Agenda item

Report of Executive Member

Meeting of Council, Thursday, 4 February 2010 6.30 pm (Item 78.)

To receive a written report from the Executive Member for Housing & Adult Social Services, and to question the Executive Member thereon, provided any such questions are registered in accordance with the timescales and procedures set out in Standing Order 8.2.1.

Minutes:

A written report was received from Cllr Jonathan Morley, the Executive Member for Housing & Adult Social Services.

Notice had been received of 10 questions on the report, submitted by Members in accordance with Standing Orders. The questions were put and answered as follows:

1. From Cllr Simpson-Laing:

“In relation to recent announcements by John Healey MP, Minister for Housing and Planning, will the Executive Member for HASS confirm that CYC sent representation to the ‘Housing Revenue Account' consultation, and will he give support to the proposals, announced last week by the Minister, for more money to improve and maintain existing stock and for Councils to be able to keep all rents and receipts from capital sales?”

The Executive Member replied:

I can confirm that the Assistant Director made representations on behalf of CYC to the Housing Revenue Account consultation, the text of which can be found in the minutes to my executive member decision session on the 27^th October 2009. As I moved the motion welcoming the LGA campaign on this issue, I certainly support the proposals for Councils to be able to keep all rents and receipts from capital sales. However, the devil will be in the detail of how much we may have to contribute to support other Council’s housing revenue deficit and until that is clear, I will keep my enthusiasm in check.

In response to a supplementary questions from Cllr Simpson-Laing regarding the reform and the need to identify what was required for York, the Executive Member agreed that, in terms of how to approach a new regime, it was important to have as much information as possible about how it would work and how it would affect the future.

(ii) From Cllr Simpson-Laing:

“Regarding the letting of Council houses and rents will the Executive Member for HASS express his views on leaked Conservative Party national policy to bring rent levels up to unaffordable local market prices and to end secure tenancies, instead to give just 2 months notice?”

The Executive Member replied:

The proposed policies have not been leaked to me and it would perhaps be unwise to comment on second-hand accounts of leaked information. I am sure there will be enough official Conservative Party national policy to criticize in due course.

A further supplementary question Cllr Simpson-Laing posed the question of whether the Executive Member, having read the article published in the Unison magazine, would write to the Conservative candidates for York Central and York Outer expressing concern at this proposed policy,

(iii) From Cllr Hyman

Can the Executive Member tell Council what the rate of increase has been in the number of elderly customers accessing care support from their home over the last few years?

The Executive Member replied:

The number of customers over 65 who have accessed care support in the last four years are as follows:-

2007-08 - 4733

2008-09 – 5150

2009-10 - estimated 5277

The evidence presented to the health Scrutiny Committee showed the projection of the number of home-care packages, based on an independent study, that was likely to be required by 2010 set alongside the actual number of packages in place. This showed that the increase was happening broadly in line with the forecast although at a higher rate with a 25% increase in community care packages and a 22% increase in care home placements over the past 2 years.

In response to a supplementary question from Cllr Hyman on how much expenditure had risen over the same period, the Executive Member informed him that in 2007-08 expenditure was £27,609m and 2008-09 it was 30,763m and expenditure now stands at over £3m more than 4 years ago.

(iv) From Cllr Sue Galloway

Can the Executive Member give Council an update on the progress with the replacements for the Discus bungalows?

The Executive Member replied

The discus bungalows project is well underway, with the first set of existing residents due to move over the next couple of weeks. Progress of the project is as follows:

St Ann’s

Phase One - 12no. Replacement Affordable Housing bungalows

The 12 replacement affordable housing bungalows have now been completed. Practical Completion has been reached and the land transferred from CYC to Tee’s Valley housing, who in turn have transferred the land to YHA.

The first 6 residents received their keys and signed their new tenancies on Wednesday 3^rd February 2010 and are due to move on the 8^th/9^th February 2010. The remaining 6 existing tenants are due to receive their keys and sign their tenancies on the 10^th February 2010, and are due to move into their properties on the 15^th/16^th February 2010.

Phase Two - The Extra Care Facility

The Extra Care facility to house 41 two bed apartments, and associated facilities is, at present, on site. The outer shell of the building is almost complete, with the roof structure currently being put in place. This building is due for completion in December 2010.

With the completion of the Extra care works on the St Ann’s site will be complete.

