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ANGUS COUNCIL
MINUTE of MEETING of the HOUSING COMMITTEE held in the Town and County Hall, Forfar on Tuesday 11 November 1997 at 4.00 pm.
Present: Councillors FRANK ELLIS, IAN ANGUS, HELEN ANGUS, WILLIAM CROWE, JACK GIBB, IAN HUDGHTON, Mrs RENATE LAMONT, GLENNIS MIDDLETON, STEWART MOWATT and SANDY WEST.
Apologies: Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Councillors WILLIAM DOIG, STEWART MCGLYNN and IAN MACKINTOSH.
Councillor ELLIS, Convener, in the Chair.
1. EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS
The Committee resolved, in terms of Standing Order 27(2) that the public and press be excluded from the meeting during consideration of items 2-6 so as to avoid disclosure of information which was exempt in terms of Paragraphs 2, 8, 9 and 10 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A to the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.
2. TENDERS
(a) Window and Door Replacements at Warddykes, Arbroath, Group One
There was submitted Report No 1152/97 by the Director of Property Services on tenders received for window and door replacements at Warddykes, Arbroath, Group One (House Type A).
The Committee approved the terms of the Report and agreed:-
(i) to authorise acceptance of the lowest tender for the several works, being that submitted by Muirfield (Contracts) Ltd., Dundee, in the amount of £90,293.91;
(ii) to approve the estimated total cost of £101,129 (at outturn prices);
(iii) to note that allowance for this project had been made in the approved 1997/98 Capital Estimates; and
(iv) to note the additional revenue expenditure arising from this project.
(b) Window, Door and Screen Replacements at Warddykes, Arbroath, Group Two
There was submitted Report No 1153/97 by the Director of Property Services on tenders received for window, door and screen replacements at Warddykes, Arbroath, Group Two (Houses Type B, C, D, E and F).
The Committee approved the terms of the Report and agreed:-
(i) to authorise acceptance of the lowest tender for the several works, being that submitted by Muirfield (Contracts) Ltd., Dundee in the amount of £96,737.01;
(ii) to approve the estimated total cost of £108,345 (at outturn prices);
(iii) to note that allowance for this project had been made in the approved 1997/98 Capital Estimates; and
(iv) to note the additional revenue expenditure arising from this project.
3. LIST OF CONTRACTORS - MODERNISATIONS AT DRONLEY TERRACE, MUIRHEAD AND HIGHFIELD PLACE, BIRKHILL
There was submitted Report No 1157/97 by the Director of Property Services regarding contractors who had expressed an interest in tendering for the modernisations at Dronley Terrace, Muirhead and Highfield Place, Birkhill.
The Committee agreed that the six contractors detailed in the Report be invited to tender, subject to any financial assessment deemed to be necessary by the Director of Finance in consultation with the Director of Property Services.
4. EXTENSION TO WINDOW REPLACEMENT PROGRAMME - MONIFIETH - (10 HOUSES)
There was submitted Report No 1161/97 by the Director of Property Services requesting that an additional 10 houses be included in the window replacement programme at High Street, Well Street and Brook Street, Monifieth currently being executed by Muirfield (Contracts) Ltd., Dundee.
The Committee approved the terms of the Report and agreed:-
(i) to approve the addition of 10 houses to the contract currently being executed by Muirfield (Contracts) Ltd., Dundee;
(ii) to approve the estimated additional cost of £21,100 (at outturn prices);
(iii) to note that the expenditure arising from this additional work would be accommodated within the Housing Revenue Capital Programme 1997/98; and
(iv) to note the additional revenue expenditure arising from this project.
5. SERIOUS ARREARS CASES - HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT TENANTS
There was submitted Report No 1150/97 by the Director of Housing on serious arrears of rent in respect of eight Council house tenants, as detailed in the appendix to the Report.
The Director of Housing gave up to date information on each case, following which the Committee agreed:-
(i) to note that no payments had been made to reduce the arrears in cases 1, 4, 6 and 8 and that approval be given to evict;
(ii) to note that arrears had been reduced in cases 5 and 7 and regular payments to further reduce the arrears had been promised; to monitor these cases to ensure that regular payments were made; and that approval be given to evict should these payments not be received; and
(iii) to note that the abandoned house procedure had been started with regard to cases 2 and 3.
6. COUNCIL HOUSE SALES
There was submitted and noted Report No 1155/97 by the Director of Finance which detailed Council House sales for the second quarter of 1997/98.
7. MINUTE OF PREVIOUS MEETING
The minute of meeting of this Committee of 30 September 1997 was approved as a correct record and signed by the Convener.
8. MINUTE OF HOUSING EXECUTIVE SUB-COMMITTEE
There was submitted and noted the minute of meeting of the Housing Executive Sub-Committee held on 23 October 1997, a copy of which is appended to this minute (Appendix I).
