Charnwood Housing Residents’ Forum (CHRF)
Minutes of meeting held on
Wednesday 18 November 2015 | 10am – 12.30pm | Committee Room 1, the Council Offices
Attendees: Trish Edwardes – HMAB
Peter Bates – SCRA
Jacqueline Thomas – SCRA
Jo Glickman – SCRA
Elke Richardson – SCRA
Jim Cregeen – TARA
Marie Cregeen – TARA
Alix Glazier – NM
Mrs Ure - SCF
Mike Brown - SCF
Apologies: June Bush, Cath Biddles and Kevin Wright.
Officers: Ian Philp – Landlord Services Manager (Acting Chair)
Deborah White - Repairs and Investment Manager
Julie-Anne Byrne – Customer Engagement Officer
Martin Harper – Principal Officer for Investment and Programme Delivery
Item / Action1)
1.1
1.2 / Welcome and Introduction
Ian welcomed everyone to the meeting and went through the minutes of 21/10/2015.
The minutes were accepted as an accurate account of the meeting and they were signed off by the group.
2)
2.1
2.2
2.3 / Matters Arising
Shatlock working at Staveley Court (ST) – tenants report lack of clarity with appointments. Some tenants receive a letter to notify them of an appointment, others receive a phone call. MH suggested that Shatlock send a letter with appointment details and if the tenant wishers to change the time or date then they could contact Shatlock directly. MH to address with Shatlock and update at the next meeting.
Tenants report that some sub-contractors are not achieving the expected CBC standards when working in tenants homes. Care and attention is not adhered to and protective sheeting is not being used to cover furniture or carpets and homes are not being left in a tidy state when work is complete. DW will raise tenants concerns at contractor meetings.
The mound at Staveley Court – Date to be confirmed for the scan of the mound. MH will update at the next meeting. / MH
DW
MH
3)
3.1
3.2
3.3 / Repairs and Investment
Deborah White introduced herself as Landlord Services Repairs and Investment department responsible for planned and day to day works.
Current areas of work:
· Addressing issues with Wates
· Adaptations – all are progressing as expected
· Scooter stores
· New systems are being introduced for surveyors. The outcome will be an improved audit trail and a better understanding of what is entailed for jobs
· Recent improvements to the Jewson contract will result in improved value for money over the coming years
· Time recording is used for every job improving the appointment system
· A procurement process is planned for 2016 for the gas servicing contract (currently SURE). Tenants will be involved in the selection process. DW will update in the new year
JC complimented the repairs teams for their good work in his home and also positive feedback from nearby neighbours. / DW
4)
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6
4.7
4.8
4.9
4.10
4.11
4.12
4.13
4.14
4.15
4.16
4.17
4.18
4.19
4.20
4.21 / DRAFT Landlord Services Budget 2016/ 2017
CBC’s long term 30 year Business Plan includes the following:
· A detailed 1-5 year plan
· 6+ years is less detailed
The Business Plan is reviewed every 5 years to ensure workability and progress.
Landlord Services (LS) always plan and consult on their own departmental budget.
The LS budget must take into account changes in Government policies and funding. LS will receive 1% less rental income for the next financial year and the next 3 consecutive years due to the 1% cut in rent charges over the next 4 years. This equates to a reduction of £300,000 per year for 4 years = £1.3 million in total.
Both the Capital (Asset management - planned work) and Revenue (responsive repair work) have government targets to reduce environmental harm.
Revenue budget (Asset Management) –there are already savings in:
Ø Energy performance
Ø Travel expenses (reduced fuel costs)
Ø Not recruiting to 1 surveyor post (this will not affect performance as this post has been vacant for a while
Ø Revenue budget (Responsive Repairs) – there are already savings in:
Ø Not recruiting to a joiner and handyman post (as per surveyor post)
Ø LS have negotiated a better value for money contract with their suppliers JEWSONs after a recent tendering exercise
Ø Not recruiting to a voids clearing post
Ø Fuel for CBCs vans is cheaper due to reduced costs nationally
Ø Fire Risk Assessment costs are reduced because most of the associated work is complete
Ø Asbestos costs are reduced – as per fire risk assessment work
Ø Fire extinguisher costs
Ø Legal costs are reduced because of improved access for gas safety inspections
TOTAL savings = £428,000
Budget pressures that will need to be funded:
Ø Additional quantity surveyor
Ø The part-time admin post will be changed to full-time to facilitate the teams support needs
Ø Increased demand for adaptations = more repairs required if they go wrong
Ø Electrical testing will cost £39,000 – testing must be done every 5 years
Ø Every property that has had decent homes work done in the last five years will need re-visiting to sustain the standard. There is an unknown cost relating to this work
Ø Legionella inspections have increased by £13,000 this year
TOTAL additional expenditure = £76,000
N.B. this is only an estimate as it depends on work listed in the inclusions list above.
OVERALL Net Effect = £351,600
Possible options for reducing expenditure:
Ø If CBC filled the vacant posts then the work could be done quicker
Ø CBC could take on agency staff to cope with peaks and troughs
Capital Spend: If the budget is tight over the next few years then LS could reduce its spend on the number of bathrooms/kitchens it upgrades as a result of tenants refusing the work.
Most homes have received a heating upgrade and as a result there will be less spend on heating installations over the next few years.
Replacement window costs have increased this year as LS will install new windows at Sorrell Court.
LS can’t predict the cost of balcony works until all the surveys are complete.
Many tenants have refused insulation to their homes this means that LS spend for insulation has decreased. Could this money be used elsewhere?
The minor/major adaptation budget is fixed for future years. There is the capacity to move some money from another budget if the need increases.
The HMAB will hold a special meeting in December to discuss the DRAFT budget.
