Agenda item

The report by the Director of Housing, Neighbourhood and Building Services informs members of the spending proposed for the next financial year for revenue and capital funded maintenance and improvement programmes together with Housing IT Business Software and to seek approval to incur expenditure in respect of the capital schemes and rolling programmes and to show how the budgets have been allocated on an area office basis.

RECOMMENDED that

(1)  the area programmes and allocation of finance for the funding of the Revenue Budgets for repairs and maintenance of dwellings be noted.

(2)  the capital budgets listed in Appendix B and Appendix C commencing in 2019/2020 be approved and the Director of Housing, Neighbourhood and Building Services be authorised under Financial Rules, Section B14 to proceed with schemes within the sums approved.

(3)  The Director of Finance and Section 151 Officer's financial appraisal be approved for the capital programme - global provision.

The Cabinet Member for Housing agreed that:

(1)       the area programmes and allocation of finance for the funding of the Revenue Budgets for repairs and maintenance of dwellings  be noted.

(2)       the capital budgets listed in Appendix B and Appendix C commencing in 2019/2020 be approved and the Director of Housing, Neighbourhood and Building Services be authorised under Financial Rules, Section B14 to proceed with schemes within the sums approved.

(3)       The Director of Finance and Section 151 Officer's financial appraisal be approved for the capital programme - global provision.

Meredydd Hughes, Assistant Director Buildings, presented the report on behalf of the Director of Housing, Neighbourhood and Buildings. The report send out the details of the revenue budget of £24m (outlined in appendix A) and capital budget of £22m (outlined in Appendix B) as well as the geographical details of where the spending is taking place in the 7 housing areas.

Graham Fairbrother, as Housing's IT Business Partner, explained the IT spending which included systems development (such as developing the Housing Options system and use of homelessness data) and improving the year end system for rent adjustments.  There were also changes to the database and document management system taking place as well as the council-wide move to Windows 10.

With regard to the £1m work for sprinklers in Ladywood House and Handsworth House Councillor Sanders made his non-pecuniary declaration of interest, in that his mother lives in Ladywood House, and for transparency he asked that officers explain how these 2 blocks had been chosen for the installation of sprinklers.  Steve Groves, Head of Buildings Maintenance, reported that sprinklers will be installed on a priority assessment criteria basis and that these blocks had been chosen as they were the tallest highest blocks with single escape stairways, which also included sheltered accommodation.  This criteria had been adhered to in making the selection.

Maria Cole asked about the Legionella testing provision - it was reported that this covered testing costs only and any further works would be via other budgets.  She also asked why there were more works identified for Wilmcote House which had recently been refurbished?  It was reported that the works included decoration to escape staircases and store areas which had not been within the original contract.  Mada Abrahams was also in attendance for the RC/CLG but did not have any further questions.

Councillor Coles asked about the environmental improvements; it was reported there were for hard and soft landscaping works around the blocks.

Councillor Sanders asked about the security of cloud storage; Graham Fairbrother reported that this is part of PCC's general IT strategy for Microsoft systems using secure storage in cloud.

Councillor Sanders asked why the major works did not identify improvements needed at Portsea; it was reported that planned works are assessed on a demand and priority assessment of the condition of the assets.

Councillor Sanders, as Cabinet Member for Housing, supported the proposed programme of works and welcomed the safety measures with the start of a rolling programme of sprinkler installation.  He closed the meeting by thanking all involved  in his decision meetings over the last municipal year.

DECISIONS the Cabinet Member for Housing agreed that:

(1)       the area programmes and allocation of finance for the funding of the Revenue Budgets for repairs and maintenance of dwellings  be noted.

(2)       the capital budgets listed in Appendix B and Appendix C commencing in 2019/2020 be approved and the Director of Housing, Neighbourhood and Building Services be authorised under Financial Rules, Section B14 to proceed with schemes within the sums approved.

(3)       The Director of Finance and Section 151 Officer's financial appraisal be approved for the capital programme - global provision.