Housing, Dundee Contract Services And Environment Services Committee - 25/10/2010

At a MEETING of the HOUSING, DUNDEE CONTRACT SERVICES AND ENVIRONMENT SERVICES COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 25th October, 2010.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Councillor Jimmy BLACK, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 13th September, 2010 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I REVIEW OF RENTS AND OTHER HOUSING CHARGES 2011/2012

There was submitted Report No 613-2010 by the Director of Housing seeking approval to consult with tenants on the proposed rent increase and other related charges for 2011/2012.

The Convener, seconded by Councillor Melville, moved approval of the report:-

(i) approving the Director of Housing to consult for a two month period with tenants on the proposed options for the rent increase and other charges for 2011/2012 which were discussed with the Dundee Federation of Tenants' Association on Thursday, 23rd September, 2010; and

(ii) noting that estimated rent increases for 2012/2013, 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 will be included in the consultation document to tenants to provide an indication of future rent levels.

Councillor Macpherson, seconded by Bailie Regan, moved as an amendment, that the following additional option be put to the Dundee Federation of Tenants' Associations and City Council tenants for consultation:-

"As an additional alternative to the proposed option of 4.5%, 4.75% and 5%, a rent rise proposal of 3.5% should also be considered, which is 2.02 per week on average, subject to a maximum increase of 3.00 (subject to consultation).

Charges for the following should remain as per the report's recommendations:-

- concierge service

- garage lock ups

- underground parking bays

- garage sites

- sheltered housing service

- travelling people's site rents

- heating charges

These increases would also be applied from 4th April, 2011.

A 1% reduction in rents would require a saving of 400,000.

If it is finally decided that the rent rise should be 3.5%, I will ask the Committee to agree at the same time as the rent rise is decided that this shortfall should be met by reducing expenditure on the enhanced relet standard by 554,062, as this will require 154,000 increase in the void loss budget."

On a division, there voted for the motion - the Convener, Councillors Guild, Barrie, Bowes, Andy Dawson, Will Dawson, Duncan, Fordyce, Hunter, Lynn, Melville, Roberts and Ross, Bailie Sawers and Lord Provost Letford (15); and for the amendment - Councillors Keenan, Asif, Bidwell, Ferguson, Gordon, McCready, Hay and Macpherson, Bailies Regan, Wallace and Scott and Depute Lord Provost Borthwick (12) - whereupon the motion was declared carried.

II NEW BUILD COUNCIL HOUSE PROGRAMME - RENT POLICY

There was submitted Report No 629-2010 by the Director of Housing advising the Committee on the rent levels for the houses in the Council's new build programme.

The Committee noted the rent levels for these properties, as detailed in the report, set in accordance with the Council's Rent Setting Policy.

III REGENERATION AREA MULTI-STOREY FLAT HEATING SCHEME

Reference was made to Article I of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 7th December, 2009, wherein the regeneration area multi-storey flat heating scheme was approved. There was submitted Agenda Note AN121-2010 advising that re-housing from Derby Street was proceeding, but it was likely that some tenants would remain within the buildings into the winter months due to their particular re‑housing needs.

The Committee agreed to implement the multi-storey flat heating scheme for these remaining tenants.

IV INSPECTION OF SHELTERED HOUSING WARDEN SERVICE BY THE CARE COMMISSION

There was submitted Report No 436-2010 by the Director of Housing reporting on the findings of the Care Commission on the Sheltered Housing Warden Service.

The Committee:-

(i) noted the content of the report; and

(ii) instructed the Director of Housing to monitor progress towards meeting the areas for improvement contained in the report.

V HOUSING DEPARTMENT IMPROVEMENT PLAN PROGRESS

There was submitted Report No 633-2010 by the Director of Housing reporting on progress on the Improvement Plan agreed with the Scottish Housing Regulator.

The Committee:-

(i) noted the progress on the implementation of the Improvement Plan up to August 2010; and

(ii) agreed that, as part of the commitment to Public Performance Reporting, the report be added to the Plans and Performance section of the Council's website.

VI REGISTERED TENANT ORGANISATIONS - RTO REGISTRATION

There was submitted Agenda Note AN124-2010 reporting that requests for registration as Tenant Organisations had been received from the following:-

Menzieshill North Tenants' and Residents' Association

Dudhope Tenants' and Residents' Association

The Committee agreed that the applications be approved.