DW will present a summary Budget report at the January CHRF. / DW
5)
5.1 / Tenancy Support Policy
IP asked members if there were any final amends to the policy before it was signed off. None were offered so the group signed off the DRAFT policy.
6)
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
6.5
6.6
6.7
6.8
6.9
6.10 / STAR Survey
IP explained the background details to the STAR survey and circulated a briefing note for information.
A Star survey is a tenant and resident satisfaction survey that is normally carried out by social housing landlords every 3 years.
Charnwood Borough Council’s Landlord Services has commissioned a tenants’ satisfaction survey to:
- Identify satisfaction levels for key areas of service delivery;
- Track changes since the last survey carried out by CNH in 2012;
- Track the general direction of travel in tenants’ satisfaction;
- Benchmark results meaningfully against similar organisations;
- Identify areas of good service delivery;
- Identify areas where improvement is needed;
- Identify any difference in satisfaction levels for the various property types and sizes and locality.
Bostock Marketing Group Ltd (BMG) has been chosen as an independent firm to carry out the survey on behalf of Landlord Services.
BMGL will send a questionnaire to a random sample of general needs tenants and all tenants who live in sheltered housing.
Leaseholders are not included because they are regularly surveyed through the Leaseholder Forum.
Questionnaires will be posted out on 10 December 2015. Reminder letters will be sent by BMGL on 6 and 27 January 2016 to those tenants who have not yet returned their questionnaire.
A five point scale will be used to record opinions: very satisfied; satisfied; fairly satisfied; neither satisfied nor dissatisfied; fairly dissatisfied; and very dissatisfied.
The closing date for the returns is 19 February 2016.
The results will be analysed and reported to Landlord Services. The results will help to shape services and to meet the needs of tenants.
BMG will have a helpline (Freephone) and email for dealing with any queries about the survey or questionnaire. Details will be confirmed when known.
7)
7.1
7.2
7.3
7.4 / Update from the groups
Staveley Court Residents Group – The Halloween Party was a success. The group have booked a Christmas meal for 18 December. Residents have recently planted 2,000 spring bulbs donated by ‘friends of SC’ and residents. Their next meeting will take place in January 2016.
TARA – The group has organised a Christmas meal on 16 December 2015. They expect a good turnout for the event.
Senior Citizens Forum – The Christmas party is booked for 15 December 2015 at Arnold Smith House. JB and Nicola Clarke from Quadron visited all courts recently to review open spaces work and standards.
HMAB – TE reported that the last meeting was more informal as not all members were in attendance. The group is due to meet in December to review the DRAFT Budget. The January meeting will consider garages.
8)
8.1 / Tenant Bid Update Report
JB explained that a number of the bids are now complete and those pending will be complete by 31/03/2016 as per the tenant bid funding criteria. Feedback from tenants where bids are complete has been very positive with the quality of the work continuing to improve. A copy of the report is included with the minutes.
9)
9.1
9.2
9.3 / 2016 Schedule of meetings
IP proposed that meetings could be changed to either a Tuesday or Thursday morning as some of the members have other community commitments such as coffee mornings or community meetings on a Wednesday morning.
The group discussed the proposal and decided to vote on the above options. The results are as follows:
· Move to a Tuesday morning meeting = 5
· Stay the same (Wednesday morning) = 5
· Move to a Thursday morning meeting = 1
The group agreed to stay the same and review the meetings day early 2016.
10)
10.1
10.2
10.3
10.4
10.5
10.6
10.7
10.8
10.9 / Any other business
AG asked who is responsible for communal cleaning as they are untidy and dirty at Castledine Close. Residents are responsible as per their tenancy agreement. JB will notify the Tenancy and Estate Management Officer (TEMO) to request a reminder letter be sent to tenants.
Residents at Staveley Court (SC) report non-residents are parking in the SC car park. They believe it is residents of Waterside Close. JB will inform the TEMO.
Under stair cupboards are still being used as storage areas by some residents at Staveley Court. Members asked if the TEMO could check that this is allowed. JB will inform the TEMO.
PB asked if the SCRA could use the notice boards in the communal areas. They are used to display fire safety information. PB is aware that that is their main purpose but he assured the group that the group’s notices would not obscure the important fire notices. JB will inform the TEMO.
JB explained that as a result of the imminent changes to the Council Offices with the DWP moving in that customer parking is now restricted to 2 hours. Wardens will patrol the car park and anyone parked for more than 2 hours will receive a parking notice. Tenants attending meetings must park in the Beehive car park opposite CBC and claim parking expenses with the presentation of a receipt at the meeting.
JG explained that he has submitted a tenant bid for lighting the area outside his and his neighbour’s bungalows. A discussion took place on the County Council’s policy of turning off street lighting in the area from midnight to 5.30am.
TE explained that visitors to SC often get lost as there are no clear directions to the locations of the flats and houses. Visitors often knock on the windows of those homes closest to the entrance for directions to a property. PB said there was a sign in the past but he believed it was stolen because it was made from brass. SC members suggested that if a new board was to be installed that it be placed on the wall near the entrance to lessen the risk of it being stolen. JB will inform the TEMO.
JB explained that she will be moving on a secondment to environmental services on 30/11/15. The post is for a minimum of 6 months but may last as long as 12 months.
Members thanked JB for her support to members and other tenants as she often goes above and beyond what is expected to ensure that she does a good job. Members said that they will miss JB and wished her well in her new role. A round of applause was given. / JB
JB
JB
JB
JB
11)
11.1 / Date/Time of Next Meeting
Wednesday 13 January 2016 at 10.00am – 12.30pm in Meeting Room 7, The Council Offices
Glossary