pm (Tea/Coffee & biscuits from 5.30) The Golf Road Centre, 28 Golf Road, Deal, KentCT14 6PY

Action Points

Page Number / Action / Person
1 / Janet to write to Dave Aldred / JO
1 / Elliot Austin to supply landline number for Swale Heating / EA
1 / Janet to send out H & S paperwork / JO
2 / LT to get statistics re Swale Heating / LT
2 / Cllr Chandler to supply details of the purchase price of Manley House / Cllr Chandler

Signed …………………………………………. Date: ……………………….

(Chair)

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