Thursday, 7^th June 2012

Present: – Wendy Farmer (Chair), Ruth Andrews, Rose Boden, Kevin Davis, Gary Hackett,Paula Kinsellaand Bridget Orman.

ADC: – Barry Maxey (Tenant Participation Officer).

1. Welcome and introductions

Wendy welcomed everyone to the meeting.

1. Apologies

Apologies were received from Bruce Andrews, Dave Donaldson, Pauline Jeffery,Tony Morris, Sylvia Page and Tanya Page.

3.         Minutes of the last meeting – 12^th April 2012

The minutes were agreed.

4.         Matters arising

• Environmental improvements – an extra refuse bin has been delivered to Sea House and the handrail at the back ofPashley Courthas been installed.
• Community Payback Scheme – Beverley Gear and Steven Berry from theSurreyand Sussex Probation Trust gave a presentation to the ACF on this in May.  There was unanimously support for the scheme in general but Kevin and Ruth were opposed to offenders working in communal hallways.
• Tenants’ handbook – Paula said her concerns about plumbing-in washing machines had been misquoted and that she had been referring to the installation of new pipework.  No one has contactedCharlie Strong(Maintenance Manager) about changes to the handbook s so it was suggested that the comments made at the last meeting should be passed on to him.
• Repairs reporting – Paula said that she hadn’t have difficulty getting through to the contact centre to report repairs but that when she did, she wasn’t impressed by the knowledge or attitude of the person who took the call.  Kevin said that Dave Donaldson had problems reporting a repair over the holiday weekend.  He said the answerphone message on the repairs reporting line hadn’t given the emergency number and instead advised callers to call back later.  When he did eventually get the number, he then had difficulty getting through to the duty supervisor.  It was suggested that an article about reporting repairs could be put in the next edition of the Forum.
• Barry said that Michael Barnard had recently been appointed as the new dog warden.  Kevin said dog bins have been requested aroundWhiterock   Placebut that there had been some debate among residents about the best places to site them.

5.         Bids for environmental improvements

None.

6.         Treasurer’s report

The total in the bank account is £2557.10.

7.         Cabinet agenda

Development and Acquisition of New Adur Homes’ Dwellings

Wendy said she disagreed with money being taken from this year’s capital programme to fund the purchase of homes.   She said that work on the Decent Homes programme had already been seriously delayed and that any money not spent this year should be carried over to the next one.  While there was support for the general principal of Adur Homes acquiring properties, those present thought this should be funded from future income and not from the existing capital programme.

8.         Resident scrutiny

Following the presentation given byRichard Tomkinsonon resident scrutiny at the tenants’ and leaseholders’ conference, Wendy said she met with him, Councillor Julie Searle and council officers to look at how this could work in Adur.  She said that as a result of this meeting, Richard had been asked to carry out a review of tenant involvement and empowerment in Adur.  He will initially carry out a desk top review of policies and procedures and then hopes to interview a various involved residents, staff and the lead councillor.

9.         Reports of committees

i)          The Forum

The first meeting for the summer edition of the Forum will be on 21^st June.  The target date for delivery of the newsletter will be the August bank holiday weekend.  Contributions welcomed from all residents’ associations and individuals.

ii)         Adur Leaseholders’ Forum (ALF)

Kevin said that the last ALF meeting was poorly attended, so it’s planned to try out a couple of evening meetings during the summer months.  He also said that Barry’s role in attending residents’ meetings had come up at a recent meeting with council staff and asked Wendy if she had been made aware of this.  Barry explained that changes are being considered by Adur Homes but that the details are still to be decided.  He said proposals to introduce new forms of resident involvement, such as mystery shopping and resident scrutiny, would take up more of his time and that one option would be for him not to attend resident association meetings except for their AGMs.  Attendance at ACF and other meetings would continue and there would be no council involvement in what is written in the minutes of meetings that council officers had not attended.

iii)        SHARP

Barry said the next SHARP meeting is on 3^rd July when it is hoped there will be an update on discussions taking place with housing benefit staff on the funding of support services.

10.       Housing surgeries

It was suggested that an article advertising these surgeries could be put in Forum.  Wendy suggested staff could make more use of the Lancing Office to interview tenants etc when the Civic Centre closes but that some alterations may be needed to the layout of the building.

11.       Any other business

• Kevin asked about the security of laptops now that more council staff are working from home.  Barry said housing staff rely on remote access to records via the internet, rather than having records stored on laptops.
• Kevin also said the new rent cards, which are only partially laminated, don’t last very long before the bar code on them becomes unreadable when scanned and he questioned whether there are any plans to change them.

12.       Date of next meeting

The next meting will be the AGM and will be held at the Civic Centre on Thursday, 2^nd August.  There will be a social gathering from 5.30pm followed by the AGM at 7.00.

NB      It was later realised that the meeting was not quorate (i.e. not enough people were present) to allow the group to make binding decisions on behalf of the ACF.

HOUSING CRISIS!

Nationally millions are on the Council waiting lists (Adur has 1,400 households on its Housing Register). Houses to buy or rent privately are too expensive. The most affordable rent is Council Housing. However, since Mrs Thatcher’s right to buy policy, Council stock has shrunk and hasn’t been replaced. The situation is so serious that in Oxford an advert for an 8ft x 8ft shed, with a rent of £450 a month DID receive a lot of offers! This situation can’t go on.

Minutes of ACF Meeting Kingsfield Close, Southwick

Thursday, 12th April 2012

Present: – Wendy Farmer (Chair), Ruth Andrews, Fred Bathurst, Bill Bone, Kevin Davis, Dave Donaldson, David Guy, William Guy, Gary Hackett, Paula Kinsella, Bob McClelland, Bridget Orman, Sylvia Page, Tanya Page and Ron Pope.

