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ANGUS COUNCIL
MINUTE of MEETING of the HOUSING COMMITTEE held in the Town and County Hall, Forfar on Tuesday 23 February 1999 at 4.15 pm.
Present: Councillors FRANK ELLIS, IAN ANGUS, HELEN ANGUS, WILLIAM CROWE, WILLIAM DOIG, JACK GIBB, Mrs RENATE LAMONT, IAN MACKINTOSH, GLENNIS MIDDLETON, STEWART MOWATT and SANDY WEST.
Apologies: Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Councillors IAN HUDGHTON and STEWART McGLYNN.
Councillor ELLIS, Convener, in the Chair.
1. MINUTE OF PREVIOUS MEETING
The minute of meeting of this Committee of 12 January 1999 was approved as a correct record and signed by the Convener.
2. IMPROVEMENT GRANT APPLICATIONS
The Committee noted a list of applications for Improvement Grants totalling £54,321, approved under delegated authority by the Director of Planning and Transport, as detailed in Report No 177/99.
3. REPAIR GRANT APPLICATIONS
The Committee noted a list of applications for Repair Grants totalling £13,281, approved under delegated authority by the Director of Planning and Transport, as detailed in Report No 178/99.
4. CLOSING ORDER
There was submitted Report No 207/99 by the Director of Environmental and Consumer Protection regarding a property which failed to meet the "tolerable standard" as prescribed in the Housing (Scotland) Act 1982.
The Committee agreed to recommend that a Closing Order be placed on the Farmhouse Studio, Poole, Arbroath.
5. REVOCATION OF CLOSING ORDER
There was submitted Report No 208/99 by the Director of Environmental and Consumer Protection regarding a Closing Order which required to be revoked, following works having been undertaken to bring the house up to the "tolerable standard" as prescribed in the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987.
The Committee agreed to recommend that the Closing Order placed on the ground floor flat, 26 Wharf Street, Montrose, be revoked.
6. DISPOSAL OF GROUND AT 1 KINLOCH PARK, CARNOUSTIE
There was submitted Report No 191/99 by the Director of Housing regarding the disposal of an area of ground at Kinloch Park, Carnoustie.
The Committee agreed that the area of ground in question be sold to Mrs Merrilees, the owner/occupier of 1 Kinloch Park, on appropriate terms and conditions, including that the ground could be used for car parking and that the Council's reasonable legal and valuation costs be met by her.
7. HOUSING CAPITAL PROGRAMME - HRA BLOCK - 1998/99
There was submitted Report No 190/99 by the Director of Finance on the Housing Capital Programme - HRA Block - 1998/99 detailing the latest estimate for the year and also the spend figures to the end of January 1999. Expenditure was generally on track to achieve the programme but performance would continue to be carefully monitored.
The Committee noted that the programme had now been adjusted to a new total of £6.697m and agreed to note the figures presented, as detailed in the Report.
8. COUNCIL HOUSE SALES
There was submitted and noted Report No 188/99 by the Director of Finance detailing Council House sales for the period to 31 December 1998.
9. POLICE LIAISON STRATEGY
With reference to Article 16 of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 18 February 1997, there was submitted Report No 209/98 by the Director of Housing which provided statistics gathered in the first full year of operation of the Housing/Police Liaison Strategy and highlighted the significant number of recorded complaints.
The Report advised that, in association with the Liaison Strategy, the Housing Department had also recorded the number of complaints in a variety of categories, as detailed in Appendix 1, on a town by town basis. The figures regarding complaints received for the year 1 October 1997 to 30 September 1998 were detailed in Appendix 2 and the breakdown of referrals received from Tayside Police and resultant joint visits between Police and Housing staff was shown in Appendix 3.
The Committee noted the contents of the Report and the success of the Strategy and recognised the efforts made to identify and contain a range of complex issues.
10. REDEVELOPMENT OF BLOCK 10-24 GALLOWSHADE ROAD, FORFAR - PHASE 2
With reference to Article 7 of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 11 August 1998, there was submitted Report No 210/99 by the Director of Housing which outlined the recent discussions and consultations undertaken with the local community regarding the redevelopment of 10-24 Gallowshade Road, Forfar.
The Report advised that a questionnaire detailing the options had been circulated amongst the Gallowshade Road community and the Gallowshade Action Group had organised a public meeting on 2 November 1998, to gauge community opinion on the proposals.
Following the public meeting, the results of the consultation exercise were received and the chosen option by the community involved demolition of block 10-24 Gallowshade Road and replacement with car parking facilities.
The Committee agreed:-
(i) to note the contents of the Report;
(ii) to approve rehousing the remaining tenants at block 10-24 Gallowshade Road and the payment of any subsequent home loss and disturbance compensation;
(iii) to approve the demolition of 10-24 Gallowshade Road and the provision of car parking facilities and associated landscaping; and
(iv) to ask the Director of Housing to send a letter of thanks to the Gallowshade Action Group for their help and co-operation in this matter.
11. MODERNISING COMMUNITY CARE - GUIDANCE ON THE HOUSING CONTRIBUTION
It was reported that the Scottish Office had issued draft Guidance on how to improve administrative arrangements for co-operation between Housing, Social Work and Health Agencies on Community Care. The Director of Housing was currently co-ordinating comments on the draft Guidance so that an appropriate response could be submitted to the Scottish Office by 28 February 1999.
The Committee noted the position and that the comments submitted to the Scottish Office would be placed before the next meeting of the Housing Committee for information.
