Housing officers will give an update on housing issues in the Ward.
Minutes:
Chrissie Field, one of Leicester City Council’s Area Managers, advised the meeting that the Council was required to consult with tenants about how the Environmental and Communal Improvement Budget was used. All residents were not consulted, as those not living in Council accommodation did not contribute to the fund.
Thurncourt had been allocated an Environmental and Communal Improvement Budget of approximately £45,000 for 2013/14. This was the same as had been awarded in 2012/13.
Schemes from this budget for 2012/13 had been completed, as follows:-
|
Internal plastering & painting of communal areas |
Willowbrook View maisonettes |
£5,434.15 |
|
Internal plastering & painting of communal areas |
St Austell Road flats |
£5,980.00 |
|
Upgrade of security door |
Dudley House |
£4,800.00 |
|
Fencing, paths and concrete step renewal |
Ocean Rd bungalows |
£28,709.93 |
|
Total expenditure 2012/13 |
£44,924.08 |
|
The work at Willowbrook View maisonettes had been slow to start, as issues relating to repairs being made from different budgets had to be resolved. This necessitated visits to the maisonettes by various Council officers.
As a result of consultation with tenants, the following preferences for use of the 2013/14 budget had emerged:-
|
To continue paths and concrete step renewal at other parts |
Ocean Rd bungalows |
£10,000 approx |
|
Featherboard fencing and security gate for security to bungalows |
Sextant Road |
£495 |
|
6 x replacement benches |
Communal garden at Dudley House |
£1,800 |
|
Painting of external metal handrails, as current rails splintered and covered in algae |
Dudley House |
£406 |
|
Painting of 3 x external doors |
Dudley House |
£155 |
|
Varnishing of cladding |
Dudley House |
£4049 (excluding scaffolding costs) |
|
Installation of a 6 piece outdoor multi-gym |
Thurncourt Road green space |
£28,000 |
|
Approximate total proposed expenditure 2013/14 |
£44,905 |
|
The meeting noted that outdoor multi-gyms had been popular in other parts of the city. No decision had yet been taken on exactly where the equipment would be located, but anyone interested could see equipment in action at the Open Day at Craven Park on 2 April 2013. (This coincided with the family fun day.)
If savings were made in this budget, additional benches would be provided in the area, although no decisions had been taken on exactly where they would be located. The Council now purchased benches made out of recycled plastic, which were vandal-proof. These cost £300 each. If any groups were interested in having the old benches, this could be discussed.
It was suggested that Willowbrook Park was a suitable location for additional benches, but Chrissie Field explained that permission was needed from the Parks service for this and they had already indicated that there were enough benches in that Park. However, she was willing to raise this with them again.
If funding was approved for environmental and communal improvement work in 2014/15, it was hoped that schemes would be agreed by December 2013, so that work on them could start in April 2014.
A resident asked whether it would be possible to repair the fence around the 55th Scout Hut from this budget, as it stood on housing land. Chrissie Field advised that the schemes to be undertaken were those that tenants had voted for this year. On other occasions, fencing in disrepair had been repaired under another budget, but that at the Scout Hut could be considered for inclusion in next year’s list of proposals for consideration by the tenants.
Chrissie Field also advised the meeting that a different budget was likely to fund £2,000 worth of bulbs to plant in open spaces in the ward. It was hoped that this could be match-funded from other sources.