ADC: – Tim Ivamy (Senior Building Surveyor), Alex Marsh (Tenancy Services Manager) and Barry Maxey (Tenant Participation Officer).

1. Welcome and introductions Wendy welcomed everyone to the meeting.

2. Apologies Apologies were received from Bruce Andrews, Rose Boden, Patricia Crowdy, Paula J. Kinsella, Sue Lane and Tony Morris.

3. Minutes of the last meeting – 23rd February 2012 Kevin said comments he had made about communal way clearing, fire risk assessments and leasehold matters had not been included in the minutes.  Barry said to let him or Bridget know what these comments were if he would like a correction added to the minutes.

4. Matters arising None.

5. Bids for environmental improvements • Dave Donaldson requested an addition refuse bin for Sea House at a cost of £220.00.  He said the current bin capacity doesn’t meet Waste Services requirements of 140 litres per household but that he was still told they didn’t qualify for an extra bin.  The request was approved unanimously. • Barry said an estimate requested to fit a handrail to the back steps of Pashley Court has come in at £160.  This work was approved unanimously. • On behalf of Courtfields residents, Ron thanked the ACF for their grant for plants for their raised beds.

6.  Treasurer’s report The total in the bank account is £2557.10.

7. ACF Forward Plan It was agreed to hold the next ACF meeting on 7th June and every two months thereafter on the first Thursday (i.e. 2nd August, 4th October and 6th December in 2012).  Additional meetings will be called, if required, to discuss committee reports at short notice.

It was also agreed to invite Councillor Julie Searle to the next ACF meeting on 7th June.  Bridget said the ACF original requested a meeting with her to discuss their standing with the council.  It was suggested that members co-ordinate their questions beforehand.  Kevin said he had questions relating to inappropriate action from council staff, the anti-social behaviour policy not being followed and preventative maintenance being ignored.  Sylvia thought that changes to the repairs policy meant that homes would go to ‘rack and ruin’ as tenants didn’t have the money to repair them.

Barry was asked to arrange a meeting with Adur Homes Services’ contractors in May and with section heads in June.  He was also asked to contact the Probation Service to invite them to give a presentation (possibly during the daytime) on the community payback scheme.

Ruth suggested inviting West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service to a meeting to discuss fire safety in and around the home but it was agreed to look at this again in the autumn.

8. Tenants’ Handbook – ‘Repairs & Improvements’ Section  Following the presentation given by Charlie Strong (Maintenance Manager) in February, members were asked if they have any comments on the changes proposed for this section of the Tenants’ Handbook.

The following comments were made: – • references such as ‘by you’ (e.g. under ‘Our Responsibilities’) should be changed to ‘the tenant’ • ‘adjusting internal doors’ should come under fair wear and tear • ‘rat infestations’ – Adur Homes should take responsibility for blocking up holes in homes where rats are getting in.  (Sylvia added that metal grills were supposed to be fitted to her drain but that plastic ones were used instead.  She also said she has recently reported a hole in the rendering where rats are entering her home.)  • not enough information is given about the emergency out-of-hours service • decorating for tenants who are retired or disabled – it was felt that the council have a responsibility to their vulnerable tenants and should be involved in this, if only to make it clear where to seek help • if Adur Homes do not do jobs like plumbing-in washing machines, there is a risk that tenants will employ ‘cowboy’ builders to do the work, which may result in more problems for the council.

It was agreed that anyone with points to raise about this section of the Tenants’ Handbook will put them in writing to Charlie Strong.

9.     Reports of committees

i) The Forum The wrong date was listed in the Forum for the ‘Worthing Party on the Prom’ diamond jubilee celebrations.  It should have been 16th June and not the 6th.

ii) Adur Leaseholders’ Forum (ALF) The next meeting is on 25th April.  Kevin and Ron said they will be having a meeting with council officers on 23rd April to try to resolve problems that arose at the February meeting when a member of staff walked out.   iii) SHARP            Discussions are still going on with housing benefits to try to agree what support services they will pay for in future.

10. Tenants’ & Leaseholders’ Conference This will be held at the Civic Centre on 26th April.  The event will include a presentation by Richard Tomkinson of TPAS on resident scrutiny.  Anyone who would like to attend should let Barry know.

11. Any other business • Several people said they have had difficulty reporting repairs since this service has been taken over by the contact centre.  Bridget said she was put through to the ‘claims department’ on one occasion and others said they have phoned several times without calls being answered. • Fred said there were blocked alleyways on the Mash Barn estate and suggested this may be work that could be taken on by the community payback team. • Kevin said there have been an increasing number of problems with dogs causing a nuisance in the Whiterock Place area.  He said some owners let their dogs roam on extended leads.  He suggested that more should be said about this to new tenants when they first move in.  He also asked whether there is now a designated council dog warden.  Barry agreed to find out. • The raffle raised £22 for ACF funds.

12. Date of next meeting The next meting will be at 7.00pm on 7th June 2012 in the Kingsfield Close communal room. ]]> http://adurconsultativeforum.org.uk/minutes/12-05-12.html/feed/ 0 http://adurconsultativeforum.org.uk/minutes/23-02-12.html/ http://adurconsultativeforum.org.uk/minutes/23-02-12.html/#comments Thu, 29 Mar 2012 11:23:10 +0000 chair http://adurconsultativeforum.org.uk/?p=189 Continue reading →]]>

Minutes of ACF Meeting, Kingsfield Close, Southwick

Thursday, 23rd February 2012

Present: – Wendy Farmer (Chair), Bruce Andrews, Ruth Andrews, Rose Boden, Kevin Davis, Paula Kinsella, Paula J. Kinsella, Sue Lane, Richard Letchford, Tony Morris, Bridget Orman, Sylvia Page, Tanya Page and Ron Pope.

ADC: – Tim Ivamy (Senior Building Surveyor), Alex Marsh (Tenancy Services Manager) and Barry Maxey (Tenant Participation Officer).

