Agenda and minutes

Although not a member of the Commission, Councillor Clarke (Deputy City Mayor – Environment, Public Health and Health Integration) apologised that he was unable to attend the meeting.

Members are asked to declare any interests they may have in the business to be discussed.

No declarations of interest were made.

Members are asked to confirm the Minutes of the following meetings of the Neighbourhood Services and Community Involvement Scrutiny Commission:

a)     the ordinary meeting held on 24 January 2018 (attached at Appendix A1)

b)     the Special Meeting held on 13 March 2018  -( to follow. )

AGREED:

1)     That the minutes of the meeting of the Neighbourhood Services and Community Involvement Scrutiny Commission held on 24 January 2018 be confirmed as a correct record; and

2)     That the minutes of the Special Meeting of the Neighbourhood Services and Community Involvement Scrutiny Commission held on 13 March 2018 be confirmed as a correct record, subject to the last line of the second bullet point on page 6 being amended to refer to a competitive procurement procedure.

To note progress on actions agreed at the ordinary meeting held on 24 January 2018 and the Special Meeting held on 13 March 2018 and not reported elsewhere on the agenda (if any).

The Chair reported verbally that, where appropriate, all actions agreed at the last meetings of the Commission, (held on 24 January 2018 and 13 March 2018), had been included in the Commission’s work programme.

No announcements were made.

The Monitoring Officer to report on the receipt of any petitions submitted in accordance with the Council’s procedures.

The Monitoring Officer reported that no petitions had been received.

The Monitoring Officer to report on the receipt of any questions, representations and statements of case submitted in accordance with the Council’s procedures.

The Monitoring Officer reported that no questions, representations, or statements of case had been received.

The Director of Finance submits a report that outlines the Council’s Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP), Council Tax Discretionary Relief (CTDR) and Community Support Grant (CSG) policies, and to present key amendments intended to further focus intervention funding towards the prevention of homelessness and managing short term financial crises. The Commission is requested to receive the report and comment as appropriate.

The Director of Finance submitted a report outlining the Council’s Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP), Council Tax Discretionary Relief (CTDR) and Community Support Grant (CSG) policies.  The report also presented key amendments intended to further focus intervention funding towards the prevention of homelessness and managing short term financial crises.

The Principal Policy Officer (Revenues and Customer Support) drew attention to the key priorities for the Council’s discretionary policies and explained that:

·           CSGs were non-cash crisis payments.  Instead, items such as white goods were provided to enable someone to stay in their home;

·           The introduction of a benefit cap had had a significant impact on city residents, with the reduction of the benefits cap to £20,000 per annum amounting to a cut of £3million in benefits received in Leicester.  The impact of which was one of the main factors that discretionary housing payments were used to alleviate;

·           Indications were that the budget for discretionary payments would reduce over the next three years by £150,000 per annum.  At the end of this time, it would have returned to its 2013 level;

·           The Council’s legal obligation to support the most vulnerable claimants, and particularly those with severe disabilities who were unable to change their circumstances, would continue to be fulfilled;

·           The Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 placed new obligations on the Council to ensure the continued availability of permanent accommodation.  Funding therefore would be committed to vulnerable people in accommodation who were in danger of becoming homeless.  Such funding would be provided for 12 months, to cover shortfalls in benefits.  These households also would be encouraged to work with relevant services;

·           Approximately 40% of DHP was spent on under-occupancy, more commonly referred to as the “bedroom tax”.  The majority of people under-occupying property in the city were working age single people, many of whom were in two or three bedroomed properties.  Approximately 2,200 people were under-occupying Council or housing association properties, (not all of which were in receipt of DHP), but approximately 4,000 people on the housing waiting list were classed as being overcrowded.  The policy required people under-occupying property to register on the Council’s housing register to exchange their properties for smaller one, but many did not register.  It therefore was not proposed to change the Council’s policy, but to enforce it as written.  However, under-occupied households who had not previously sought assistance would continue to receive a 13 week “grace period” before conditions were applied; and

·           A successful pilot project had been undertaken with the Citizens Advice LeicesterShire (CAL) to support people affected by the benefit cap.  These people had been provided with targeted short-term payments that tapered over time.  Recipients also were encouraged to work with the CAL to address their situation through improving their skills, (for example, in budgeting).  The project had been successful in assisting Benefit Income Cap households in to employment, which had resulted in these households moving out of the cap situation.

Members expressed concern that the Council’s policy on action to be taken in relation to under-occupying  ...  view the full minutes text for item 75.

To receive an update on spending reviews affecting services within this Commission’s portfolio and not considered elsewhere on the agenda.  Members are recommended to receive the update and comment as appropriate.

No updates on spending reviews affecting services within this Commission’s portfolio were presented.

The current work programme for the Commission is attached.  The Commission is asked to consider this and make comments and/or amendments as it considers necessary.

AGREED:

That the work programme for the Commission be received and noted.

As this was the Commission’s last scheduled meeting for this municipal year, the Chair thanked all Members and officers for their work on this Commission.

In reply, Councillor Master, Assistant City Mayor – Neighbourhood Services, thanked the Chair and Vice-chair for their work on behalf of the Commission.

The meeting closed at 7.35 pm