9. IMPROVEMENT GRANT APPLICATIONS
The Committee noted a list of applications for Improvement Grants totalling £36,211 approved under delegated authority by the Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development as detailed in Report No 1131/97.
10. REVOCATION OF CLOSING ORDERS
There was submitted Report No 1143/97 by the Director of Environmental and Consumer Protection on Closing Orders which required to be revoked, following works having been undertaken to bring the houses up to the "tolerable standard" as described in the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987.
The Committee agreed to recommend that the Closing Orders placed on the undernoted properties be revoked:-
(i) second floor flat, namely 48 High Street, Brechin;
(ii) ground floor flat, namely 111 Montrose Street, Brechin;
(iii) first floor flat, namely 22 Trinity Road, Brechin;
(iv) first floor flat, namely 2 Liddle’s Close, Brechin;
(v) first floor flat, namely 107 Montrose Street, Brechin;
(vi) ground floor flat, namely 184 Montrose Street, Brechin.
11. DISPOSAL OF GROUND ADJACENT TO 42 WESTFIELD PLACE, CARNOUSTIE
There was submitted Report No 1148/97 by the Director of Housing regarding the disposal of an area of ground at Westfield Place, Carnoustie.
The Committee agreed to dispose of the area adjacent to 42 Westfield Place, Carnoustie to Mr and Mrs Smith, occupiers of 42 Westfield Place, Carnoustie on appropriate terms and condition, including one that Mr and Mrs Smith should meet all of the Council’s legal expenses and subject to them purchasing their Council house.
12. GRANT AID TO COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS OCCUPYING COUNCIL OWNED HOUSING STOCK
With reference to article 6 of the minute of meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee of 9 September 1997, there was submitted Report No 1170/97 by the Director of Housing which outlined the impact of the decision that the rental costs of local community based organisations occupying Council owned housing stock be met from the Housing Revenue Account.
The Committee noted the financial implications in 1997/98 and acknowledged that an additional budget heading would be required in future years on the Housing Revenue Account to meet these rental costs.
13. CODE OF GUIDANCE ON HOMELESSNESS - SEPTEMBER 1997
With reference to article 5 of the minute of meeting of the Housing Committee of 13 August 1996, there was submitted Report No. 1149/97 by the Director of Housing which highlighted the significant changes contained in the new Code of Guidance on Homelessness issued by the Scottish Office Development Department which were effective from 1 December 1997.
The Report explained that housing authorities would now require to have regard to the Code of Guidance in applying the legislation relating to homeless people (Part II of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987).
After noting that the Scottish Office had paid due regard to the comments made by local authorities and others as a result of the consultative process, the Committee welcomed the new Code of Guidance and noted the obligations incumbent upon the Council to have regard to it in implementing policy relating to homelessness matters in Angus.
14. 1998/99 REVENUE BUDGET
There was submitted Report No 1154/97 by the Director of Finance advising the Committee of the latest position with regard to the preparation of the Departmental 1998/99 Revenue Budget and associated issues. An appendix to the Report summarised the "Other Housing" provisional base budget for 1998/99 as submitted to the Director of Finance.
The Committee agreed:-
(i) to note the contents of the Report for its interest; and
(ii) to note that a more detailed Report with specific recommendations would be brought forward later in the budget cycle.
15. HOUSING CAPITAL PROGRAMME - HRA BLOCK 1997/98
There was submitted Report No 1151/97 by the Director of Finance on the Housing Capital Programme - HRA Block - 1997/98, detailing the latest estimate for the year and also the spend figures to the end of September 1997.
The Committee noted the figures presented and agreed that the total programme remain at £8.023 million.
16. COUNCIL HOUSES SALES
There was submitted and noted Report No 1156/97 by the Director of Finance detailing Council House sales as at 30 September 1997.
17. STRATEGIC AGREEMENT WITH SCOTTISH HOMES
It was reported that a new Strategic Agreement with Scottish Homes was currently in the course of being prepared and would be submitted to the Housing Committee on 13 January 1998 for approval.
The Committee noted that there would be a seminar on 18 November 1997 from 9.30 am to 3.30 pm in the Town and County Hall, Forfar to which all members would be invited. This would provide information on the working relationships between the Council, Scottish Homes and Housing Associations.
18. DEMOLITION OF HOUSING AT STRATHMORE AVENUE AND AIRLIE CRESCENT, ARBROATH
With reference to Article 3(a) of the minute of meeting of the Housing Committee of 30 September 1997, it was reported that approval was being sought to extend the contract to allow for the demolition of properties at 2-30 Airlie Crescent. This site was zoned in the master plan for a new build sheltered housing project.
The Committee agreed that the contract be extended to allow for these properties to be included and noted that funding for the demolition costs would be taken from the additional capital allocation which would be received from Central Government in regard to the "New Housing Partnership" initiative.