1. Welcome and introductions

Wendy welcomed everyone to the meeting.

2. Apologies

Apologies were received from Patricia Crowdy, Dave Donaldson, Gary Hackett, Bob McClelland, Len Nye and Marice Nye.

3. Communal Way Clearing

Alex outlined the reasons for producing this report. The policy to deal with items left in communal ways was introduced in 2007 and this report clarifies the procedure for removing them and for recovering the costs from residents.

Alex explained that the policy refers to all items left in communal areas, with the exception of doormats, including items fixed or hung on walls or ceilings. She said the policy continues to stir up controversy among residents when they are asked to remove items and officers are seeking the support of the ACF and the Joint Strategic Committee to tackle this problem.

The following questions were put to her: -

Q. Why do pictures and hanging baskets above head-height need to be removed?

A. The policy is intended to reduce the risk of fire and to ensure that people are not impeded in exiting the building and once exceptions are made, it can be difficult to know where to draw the line.

Q. Do the same rules apply where there is only one flat on a landing?

A. Yes, the risks are similar and the same rules apply.

Q. If noticeboards are allowed in hallways, why are pictures prohibited?

A. The considerations are similar to those regarding doormats. Fire safety inspections will address some of these issues but noticeboards may have to be made of fire-retardant material (which would be more expensive) and notices on boards not left flapping.

Q. It was reported at the Leaseholder’s meeting that many sheltered residents use the hallways for charging their electric vehicles and it thought that no immediate decision was going to be made about removing these appliances until there had been further consultation on this.

A. Policy doesn’t allow for electric vehicles to be charged in communal hallways but most sheltered schemes have separate facilities where they can be charged or external charging points that have been installed under the adaptations budget.

Q. Who is going to monitor the cost and will it be used by ‘fly-tippers’ or people moving in and out of properties to dump items?

A. This will be monitored by existing staff (e.g. Housing and Maintenance Officers etc) and residents will be encouraged to report acts of fly-tipping.

It was suggested that the term ‘employees, residents and visitors’ mentioned in section 2.1 of the report should be changed to ‘residents, visitors and employees.’

Sue mentioned a chair that they have by the doorway in Tollbridge House and said that she hopes this is not removed before a flip-up replacement seat is provided. Alex said she would chase this up, along with a similar seat for Marsh House.

Ron said that many residents at Courtfields rely on walking frames etc that they have to leave outside their front door because they are unable to store them in their flats. He asked Wendy to put this point to the Joint Strategic Committee (JSC).

Tony asked if this policy covered external walkways. Alex said that it only covers internal areas but that items on external walkways will be looked at later.

Ruth warned of trip hazards because the thickness of some doormats allows them to curl up. Alex said that no specific thickness requirement was minutes in the 2007 report but that perhaps the issue could be raised when new tenants sign-up for a property. Sue suggested that installing mats in wells inside the entrance to blocks would remove the need for individual mats.

Richard requested that the ACF asks for dispensation for mobility aids to be stored in hallways at sheltered schemes, in consultation with the people who live there. He also questioned the fire risk from plant pots etc at the Civic Centre. It was pointed out that commercial buildings come under different legislation, which often involves a requirement for alarms, sprinkler systems and on-site fire officers.

Richard thought the emphasis was being put on residents to identify people leaving items in hallways but Alex said that alternatives, such as CCTV in every block, would be prohibitively expensive. She also said the policy will be well-publicised in the press etc before it is implemented.

Under-occupation and succession

Alex said this item was on the agenda because it had been intended to provide a report on it for JSC but that as this would have been an information update, it had since been decided that this would not be appropriate. However, she did go on to briefly discuss changes to succession proposed under the Localism Act. This will only apply to new tenants but means that succession will be restricted to spouses and partners. Current tenants will keep their existing rights. Various questions were asked about this and Alex agreed to come back to a future ACF meeting to give a more detailed explanation of the Localism Act.

Wendy thanked Alex and she left the meeting at this point.

4. Decent Homes Programme

Wendy asked if the standards for the Decent Homes Programme have been cut. Tim said the legislation has not changed and nor has Adur’s policy on it but that there is now more emphasis on energy conservation and that aspirational standards change over time.

Tim went through a brief description of the 20 categories in the work programme. He also explained that the increase in the budget resulted from the carry over from the terminated Fishersgate contract and delays in implementing the kitchen and bathroom programme. Two contractors will be employed for the next part of the kitchen and bathroom programme and these will operate in either the east or west of the district.

Ron asked whether consultants will be employed. Regarding the Fire Safety Order work, Tim said that there had been agreement for a consultant to look at the work involved with the Deficiency Notices but that it is proposed to employ a surveyor to carry out the fire risk assessments and to follow through with the work required.

Tim was asked for a programme of when work would be carried out in particular areas. He said that he would provide a list similar to the one included in last year’s report but that the programme fluctuates with expenditure. This means that the further forward you project, the more difficult it becomes to predict when work will start in a particular area.

On a separate note, Ron asked Tim to chase up the replacement timeclock at Courtfields. Wendy thanked Tim for coming along and he left the meeting at this point.

5. Minutes of the last meeting – 2nd February 2012

Agreed.

6. Matters arising

Richard asked about the invitation to Councillor Julie Searle. Wendy said that she would be invited to an ACF meeting in the near future but that it had been too short notice to ask her to this one.

7. Bids for environmental improvements

Tony supplied three quotes for wild bird feeders for the grounds of Shadwells Court and it was agreed to award him up to £90 to purchase three of these.

Ron requested bedding plants at Courtfields as part of their Diamond Jubilee celebrations and was awarded up to £200 for their five raised beds.

