Agenda, decisions and minutes

At this point Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have in the business on this agenda.

Members were invited to declare at this point in the meeting any personal or prejudicial interests they might have in the business on the agenda.

Cllr Fraser declared a personal non prejudicial interest in agenda items 5 and 8 (minutes 43 and 46 refer) as a retired member of Unison.

Cllr Horton declared a personal non prejudicial interest in agenda item 8 (minute 46 refers) as his in laws were having adaptation work carried out.

To consider excluding the public and press from the meeting during consideration of Annex 1 to agenda item 5 on the grounds that it contains information relating to individuals. This information is classed as exempt under Paragraph 1 of Schedule 12A to Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to information) (Variation) Order 2006.

RESOLVED:That the public and press be excluded from the meeting during consideration of Annex 1 to agenda item 5 on the grounds that it contains information relating to individuals. This information is classed as exempt under Paragraph 1 of Schedule 12A to Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to information) (Variation) Order 2006.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 11 September 2006.

At this point in the meeting members of the public who have registered their wish to speak regarding an item on the agenda or an issue within the Panel’s remit can do so. Anyone who wishes to register or requires further information is requested to contact the Democracy Officer on the contact details listed at the foot of this agenda. The deadline for registering is Friday 27 October 2006 at 10.00am.

It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak under the Council’s Public Participation scheme.

This report advises Members of the changes due in the Integrated arrangements for the Learning Disability services from April 2007. It is for information and decision.

Members received a report which advised of the changes due in the Integrated arrangements for the Learning Disability services from April 2007. It was for information and decision.

The report advised that CYC had recently been given formal notification from NYCC that it wished to withdraw from the Integrated Partnership arrangement.  This was to allow NYCC to implement a countywide structure, which was not in line with current integrated arrangements in the Selby and Easingwold area.  SYPCT had given assurances that they wished to continue in the Integrated Partnership, with City of York Council as Lead agency for the whole of the SYPCT area.

Members were asked to consider two options:

Option 1

To discontinue with an integrated learning disability service with our colleagues in Health at SYPCT.

Option 2

To continue the integrated partnership with the reduced partnership of SYPCT and CYC as key partners.

Members agreed that a letter should be written to North Yorkshire County Council in response to their notice of withdrawal from the Integrated Partnership arrangement.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for Adult Social Services be advised to

(i)                 Accept the recommendation of Option 2, which is to continue the integrated partnership with the reduced partnership of SYPCT and CYC as key partners subject to the loss of income being addressed;

(ii)               Write to North Yorkshire County Council in response to their notice of withdrawal from the Integrated Partnership arrangement.

Decision of the Executive Member for Adult Social Services

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To ensure that the Integrated Service can continue to provide high quality services.

Members received a report which advised of the changes due in the Integrated arrangements for the Learning Disability services from April 2007. It was for information and decision.

The report advised that CYC had recently been given formal notification from NYCC that it wished to withdraw from the Integrated Partnership arrangement.  This was to allow NYCC to implement a countywide structure, which was not in line with current integrated arrangements in the Selby and Easingwold area.  SYPCT had given assurances that they wished to continue in the Integrated Partnership, with City of York Council as Lead agency for the whole of the SYPCT area.

Members were asked to consider two options:

Option 1

To discontinue with an integrated learning disability service with our colleagues in Health at SYPCT.

Option 2

To continue the integrated partnership with the reduced partnership of SYPCT and CYC as key partners.

Members agreed that a letter should be written to North Yorkshire County Council in response to their notice of withdrawal from the Integrated Partnership arrangement.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for Adult Social Services be advised to

(i)                 Accept the recommendation of Option 2, which is to continue the integrated partnership with the reduced partnership of SYPCT and CYC as key partners subject to the loss of income being addressed;

(ii)               Write to North Yorkshire County Council in response to their notice of withdrawal from the Integrated Partnership arrangement.

Decision of the Executive Member for Adult Social Services

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To ensure that the Integrated Service can continue to provide high quality services.

The purpose of this report is to ask the Executive Member to amend the current charging policy so that, with effect from the 4^th December 2006, new social services customers discharged from hospital do not receive the first 2 weeks of their service free of charge.

Members received a report which asked the Executive Member to amend the current charging policy so that, with effect from the 4^th December 2006, new social services customers discharged from hospital did not receive the first 2 weeks of their service free of charge.

Members were presented with two options:

Option 1 – to retain the current policy whereby any new customers discharged from hospital receive the first 2 weeks of their service free of charge.

Option 2 – to amend the current policy so that all customers pay for their services from the date the service starts, regardless of how they are referred to social services.  This was the recommended option.

