Agenda item

To consider a report by the Director of Housing and Environment which provides details of the work completed to date on developing and extending the Council’s understanding of High Rise Housing in the city through a new evidence base.

(Please note that Appendix 2 of this report contains exempt information and its circulation is restricted to Members of the Board only)

(Report attached)

The Director of Housing and Environment submitted a report which provided details of the work completed to date on developing and extending the Council’s understanding of High Rise Housing in the city through a new evidence base.

Chris Simpson, Chief Executive BITMO (Belle Isle Tenant Management Organisation) Environments and Housing, presented the report and provided an overview of the work to date, which included:

·  The development of High Rise evidence base

·  A new City Wide High Rise Tenant Group

·  An initial census of high rise tenants in the city

·  Existing investment needs and plans for High Rise Housing

·  Development of a model for informing future investment and management decisions

Referring to the next steps of the strategy the Director of Housing and Environment outlined the following:

·  To establish a project team for the implementation stage of the strategy

·  To develop consistent standards for day to day management and maintenance of high rise – with a key role for the Leeds High Rise Group

·  To pilot alternative management techniques and approached that could be employed when specific difficulties or challenges arose.

In offering comment Ted Wilson welcomed the report and the proposal and thanked officers for the work done to date.

Referring to the High Rise Tenant Group, Andy Liptrot said that this was “work in progress”. He sked if consideration could be given to increasing the number on the group from 8 to 10 and suggested the meetings take place on a monthly basis.

On the issue of the high rise tenant survey, Mr Liptrot asked if a copy could be on display in the foyer of each block. He also reported that many of the foyers of high rise blocks looked tired and dreary and asked if this could be looked at.

In responding officers said there was no problem in increasing the number of representatives on the tenant group from 8 to 10, the suggestion of monthly meetings would be investigated further, high rise tenant survey to be deposited in the foyer of each high rise block and where necessary foyers to be deep cleaned.

In summing up Chris Simpson said the strategy was challenging with the approach being based on tenant perceptions, local intelligence and investment needs.

The Chair thanked Mr Simpson for his presentation commenting that this was the starting point to move things forward.

RESOLVED –

·  To note the extensive work completed to date on developing and extending the Council’s understanding of High Rise Housing in the city through a new evidence base;

·  To note the progress in creating new tenant involvement structures relating to high rise housing;

·  To note the development of a model that will inform future investment and management decisions;

·  To note the existing plan for investment in high rise housing;

·  To note the proposed development of a consistent standard for day to day management and maintenance - with a key role for the Leeds High Rise Group

·  To note the plan to pilot alternative management techniques and approaches that can be employed when specific difficulties or challenges arise