In the absence of Dave Donaldson, Kevin asked for funding for an addition refuse bin at Rock Close at a cost of £220.00. According to the formula use by Waste Services, there is adequate capacity for the number of properties there so they will not fund this but residents are complaining of a regular overspill of litter and refuse on to the gardens. There is space for an additional bin in the bin area and it is felt that this would ease the problem. This was approved. A similar request for Sea House, where there is currently a problem with rats, was deferred while enquiries are made into whether there is sufficient space for an extra bin.

8. Treasurer’s report

Total in bank is £2557.10.

9. Reports of committees

i) Compact Monitoring Group

Nothing to report.

ii) The Forum

Contributions from resident associations were requested. The next meeting will be on 1st March at the Lancing Office.

iii) Adur Leaseholders’ Forum (ALF)

Nothing to report. The next meeting will be at 2.00pm on 14th March at Kingsfield Close communal room.

iv) SHARP

Sue said Ivan Western from WSCC Supporting People has told her that a reply to her letter about support services is in the post. Tony said the campaign against the changes continues and that there will be another meeting at Shadwells Court on 9th March, to which Councillor Angie Mills and Sue Hart have been invited. A copy of the minutes of the meeting will to be sent to Wendy.

10. Any other business

There is another meeting of the Communal Way Cleaning Procedures group on 28th February.

Richard suggested that the number of council staff who are invited to an ACF meeting should be limited to one and that they should be allowed a maximum time of half-hour. He felt their presence hampers other members in dealing with the group’s issues. Ron suggested that meetings could start earlier at 6.00pm. Wendy felt it was worthwhile to have council staff attend meetings when they are preparing reports to present to JSC.

The raffle raised £14.

11. Date of next meeting

7.00pm 22nd March 2012 at Kingsfield Close communal room. ]]> http://adurconsultativeforum.org.uk/minutes/23-02-12.html/feed/ 0 http://adurconsultativeforum.org.uk/minutes/02-02-12.html/ http://adurconsultativeforum.org.uk/minutes/02-02-12.html/#comments Thu, 29 Mar 2012 11:18:29 +0000 chair http://adurconsultativeforum.org.uk/?p=186 Continue reading →]]>

Minutes of ACF Meeting, Kingsfield Close, Southwick

Thursday, 2nd February 2012

Present: – Wendy Farmer (Chair), Bruce Andrews, Ruth Andrews, Fred Bathurst, Rose Boden, Patricia Crowdy, David Donaldson, David Guy, William Guy, Gary Hackett, Paula Kinsella, Sue Lane, Richard Letchford, Bob McClelland, Carol Morris, Tony Morris, Len Nye, Marice Nye, Bridget Orman, Sylvia Page, Tanya Page and Ron Pope.

ADC: – Christine Ryder and Jo-Anne Chang-Rogers (Finance Managers for Adur and Worthing) and Charlie Strong (Maintenance Manager).

1. Welcome and introductions

Wendy welcomed everyone to the meeting.

2. Apologies

Apologies were received from Kevin Davis.

3. Housing Revenue Account Budget

Wendy introduced Christine Ryder and Jo-Anne Chang-Rogers (Finance Managers for Adur and Worthing). Jo-Anne will be taking over responsibility for Housing Finance from Christine in the near future. They had come to talk about the Housing Revenue Account and the proposed rent increases for 2012/13 and proceeded to go through the recommendations in their report.

The report recommends an average rent increase in the new financial year of 7.7%, in line with government guidelines. Christine was asked whether central government is responsible for raising rents. She explained that the government makes recommendations and under their plans to bring council rents in line with those of housing associations, annual increases are allowed up to inflation (based on the Retail Price Index) plus 0.5% plus £2 per week.

Although there will be some capping of benefit levels in the private sector, affordable rents will remain within the guidelines. This will leave Housing Revenue Account reserves at around £1.9 million, which is equivalent to approximately 10% of annual expenditure. Under new self-financing arrangements, councils will have more flexibility but for every 1% reduction in the level of rent increase, this will result in a deficit of £104,000. The question of accurately defining the term ‘affordable housing’ was raised and it was agreed that this is an exceptionally high rent increase which should be challenged at the Cabinet meeting.

Garage rents are largely set according to supply and demand and it is recommended that this year they should be increased by 2%. Charges for garages will be increased if there is evidence of more demand for them.

Under new self-financing rules coming into force in March, councils will be able to keep the money they collect in rents, rather than paying money over to central government but as part of this arrangement, Adur will have to pay a one-off settlement to them of £51.5 million. The council will have to borrow this money but they will be able to obtain it at fairly favourable rates of interest. Christine was asked if the council was intending to buy back former council properties and implied that under the new self-financing arrangements, this remained a possibility in the long-term, along with building new properties.

Wendy thanked Christine and Jo-Anne for attending and answering their questions.

4. Community Payback Scheme and Tenants Handbook

Community Payback Scheme

Charlie Strong introduced himself and began by saying that the council are keen to embrace the Community Payback Scheme and then explained ways in which they could get involved.

One option would be to take on groups of supervised teams. The cost of supervision is estimated at about £100 per week and to save on administration, an annual payment of £4,800 could be made from the Housing Revenue Account. Tenants voiced their concerns about the scheme and in particular, that it could be exploitative and may take paid jobs from working people. It was suggested that more people should raise their concerns if they are unhappy with the scheme.

Among the questions put to Charlie were:-

Q. If jobs allocated to this scheme are not done, would the council step in to do them anyway?

A. In some cases Waste Services would be called on to do the work.

Q. Are the people on these schemes taking work from those looking for jobs in the public sector?

A. No, this will generally be work that the council cannot afford to do.

Q. Are the jobs ones that are normally allocated to contractors?

A. No, people working on the scheme will be assisting the contracted workers.

Q. Why can’t people in their own communities do the work?

A. There are not enough community volunteers to help, which is one reason why the Community Payback Scheme is being suggested.