Richmond/Faber Street

Phase Three - 15no. Replacement Affordable Housing bungalows

The first 15 replacement bungalows are currently on site, and due to be completed in March 2010, followed the land transfer it is anticipated that the residents will move to the new properties in April, after the Easter break.

Phase Five - 9no. Affordable Housing bungalows (4no. to be replacement dwellings) & 23 new homes

The remaining 4 replacement affordable dwellings on this site will be undertaken in phase five, and are due for completion early 2011. Along side the construction of these replacement dwelling, will be the construction of five additional affordable bungalows, and 23 mixed tenure new homes.

Phase seven on the Richmond/Faber Street site is due for completion in winter 2011. With the completion of this phase will be the close of all building work on this site.

Regent Street

Phase Four - 9no. Replacement Affordable Housing bungalows

Works on Regent Street are due to start in March 2010. Five of the existing households are to be temporarily moved into alternative properties on site. These properties will have become available due to the moving of the St Ann’s residents from these properties on Regent Street into their new homes on St Ann’s.

This will allow the contractor to start demolition works, followed by the construction of the new bungalows. This phase is currently due for completion winter 2010.

Phase six - 15no. Affordable housing bungalows (9no. to be replacement dwellings)

Phase six on Regent Street is due for commencement late 2010, and for completion in Autumn 2011. With the completion of this phase, all the existing residents will have been re-homed in new dwellings on the three sites.

Further works on the Regent Street site will follow with the implementation of phase eight, which is currently due to be completed late 2012. With the completion of this phase comes the conclusion of the Discus project.

In response to a supplementary question from Cllr Sue Galloway, regarding conducting a satisfaction survey, the Executive Member advised her that residents had been involved in all stages and this would be undertaken as a matter of course.

In response to a supplementary question from Cllr Potter on what was being done about the delay to Discus bungalows in Faber Street/Richmond Street due to not being able to get electricity connected and why a light on Richmond Street had not been fixed, the Executive Member agreed to provide a written response to these queries.

The time limit for questions on the Executive Member’s written report having expired, Members agreed to accept written answers to the remaining questions submitted, as set out below:-

5. From Cllr Simpson-Laing:

“With regard to the temporary reduction of newly completed affordable housing will the Executive Member for HASS look into new ways of bringing forward affordable accommodation in the City?

The council is constantly looking to identify new ways of bringing forward affordable accommodation in the city, for example,

· we are working with existing developers to identify opportunities to deliver additional affordable housing over and above that delivered through Section 106 agreements with support from the Homes & Communities Agency(HCA);

· The Discus Bungalow development is one example of where we have worked with all partners, including the HCA to ensure that the development didn't stall in the economic downturn, this resulted in the private sale units, 96 in total, being converted to Intermediate Market Rent and Discount for Sale properties;

· We are working with our RSL partners to develop innovate solution to bring forward new affordable housing schemes, in particular rent to mortgage;

· As part of the Golden Triangle Partnership we are looking at options, working with a RSL to purchase and repair properties and bring them back into use as affordable homes, we are also looking at opportunities for a second downsizing scheme in the city.

· We are also looking at opportunities for making best use of the existing housing stock in the city, with funding from the Golden Triangle Partnership we are looking at opportunities for loft conversions to create additional bedrooms (obviously this is subject to building regs etc).

We are also working with York Hospital to assess the potential to bring back into use, on a temporary 3 - 5 year basis the unoccupied family accommodation.

6. From Cllr Simpson-Laing:

“With regard to the new Mental Health Modernisation Partnership Board will the Executive Member for HASS inform me, in relation to my requests to him in my letter of the 29th July 2009, if the Council has signed up to the Mind Campaign 'Time for Change' and whether he has personally considered the setting up of a ‘Men's Mental Health Strategy’ as an aid to help tackle rising male suicides?”

You addressed the same letter to myself and Rachel Johns and you received a reply on the 10^th September 2009 from Rachel Johns on behalf of us both, in view of the overlap in partnership and service provision. The Director of HASS had taken both issues you raised to a meeting of the previous Mental Health Partnership Board and the letter addressed the latter issue in the following terms:-

The Mental Health Strategy for the area aims to address potential inequalities in experience and outcome including the impact of gender, so it was not felt that a separate Men's Mental Health Strategy would be an advantage. There is a strong understanding of local needs through the partnership arrangements within the city and the view was that highlighting men's mental health needs in a separate strategy would not be in line with this understanding.

