Housing, Dundee Contract Services And Environment Services Committee - 19/01/2004

At a MEETING of the HOUSING COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 19th January 2004.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Councillor HIND, Convener, in the Chair.

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

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I HOUSING DEPARTMENT SERVICE PLAN 2003-2007

The Director of Housing submitted Report No 47-2004 seeking approval for the Housing Department Service Plan 2003-2007.

The Committee approved the Housing Department Service Plan.

II DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL HOUSING STOCK - PREFERRED ENERGY SUPPLIER 2004-2007

Councillor Will Dawson declared a non-financial interest by virtue of his employment by the undernoted energy supplier.

The Director of Housing submitted Report No 55-2004 giving details of offers received to provide both gas and electricity to domestic customers from 2004 to 2007.

The Committee agreed to accept the most advantageous offer by Scottish and Southern Energy plc (trading locally as Scottish Hydro Electric) and noted that the Housing Department would continue to channel the income received from the Preferred Supplier Scheme to support a Community Energy Efficiency Fund to enable a range of energy advice services for the City including home visits for new tenants, links to primary school curriculum and grant advice for owner occupiers.

III USE OF FURNISHED TENANCIES GRANTS 2003-2004

Councillor Sturrock declared a non-financial interest by virtue of her appointment as a Director of Dundee Furniture Project.

The Director of Housing submitted Report No 19-2004 seeking approval to develop a contract with the Furniture Project Tayside (FTP) which would be transferred to the new Dundee Furniture Project Company to utilise grant funding available from Communities Scotland in 2003 to 2004 to be used to provide twenty furnished tenancies by 31st March 2004 to help meet the needs of homeless people.

The Committee approved development of a contract with Furniture Project Tayside.

IV TENDERS RECEIVED

(a) TENDERS RECEIVED BY CITY ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES OFFICER

The City Architectural Services Officer submitted Report No 61-2004 giving details of the offers received for the undernoted contracts:-

(i) DRYBURGH FARMHOUSE SHELTERED, WATSON STREET SHELTERED AND 31 TO 33 PITAIRLIE ROAD - CONTROLLED ENTRIES

The Committee agreed to accept the lowest offer by Scotshield Limited amounting to 101,710.65 to which required to be added allowances of 1,030 for Planning Supervisor and 9,155 for professional services, making a total expenditure of 111,895.65.

(ii) LINLATHEN 3RD DEVELOPMENT - 78 PITKERRO DRIVE - RENDER REPAIRS

The Committee agreed to accept the lower offer by Andrew Shepherd & Sons Limited, Forfar amounting to 12,147.30 to which required to be added an allowance of 1,460 for professional services, making a total expenditure of 13,607.30.

(iii) VARIOUS COTTAGES - ROOF REPAIRS

The Committee agreed to accept the lowest offer by Ward Building Services Limited amounting to 55,806.90 to which required to be added allowances of 610 for Planning Supervisor and 6,700 for professional services, making a total expenditure of 63,116.90.

The Committee also noted that Ward Building Services Limited had listed the undernoted sub-contractors:-

(b) TENDERS RECEIVED BY CITY ENGINEER

The City Engineer submitted Report No 22-2004 giving details of offers received to carry out the undernoted contracts:-

(i) LONGTOWN ROAD - ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS

The Committee agreed to accept the lowest offer by Dundee Plant Company Limited amounting to 270,850.64 to which required to be added the undernoted allowances:-

making a total expenditure of 335,000.

(ii) KIRKTON PLACE - ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS

The Committee agreed to accept the lowest offer by Dundee Plant Company Limited amounting to 43,865.74 to which required to be added the undernoted allowances:-

making a total expenditure of 75,000.

V LILY WALKER CENTRE - EXTENSION TO OFFICE (PARTNERING)

The Director of Housing and City Architectural Services submitted Joint Report No 84-2004 seeking approval for the extension to the office area at the Lily Walker Centre.

The Committee agreed:-

(a) to the construction of a new extension to the office area at an estimated cost of 50,000, inclusive of professional fees; and

(b) that the City Architectural Services Officer be authorised to negotiate a contract within the overall allowance under a partnering arrangement with Alexander Oastler Limited and the Depute Chief Executive (Support Services), in conjunction with the Director of Housing, be authorised to accept the offer recommended by the City Architectural Services Officer.