Q. What guarantees have residents got that the scheme workers won’t re-offend?

A. Those taking part will be supervised and should be given a chance.

Charlie stated that there is no timescale for making a decision on this and that the council would be adopting a commitment, not a legally binding contract, if they went along with it. He said he would be willing to contact Surrey and Sussex Probation Trust to see if one of their staff would be willing to attend an ACF meeting to explain the scheme in more detail. All agreed. Tony suggested that someone should also be invited along to put the trade union point of view to the meeting.

Tenants Handbook

Charlie has put together a revised draft version of the Repairs and Improvements Section of the Tenants’ Handbook. There is a need to reduce spending on repairs and these ideas were first put forward and discussed at the Tenants’ and Leaseholders’ Annual Conference last year. Charlie said that not a lot has changed overall but he identified some of the different responsibilities of the council and tenants. The handbook is currently at the proof reading stage.

A number of people had questions for Charlie about repairs and maintenance to their own properties, which Charlie noted. He then left the meeting at this point.

5. Minutes of the last meeting – 24th November 2011

Agreed.

6. Matters arising

None.

7. Bids for environmental improvements

No bids received this time.

8. Treasurer’s report

Total in bank is £2557.10.

9. Reports of committees

i) Compact Monitoring Group

The last time tenants and leaseholders on the Compact Monitoring Group met, it was suggested that a Scrutiny Group be formed to scrutinise the workings of Adur Homes Services. It was also suggested that the ACF investigates how other local authorities scrutinise their interests.

ii) The Forum

The first meeting for the Spring Edition will be held at 10.30am on 21st February at the Lancing Office.

iii) Adur Leaseholders’ Forum (ALF)

In Kevin’s absence, Ron Pope mentioned about the fire risk assessments and asked how the removal of ‘obstructions’ from communal areas are going to be enforced. He said some sheltered housing residents use the areas to store their wheelchairs and other mobility appliances.

iv) SHARP

Tony said that he is involved in an active campaign at the moment to oppose changes to Support Services at sheltered schemes. There have been successful meetings with councillors, letters have been sent to West Sussex County Council and they have been collecting signatures for a petition. Councillor Angie Mills attends regular meetings at WSCC and has attended several residents’ meetings at Shadwells Court recently to answer their questions and to let them know what is happening.

Tony also pointed out the dramatic changes that are planned for welfare allowances and said that although help may be available, tenants would need the backing of their G.P to get access to some of them.

10. Any other business

Tony expressed concern about the recent arson attack at Shadwells Court sheltered housing scheme.

As many questions were raised regarding communications between the ACF and the council, it was thought that it would be a good idea to invite Julie Searle to a future ACF meeting.

Due to shortage of time, there were no other matters raised.

The raffle raised £23.

11. Date of next meeting

To be arranged. ]]> http://adurconsultativeforum.org.uk/minutes/02-02-12.html/feed/ 0 http://adurconsultativeforum.org.uk/minutes/24-11-11.html/ http://adurconsultativeforum.org.uk/minutes/24-11-11.html/#comments Thu, 29 Mar 2012 11:05:22 +0000 chair http://adurconsultativeforum.org.uk/?p=179 Continue reading →]]>

Minutes of ACF Meeting, Kingsfield Close, Southwick

Thursday, 24th November 2011

Present: – Wendy Farmer (Chair), Bruce Andrews, Ruth Andrews, Fred Bathurst, Rose Boden, Lisa Cook, Patricia Crowdy, David Guy, Gary Hackett, Paula Kinsella, Sue Lane, Rita Laraway, Richard Letchford, Bob McClelland, Alison Morganfield, Len Nye, Marice Nye, Bridget Orman, Sylvia Page and Tanya Page.

ADC: – Barry Maxey and Sue Tubb.

1. Welcome and introductions

Wendy welcomed everyone to the meeting.

2. Apologies

Apologies were received from Bill Bone, Kevin Davis, Dave Donaldson, Tony Morris, Ron Pope and Edna Wye.

3. Minutes of the last meeting

Agreed.

4. Matters arising

• Richard enquired if there were any developments regarding the installation of public toilets at the Lancing Office. Barry explained that a report is going to the Joint Strategic Committee in January but that he doesn’t know yet what recommendations it will contain. Ruth questioned whether the ACF would have an opportunity to comment on the report, given that their next meeting is not until February but Barry said a special meeting could be called if necessary.

• Bruce said that he had a computer that he was willing to donate to the ACF and he was thanked for his offer. (Barry has since suggested to Bruce that there is no immediate need for an additional computer in the office at present and that if he can find a good home for it, it may be better for him to do so.)

• Wendy confirmed that at the September meeting of the Joint Strategic Committee, she had been given a guarantee by the Leader of the Council that a Civic presence in Shoreham would be maintained but it is not yet known where this will be.

5. Bids for environmental improvements

There were no bids but it was agreed that an article would go in the next edition of the Forum asking for ideas from the wider community.

6. Treasurer’s report

Ruth reported that there is £2577.10 in the bank.

7. Joint Strategic Committee agenda

There are no housing-related reports on the agenda but Wendy said she wanted to comment on the Technical Reforms of Council Tax report. In particular, she expressed concern that Section 8.4 of the report states that extending council tax payments to twelve months could ‘have an adverse effect on the income generated from Court costs’ and questioned whether this means the council would like residents to default on their payments to get extra income.

8. Reports of committees

i) Compact Monitoring Group

The next meeting is scheduled for 6th December 2011 but members of the group were asked to confirm that they can attend on that day.

ii) The Forum

The Christmas edition is in the process of being finalised.

iii) Adur Leaseholders’ Forum (ALF)

Barry gave a report on the last ALF meeting, which largely concentrated on fire risk assessments. Council officers met with West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service (WSFRS) in September to discuss fire risk assessments. WSFRS said they use standard criteria for their assessments to ensure a consistent approach. The council will work on two basic principles – the need to protect escape routes and the higher the building, the greater the risk.

