There were no disclosures of a pecuniary interest.

The Chair welcomed all to the meeting.

Apologies were received from Councillor Matthew Kyeremeh (Shadow Deputy Cabinet Member for Children, Young People & Learners) and Ken Coates.

The minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 30 April 2013 were agreed as a true record of the proceedings.

Matters arising: Dave Sutherland was erroneously omitted from ‘Observers' and also ‘Note taker: Margot Rohan'.

Chair - nominations:
Marilyn Smithies = 8
Michael Hewlett = 8

Vice-Chair - as Joint Chairs have been elected, the chair will alternate at each meeting

Croydon Congress - one nomination: Marilyn Smithies duly elected

Croydon Voluntary Sector Alliance - one nomination: Guy Pile-Grey duly elected

London Tenant Federation x 2 - nominations: Michael Hewlett - no one else nominated

ARCH - one nomination: Michael Hewlett duly elected

Chris Stock mentioned that a new Constitution is being worked on with changes in membership. This should come back to the panel for discussion in the autumn.

Dave Sutherland (Managing Director, Croydon Landlord Services) gave a verbal report:

• £12.5m per year
• Repairs staff in contact centre will be transferred to outsourced contractor when appointed
• Will be 24 hrs/7 days a week
• 3 preferred bidders: Access Europe, Wilmott-Dixon and Osborne
• Final submissions by 23 August
• One month for evaluation
• Report to Project Board on 2 October
• Chosen new partner to be selected 23 October
• Moving from 2 repairs contractors to one - more efficient

Issues raised:

• Compensation for existing contractors?

It is the end of the contract so there will be no compensation.

• Has feedback been obtained from other clients of the new contractors being considered?

Sites and contact centres have been visited - not relying on trust and word of mouth. All 3 are big players with good reputations.

• In selecting, are you looking at their suppliers? Are they using local contractors for materials? What % of employees are local?

Consideration is based on 60% quality, 40% cost.  There is a requirement that they use local traders.
Apprenticeships for local people are also mentioned.

Mahmut Aydogan (Head of strategic programme and projects) summarised his report:

• Introducing new conditional tenancies
• Proposed changes - extensive consultation with all tenants
• Preliminary notice
• Questionnaire to be hand delivered to secure tenants up to mid-August
• One month to complete - by telephone or completing questionnaire or online
• Assess from feedback
• Further consultations with key resident representatives
• Final notice of variation will be hand delivered to all secure tenants early November
• New conditional tenancy will be implemented in December

Issues raised:

• Types of tenancy to which new conditions apply

Two different types of secure tenancy - long term and flexible (2 and 5-year).  Since April, introduced flexible tenancies.  Changes only apply to secure tenants.  Conditions are different for long term and flexible tenants.  Consultation only for existing secure tenants.  New tenants will have to abide by the new terms.

• Non-council tenants renting from leaseholders

Leaseholders are bound by the terms of the lease. The Council would hold the leaseholder responsible for anyone in their properties.

• How will those ending a tenancy be affected - such as couples separating?

In law, if one party ends tenancy - eg in the case of a couple - the Council would then have to assess the situation. If children are involved, invariably whoever had custody would be granted a further secure tenancy.  There is  also the route of transferring tenancy under matrimonial law.

• People buying properties and getting a lease from the Council - have those terms been updated?

It is more complicated to update leases. We will report back on this.

• Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) - some things are listed but what about leaving litter around?

Anything deemed to be anti-social would be included. Ultimately the courts would decide if the Council has been reasonable.  There are examples listed but it is not a definitive list.  The Code of Guidance also addresses this.

