Housing Committee - 21/04/2014

At a MEETING of the HOUSING COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 21st April 2014.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Councillor John ALEXANDER, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 10th March, 2014 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I DECLARATION OF INTEREST

No declarations of interest were made.

II NATIONAL HOUSING TRUST - 2B

On a reference to Article III of the minute of meeting of this Committee held on 22nd April, 2013, there was submitted Report No 191-2014 by the Director of Housing informing the Committee of the outcome from round 2B of the National Housing Trust (NHT) initiative providing homes for mid-market rent in Dundee.

The Committee approved the scheme proposed by Waterfront Investments Ltd for the development of 30 flats at Candle Lane, Dundee.

III SETTING UP A TENANTS SCRUTINY PANEL AND SCRUTINY FRAMEWORK

There was submitted Report No 196-2014 by the Director of Housing presenting a structure for tenants and service users scrutiny of housing services as required by the Scottish Social Housing Charter and Scottish Housing Regulator.

The Committee:-

(i) agreed the proposed Scrutiny Panel and structure for scrutiny by tenants and other service users; and

(ii) instructed the Director of Housing to recruit membership of the Scrutiny Panel and implement the structure for delivery.

IV WELFARE REFORM

On a reference to Article VII of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 11th March, 2013, wherein Committee agreed that The City Council resolves that for a transitional period of one year, where the Director of Housing is satisfied that tenants who are subject to the under occupancy charge are doing all they reasonably can to avoid falling into arrears, it will use all legitimate means to collect rent due, except eviction there was submitted Agenda Note AN143-2014 reporting that a recent announcement by the Scottish Government would increase the money available through Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) to the limit imposed by the DWP, and if the DWP refused the request to lift the cap on DHPs, the Scottish Government would make a further 15 million available to social landlords to prevent eviction solely due to the Under Occupancy Charge.

The Committee agreed to continue with the current arrangements, as agreed on the 11th March, 2013 until such time as the Council had assessed the Scottish Government guidance on how this funding would be allocated and awarded.

John ALEXANDER, Convener.