Issue - meetings

An update will be provided on local housing issues.

Marie Murray, Area Manager for Housing was present at the meeting and gave an update on housing issues.  Attendees were asked to note:

·      Following the Housing Transformation Review, there were now three district managers. Marie did not yet know who would be responsible for the different areas in city. There was also a separation of Responsive Repairs and Tenancy Management Functions and repairs and maintenance would be carried out by a different team.

·      The Housing Office on Aikman Avenue would be closed temporarily for refurbishment and staff would probably be moving into the New Parks Community Centre while that work was carried out.

·      There had been a reduction in the number of Housing Officers in the city and from the end of October there would be a greater focus on vulnerable residents.

Councillor Unsworth requested an updated staffing list giving details of officers and their respective responsibilities.

Action: Marie Murray to circulate to Councillors information on staffing and responsibilities when those details become available.

A housing update will be provided on any housing issues within the Western Ward.

Marie Murray, Area Manager for Housing was present at the meeting and gave an update on the works which had taken place in this financial year.

The below works were in progress:

·         The Housing Transformation review was currently underway and implementation of changes would take place in August/September. One of the changes would be the separation of Responsive Repairs and Tenancy Management Functions.

·         Over the next few months, as part of Transforming Neighbourhood Services in the area, there would be a greater emphasis on ‘channel shift’ – different ways of accessing services.

·         Work was currently taking place to relieve the parking situation around the Aikman Avenue flats.

·         Due to further parking requests around Aikman Avenue this could result in a tenant consultation late 2016 and possibly looking at further improvements for 2017/18 if funding became available.

·         New Parks - A cladding cleaning programme was currently in place.

Next year some of the housing works in the ward would include:

·         Landscaping on Tatlow Road

·         Flexi paving – Kerrial Road / Dominion Road

·         Recycling bays – Aikman Avenue Flats.

·         Parking Bays – Bateman Road.

·         Grounds maintenance at Mossgate.

Councillor Unsworth requested the drainage at Aikman Avenue flats to be looked into. Marie reported that this would be the repairs team.

There will be an update on local housing issues.

No officers from Housing were present at the meeting and therefore there was no update on housing issues.

There will be an update on local housing issues.

The meeting received a housing update from Marie Murray, Area Housing Manager for the Western, Fosse and Westcotes Wards.

Marie talked about the achievements for 2014-15, which included the investment of £400,000 on projects in the three wards. These included improved car parking spaces and landscaping projects.  £3m had also been spent on capital works to council housing stock.

Projects for 2015-16 also included improvements to provide car parking as well as landscaping.  £300,000 had been set aside for improvements to the flats on Aikman Avenue.

Further expenditure was also currently being considered for 2016-17 and people were encouraged to contact Marie if they had ideas for new projects.

Marie concluded her presentation by stating that during last year and the current financial year, the Council were looking to spend £6m on council housing in the area.

Marie was thanked for the work being undertaken on housing in the area.

There will be an update on local housing issues.

Ela Krychowska-Hall, Area Housing Manager provided an update on the following Housing related issues:

·         Housing Stock Profile

·         Tenants Profile

·         Improvement projects and Housing Repairs:

Bluegate – entrances improved, new bin areas, removal of overgrown shrubbery, new lawns

Butterwick Drive and Portmore Close