Cllrs Fraser and Horton requested their votes against the recommendation be recorded.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for Adult Social Services be advised to approve option 2 so that the 2 week waiver of charges on discharge from hospital no longer be applied with effect from the 4^th December 2006.

Decision of the Executive Member for Adult Social Services

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To ensure the charging policy was fair and applied equitably.  To generate additional income for the council.

Members received a report which asked the Executive Member to amend the current charging policy so that, with effect from the 4^th December 2006, new social services customers discharged from hospital did not receive the first 2 weeks of their service free of charge.

Members were presented with two options:

Option 1 – to retain the current policy whereby any new customers discharged from hospital receive the first 2 weeks of their service free of charge.

Option 2 – to amend the current policy so that all customers pay for their services from the date the service starts, regardless of how they are referred to social services.  This was the recommended option.

Cllrs Fraser and Horton requested their votes against the recommendation be recorded.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for Adult Social Services be advised to approve option 2 so that the 2 week waiver of charges on discharge from hospital no longer be applied with effect from the 4^th December 2006.

Decision of the Executive Member for Adult Social Services

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To ensure the charging policy was fair and applied equitably.  To generate additional income for the council.

This report presents the Executive Member with details of the site boundary for a proposed housing development at Victoria Way/Monkton Road and requests approval for the disposal of this land to a registered social landlord subject to satisfactory planning permission being obtained.

Members received a report which presented the Executive Member with details of the site boundary for a proposed housing development at Victoria Way/Monkton Road and requested approval for the disposal of this land to a registered social landlord subject to satisfactory planning permission being obtained.

The 11 September 2006 meeting of Housing and Adult Social Services EMAP approved the recommendations contained in the report ‘Proposed disposal of Housing Revenue Account (HRA) land for affordable housing development’. The report gave details of two sites – Victoria Way, and 5^th Avenue that were proposed to be developed for affordable homes. Plans showing the boundaries of the sites were attached to the report. For one of these sites, Victoria Way, further investigative work had shown that the site boundary needed to be slightly larger than that shown on the 11 September EMAP report for the proposed development to be viable. It was therefore considered prudent to seek confirmation of the approval for the long leasehold disposal of this site, with an amended boundary, to a Registered Social Landlord.

Two options were presented to Members for consideration:

Option One: To support the long leasehold disposal of the Victoria Way garage site as amended and shown at Annex One of this report to a housing association subject to the conditions that were approved at the 11 September Housing and Adult Social Services EMAP. This was the recommended option.

Option Two: To withdraw support for the long leasehold disposal of the Victoria Way garage site.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for Housing be advised to approve Option 1 of this report.

Decision of the Executive Member for Housing

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  This would allow for a better designed development of housing that fully utilises the land available and does not leave areas of the site open to neglect or anti-social behaviour.

Members received a report which presented the Executive Member with details of the site boundary for a proposed housing development at Victoria Way/Monkton Road and requested approval for the disposal of this land to a registered social landlord subject to satisfactory planning permission being obtained.

The 11 September 2006 meeting of Housing and Adult Social Services EMAP approved the recommendations contained in the report ‘Proposed disposal of Housing Revenue Account (HRA) land for affordable housing development’. The report gave details of two sites – Victoria Way, and 5^th Avenue that were proposed to be developed for affordable homes. Plans showing the boundaries of the sites were attached to the report. For one of these sites, Victoria Way, further investigative work had shown that the site boundary needed to be slightly larger than that shown on the 11 September EMAP report for the proposed development to be viable. It was therefore considered prudent to seek confirmation of the approval for the long leasehold disposal of this site, with an amended boundary, to a Registered Social Landlord.

Two options were presented to Members for consideration:

Option One: To support the long leasehold disposal of the Victoria Way garage site as amended and shown at Annex One of this report to a housing association subject to the conditions that were approved at the 11 September Housing and Adult Social Services EMAP. This was the recommended option.

Option Two: To withdraw support for the long leasehold disposal of the Victoria Way garage site.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for Housing be advised to approve Option 1 of this report.

Decision of the Executive Member for Housing

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  This would allow for a better designed development of housing that fully utilises the land available and does not leave areas of the site open to neglect or anti-social behaviour.

This report is an update on the progress of the Housing Repairs Partnership Agreement and seeks approval to deliver the council adaptations, on a 12 month pilot, through the Partnership.

Members received a report which was an update on the progress of the Housing Repairs Partnership Agreement and sought approval to deliver the council adaptations, on a 12 month pilot, through the Partnership.

