Agenda and minutes

1  To highlight reports or appendices which officers have identified as containing exempt information, and where officers consider that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, for the reasons outlined in the report.

2  To consider whether or not to accept the officers recommendation in respect of the above information.

3  If so, to formally pass the following resolution:-

RESOLVED – That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following parts of the agenda designated as containing exempt information on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the press and public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information, as follows:

   No exempt items have been identified.

To identify items which have been admitted to the agenda by the Chair for consideration.

(The special circumstances shall be specified in the minutes.)

There were no late items.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Received from Christine Gregory, Rita Ighade, Maddie Hunter.

To confirm as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting held on 28^th September 2016.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 28 September 2016 be approved as a correct record.

To receive an update from the Chair on scrutiny activity, not specifically included on this agenda, since the previous Board meeting.

The Chair reported he has met with Sharon Guy prior to the meeting to discuss the agenda items for this meeting.

Two Environment and Housing meetings have been held since the last meeting of the Board.

The Chair advised discussions had taken place about the Peckfield landfill site in Micklefield. Elected members wanted to know what the contingency plans were if the landfill site was abandoned. It was noted this was unlikely, but discussions were ongoing between planning officers and the Environment Agency to make sure adequate plans were in place if such circumstances were to happen .The Board wanted further communication with the Environment Agency.

The second meeting the Chair could not attend – however he explained there was discussion around the Lettings Policy Review Consultation and the report that will go for discussion to the Executive Board. There followed a discussion about housing related matters including the forthcoming Housing and Planning Act, Voids and Quality of Private Rented Sector Housing.

The Environment and Housing Board had a discussion around the recommendations and service responses linked to the recent Tenant Scrutiny Board inquiry into the environment of estates. They were also advised that the Tenant Scrutiny Board were in this municipal year undertaking an inquiry into the East Leeds Repairs Service, which is expected to conclude in March 2017 and a working group from the Board were also looking at Lettable Standards that should be able to report by January 2017.

The Chair presented the Housing Leeds annual report which the Chair noted the Board are prominent in it.

The Chair noted as part of the Boards review of our recommendations of Environments of Estates another walkabout has took place in Cottingley and along with the one that took place in Rothwell in September. The board will discuss at the November meeting the changes they have noticed since our report was acted upon.

The Chair also discussed the December 6^th conference in Leeds City centre on Tenant Scrutiny. Members were given the details for this and asked to let Lee Ward know if they are wishing to attend before 14^th November.

The Board have received two briefings from management at their last two meetings and as part of the inquiry requested attendance of Planners to attend today’s meeting to provide an overview in relation to the operational side of the repairs service in East Leeds.

The Chair asked the Planners to explain their roles. They explained their role as responsive planners on a daily basis is to receive orders and appointments for operatives and go through, check UDCs that operatives will be safe or if any special requirements are needed, deal with emergencies and arranging plastering, bricklaying orders and also sub-contractors. Planners also take phone calls from operatives if jobs are bigger than planned, deal with Councillors and member enquiries, attend meetings and tenant forums.

The following questions were asked by the Board members

Are tenants ringing in via the Contact centre?

The Planners explained tenants can call direct as Leeds Building Services have a small telephone team to chase existing repairs or if repairs are not done correctly at the time, or where there has been a no access to the property and a tenant is calling to rebook.

The Chair asked if a tenant still has problems with a repair which has been reported and the operative has carried out the work can they call you after a repair, to which the Planners confirmed was correct.

The Planners also explained there is a recorded message at the Contact Centre which asks tenants if they are reporting a new repair or if they are calling about a repair already reported. This can mean tenants inadvertently coming through to the smaller telephone team and can mean tenants report first time repairs.

The Chair asked would the Contact Centre know you have raised the repair? The planners replied that they would only know if they checked the system.

We are aware East Leeds has a high number of high rise flats. Does this make dealing with repairs more complex compared to the other areas?