VI REVIEW OF RENTS AND OTHER HOUSING CHARGES

The Director of Housing submitted Report No 6-2004 setting out the proposed rent and other charges for the financial year 2004/2005.

The Committee agreed to the undernoted recommendations:-

(i) rents be increased by 1.30 per week on average, subject to maximum increase of 1.75 from 5th April 2004;

(ii) the Service Charge for the Concierge Serve be increased by 25p per week from 5th April 2004;

(iii) charges for car parking facilities be increased as follows from 5th April 2004 -

?                                            garage lock-ups by 25p to 7.00 per week

?                                            underground parking bay by 10p to 1.70 per week

?                                            garage sites by 10p to 1.70 per week;

(iv) where a house is improved during the year the rent be increased in line with the average increase in gross annual value of all affected properties, subject to a maximum of 2.20; and

(v) the levels of rents held on the Housing Revenue Account be similarly applied to miscellaneous houses and garage sites, subject to categorisation where appropriate.

VII REVIEW OF CHARGES

The Director of Housing submitted Report No 7-2004 seeking authority to review charges for Furnished Accommodation, Multi-Storey Launderettes, Stair Cleaning Charges, Heating Charges at Brington Place Sheltered Housing Development and Status Enquiry Fees, all being effective from 5th April 2004.

The Committee agreed:-

Mainstream Furnished Lets

It is proposed that the weekly charge for furniture be increased as detailed to cover the increased costs in providing the service. This gives the following charges:

Charges for part-furnished houses are pro rata to fully furnished according to the cost of the furniture provided.

Heating Charges - Brington Place Sheltered Housing

It is proposed that the electricity charge for cooking, lighting, heating and hot water provided to the homes of tenants and warden is increased by 15p per week.

Stair Cleaning Charges

It is proposed that Stair Cleaning charges at Dallfield/Tulloch Courts and Reid Square/Russell Place are increased by 10p per week.

Multi-Storey Launderettes

It is proposed that the charges for Multi-Storey Launderettes be increased to the following:

Auto-Wash 1.60 (up 5p)

Tumble Drier 80p (up 5p)

Cabinet Drier 80p (up 5p)

Status Enquiry Fees

The fee charged to Banks, Building Societies, etc for status enquiries will be set at 30.00.

VIII PITCH RENTS - TRAVELLING PEOPLE'S SITE - BALMUIR WOOD

There was submitted Agenda Note AN19-2004 advising that a pitch rent increase of 1.50 per week was required to ensure continued levels of service and to meet increasing costs.

The Committee agreed that pitch rents be increased by 1.50 per week for the financial year 2004/2005.

IX DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE DEVELOPMENT FUND

There was submitted Agenda Note AN20-2004 advising that in December 2003 a further request for bids to the above Domestic Abuse Service Development Fund had been received from the Scottish Executive with a closing date for submission of bids of 9th February 2004.

The Committee agreed in principle to the submission of a bid to the Scottish Executive, after consultation with the Convener and Spokespersons of the other Groups, with the bid being reported to this Committee at a future date.

X REGISTRATION OF TENANT ORGANISATIONS - HOUSING (SCOTLAND) ACT 2001 (THE ACT)

There was submitted Agenda Note AN21-2004 advising that the undernoted applications to be registered as tenant organisations had been received by the Director of Housing:-

(a) Craigie Residents' Association;

(b) Mauchline, Craigielea and Longtown Tenants' Association;

(c) Rockwell Tenants and Residents' Association; and

(d) Whorterbank Area Tenants and Residents' Association.

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

XI COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS AND GROUPS - ADMINISTRATION GRANTS

There was submitted Agenda Note AN22-2004 advising that the Director of Housing had received the undernoted applications requesting grant assistance towards administration costs for 2003/2004:-

The Committee approved accordingly.

XII HOUSING (SCOTLAND) ACT 1987 - IMPROVEMENT, REPAIRS AND ENVIRONMENTAL GRANTS, HOME LOANS ETC

There was submitted Agenda Note AN23-2004. Reference was made to the minute of meeting of the 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 December 2003 in each of the categories were as:-

Previous applications transferred and approved under the new grant scheme Housing (Scotland) Act, 2001 (additional grant expenditure) **

** No works having commenced under old grant scheme applicants therefore chose a financial test of resources and transfer to new scheme.

CHRISTOPHER HIND, Convener.