Housing, Dundee Contract Services And Environment Services Committee - 21/06/2004

At a MEETING of the HOUSING COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 21st June 2004.

Present:-

Dundee

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Councillor HIND, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 17th May 2004 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I DUNDEE'S HOMELESSNESS LOCAL OUTCOME AGREEMENT 2004/2005

On a reference to Article IV of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 16th February 2004, the Director of Housing submitted Report No 441-2004 seeking approval to spend specific grant allocations for 2004/2005 to meet the requirements for the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 and the Homelessness etc (Scotland) Act 2003 and informing the Committee of the format for reporting progress towards the objectives during the period 2004/2005.

The Housing Committee agreed that,

(a) 300,000 be committed prior to 31st March 2005 to develop additional supported accommodation,

(b) 189,833 be committed prior to 31st March 2005 to continue the Outreach and Resettlement Service and Rent Deposit Guarantee Scheme delivered by Dundee Cyrenians based at Soapwork Lane, Dundee, and

(c) 50,000 be committed prior to 31st March 2005 to continue the Youth Housing Support Services delivered by NCH Scotland based at Cowan Grove, Dundee and that the Local Outcome Agreement 2004/2005 be submitted to the Scottish Executive within their timescales.

II BUILDING STRONGER COMMUNITIES - PHYSICAL REGENERATION IN THE COUNCIL SECTOR

The Director of Housing submitted Report No 489-2004 considering how to provide vibrant neighbourhoods and places to live within the Council sector focusing on the opportunities for physical regeneration and reshaping of the built environment for the betterment of communities of today and those of the future.

The Committee agreed to ;

(a) Revoke the current "At Risk" criteria and adopt the methodology used in 11.3.1 and 11.3.2,

(b) Approve the recommendations of the At Risk Working Group in that the properties listed in 12.1 be declared as At Risk,

(c) Remit to the Director of Housing to:-

(i) Stop letting all properties detailed in 12.1

(ii) Seek Council Tax exemption on all current vacant and new vacant (as they occur) properties within these addresses,

(iii) Consult the remaining residents about the options for the future of the property and report back to Committee,

(iv) Consult with the Director of Social Work to establish a protocol for responding to issues which may arise as a result of the implications of this report on sheltered housing and the tenants therein,

(v) Negotiate with the appropriate Trade Unions relative to the staffing implications which may arise as a result of the implications of this and any subsequent report relative to the properties detailed on 12.1,

(vi) Pursue a strategy for the regeneration of the Council sector which generates opportunities for re-shaping the stock including the provision of new quality sustainable houses.

III HOUSING DEPARTMENT SERVICE PLAN PERFORMANCE REPORT 2003/2004

The Director of Housing submitted Report No 492-2004 reporting on the performance of the Housing Department against its Service Plan 2003/2007.

The Committee noted the Housing Department's performance for 2003/2004.

IV A FUEL POVERTY STRATEGY FOR DUNDEE

Reference was made to Article V of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 15th March 2004 which agreed the Fuel Poverty Strategy for Dundee. There was submitted Agenda Note AN251-2004 advising that some of the statistical information in the strategy was based on figures from the Scottish House Condition Survey 2002 which needed to be revised because of a technical error and Communities Scotland had now issued revised figures and the Fuel Poverty Strategy had been amended accordingly with the main change for Dundee being that the number of fuel poor households had decreased by 2,000 or 3% from the original figure.

The Committee noted the adjustment which, however, did not change the issue for over 9,000 people in Dundee with fuel poverty.

V TENDERS RECEIVED

The City Architectural Services Officer submitted Report No 469-2004 giving details of offers received to carry out the undernoted contracts:-

(a) BRINGTON PLACE SHELTERED HOUSING - REPLACEMENT WARDENS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

The Committee agreed to accept the specialist company Tunstall Telecom Limited, Yorkshire to carry out the above works for the sum of 142,548.81 to which required to be added the undernoted allowances:-

(b) ST MARY'S 12TH DEVELOPMENT - PITCHED ROOF REPAIRS PHASE 2

The Committee agreed to accept the lowest offer by Ward Building Services Limited amounting to 123,118.20 to which required to be added allowances of 1,136 for Planning Supervisor and 9,356 for professional services making a total expenditure of 133,610.20.

The Committee also noted that Ward Building Services had listed Ward Plumbing and Heating as the sub-contractor for plumbing.

(c) CITY WIDE ROOF SURVEYS 2004 - ACCESS AND ATTENDANCE WORKS

The Committee agreed to accept the lowest offer by Raynor Roofing Limited amounting to 29,740 to which required to be added an allowance of 2,281 for professional services making a total expenditure of 32,021.

