Issue - meetings

Report of the Director – Finance and Corporate Services

Councillor Thomas joined the meeting to present the matrix for Accessible Housing. She said that this had arisen from budget discussion about the Disabled Facilities Grant and proposals for the Council to stop topping up the Central Government funding pot from its own funds. She noted that the £500k top up was a one-off amount which came from the Council’s sale of council houses. She said that she had been alarmed by the identified impact that waiting times would increase and as such thought that there was need to understand how much they would increase by and whether the increase would continue to roll into subsequent years. She said that case studies would help with understanding and that there were many related issues, as listed on the form, such as how much adaptable housing was being built by both the affordable and market sectors.

The Chairman said that this matter had implications for both the Communities and the Growth Scrutiny Groups and suggested options for having a joint scrutiny meeting or alternatively that one scrutiny group receive the item and invite the Chair and Vice Chair of the other scrutiny group to join for the discussion.

The Service Manager for Corporate Services said that a joint scrutiny meeting would allow the topic to be viewed from various angles but would also make it a big group requiring greater coordination and structure than normal, for example a pooling a questions ahead of the meeting. She said that alternatively a briefing session for all could be held which could feed into one scrutiny group reviewing the item, with the Chair of that group inviting the Chair and Vice Chair of the other group to attend for that item only.

Members of the Group discussed options, including holding separate discussions by both scrutiny groups and receiving a briefing session ahead of the item going to scrutiny. Members of the Group suggested that a briefing session for Councillors would be helpful in informing discussion at a subsequent joint scrutiny group meeting involving members of both scrutiny groups. The Chairman suggested consideration be given to inviting expert witnesses and the relevant Portfolio Holders to attend.

The Service Manager for Corporate Services suggested that the briefing session could be held on 17 October and the joint scrutiny meeting on 23 October and said that she would report back to the Group.

The Chairman referred to the Management of open spaces within new developments matrix submitted by Councillor Chewings and said that this arose from the same scrutiny meeting as the Management Charges Actions Review matrix submitted by Councillor Way. The Chairman asked for updates on housing density and SUDS.

The Service Manager for Corporate Services said that the housing density matter had been referred to the Director for Planning and Economic Growth who had spoken with the Chair of the LDF Group, with the proposal that it be taken through the LDF Group. She said that a briefing note regarding SUDS on new estates was being  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30