VII REGISTERED TENANT ORGANISATIONS - ADMINISTRATION GRANTS

There was submitted Agenda Note AN123-2010 requesting grant assistance towards administration costs for 2010/2011 from the undernoted organisations at the levels outlined:-

The Committee agreed to grant assistance as requested.

VIII UNIVERSAL HOME INSULATION SCHEME

Councillor Will Dawson declared a non-financial interest by virtue of being an employee of Scottish and Southern Energy.

There was submitted Agenda Note AN122-2010 advising that four areas in Dundee had been chosen for inclusion in the Scottish Government's new Universal Home Insulation Scheme (UHIS). The Scottish Government (as part of its Energy Assistance Package - EAP) had granted the Council 250,000 which, together with 250,000 of CERT monies (Carbon Emissions Reduction Target) from Scottish Hydro Electric, would allow loft and cavity-wall insulation to be carried out in a total of 727 properties in the Crescent Lane, Hilltown West, Watson Street and Wellgate areas. The UHIS scheme offered free insulation to all tenants and owners in an area, regardless of income or fuel supplier. The universal nature of funding for UHIS and the fact that it contained an 'enabling fund' to cover such things as scaffolding and loft-clearance, gave the Council a unique opportunity to insulate properties in these areas. Work would be carried out by the end of March 2011 and the contractor Scottish Hydro Electric had chosen to carry out this work was Clyde Insulation.

It was further reported that, in addition to insulation which would make it cheaper and easier for residents to keep their homes warm, the Council was offering every resident a home visit during which they would be given a full energy efficiency and income maximisation check. These visits would be made by staff from Dundee Energy Efficiency Advice Project (DEEAP) and would be carried out just after the insulation had been installed. DEEAP staff would also give all householders a Real-time Display Unit (provided by Scottish Hydro) which was a small device to allow them to keep track of electricity use in their home and to identify those appliances which were particularly heavy in energy use.

The Committee noted accordingly.

IX TENDERS RECEIVED

This item was withdrawn.

X PURCHASE OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES

There was submitted Report No 606-2010 by the Head of Waste Management seeking authorisation for the purchase of two electrically powered vans to be used as part of the street cleansing operations within Waste Management.

The Committee agreed to the purchase of two Megatruck Tippers from Rickerby Ltd, Carlisle, at a total cost of 17,000.

XI PURCHASE OF RECYCLING PLANT AND EQUIPMENT

There was submitted Report No 605-2010 by the Head of Waste Management seeking authorisation for the purchase of three items of recycling plant to be used as part of a rationalisation of recycling operations within Waste Management.

The Committee agreed to accept the undernoted offers:-

XII VARIATION OF AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT AREA TO INCLUDE PARTICULATES (PM10)

There was submitted Report No 567-2010 by the Head of Environmental Health and Trading Standards informing the Committee of the Council's statutory requirement to declare an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) for particulates (PM10) and seeking approval to vary the existing Air Quality Management Area to include this pollutant.

The Committee:-

(i) noted the requirement to declare an Air Quality Management Area for particulates (PM10);

(ii) approved variation of the existing order to include (PM10);

(iii) approved the remit to amend the Air Quality Management Area boundary on an ongoing basis; and

(iv) approved the additional remit for the Corporate Air Quality Steering Group as detailed in Section 4.4, 4.5 and 4.6 of the report.

XIII TAYSIDE JOINT HEALTH PROTECTION PLAN 2010/2012

There was submitted Report No 625-2010 by the Head of Environmental Health and Trading Standards advising the Committee that as part of its duties under the Public Health etc (Scotland) Act 2008, NHS Tayside had prepared a draft Tayside Joint Public Health Protection Plan for 2010/2012, in consultation with Angus, Dundee City and Perth and Kinross Councils. The Plan provided an overview of health protection priorities, provision and preparedness within Tayside. The Report sought Committee approval of the Tayside Joint Health Protection Plan 2010/2012 (JHPP) and a commitment by the Council to address the priorities outlined in the Plan.

The Committee agreed with the contents of the Tayside Joint Public Health Protection Plan appended to the Report and gave a commitment on behalf of Dundee City Council to work with NHS Tayside, Perth and Kinross and Angus Councils to address the priorities identified therein.

Jimmy BLACK, Convener.