The Planners responded by saying high rise properties do cause difficulties as a repair which is reported can affect more than one flat in the block.

How do you get communal repair reports?

It was explained that Cleaners, Housing Officers, operatives and also tenants themselves. Communal repairs are sometimes picked up from annual home visits.

When a tenant in East Leeds reports a repair via the contact centre does the system treat it in the same way as it would were the tenant in West or South Leeds?

Regardless of where the order is sent we still have the same priorities and policies and procedures regardless if Mears are carrying out a repair or Leeds Building Services.

Do you receive complaints about repairs and how do you deal with them?

We have a complaints team which are based at Navigation House. They administer them and send them out to officers for investigation. The timescales are 10 days for a stage 1 and 15 days for a stage 2 complaint.

If a complaint is received, Leeds Building Services will contact the tenant, and where the complaint relates to poor workmanship we arrange wherever possible try and resolve it there and then to prevent the complaint escalating to stage 2. We don’t want  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23.

Atthe Board’smeeting in February, following discussion with Councillor Coupar, Executive Board Member with responsibility for communities, it was agreed that Tenant Scrutiny Board would be consulted during the Lettings Policy Review process.

The purpose of this report is to provide feedback on behalf of Tenant Scrutiny Board in response to the proposed changes.

The Chair explained that various Scrutiny Boards are sending in their submissions in response to the Lettings Policy review, and this was Tenant Scrutiny Boards opportunity to give their comments. The report was presented to the Board for their consideration.

The Chair said the Board must be aware of changes that may arise after the publication of the Housing and Planning Act and that a caveat should be put in place as this may change some of the comments.

The Chair suggested that a link is kept between the Council and Housing Associations and that this should be included in the report as the Board feel this is important.

RESOLVED The Board agreed with the content of the report subject to the addition of a caveat around the Housing and Planning Act and the Council/Housing Association link and resolved that the Board give the Chair permission to review this once the additions included and then formally submit as part of the review.

The purpose ofthis report is to discuss the administration function of the Tenant Scrutiny Board.

The Chair introduced this item and explained that at the time when Sharon Guy and Lee Ward replaced Democratic Services, it was agreed there would be a review in six months’ time.

The Chair noted that some Board members were absent but explained  there could be potential disruption to the Boards work if a decision was not reached.  The Chair stated that in his experience since the administrative changes there had not been an impact on the Boards independent status.  The Chair also reminded Board Members of the need to consider value for money in all elements of the Boards work, including the use of officer time. It was noted that there had previously been 4 officers supporting the Board which didn’t represent good value for money. Board Members agreed this was not appropriate.

The Chair discussed the report in detail and asked Board Members for feedback on the proposed changes. The Board noted some anxiety around the writing of the final report. The Chair gave an example of the Boards independence where he writes his report based on his own notes which are made after each meeting and would gather them together towards the end of the inquiry and this is how the Boards report recommendations are created. Everything is done through the Chair. The Chair assured the Board the report is not done by Housing Leeds. The Chair also suggested there could be a small group that work on the report this time.

The Chair explained the Board would be supported by the Tenant Involvement team and not Housing Leeds.

In his closing remarks the Chair informed the Board of his need to remain neutral on this matter and sought feedback on the report.

RESOLVED The Board resolved unanimously to make a decision at this meeting rather than wait until March but the Chair noted in this instance to prevent any accusation of leading Board Members, he would not advise members how to vote. The Chair noted that the Board was quorate and could make the decision today.

RESOLVED The Board resolved by vote to retain support from the Tenant Involvement Team rather than return to Democratic Services.

RESOLVED The Terms of Reference to be revised and reissued to Board Members to take into account the formal change to arrangements.

Wednesday 30^th November 2016 at 1:30pm (pre meeting for all Board

Members at 1:00pm)

Wednesday 30^th November 2016 at 1:30pm (pre meeting for all Board Members at 1:00pm)