Agenda item

The Director, Corporate Governance, to report on the receipt of any petitions submitted in accordance with the Council's procedures.

Following a request at the previous meeting, the Director, Housing Services, will be present to give evidence in relation to the petition objecting to the closure of the Thurnby Lodge Housing Office.  A summary of background information is attached.

The Director, Corporate Governance, to report on the receipt of any petitions submitted in accordance with the Council's procedures.

Following a request at the previous meeting, the Director, Housing Services, was present to give evidence in relation to the petition objecting to the closure of the Thurnby Lodge Housing Office.  By way of background, Members were informed that a decision had been taken to close the least busy Housing Office for part of the week on a part-time basis until new frontline budgets had been agreed, and this was confirmed as being the Thurnby Lodge office.  Measures had been taken to agree closure on it’s least busy days (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday).  The Board were also informed that local Ward Councillors were informed of the situation at the earliest opportunity by the Area Manager, and their comments had been sought.

The Director, Housing Services, stated that since the changes had been implemented, no response had been received from any tenants, and that all tenants identified from the petition had been written to so that they were made aware of the changes to opening arrangements for Thurnby Lodge Housing Office. 

Members also heard that presently, budget constraints did not allow for any alternative arrangements with regard to the temporary closure of the Thurnby Lodge Housing Office and that the long term future would be resolved as part of the Council’s normal budget setting process in January and February 2011. 

As a local Ward Councillor and the Lead Petitioner in this particular case, Councillor Scuplak questioned whether Councillors were informed at the earliest opportunity.  She reported that she was initially informed that the office was to close permanently and that the completion of the petition and a public demonstration was carried out with this in mind.   She explained that she was then informed that the proposal was to reduce the opening hours at the housing office, rather than for a full permanent closure. 

Councillor Scuplak stated that she opposed the decision for temporary closure of the facility and was of the view that it should be open for five days per week.  She questioned whether the impact that the changes would have on service users had been considered.  Councillor Scuplak was concerned that alternative methods of payment transaction such as pay points did not suit many tenants, and that this would serve an adverse impact particularly on elderly tenants.  She was keen for officers to explore ways in which tenants affected by the closure could be supported.  One suggestion put forward was that the local Community centre could play a wider role in supporting tenants and residents.  Councillor Scuplak suggested that a member of Housing Staff could be based at the centre for one day per week and that a direct telephone line to the housing repairs service be made available.  Councillor Scuplak recommended that Councillors be consulted on the ways of making such progress.  She was of the view that an appropriate level of consultation at an earlier stage could have avoided some of the problems that arose later and that a petition may not have consequently been compiled.

In connection with the decision to temporarily close the office on the basis of it being the least busy in the city, it was questioned whether an Equalities Impact Assessment had been carried out.  The Director, Housing Services, explained that a decision had to be taken in view of where a temporary closure would have the least impact. The office at Thurnby Lodge had experience a usage rate of four people an hour.  Members heard that a decision could not be taken to close an office which had a higher rate of footfall.  The Director, Housing Services, made it clear that the second least busiest office in the City experienced a far higher level of footfall in relation to the Thurnby Lodge Office.  However, he acknowledged that there were lessons to be learnt for the way in which the process to initiate temporary close of the office was carried out.

Councillor Westley, Cabinet Lead Member for Housing was in attendance and was invited to speak.  He expressed disappointed that more of a formal level of consultation did not happen.  He did state that there were provisional plans in place for altering the way services were delivered within communities, and hoped that this would have a positive effect in areas such as Thurnby Lodge.  He felt that there was a greater level of service integration and coordination could reduce the need for housing offices. 

The Chair was of the view that a consultation should be carried out with those likely to be affected whenever changes to service delivery were proposed.  In this case, the Board agreed that the Thurncourt Ward Councillors be written to to confirm that consultation would take place around how services were delivered within Thurnby Lodge in the future.

RESOLVED:

(1)       That the position statement in response to the petition objecting to the closure of the Thurnby Lodge Housing Office be noted;

(2)          That officers be asked to explore ways in which tenants affected by the temporary closure of the housing office could be supported in light of local service reduction; and 

(3)          That officers be asked to provide written insurance to the Thurncourt Ward Councillors to confirm that consultation would take place around how services were delivered within Thurnby Lodge in the future.