The contract for the delivery of adaptations work to council homes for older and vulnerable tenants was won by Commercial Services (Neighbourhood Services) in 1998. This contract had now expired, although the current contractual arrangements had been extended and prices renegotiated to ensure continuity of service. However procurement options for the future now needed to be agreed and considered in line with other arrangements in place for the delivery of work to council properties.

It was proposed that the adaptations work be delivered within the already agreed principles of the repairs partnership and benefit from the advantages and improvements that partnership working had already delivered for the responsive repairs service, and that this arrangement be reviewed in 12 months time. The service would continue to be delivered by the teams in Housing and Neighbourhood Services however the same issues of efficiency and duplication would be reviewed as with the repairs service.

The Executive Member for Housing offered her congratulations to staff of the Housing Repairs Partnership on the fantastic results achieved and the improved performance.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for Housing be advised to

(i)       Note the progress and achievement of the Housing Repairs Partnership;

(ii)               Agree the recommendation that the Adaptations work to the Councils HRA housing stock be delivered within the already agreed principles of the Housing Repairs Partnership, on a 12 month pilot with the out come reported back to Members.  

Decision of the Executive Member for Housing

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To inform the Executive Member of progress and achievements of the Repairs Partnership and to seek approval for inclusion of the adaptations work within the Partnership.

Members received a report which was an update on the progress of the Housing Repairs Partnership Agreement and sought approval to deliver the council adaptations, on a 12 month pilot, through the Partnership.

The contract for the delivery of adaptations work to council homes for older and vulnerable tenants was won by Commercial Services (Neighbourhood Services) in 1998. This contract had now expired, although the current contractual arrangements had been extended and prices renegotiated to ensure continuity of service. However procurement options for the future now needed to be agreed and considered in line with other arrangements in place for the delivery of work to council properties.

It was proposed that the adaptations work be delivered within the already agreed principles of the repairs partnership and benefit from the advantages and improvements that partnership working had already delivered for the responsive repairs service, and that this arrangement be reviewed in 12 months time. The service would continue to be delivered by the teams in Housing and Neighbourhood Services however the same issues of efficiency and duplication would be reviewed as with the repairs service.

The Executive Member for Housing offered her congratulations to staff of the Housing Repairs Partnership on the fantastic results achieved and the improved performance.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for Housing be advised to

(i)       Note the progress and achievement of the Housing Repairs Partnership;

(ii)               Agree the recommendation that the Adaptations work to the Councils HRA housing stock be delivered within the already agreed principles of the Housing Repairs Partnership, on a 12 month pilot with the out come reported back to Members.  

Decision of the Executive Member for Housing

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To inform the Executive Member of progress and achievements of the Repairs Partnership and to seek approval for inclusion of the adaptations work within the Partnership.

The Executive Member is asked to approve a revision to the existing scheme that encourages homeless persons to reduce their former tenancy arrears and speed up their eligibility for permanent accommodation.

Members received a report that asked the Executive Member to approve a revision to the existing scheme that encourages homeless persons to reduce their former tenancy arrears and speed up their eligibility for permanent accommodation.

At EMAP on 11^th September 2006 members were asked to amend the scheme to make it more attractive to customers and encourage more of them to take up the scheme. It was included in the ‘Customer rewards’ report, on which there was significant debate about other elements of this report and the original proposals were amended. Unfortunately this part of the report was overlooked.

Two options were presented to Members for consideration:

Option 1 - At present the scheme to encourage the homeless to repay their former tenant arrears was based on them maintaining repayments over a 26 week period. It was proposed to make an interim payment at 13 weeks to encourage them to maintain the momentum.

Option 2 – Maintain the existing arrangement.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for Housing be advised to approve option 1 to amend the existing pilot.

Decision of the Executive Member for Housing

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To encourage greater participation in the scheme.

Members received a report that asked the Executive Member to approve a revision to the existing scheme that encourages homeless persons to reduce their former tenancy arrears and speed up their eligibility for permanent accommodation.

At EMAP on 11^th September 2006 members were asked to amend the scheme to make it more attractive to customers and encourage more of them to take up the scheme. It was included in the ‘Customer rewards’ report, on which there was significant debate about other elements of this report and the original proposals were amended. Unfortunately this part of the report was overlooked.

Two options were presented to Members for consideration:

Option 1 - At present the scheme to encourage the homeless to repay their former tenant arrears was based on them maintaining repayments over a 26 week period. It was proposed to make an interim payment at 13 weeks to encourage them to maintain the momentum.

Option 2 – Maintain the existing arrangement.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for Housing be advised to approve option 1 to amend the existing pilot.

Decision of the Executive Member for Housing

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To encourage greater participation in the scheme.