The Committee also noted that Raynor Roofing Limited had listed A & J Maintenance Support Limited as the sub-contractor for scaffolding.

(d) POWRIE PLACE SHELTERED HOUSING COMPLEX - ALTERATIONS TO COMMUNAL AREAS

The Committee agreed to accept the lowest offer by Muirfield (Contracts) Limited amounting to 165,903.81 to which required to be added the undernoted allowances:-

The Committee also noted that the undernoted sub-contractors had been listed by Muirfield (Contracts) Limited:-

McGill Electrical Limited, Dundee - Electrical

G S Whyte & Co Limited, Monifieth - Plumber

Angus Decorating Company Limited, Arbroath - Painter.

VI COUNCIL HOUSES (VARIOUS PROPERTIES) - CARRIERS AND REMOVAL CONTRACTS 2004-2006

The City Architectural Services Officer submitted Report No 470-2004 on offers received under the Schedule of Rates for the carriers and removal contracts at various housing properties.

The Committee agreed to accept the undernoted offers:-

Alexander Removals Limited

Dundee Removal Service Limited

Leadingham Removals

McIntosh Removals.

VII KIRK STREET MSD - LIFT REPLACEMENT (PARTNERING)

There was submitted Joint Report No 471-2004 by the Director of Housing and the City Architectural Services Officer seeking approval for the above lift replacement.

The Committee agreed to lift replacement at Kirk Street MSD at a total cost of 450,000 inclusive of professional fees and (a) authorised the City Architectural Services Officer to negotiate a contract within the overall allowance under a partnering arrangement with ThyssenKrupp Elevator UK Limited and (b) authorised the Depute Chief Executive (Support Services) in conjunction with the Director of Housing to accept the offer recommended by the City Architectural Services Officer.

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

There was submitted Agenda Note AN252-2004 advising that applications to be registered as Tenant Organisations had been received from Forthill Residents Association and Mill O'Mains 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.

IX REGISTERED TENANT ORGANISATIONS - ADMINISTRATION GRANTS

There was submitted Agenda Note AN253-2004 advising that the Director of Housing had received the undernoted applications requesting grant assistance towards administration costs for 2004/2005.

The Committee approved accordingly.

X TRANSFER OF LAND

There was submitted Agenda Note AN254-2004 advising that the Twa Semi's Youth Project had been selected to be included in the forthcoming BBC Television series The Beechgrove Community Garden Project 2004 which was due to be filmed on 19th and 20th August 2004. The proposals would enlarge the garden area to incorporate vacant ground currently held on the Housing Revenue Account and the Project premises were leased from the Economic Development Department.

The Committee agreed that the additional ground required be transferred to the Economic Development Department's Account.

XI HOUSING (SCOTLAND) ACT 2001 - IMPROVEMENT, REPAIRS AND ENVIRONMENTAL GRANTS, HOME LOANSETC

There was submitted Agenda Note AN255-2004. Reference was made to the minute of meeting of the Housing Committee of 15th November 1999 when grant expenditure now under Private Sector Housing Grant was agreed.

It was agreed that the grant approved during May 2004 in each of the categories were as follows:-

* May contain commercial premises.

The Committee resolved under Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 that the press and public may be excluded from the meeting for the undernoted items of business on the grounds that it might involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 6 and 9 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Act.

XII TRANSFER OF LAND - LONGTOWN ROAD

There was submitted Agenda Note AN256-2004 reporting that part of the above Road Improvements included a new fence erected adjacent to Housing Association properties.

The Committee agreed that a strip of land between the two boundary fences be transferred to the Association an no cost subject to Scottish Minister's consent with the legal costs of the transfer being borne equally by both parties.

XIII BUTTERBURN COURT

There was submitted Agenda Note AN257-2004 advising that the Director of Planning and Transportation had applied for a tenancy of a site on the roof of the multi-storey block for the purpose of siting a radio transmitter to provide two-way coverage for traffic wardens.

It was reported for the information of members that after consultation with the Director of Housing a Convener and Spokesperson of the other groups, a service level agreement was granted to the Director of Planning and Transportation on the terms and details noted.

XIV GROUND AT WELLBURN STREET/WELLGROVE STREET

There was submitted Agenda Note AN258-2004 advising that a builder had applied to purchase an area of ground held on the Housing Account extending to 0.1081 hectares or thereby at Wellburn Street/Wellgrove Street, Dundee.

It was reported that after consultation with the Director of Housing, the Director of Economic Development had provisionally agreed to sell the site to the interested company on the terms and details stated.

COUNCILLOR HIND, Convener.