One area that is still being researched is the council’s responsibility in situations where a leaseholder has fitted a new door to their property that doesn’t comply with current fire regulations. The next step will be for officers to produce a report for the Cabinet Member for Customer Services setting out a programme of fire risk assessments.

iv) SHARP

A report on proposed changes to the way support services are provided was presented to the last Joint Strategic Committee meeting. Councillors agreed to write to elected members of West Sussex County Council and the government minister to express their concerns.

Sheltered housing residents also had a meeting recently with staff from Supporting People and asked them a variety of searching questions. Supporting People are proposing that future support will be time-limited and that residents will be re-assessed every three months. Residents said they wanted meaningful consultation with council officers and that Supporting People were failing to ask them what they want.

9. Annual Conference

Barry asked for suggestions for a date and topic for the next conference. After the last one, residents asked for more input into the planning and organising of future conferences. The topic is normally housing-related and should be interest to a wide variety of council tenants and leaseholders. It would also be useful if it is something that is likely to attract younger tenants. Among the topics suggested was ‘resident scrutiny’, which Barry said was an issue that is being promoted nationally and something that Adur residents have not yet embraced. It was agreed that March would be the ideal time for the conference, with either the Civic Centre or The Barn as a venue.

10. Meeting with contractors

It was agreed that the best time for this would be towards the end February or beginning of March.

11. Any other business

Residents of Mash Barn would like clarification of the situation regarding the proposed training ground for Brighton and Hove Albion at Lancing. There has been a lot of activity in the area recently and Wendy said she would try to find out if there has been a planning application at her next meeting with the council.

12. Date of next meeting

The next meeting will be 7.00pm on Thursday, 2nd February at Kingsfield Close, Southwick. ]]> http://adurconsultativeforum.org.uk/minutes/24-11-11.html/feed/ 0 http://adurconsultativeforum.org.uk/minutes/22-09-11.html/ http://adurconsultativeforum.org.uk/minutes/22-09-11.html/#comments Thu, 29 Mar 2012 11:03:25 +0000 chair http://adurconsultativeforum.org.uk/?p=177 Continue reading →]]>

Minutes of ACF Meeting, Kingsfield Close, Southwick

Thursday, 22nd September 2011

Present: – Wendy Farmer (Chair), Bruce Andrews, Ruth Andrews, Brian Bailey, Vi Bailey, Fred Bathurst, Rose Boden, Bill Bone, Pauline Charles, Lisa Cook, Patricia Crowdy, Kevin Davis, Dave Donaldson, David Guy, William Guy, Gary Hackett, Arthur Kingsley, Paula Kinsella, Sue Lane, Richard Letchford, Bob McClelland, Bridget Orman, Sylvia Page, Tanya Page and Ron Pope.

ADC: – Barry Maxey (Tenant Participation Officer) and Paul Spedding (Executive Head of Housing, Health and Community Safety).

1. Welcome and introductions

Wendy welcomed everyone to the meeting and introduced Paul Spedding.

2. Apologies

Apologies were received from Brian Higgins, Tony Morris and Ann Seldon.

3. Choice Based Lettings – Paul Spedding

Paul explained that the council introduced their Choice Based Lettings scheme in July 2007. Prior to that, when a property became vacant, the Allocation Section offered it to the tenant at the top of the waiting list. If the tenant refused the property, it would then be offered to the next person on the list. This could be quite time-consuming and led to increased void times and a loss of income for the council. Under Choice Based Lettings, tenants apply for the specific properties they are interested in and so are more likely to accept them.

Vacant properties are advertised in a fortnightly magazine that is available from the Civic Centre and local libraries, by post or from the Homemove website. The magazine also lists some details of the successful applicants (e.g. their banding and how long they have spent on the housing register) and this transparency has shown how comparatively few properties the council has to offer. There were 128 council properties let last year (none of them 4 bedroom properties), plus 84 nominations to housing associations. This is against a backdrop of approximately 1,300 households on the housing register.

The criteria used for Choice Based Lettings are based on the Housing Act 1996 Part VI, which gives priority to those in highest need (e.g. those who are homeless or in medical need etc and with a local connection). Applicants are allocated to one of four bands (A – D) depending on their personal circumstances.

Richard asked about the housing of ethnic minorities. Paul stated that the council has a legal duty to record the ethnic origin of all applicants but said that ethnicity should not be confused with immigration. Those who are ‘subject to immigration control’ are not eligible to go on the Housing Register and therefore cannot get council housing.

Most properties are open to all applicants but occasionally a property is reserved for existing tenants who wish to transfer, if this is likely to create another vacancy in family-size accommodation.

Paula asked why tenants with families wishing to move to smaller accommodation are told they can only bid on flats and not houses. Paul said there is demand for all sizes of houses with gardens, so priority is given to young families. There was also a question about the classification for one-bedroom houses in Hurstfield. Paul said these are not classed as family accommodation or designated specifically for older people.

Ruth asked about Adur’s duty to house travellers. Paul said, in practice, very few travellers seek assistance from Adur but if no spaces are available on travellers’ sites, those who meet the necessary criteria would be offered temporary accommodation.

Wendy thanked Paul for his presentation and for answering questions and he left the meeting at this point.

4. Minutes of last meeting

The minutes from the AGM were agreed.

5. Matters arising

David Donaldson asked whether a letter had been sent to the council asking that Adur Homes retains a presence in the district. Bridget said this had not yet been done but that a letter would be sent. Wendy said she also intended to mention this at the next meeting of the Joint Strategic Committee.

Update: At a meeting of the Joint Strategic Committee on 27th September 2011, the Leader of Adur DC wished to place on record that there was a guarantee that a Civic presence would be maintained in Shoreham.

6. Bids for environmental improvements

There were no bids.

