Apologies were received from Cllr Mrs Squirrell and Cllr Kendall substituted. 

The minutes from the Environment and Housing Management Committee meeting held on 7 December 2016 were approved as a true record. 

Updates were received from Officers on:

Repairs Contracts

Stock Condition Survey

Appointments were continuing to be made and 27 surveys were outstanding.  Officers were continuing to visit the remainder of the tenants to arrange appointments.  The potential completion date was 22^nd February with the draft report to be provided by the 10^th March.  The final report would be completed by the 24^th March 2017.

Drake House

The system was at 99% practical completion.  Snagging work was required. 

Completion from when the last piece of equipment and labour was removed from the site was the end of February. 

Three Arch Bridge Estate

This was completed mid January.  The contractors would review their own snagging and afterwards a joint snagging inspection would be carried out.  Work was underway to agree the final account.

Development Programme

Fawters Close/Magdalen Gardens

Site mobilisation date was 6 March 2017.  Work was due to begin 13 March.  A hand delivered resident newsletter was being distributed to provide an update on development. 

Whittington Road development

The feasibility study for the Whittingdon Road sites had been prepared as previously distributed.  The pre application was confirmed for the 27 February 2017.  Positive feedback had been received with a consultation to be arranged.   

New garage sites

A feasibility report was being prepared in relation to a further 6 garage sites with potential for redevelopment.  The sites were located in the Pilgrims Hatch area and Three Arch Bridge Estate. 

Estate Management

Parking at Gibraltar House, Mayflower House and The Keys

Enforcement would become active in March to allow time for residents to apply for the permits.  Some complaints were received from a small number of residents in relation to the issue of visitors parking.  As previously discussed with committee, this would be a 12 month trial and would be reviewed mid way through the trial to review whether it was possible to issue visitors permits in the future. 

Rent Arrears Campaign – 1 March 2017

The next planned rent arrears campaign was scheduled for 1 March 2017 in Hutton South.  The previous campaigns were targeted in Pilgrims Hatch and Hutton North.

Events

Services for the Seniors event

The Services for Seniors event was held on the 16 February 2017 at the Hutton Community Centre.  The event was a Housing led Community event to raise awareness of the community alarms service, sheltered housing and other local groups/agencies that offer support to senior members of the community.  There was over 200 people who attended the event and positive feedback was received with requests for future similar events to be planned.   

Recycling and Litter Event Campaigns 2017

Presentations

From January to March 2017, 5 presentations on recycling/litter picks have taken place at 4 local schools. 

Recycling Road shows

Two events had taken place in the High Street and William Hunter Way Car Park.

Keep Britain Tidy campaign encouraged Parish Councillors and Members to organise their own litter picks for the Spring Clean event. 

Summer Fun Days organised by Community Services will also  ...  view the full minutes text for item 310.

A presentation was given by Mr Carter on figures for litter and fly tipping from November 2016 – January 2017.  There were 6 cases with evidence out of the 28 reports.  Prosecution and FPNs had generally increased year on year from 2013/14 to 2016/17. 

Mr Dun presented on recycling performance including household tonnage data April to December 2016-17. 

A presentation on Key Performance Indicators within the Housing department was given by Mr Morris.  This covered rent collection, re-let times of properties, temporary accommodation, gas servicing and repairs performance.   

These presentations were noted by the Committee.

Report to follow

The current policy document “Housing Strategy 2013-16” had expired.  To forward the aims of the Service and Council, a new document was required to outline in strategic terms proposed service provision. 

A draft version of the “Housing Strategy 2017-2020” was put to Committee on the 7^th December 2016 which was approved to move forward to public consultation prior to ratification. 

The “Housing Strategy 2017-2020” outlined a transparent consultation for six weeks, ending on the 28^th February 2017.  The consultation was widely advertised and included representations from tenants, residents and professionals. 

The public consultation strongly supported the new “Housing Strategy 2017-2020” and its implementation.  Only some minor technical alterations had subsequently been made; no substantive changes were made to the draft version. 

Cllr Tumbridge requested a change to the wording for “Section 106 agreements”  on page 63 of the supplement agenda to read: “Requirements of developers as part of planning permissions.  Section 106 is part of the Town and Country Act.  Agreements under it covers the planning application process, to provide contributions (usually financial) to develop facilities/amenities for the local community (e.g. education, open space)”. 

A motion was MOVED by Cllr Hossack and SECONDED by Cllr Poppy to approve the recommendations in the report.

A vote was taken by a show of hands and it was RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY that:

The Committee formally approve the final “Housing Strategy 2017-2020” for immediate adoption (Appendix A of the report).  