Dave Sutherland gave a verbal report:

• Lot of feedback at the last meeting - negativity
• Met with 3 tenancy managers - constructive discussion
• Implemented new procedure from April 2013

Ian Gray (Tenancy Officer - East)

• Schedule of all dates circulated
• Officers asked to attend
• Reports electronically and by hard copy
• Forms and action plans circulated
• Inspections - 10 including Monks Hill, NA, Shrublands and Fieldway
• Some average, majority good

Margaret Padmore (Tenancy Officer - North-East)

• Revised inspection clear about responsibilities
• Final draft from resident involvement team 16 June
• Few tweaks made
• From April - 11 inspections
• Feedback from tenancy officers - devised spreadsheet to ensure people do what they should
• Meeting with officers on monthly basis
• Ensure action plans sent to residents and councillors
• Score sheets being circulated - to be sent to resident involvement team - to be monitored independently
• Will target where service needs to be improved
• Main issue - some resident reps not received schedule for year

 
Sonia Isaacs (Tenancy Officer - North)

• 19 inspections to date
• All information recorded on spreadsheet
• Concern - res rep not invited to state inspection
• Estate inspection took longer than anticipated - feedback delayed
• Need to look at length of time needed for inspection - some current ones take too long
• Second cycle will start September-December

Issues raised:

• Procedure 2013 indicates all sheltered housing schemes to be included - communal as well as exterior but on Fieldway Estate inspection only the blocks were inspected

It is incredibly difficult to get round the whole of the Fieldway estate in one inspection, so we concentrated on the blocks. We have agreed to have a further inspection to get round more of the estate.

• Why does Highways department not have their own inspection to identify pot holes, broken kerbs etc?

Tenancy staff do report other issues to the relevant departments when they do an inspection.  We have added in pavements and potholes to the list of things to be checked.

If nothing has been done, we will report it to Steve Iles (Head of Highways) to discuss how Highways is addressing the issue.  We will report back.

• Lack of feedback from the Council - how can we ensure the repairs officer is competent?

With the new procedures, there should be feedback now.  We have a spreadsheet and will be checking that officers are carrying out the processes in good time.

• What is the policy when an inspection has been carried out and recommendations made but nothing has been actioned 12 months later - such as parking, ground maintenance, recycling issues, repainting bin chambers, replacing litter bins, repairing potholes?

There is a process - we ask colleagues from Planning & Environment, Grounds Maintenance etc to provide action plans.  We will look at the action plan and look at what has not been done.

• Sent copy of action plan which mentioned a letter would be sent out inviting me to a review meeting - meeting is tomorrow but invitation never received

Will check what happened - apologies for omission.

• Longheath Gardens - tenancy officer had difficulty getting list of repairs

Communication problems getting action plans back from repairs. Will be reviewing process.

• What is job specification of area inspection officers?

Expectation is that tenancy officer, caretaking manager etc each prepare an action plan.Neighbourhood (area) inspectors have attended exceptionally and perform the same function. Each officer should prepare their own action plan.

• Last inspection was a rush and missed some things as the officers had to go on to do 3 other inspections. Not enough time.

This is being reviewed.  Something will be done about the time.

• Are ward councillors invited to inspections?  They are important as independent adjudicators.

Ward councillors are invited but are very busy and are not always available.

• Leaseholder inspections - two recent inspections very helpful but some work which should have been done has not been - such as weeding of pathways

We have had problems with communal repairs. All 3 new contractors have communal repair teams but the current contractors do not. In future, we will be able to report repairs in real time with new technology.

The Tenancy Team will return to the next meeting to report on progress.

Leonard Asamoah (Head of Housing Solutions) gave a verbal report:

• Cabinet decided to proceed with new scheme
• Put in place number of mitigating actions to minimise impact on those who opted to stay in block or move to alternative accommodation
• Will inform all tenants of Cabinet decision and explain actions which will follow

Issues raised:

• Will tenants who move out of Croydon still get compensation?

Anyone who requests to move out of block will get help and support to move.

• This was a consultation process but what right of appeal do tenants have? Many of the residents do not agree with the decision.

It was a Cabinet decision so there is no right of appeal. We went through a process of consultation and views were reported.  The majority disagreed with the proposal.  Cabinet considered the views and took the decision based on the balance of information.  There was extensive discussion at the Cabinet meeting but there is a housing crisis in Croydon at the moment.

• What are the mitigating actions which have been put in place?

There is a range of actions to cover personal support for those who opted to stay e.g. concierge system; communal washing machines - restricting access; intensifying management of block where complaints occur.

