Housing, Dundee Contract Services And Environment Services Committee - 20/10/2003

At a MEETING of the HOUSING COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 20th October 2003.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Councillor HIND, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 15th September 2003 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I LOCK-UPS AT 1-8 FOGGYLEY PLACE

The Director of Housing submitted Report No 625-2003 recommending approval for the demolition of the eight lock-up garages at 1 to 8 Foggyley Place.

The Committee agreed that the eight lock-up garages be demolished, that limited post demolition treatment works be undertaken, if required, to ensure that the site be rendered safe and had minimal ongoing maintenance costs and remitted to the City Engineer to seek competitive tenders for the demolition of the lock-ups.

II HOUSING (SCOTLAND) ACT 1987 - SECTION 108 REPAIRS NOTICE - 6A-8 PANMURE STREET

The Director of Housing submitted Report No 562-2003 seeking approval for the service of a Repairs Notice on the above property.

The Committee:-

(a)approved the service of a Repairs Notice in terms of Section 108 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987, with a time limit of, as nearly as may be, six months for compliance with the terms of the Notice;

(b)agreed that should owners fail to comply with the terms of the Notice, the Council should instruct the works to be carried out in default and that the Director of Housing, in consultation as appropriate with the relevant Departments, should appoint suitable consultants to execute the work required; and

(c)instruct appropriate Officers, should default action be implemented, to authorise and arrange payments to the engaged consultants as appropriate.

III CRAIGIEBANK 3RD DEVELOPMENT - ROOF REPAIRS PHASE 3 - EXTENSION TO CONTRACT

On a reference to Article IV(a)(ii) of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 18th August 2003 the City Architectural Services Officer submitted Report No 686-2003 requesting approval to extend the existing contract.

The Committee agreed to extend the existing contract and incur estimated additional expenditure of approximately 100,000.

IV PARTNERING PROJECTS LET

Reference was made to Article IV of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 19th May 2003. There was submitted Agenda Note AN457-2003.

The Committee noted that further partnering projects had been let as part of the 2003/2004 Central Heating Programme as undernoted:-

V REGISTRATION OF TENANTS' ORGANISATIONS - HOUSING (SCOTLAND) ACT 2001 (THE ACT)

There was submitted Agenda Note AN458-2003 advising that the undernoted applications to be registered as tenant organisations had been received by the Director of Housing:-

Murrayfield Area Residents' Association

Whitfield Gardens South Residents' Association

Whitfield Area Forum for Tenants.

As the Director of Housing considered that the applications fulfil the criteria set out in the Act, the Committee approved the applications.

VI COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS AND GROUPS - ADMINISTRATION GRANTS

There was submitted Agenda Note AN459-2003 advising that the Director of Housing had received an application from Murrayfield Area Residents' Association requesting grant assistance towards administration costs for 2003/2004.

The Committee approved a grant of 350.

VII SCOTTISH HOUSING BEST VALUE NETWORK - MEMBERSHIP

There was submitted Agenda Note AN460-2003 advising the Committee of the Housing Department's intention to join the Scottish Housing Best Value Network (SHBVN) which would involve a cost of 2,000 for the remainder of the financial year and an anticipated cost of membership the following year of approximately 5,000.

The Committee approved accordingly.

VIII HOUSING (SCOTLAND) ACT 1987 - IMPROVEMENT, REPAIRS AND ENVIRONMENTAL GRANTS, HOMESLOANS ETC

There was submitted Agenda Note AN461-2003. Reference was made to the minute of meeting of this Housing Committee of 15th November 1999 when grant expenditure under the Housing (Non HRA) Budget was agreed.

It was agreed that the grants approved during September 2003 in each of the categories were as follows:-

IX CONFERENCES

There was submitted Agenda Note AN462-2003 advising the Committee that delegates had been invited to attend the undernoted conferences and exhibition:-

(a)Chartered Institute of Housing in Scotland Annual Conference and Exhibition - 9th to 11th March 2004 - Aberdeen;

(b)Communities That Care Scotland and The Law Society of Scotland - "Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour in Scotland" - 5th November 2003 - Edinburgh; and

(c)Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour - The New Bill and New Practices - 24th November 2003 - Edinburgh.

The Committee agreed that in each case one member of the Administration, one member of the SNP Group and one member of the Conservative Group attend the above conferences and exhibition.

The Committee resolved, in terms of Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, that the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the undernoted item of business on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 6 and 9 of Part I of Schedule 7(A) of the Act.

The Committee agreed that the undernoted item be considered as a matter of urgency in terms of Standing Order No 52(3)(b) in view of the timescales involved.

X SITE FOR SKATE PARK, DOUGLASFIELD ROAD/BALUNIEFIELD DRIVE

There was submitted Agenda Note AN478-2003 advising that the company running a skate park in the west end of Dundee had approached the City Council with a proposal to develop a new facility and subsequently a site search had identified the above area of ground extending to 0.886 hectares or thereby held on the Housing Revenue Account and surplus to requirements.

The Committee agreed to the disposal on the terms and conditions detailed subject to the consent of the Scottish Executive under Section 12 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987.

CHRISTOPHER HIND, Convener.