Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Auger, Carpenter, Miss Channell, Craft, Helyar, Hewerdine, Mrs Jalili, Mrs Kaberry-Brown, Kerr, Kirkman, Martin-Mayhew, Mrs Percival, Mrs Maureen Radley, Norman Radley, Selby, Steptoe, Gerald Taylor (Chairman), Thompson, Mike Williams and Woods.

The Service Manager, Democracy advised that Councillors Kirkman, Mrs Percival, Thompson, and Mike Williams had given their apologies by virtue of the fact that if they were in attendance, being members of the new registered social landlord, South Lincolnshire Homes Shadow Board, they would have had to declare prejudicial interests which would necessitate them leaving the meeting.  Their non-attendance was solely for this reason.

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

Councillor Turner declared a prejudicial interest in the LSVT Stage 1 consultation by virtue of being a member of the South Lincolnshire Homes Shadow Board.  He then left the council chamber.

Councillor Avril Williams declared a personal interest in the same issue by virtue of her husband being a member of the same Shadow Board.

Report number TSE12 by the Director of Tenancy Services.       (Enclosure)

DECISION:

(1)    That the responses of tenants and leaseholders (as set out in report TSE12) be noted;

(2)    A formal Stage 2 letter be issued to the Council’s secure tenants confirming:

• The terms of the Council’s offer as set out in the formal (Stage 1) consultation document with the addition of the text set out in paragraph 4 of report TSE12;
• Tenants’ right to communicate objections to the Council’s proposals to the Secretary of State within 28 days from the Stage 2 letter;
• The ability of the Secretary of State to withhold consent if a majority of affected tenants do not wish the transfer to proceed.

(3)    That Electoral Reform Services Limited be instructed to carry out a formal ballot of tenants in respect of a transfer to South Lincolnshire Homes.

(4)    In order to comply with Government guidance, council premises will not be used for meetings to disseminate additional information about the transfer during the ballot period.

Before inviting discussion, the Chairman advised members to confine their debate to the issues contained in the report before them.

Members had previously been circulated with report number TSE12 by the Director of Tenancy Services, the purpose of which was to describe the consultation process undertaken with tenants and advise the Council of responses received; to consider the potential amendments to the offer; and, following the joint meeting of the LSVT working group and the offer review working group, to recommend future action including moving forward to the formal ballot.  The report appended details of tenants, (anonymous) preferences either for, against or ‘not sure’, together with a copy of a report prepared by Libra Housing Advisory Services (the independent tenants’ advisor) on the Stage 1 consultation process.

The Portfolio Holder for Organisational Development & Housing, Councillor Mrs Cartwright, presented the item and reminded the council that it had delegated authority to a joint working group consisting of fifteen members to consider the responses by tenants and the content of the second stage letter.   The Housing Transfer Programme Manager for the Government had confirmed that the national transfer programme will be announced shortly and has confirmed in writing that no problems could be foreseen in terms of the application by this council.

Councillor Mrs Cartwright then moved the recommendations contained in the report with the additional clause that in order to comply with Government guidance, council premises will not be used for meetings to disseminate additional information about the transfer during the ballot period.  She then urged every tenant to use their vote.  The motion was then seconded.

The debate opened with a member referring to a comment he had received from an elderly tenant who had thanked him for presenting the arguments against transfer.  He asserted that the offer document was simply a document of “good ideas” but it failed to give the full picture; it did not mention that South Lincolnshire Homes would need to borrow on the open market, that the debts of housing associations generally were set to soar, no  ...  view the full minutes text for item 72.

The Chairman declared the meeting closed at 3.27pm.