Cllr Michael Neal commented that Cllr Dudley Mead (Cabinet Member for Housing) is sympathetic but Croydon is in a precarious position, having to take people out of bed and breakfast where it is not suitable. The situation is being monitored.

Chris Crossdale, from the Scrutiny Panel members, gave a verbal report:

• Scrutiny of contact centre produced 18 recommendations which have been implemented
• Being monitored regularly
• Successfully appointed new member to the panel
• Panel has a mentor who has worked closely with panel members
• Next exercise - to see improvements about collection of rent
• Panel will report back to TLP in October

Chris Stock summarised:

• 4 September - mini conference - first of new format, focusing on repairs - an opportunity for residents to meet officers and contractors
• Membership of Housing Sounding Board was nearly 1,000 at one stage
• Some people have not returned their forms to renew membership or have moved away
• Membership down to 417

London Tenants' Federation (LTF) - Michael Hewlett

• Not met since last meeting so nothing to report

Mayor's Housing Forum - Michael Hewlett

• Not met since last meeting so nothing to report

ARCH - Michael Hewlett

• AGM with tenants' group in July
• 21 members elected, plus new chair & vice-chair
• Approved new information leaflet on universal credit
• Tenants' Conference at Great Yarmouth - 19 September
• Croydon invited to send 5 representatives

Croydon Voluntary Sector Alliance - Guy Pile-Grey

• Not met since last meeting
• Voluntary Sector strategy document being worked on - still time if anyone has anything they want added
• Due to be ready for next April

Croydon Congress - Marilyn Smithies

• Theme at last meeting was Health & Wellbeing
• Unable to attend but no update from this or any meeting

Comment: If we are to believe that the community does have a part to play and that, during the course of these 4 hour themed meetings, where issues are raised and problems identified from the floor, either by ‘round table discussions' or ‘questions from the floor', on topics such as ‘Tackling Social Disadvantage', ‘Creating Economic Opportunities', ‘Health & Wellbeing' and ‘Supporting Young People into Work', then why are there no follow-ups to update attendees to what, if anything, has happened since the meeting?

All Ages Inter-generational Conference - Sian Foley

• Working on Strategy
• Action Plan to be published October after discussed by Steering Group (September)
• Planning local events
• Need more adult volunteers - 9 currently
• Will publicise more events at Tollers, Longheath & Regina
• Community First funding - Silver Sunday event
• Silver Sunday - Encouraging elderly and isolated residents to be more involved locally
• More local family steering groups
• Conference - to be discussed at the Steering Group - may be early next year

London Tenants' Scrutiny - Chris Stock

• Braithwaite Hall last week - 86 tenants and officers from around London
• Asked to share good practice at conferences in London

• Communal food waste bins - heat accentuating problem. Fly infestation, maggots - moved away from windows eventually but not far enough. Smell is appalling. Been brought up at other meetings. Veolia insisted it is a caretaking issue but caretakers do not have appropriate cleaning equipment. Problem needs resolving.

Dave Sutherland: It is not an issue for caretakers. We have insisted Veolia come to empty bins more regularly but it is not happening. Housing does not control this area. We will take the issue back to Planning & Environment and express how strongly residents feel about the issue.
Cllr Neal: There is difficulty with food waste but it is not a money-making exercise but a saving of cost.

• Confusion about what collections are which weeks - Laurel Crescent never received information.

• The Lindens residents - thanked Dave Sutherland for all updates.

 Shrublands/Monks Hill - Why have wardens been moved out of 3-bed accommodation to 1-bed, leaving the property empty? The new accommodation is still not ready, so they have nowhere to go to clean up and change clothes etc.

Dave Sutherland: Warden service has 5 units across the borough. Facilities have been reviewed and we are downsizing in view of the need for more family units for residents. We will find out why new property not ready for warden.

• Kim Wakely reported on a visit to Romford - Havering Housing and Homes - with Tim Nash - learning exchange in Town Hall - an enjoyable and informative visit.

all in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Croydon at 6.30pm:
8 October 2013
5 February 2014
1 April 2014