Agenda and minutes

Councillor Williams announced that a variety show had been organised in aid of the Chairman’s Charity. The show would be performed at the Guildhall Arts Centre on March 23^rd 2006.

The Chairman welcomed Alan Johnson from Beha Williams Norman Ltd and Geoff Brooks, the LSVT Project Manager to the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Chivers, Craft, Fines, Fisher, Helyar, F. Hurst, J. Hurst, Mrs. Jalili, Moore, Selby and Wood. Apologies for absence had also been received from the Tenant Members of the Choice of Landlord Working Group.

Members are asked to declare any interests in matters for consideration at the meeting.

The Monitoring Officer advised Members that they would need to declare a personal interest if they were Council tenants. No Member declared an interest.

Report number DRS24 by the Director of Regulatory Services.  (attached)

DECISION:

The Council:

          (1)     Receives the recommendation from the Choice of Landlord Working Group (CLWG) relating to the creation of a new stand alone Housing Association as the preferred strategic choice of landlord and records a vote of thanks to members of the working group for their work.

          (2)     Identifies and approves a new Registered Social Landlord (RSL) as the preferred strategic choice of landlord for the purpose of the proposed Large Scale Voluntary Transfer of the Council’s Housing Stock in line with recommendation of the Choice of Landlord Working Group.

          (3)     Approves the following policy proposals for the purpose of developing and negotiating an “Offer to Tenants”:-

                   (a) in the event of a transfer of the Council’s Housing stock proceeding following a ballot of tenants, the receipt, net of government levy, repayment of housing debt and set up costs be utilised as follows:-

                   (i)Protect the General Fund from the impact of transfer in the first instance and;

                   (ii)50% of the remaining net receipt be made available for Affordable Housing and the other 50% for the development of sustainable communities in-line with Council priorities;

                   (iii)100% of any share of Right to Buy receipts be made available for affordable Housing.

                   (b) the transfer of the Direct Works Organisation (Craft) to the new stand alone RSL.

                      (c)the transfer of the supported housing function (Care Services)  to the new stand alone RSL.

The Chairman advised Members that a decision on the Strategic Choice of Landlord would need to be made. Briefing sessions had been held on 12^th and 14^th December.

The Corporate Director of Regulatory Services summarised report number DRS24 to the Council. Following the decision of the Council in May 2005 to support the preferred option of Large Scale Voluntary Transfer (LSVT) identified by the Stock Option Appraisal Commission, signed-off subsequently by the Government Office (East Midlands), the Council had commenced work to progress to a ballot of tenants on the preferred option.

Guidance from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister stated that a Council could only transfer their Housing Stock to a Registered Social Landlord (RSL), that is one registered with the Housing Corporation. A decision would be necessary to determine the type of RSL that should assume responsibility for housing. The Council would need to demonstrate how tenants had played an active role in the Landlord Choice Issue; to this end a Member/Tenant Choice of Landlord Working Group (CLWG) was established with staff co-optees.

When making its recommendations, the CLWG considered feedback from case study visits; advice from external advisors; ODPM guidance; an evaluation of criteria based on the 5 reasons for LSVT being identified as the preferred option and further consultation with tenants, staff and elected members; the Council’s Category A Priority for Affordable Housing and the extent of services transferring.

Visits to Stock Transfer Organisations were organised. One organisation visited had formed a standalone RSL, the second was an RSL subsidiary. The option of a merger with an RSL was also  ...  view the full minutes text for item 92.

The Chairman of the Council forewarned Members that the date of the Council meeting scheduled for February 23^rd 2006 would be moved to March 2^nd 2006. This would need to be ratified at the next meeting of the Council of January 26^th 2006.

The meeting was closed at 15:25.