I believe the main emphasis of the campaign was to run projects under its banner and the letter to you explained that the Joint Mental Health and Social Care Services had indeed supported the campaign in this way.

7. From Cllr Orrell

Can the Executive Member describe the benefits of the YorHome service to the Council and Landlords and how it has fared since its launch?

The scheme went live last week in December and so far the service has housed 4 families and 3 single people, with another three houses being viewed next week and the tenancies will start soon after. By the end of the summer it is expected that 40 properties will be on the books.

The benefit to the tenant is that they are able to access private rented where they couldn't before, this is for a variety of reasons:

· the tenant has the whole process explained to them fully (rights and responsibilities etc)

· they still get to outline the type of property and areas that they prefer and don't have to take a property if they don't want to

· they have a full affordability interview first with a housing options advisor who explains what benefits they should be entitled to

· assistance with all form filling

· assistance with the sign up and explanation of procedure

· arrangements for utility companies to contact the new tenant

· arrangement for the rent to be broken down into the same payment timescales as their benefit and clearly outline any extra payments (top ups) that they need to make

· regular meetings with them once in the property to ensure everything is running smoothly and trouble shooting

The benefit for the landlords: YorHome

· discusses fully the services offered and explain that they are still in control of who they take as tenants should they wish to be (some landlords just give me a key and don't want to be that involved)

· provides visits at the property to take down details in order to 'match' tenants

· at such visits the expected rent are discussed - this is based on a number of things such as the Local Housing Allowance rate, the availability of tenants who fit the criteria and the timescale

· can arrange everything from providing all the agreements- all tenancies are Assured Shorthold 6 month tenancies with an option to extend should both parties be happy

· YorHome and the Housing Options team arrange for the first months rent to be paid the day of the move, we also arrange for a bond guarantee through the Citizens Advice Bureau

· can also access the Empty Homes Grant on behalf of landlords who have properties that are in need of work to enable them to meet the Decent Homes Standards

· arranges ongoing maintenance with a local, reputable maintenance company- we don't charge for this -just facilitate any work

· costs a fraction of the high street agencies as we charge 8%(+vat) of the monthly rent but all the services above are included for free.

Should a landlord wish to manage the property themselves, we do all the above except the maintenance, rent collections and inspections free of charge

The benefit to the council is that families that may otherwise have been put into bed and breakfast accommodation are being housed realistically into long term homes, the waiting list for social housing will be reduced and ultimately the perceptions of taking benefit receiving families into the private sector will change.

YorHome can do some 'myth busting' by carefully managing the tenancies that landlords wont have to think that these tenants will leave the property in disrepair and owing money.

8. From Cllr Sunderland

Can the Executive Member give an update on Dormary Court?

Dormary Court was a residential care facility run by Joseph Rowntree Foundation for people with a learning disability. As part of a 3-4 year joint project with City of York Council and Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Dormary Court was closed in late Autumn 2009. The people who lived there have moved onto a variety of more personalised support services and accommodations, and many have become secure tenants with greater levels of disposable incomes than they had as residential care customers.

I attended a conference at which John Kennedy from Joseph Rowntree Foundation spoke of the transformation in quality of life of former residents, 17 of whom are now living in their homes. This was very much confirmed by a customer satisfaction survey undertaken following the customers’ moves.

Dormary Court was part of Phase 1 of the joint project. Phase 2 is considering the accommodation needs of people on the current Alder House residential site and will then look at the Charles Court residential site. The project is expected to be ongoing through 2010/11.

9. From Cllr Alexander:

“Can the Executive Member for HASS inform me how many residents of Council properties have come forward from across the City with regard to 'downsizing' their homes?”

Over the last 12 months, approximately 60 households have been rehoused who were under occupying their previous home.

10 From Cllr Funnell:

“Noting the improvements in the inspection by the Care Quality Commission, can the Executive Member for HASS explain to Council whether the allocation of 'customers' to outside providers and agencies, is based on the providers’ skill set ability?”

In terms of home care we have 3 main providers who are all Good or Excellent and receive cases primarily on a geographical basis. For other registered care (residential and nursing) we do work closely with CQC and the Independent Care Group on promoting and monitoring improvement in private homes and ensuring that customers when exercising choice are aware of the standards of care. We do not “allocate” customers into care. Of 46 registered homes in York none are rated Poor and 10 are rated Adequate – the rest being good or Excellent.

Supporting documents:

Executive Member's report, item 78. PDF 84 KB