Agenda item

7.1  Gerri Scott, Strategic Director of Housing, went through a little of the background to this work:

7.2  ‘In September 2011, both Home Owners Council and Tenant Council were asked to consider how best residents could influence the budget agenda given the increasingly apparent need to make significant reductions in funding to housing services. Tenant Council asked that a working party be convened to consider the savings agenda. The first meeting in December was called once the draft HRA budget position had been announced and the reality of the savings process had been confirmed. At this point Home Owner representatives were invited to join the Savings Working Party’.

7.3  Currently the group has been meeting fortnightly for long term engagement to examine issues such as where savings might be made during project planning.  The group is made up of tenants and home owners and has until recently been led by Margret O’Brien.

7.4  Residents expressed concern over the council delegating complaints to contractors.  The working party didn’t feel that it was in their remit to investigate staff reductions.

7.5  The committee were informed that the HRA general fund was split and tenants and leaseholders had effectively been charged twice services.  Gerri Scott mentioned that Duncan Whitfield had looked into that issue with Grant Thornton to make further investigations.  Residents felt that the working party would operate more effectively with independent advisors which could assist with meeting expectations across the board.  It was also thought that the working party would be good for resident engagement, having an input into building proposals and also ensuring a greater awareness of what was going on with the work.  The only draw back was that it was expensive for residents to travel to Tooley Street for the fortnightly meetings. 

7.6  Residents wanted to know what the complaints procedure was at the moment.  They felt that every effort was needed to make the Council procedure work.  The Chair said that giving over the duty of dealing with complaints to contractors may not be the best policy in this matter. 

7.7  Simon Godfrey, Resident Involvement Manager said that the group is looking at other areas building a list of things to look at which may take place later in the year and there would be some thought on how best to consult with residents on what they may feel are priorities.

7.8  Members thought that there needed to be more discussions around the individual work areas, with consideration given to voting residents who need clarity on what it is that they’re voting for allowing for time limits.  Consideration also needed to be given to sensitive areas of work and where there may be any recurring themes, along with the opportunity for residents to see the HRA. 

7.9  The Vice Chair said that officers of the council needed to remember that members of the public don’t always speak, read and understand Council terminology and if meaningful consultation were to go ahead then language needed to be simple to understand.  It was felt that this was a valid point to be taken across all meetings that involved members of the public. 

7.10  The committee discussed the need to have a consistent service area regarding faults and repairs and that there needed to be clear lines of communication, with adequate details, when issues of funding are discussed.