12. MODERNISATION/IMPROVEMENTS AND TRANSFER INCENTIVE PACKAGE - REVIEW OF REDECORATION/DISTURBANCE ALLOWANCES
With reference to Article 11 of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 13 January 1998, there was submitted Report No 216/99 by the Director of Housing proposing increases in the range of decoration and disturbance allowances paid to tenants whose homes were being modernised or improved by the Council. The allowances had last been reviewed in January 1998.
The Committee approved the terms of the Report and agreed:-
(i) that the decoration/disturbance allowances and transfer incentive package currently being operated by the Council be increased by an average of 3% as detailed in Appendix A to the Report; and
(ii) that these charges apply in respect of projects commencing on site after 1 April 1999.
13. 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 the following items so as to avoid disclosure of information which was exempt in terms of Paragraphs 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9 and 10 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A to the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.
14. STRATHAIRLIE NEIGHBOURHOOD OFFICE - RELOCATION
There was submitted Report No 214/99 by the Director of Housing regarding the relocation of the Strathairlie Neighbourhood Office.
The Report advised that the Council had now completed its three phases of upgrading properties in the Strathairlie area and there was now a need to improve the entrance to Strathairlie Avenue by relocating the Neighbourhood Office and undertaking appropriate environmental improvements. Following discussions with Scottish Homes, it had been agreed that the Strathairlie Area Neighbourhood Association could apply to Scottish Homes for a social and environmental grant for this financial year to allow the Neighbourhood Office to be relocated within Strathairlie.
The Committee agreed that the Strathairlie Neighbourhood Office be relocated, subject to the cost of relocation being met via a grant from Scottish Homes.
15. LILYBANK, FORFAR - DISPOSAL OF GROUND
Councillors H & I Angus and G Middleton declared an interest in the undernoted item as Directors of the Angus Community Care Charitable Trust Ltd and took no part in the decision.
There was submitted Report No 192/99 by the Director of Housing regarding the disposal of an area of ground at Lilybank, Forfar on the terms and conditions referred to in the Report.
The Committee agreed that the area of ground in question be sold to the Angus Community Care Charitable Trust at an open market valuation of £160,000, subject to the Council giving the Trust a rebate of £15,000 should part of the area prove to be undevelopable.
16. COUNCIL HOUSE SALES - QUARTERLY SCHEDULES
There was submitted and noted Report No 189/99 by the Director of Finance which detailed individual Council house sales for the third quarter of 1998/99.
17. SERIOUS ARREARS CASES - HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT TENANTS
There was submitted Report No 211/99 by the Director of Housing regarding serious arrears of rent in respect of 16 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 arrears had been reduced in cases 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 10, 13, 15 and 16 and that regular payments to further reduce the arrears had been promised; to monitor these cases to ensure that regular payments continued to be made; and that approval be given to evict should these payments not be received; and
(ii) to note that no payments had been made to reduce the arrears in cases 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12 and 14 and that approval be given to evict.
18. LOSS OF USE OF FOOTPATH - COMPENSATION
With reference to Article 22 of the minute of meeting of the Housing Committee of 13 January 1998, there was submitted Report No 213/99 by the Director of Housing which advised the Committee on the Arbiter's decision with regard to the payment of compensation for the loss of the use of a footpath by the tenant of 27 Muirdrum, Carnoustie.
The Committee noted the terms of the Report and the Arbiter’s determination.
19. LIST OF CONTRACTORS
(a) Brown Street/Smeiton Street, Carnoustie - Environmental Improvements
There was submitted Report No 218/99 by the Director of Property Services regarding contractors who had expressed an interest in tendering for the environmental improvements at Brown Street and Smeiton Street, Carnoustie.
The Committee agreed that the six contractors detailed in the Report be invited to submit tenders, subject to any financial assessment deemed to be necessary by the Director of Finance in consultation with the Director of Property Services.
(b) Ashludie Terrace and Panmure Street, Monifieth - Modernisations
There was submitted Report No 219/99 by the Director of Property Services on tenders received for the modernisation of 17 two-storey flats at Ashludie Terrace and Panmure Street, Monifieth.
The Committee agreed that the six contractors detailed in the Report be invited to submit tenders, subject to any financial assessment deemed to be necessary by the Director of Finance in consultation with the Director of Property Services.
20. MARKET STREET, BRECHIN - KITCHEN REPLACEMENTS AND HEATING INSTALLATIONS
There was submitted Report No 212/99 by the Director of Property Services on tenders received for kitchen replacements and heating installations at Market Street, Brechin.
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 Thomson and Douglas, Kingsmuir, by Forfar in the amount of £227,592.27;
(ii) to approve the estimated total cost of £246,709 (at out-turn prices);
(iii) to note that allowance for this project had been made in the approved 1998/99 HRA Housing Capital Programme and Housing Repairs and Maintenance Programme; and
(iv) to note the additional revenue expenditure arising from this project.
The following matter was, on the determination of the Convener, dealt with as a matter of urgency, to allow negotiations to take place as soon as possible.
21. USE OF STATIC CARAVANS FOR DECANT DURING MODERNISATION WORKS
With reference to Article 11 of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 12 January 1999, there was submitted Report No 225/99 by the Director of Housing advising the Committee of the financial implications of two options for providing static caravans for the decant of tenants at Monifieth during modernisation works.
The Committee agreed to approve the purchase and subsequent guaranteed sale of suitable caravans (option 1), as being the most cost effective way of providing decant accommodation in close proximity to the tenants' homes.