7. Treasurer’s report

Ruth reported that there was £2,327.10 in the bank account.

8. Joint Strategic Committee agenda

Item 10 – Review of Local Office Closures

During the discussion that took place, the following points were made: -

• With no further information since the consultation about the proposals to convert part of the office into a public toilet, concerns were raised about the council ‘slipping through’ these changes.

• Ruth didn’t think Section 3.3.3 was entirely accurate and suggested obstacles to opening the office had been put in the way of the ACF.

• Section 4.11 states ‘the Help Points have seen an increase in footfall’ since the closure of the local offices and this raised a query about what will happen when the Civic Centre is closed.

• It was suggested the office would not be suitable for use by the local PCSOs if the interview room is removed to make way for a public toilet.

• Kevin said there are plans to use the former Pilot public house in Southwick as a drop-in point for people with housing issues (possibly run by a community or religious organisation).

• Richard thought the ACF needs rebranding with a new name that makes it clear what they do.

• Lisa suggested it may be worth the ACF sacrificing part of their space if it results in improvements being carried out to the rest of the office.

Item 11 – WSCC’s Strategic Review of Housing Support Services for Older People

Sue explained that SHARP meet the following day to discuss this report and it was agreed to inform Wendy of any areas of concern so that she could raise them at the committee meeting.

9. Reports of committees

i) Compact Monitoring Group

The group last met in August to examine the local offers and are due to meet next on 6th December.

ii) The Forum

The editorial team meet on 6th October 2011 to start work on the Christmas edition of the Forum.

ii) Adur Leaseholders’ Forum (ALF)

The date of the next ALF meeting has been put back until 19th October. This will allow time to prepare an update on the council’s meeting with West Sussex Fire & Rescue Services on fire risk assessments. A list of 44 questions has also been sent to the council on this issue. John Mitchell, Strategic Director will be attending the leaseholders’ meeting.

iv) SHARP

The main issue concerning SHARP at the moment is the Review of Support Services and this had already been covered earlier in the evening.

10. Any other business

• None

The evening raffle raised £31.00 for ACF funds.

11. Date of next meeting

The date and details of the next meeting are to be arranged. ]]> http://adurconsultativeforum.org.uk/minutes/22-09-11.html/feed/ 0 http://adurconsultativeforum.org.uk/minutes/02-06-11.html/ http://adurconsultativeforum.org.uk/minutes/02-06-11.html/#comments Thu, 29 Mar 2012 11:01:08 +0000 chair http://adurconsultativeforum.org.uk/?p=175 Continue reading →]]>

Minutes of ACF Meeting, Kingsfield Close, Southwick

2nd June 2011

Present: – Wendy Farmer (Chair), Ruth Andrews, Brian Bailey, Vi Bailey, Fred Bathurst, Rose Boden, Bill Bone, Lisa Cook, Patricia Crowdy, Kevin Davis, Dave Donaldson, Gary Hackett, Arthur Kingsley, Paula Kinsella, Sue Lane, Richard Letchford, Bob McClelland and Bridget Orman.

ADC: – Barry Maxey (Tenant Participation Officer).

1. Welcome and introductions

Wendy welcomed everyone to the meeting.

2. Apologies

Apologies were received from Bruce Andrews, Mary Garcia, Alison Morganfield, Tony Morris, June Moulton, Sylvia Page and Tania Page.

3. Developing the ACF Office

The purpose of the meeting was to look at how the ACF are going to operate and develop the Lancing Office. The following points were made during the discussion: -

Role of the ACF: -

• To consult with the council but more importantly, to represent the views of tenants and leaseholders. It is most effective at influencing council decisions and least effective at getting other people involved.

• People often come to the ACF for assistance when they have an issue with the council that they can’t resolve. Take-up numbers are small but what can the ACF offer them? Volunteers need to benefit from their efforts (e.g. training) to make it worthwhile.

• Opening up the ACF to temporary tenants may encourage more young people but most of Adur’s temporary tenants are housed in Worthing and Brighton, so numbers would still be small.

• With the closure of the Local Offices, there is a danger of the ACF office merely acting as a ‘referral shop’ when it is open to the public.

How can the ACF be publicised?

• Is the name of ‘ACF’ inappropriate in explaining what we do?

• Should the ACF create a post of publicity officer?

• The Lancing Office windows could be used to publicise the ACF?

• A questionnaire was suggested to ask people ‘what they would like to see improved?’ etc.

• Sue Lane offered to cover the ACF Office on Thursday mornings but the office is temporarily closed to the public because of the shortage of volunteers coming forward to staff it. This temporary closure was not supported by all of those present.

• Use the Forum to publicise the environmental fund?

• The constitution explains what the ACF does, so should be put on the website.

• Lisa suggested wording for a flyer to all tenants and leaseholders. This was approved and Lisa was tasked with drawing it up and showing it to the Management Committee. ]]> http://adurconsultativeforum.org.uk/minutes/02-06-11.html/feed/ 0 http://adurconsultativeforum.org.uk/minutes/26-0511.html/ http://adurconsultativeforum.org.uk/minutes/26-0511.html/#comments Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:57:40 +0000 chair http://adurconsultativeforum.org.uk/?p=173 Continue reading →]]>

Minutes of ACF Meeting, Kingsfield Close, Southwick

Thursday, 26th May 2011

Present: – Wendy Farmer (Chair), Ruth Andrews, Brian Bailey, Vi Bailey, Fred Bathurst, Rose Boden, Bill Bone, Patricia Crowdy, Kevin Davis, Dave Donaldson, Gary Hackett, Arthur Kingsley, Paula Kinsella, Tony Morris, Bridget Orman, Sylvia Page and Tanya Page.

ADC: – Barry Maxey (Tenant Participation Officer).

1. Welcome and introductions

Wendy welcomed everyone to the meeting.