Reasons for recommendation

The proposed Housing Strategy would allow the Council to:

-       Meet its legal requirements

-       Target housing solutions within the Borough

-       Broaden the housing range for residents

-       Highlight to tenants and residents the forthcoming challenges which both the council and they themselves would face.

-       Support the implementation of the Welfare Reform agenda (which Brentwood Borough Council was committed to, particularly within existing written policy).

-       Structure the Council’s approach to housing, in particular as relevant to the Local Development Plan. 

At the meeting of the Environment and Housing Management Committee on 7^th December 2016, Members resolved to request a report outlining the powers, measures and the associated costs that can be taken to effectively reduce the number of empty homes in the Borough.  

The report sought to outline the powers available and to give an indication of likely costs and recommended actions for Member approval. 

Cllr Hossack MOVED and Cllr Poppy SECONDED the recommendations in the report. 

Cllr Tumbridge MOVED and Cllr Cloke SECONDED an AMENDMENT to recommendation 2.3: To identify and prioritise the current properties which have been empty for over 2 years in the Borough and to approve initial contact with owners to seek resolution and initial contact be approved by the Chairman in contact with Officers and for examples of that content to be brought back to the report created by recommendations 2.1 and 2.2. 

A vote was taken on a show of hands and the AMENDMENT was CARRIED. 

A vote was taken by a show of hands  and it was RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY:

2.1To produce a skeleton Empty Homes Strategy to provide direction of travel.

2.2To produce a business case for i) in-house services, ii) a stand alone position, iii) team working – General Fund. 

2.3To identify and prioritise the current properties which have been empty for over 2 years in the Borough and to approve initial contact with owners to seek a resolution and initial contact be approved by the Chairman in contact with Officers and for examples of that content to be brought back to the report created by recommendations 2.1 and 2.2.   

2.4To seek to recover costs of enforcement action where possible. 

Reasons for recommendations

To ensure that effective action was taken to reduce the number of empty homes in the Borough within existing resources where possible. 

To seek to ensure that the costs of enforcement action was recovered where possible. 

The report covered three areas within the Street Scene Department:

-       Fly-tipping on Byways

-       Little Warley Car Park (also known as Childerditch Common)

-       Investment in Front Line Services to assist with the clearing of Fly-tips and an update on the Neighbourhood Action Team

Fly-tipping on Byways

There had been ongoing issues with fly tipping on byways which were proving expensive to deal with as well as being detrimental to the local environment. 

It was therefore suggested as a trial that the byway (Horsemanside to Murthering Lane) had a temporary Traffic Regulation Order raised.  The effect would be to limit access to specific users. 

Little Warley Car Park (also known as Childerditch Common)

Officers received a representation from Little Warley & Childerditch Village Hall Association with regard to the permanent closure of the car park at Little Warley Common (also known as Childerditch Common).  The reason for the request was outlined in more detail within Section 3 of the report where the recommendations outlined that officers consult statutory bodies to obtain their views on such a closure.  

Investment in Front Line Services to help with Fly-tips and an update on the Neighbourhood Action Team

The front line investment of £80K would allow for an opportunity to support the NATs to work on requests from Members within their wards on a 15 week rota system.  Three new staff would be deployed to undertake predominately the clearing of fly tips alongside the investment of new equipment such as a JCB to assist with the larger fly-tips ourselves rather than use contractors.  It would be noted that any hazardous fly-tips would still need to be removed by specialist contractors. 

Termination of Meeting

During the preceding item, in accordance with Rule 28 of Part 4.1. – Council Procedure Rules, the business of the meeting not having concluded by two hours after its start, Members voted to agree to continue with the meeting for a further 30 minutes.

Cllr Hossack MOVED and Cllr Poppy SECONDED the recommendations in the report and a vote was taken by a show of hands and it was RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY that:

1.    The Committee agreed to the Chief Executive writing to the ECC Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport requesting consideration for a temporary Traffic Regulation Order for the Byway Horsemanside to Murthering Lane.

2.    The Committee agreed to instruct officers to undertake a consultation exercise with identified public bodies (to be determined) to ascertain feedback on the requested closure of the car park at Little Warley Common (also known as Childerditch Common) and to report back to a future committee.

3.    Members noted the arrangements for the Neighbourhood Action Team going forward from 3^rd April 2017 and actively participate in submitting tasks for the Neighbourhood Action Teams. 

Reason for recommendations

Fly-tipping in byways – the expense and difficulty in removing fly-tips was high and as such urgent measures were required to address the issue going forward.

Little Warley Car Park – reason for the recommendation was to allow  ...  view the full minutes text for item 314.

There was no urgent business to discuss.

The meeting ended at 21:05.