Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillors Graham, Hamitouche and Spall

There were no declarations of substitute members

If you have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest* in an item of business:

§  if it is not yet on the council’s register, you must declare both the existence and details of it at the start of the meeting or when it becomes apparent;

§  you may choose to declare a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest that is already in the register in the interests of openness and transparency. 

In both the above cases, you must leave the room without participating in discussion of the item.

If you have a personal interest in an item of business and you intend to speak or vote on the item you must declare both the existence and details of it at the start of the meeting or when it becomes apparent but you may participate in the discussion and vote on the item.

*(a)   Employment, etc - Any employment, office, trade, profession or vocation carried on for profit or gain.

(b) Sponsorship - Any payment or other financial benefit in respect of your expenses in carrying out duties as a member, or of your election; including from a trade union.

(c) Contracts - Any current contract for goods, services or works, between you or your partner (or a body in which one of you has a beneficial interest) and the council.

(d) Land - Any beneficial interest in land which is within the council’s area.

(e) Licences- Any licence to occupy land in the council’s area for a month or longer.

(f) Corporate tenancies - Any tenancy between the council and a body in which you or your partner have a beneficial interest.

 (g) Securities - Any beneficial interest in securities of a body which has a place of business or land in the council’s area, if the total nominal value of the securities exceeds £25,000 or one hundredth of the total issued share capital of that body or of any one class of its issued share capital. 

This applies to all members present at the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 23 March 2021be confirmed as an accurate record of proceedings and the Chair be authorised to sign them.

The Chair noted that scrutiny reviews into Communal Heating, the Triage system and Partners would continue in the new municipal year as there was still further evidence to be received. In addition, the Chair also requested that the review into Housing Associations be included in the Committee’s work programme for the new municipal year.

The order of business would be B2 and B1.

For members of the public to ask questions relating to any subject on the meeting agenda under Procedure Rule 70.5. Alternatively, the Chair may opt to accept questions from the public during the discussion on each agenda item.

The Chair outlined the procedure for Public questions

Ian Swift, Director of Housing, Needs and Strategy was present and outlined the report, during which the following main points were made –

·         The Registered Social Housing Regulator regulates registered providers of social housing to promote a viable, efficient and well governed social housing sector able to deliver homes that meet a range of needs. The Regulator undertake economic regulation, focusing on governance, financial viability, and value for money that maintains lender confidence and protects the taxpayer. The Regulator also set consumer standards and may take action if these standards are breached and there is a serious detriment to tenants

·         Data available from the Regulator of Social Housing indicates there are 49 registered providers with homes in Islington. The largest registered provider is Islington Council, with 25302 properties, and this represents 58.9% of all social housing in Islington. The second largest is Peabody Trust, with 5162 properties, representing 12% of all social housing in Islington. The registered provider with the lowest number of homes in Islington is Metropolitan Housing Trust with 2 homes. In total there are 42926 Registered Provider Homes in Islington

·         There are 1877 sheltered housing of supported housing homes in Islington with the largest provider being Clarion Housing Association, who manage 34.6% of all sheltered housing or supported housing accommodation in Islington. The next largest provider is Peabody Trust with 382 properties, and in total there are 1877 sheltered housing or supported accommodation properties in Islington

·         There are 1454 low cost home ownership properties in Islington, with Newlon Housing Trust having the largest number of low cost ownership homes totalling 334. Islington Council owns 102 low cost ownership homes. The average Islington rent is £116.69, compared to the average registered provider rent being £125.63. Consequently the average rent weekly charged for all affordable homes in Islington is £119.65

·         Members were advised that Islington Council had not sold any properties to Housing Associations in the previous 10 years

·         With regards to the 22 5BR (bed room) units or more available in the borough to rehouse large families, the Director acknowledged the lack of such dwellings built in the borough. The Director indicated that he would provide information of the number of families presently awaiting rehousing in properties of 5BR , noting the challenge and reiterating that discussions are taking place with such families to discuss their housing options especially as they had little chance of being accommodated in such units in the near future due to the lack of availability

·         In response to a question, the Director acknowledged that the council is in discussions with Housing Associations as to future builds and nomination rights especially as the greatest need in the borough was for 2/3BR type of accommodation

·         With regards to available data regarding sale of Housing Association properties in the borough, meeting was advised that this information could be obtained from the Regulator for only the financial year 2017-19 period , ie properties sold off by Housing Associations in the borough and this could be provided to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 263.

Saf Khan, PFI 2 Integration Programme Manager was present and made a presentation to the Committee, copy interleaved

Richard Hand, Ridge Consultants was also present and also made a presentation to the Committee, copy interleaved

During the presentation the following main points were made –

·         There are 2 PFI street properties contracts with Partners for Improvement, referred to as PFI 1 and 2

·         PFI 1 began in 2003 and is a 30 year contract and will end in 2033 and PFI 2 began in 2006 and is a 16 year contract and will end in April 2022

·         PFI 2 – 1831 Street properties or blocks with 4002 homes, 2788 tenanted homes, 1224 leasehold homes. The handback survey was measured against contractual standards

·         The Handback survey enabled the Council to conduct a survey to ensure properties are returned in line with contract requirements, and that any repairs identified are carried out by Partners before the end of the contract period. The value of the repairs are held in a retention fund until the repairs are completed. The Council clerk of works signs off repairs on a monthly basis and the value of completed repairs reimbursed to Partners. The value of any repairs not completed will be retained by the Council

·         Ridge Consultancy were procured to undertake the surveys on behalf of the Council and the period of the survey was 6 months. Ridge employed a specialist team to undertake the stock condition survey and work with a number of varied clients

·         314 basement flats were surveyed and 940 other flats and homes were surveyed, making a total of 1254 surveys of tenants homes, from a total of 2778 tenanted homes. Nearly all 1831 roofs and external surveys will be completed by end of April

·         5% of external surveys identified a repair, 9% of roof surveys identified a repair, 46% of internal surveys identified a repair and nor repairs were found in 56% of homes surveyed. Total value of repairs identified were £446k

·         A schedule of rates was used to price the repairs and 41 homes related to £151k of the total value of the repair costs, 53% of repairs cost less than £100 and 75% of repairs cost less than £250. Noted breakdown of costs per repair

·         3 key categories of repairs identified for most repairs, windows, damp and roofs. Noted other categories of repair identified

·         Window repairs account for 398 individual works at 270 homes, including missing window restrictors, stays, locks, catches, handles, draught seals and other significant repairs include ease and adjust windows, rot, sash cords and renewal/overhaul of windows. The overall value of window repairs amounts to £70537.77 or £177 per repair

·         Damp repairs were found in 265 homes with one instance spotted externally. There are 4 damp related issues which are not signs of damp, redecorate repair, damp survey costs, condensation, temporary repairs and these account for 203 of the 497 repairs identified. Penetrating damp, high meter readings, and water ingress are clear signs of damp/water penetration  ...  view the full minutes text for item 264.

RESOLVED:

That subject to the extension of the scrutiny reviews on Housing Associations, Communal Heating, the Triage system and PFI 2 transfer of properties into the next municipal year,  the work programme be noted

Councillor Ward stated that he had visited the Ringcross Estate and had been extremely concerned at the poor conditions in the communal areas and lack of cleaning. Councillor Ward stated that he had been in contact with Hyde Housing Association who managed the properties and they were undertaking a deep clean of the communal areas and he would be re-inspecting the estate later that month to ensure that this had taken place