2. Apologies

Apologies were received from Bruce Andrews, Mary Garcia, Brian Higgins, Sue Lane, Alison Morganfield and Ann Seldon.

3. Minutes of the last meeting 17th March 2011

The minutes were agreed.

4. Matters arising

• Dave said that a letter had been published in the local newspaper in which a representative from the County Council denied that there were any plans to close the Southwick Library.

• Kevin has agreed to join the Compact Monitoring Group as a replacement for Elsie Kitson.

5. Developing the ACF Office

There has been no further information forthcoming from the council about plans to convert part of the former Lancing Local Office to a public toilet. Dave has contacted Councillors Emma Evans and Jim Funnell to ask for their support in opposing this proposal.

In response to a question from Tony, it was confirmed that the ACF Office is primarily for the benefit of Adur Council tenants and leaseholders (not housing association tenants) but the office could be used by other agencies to provide advice to all members of the public (e.g. Credit Union, debt/legal advice).

There was general agreement that the ACF needs to publicise their role better to council tenants and leaseholders and that their constitution is not sufficient alone to explain what they do. Among the comments and suggestions made were: -

• The increased availability of home computers has lessened the need for ACF members to use the office to produce minutes and newsletters.

• On the other hand, it is recognised that there are still many people who do not have access to a computer and that the availability of these facilities needs to be promoted.

• Future publicity should also include a map showing the location of the office and should advertise the availability of housing staff at particular times to answer queries.

• An explanation is required of what the ACF can do for the public.

• Clients need to recognise that rules on confidentiality mean the ACF can often only offer advice and cannot always take up matters on their behalf.

• The ACF needs to come up with a plan for reaching more young families.

• At one housing authority with a similar tenants’ and leaseholders’ office, they hold monthly drop-in sessions for temporary tenants.

• The ACF should also consider holding surgeries in different areas as many clients, particularly the elderly and those with disabilities, have difficulty getting to the office.

After much discussion, it was decided to hold a separate meeting on 2nd June 2011 to agree an action plan for publicising the ACF Office.

6. Meeting with Adur Homes Services’ managers

This will be held at the Civic Centre at 2.00pm on Thursday, 30th June 2011 and will give ACF members an opportunity to put questions direct to the managers of the housing service.

The ACF Management Committee will meet on 23rd June to plan and co-ordinate the questions, so it would be helpful if members could advise them beforehand of any issues they would like to raise (or alternatively, please phone Barry on 01273 263388 or email barry.maxey@adur.gov.uk ).

7. Bids for environmental improvement grants

• Arthur circulated copies of a detailed bid for garden furniture for Seaview Court. He explained that the criteria for their choice were based on sturdiness, ability to withstand all weather conditions and comfort for elderly residents. They have considered security issues around garden furniture and have sought advice on this. They have also weighed up the comparative comfort of chairs versus benches in making their choice. No local firms could come up with the quality and price required but Sustainable Furniture UK Ltd of St Austell can supply furniture meeting their specifications at an inclusive cost of £879.59. A vote was taken and the grant was unanimously agreed.

• On behalf of Ann Seldon, Barry mentioned a request for a handrail in the gardens of Pashley Court. She had pointed out that this would benefit all residents living in the block. Gary quoted the price of similar work elsewhere, so Barry was asked to get an estimate and it was unanimously agreed to fund this work if it costs less than £200.

8. Treasurer’s report

There is £2,144.10 in the bank account.

9. Reports of committees

i) Compact Monitoring Group

Ruth gave a brief update on the last meeting of the group where it had been agreed to look at training residents in ‘Mystery Shopping’. This was met with mixed reactions, as some people were opposed to the underhand nature of what this entails. The next meeting of the group on 11th August 2011 will examine how local offers and national standards should be monitored.

ii) The Forum

The first meeting to produce the summer edition will be on 16th June 2011 and Arthur agreed to join the editorial team. All contributions from residents’ associations and individuals are welcome.

ii) Adur Leaseholders’ Forum (ALF)

The changes to the fire regulations for communal areas of buildings were discussed at the last ALF meeting. Kevin said they are looking to set up a meeting with fire officers and the council to pinpoint what work will be required. ACF representatives will also be invited, as he felt this matter is of importance to all residents and something that they need to push the council on. The next ALF meeting is on 6th July 2011.

iv) SHARP

Sue Hart is to be invited to the next SHARP meeting to discuss the results of their survey.

On behalf of Shadwells Court, Tony said residents feel that the council are fobbing them off with reasons why some of the chairs ordered for the communal lounge have not yet arrived. He also said he had been told on a recent walkabout that the kitchen and bathroom modernisations had been put on hold. Barry said he was unaware of this and that Cabinet had approved a programme of work for capital improvements earlier in the year.

10. Any other business

• Dave raised the issue of communal hallway cleaning and criticised the standard of work. He showed photos to highlight this and said that on a recent visit to Sea House, the cleaners were barely there for ½ hour, only used ½ bucket of water and did not put up any warning signs. He also said the stairs are often not done, the floors are not rinsed and the bin room has not been touched for a couple of years. On the last visit, Dave said a dustpan and brush was thrown out of an upper window on to the grass below. It was proposed to ask the council to investigate the matters raised about the standard of cleaning. This was agreed by 13 votes to nil with 4 abstentions.

• Dave also showed photos of the new brickwork installed at Sea House where some of the lintels have been replaced. He said this work was of poor quality and that the colour of bricks used was different to the original ones.

• Kevin thanked the ACF for funding the alterations to the bin area at Rock Close but said it would be necessary to carry out some remedial works as the area flooded during the recent rainfall.

• The evening raffle raised £19.00 for ACF funds.

11. Date of next meeting

The next meeting will be at 7.00pm on Thursday, 2nd June 2011 at Kingsfield Close, Southwick. ]]> http://adurconsultativeforum.org.uk/minutes/26-0511.html/feed/ 0