Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber

Contact: Jenny Martin  k

Items
No. Item

58.

Apologies for absence

Minutes:

There was an apology from Councillor D O’Rourke who had advised that she may be late to the meeting.

 

 

59.

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting pdf icon PDF 122 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 23 March 2023 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

60.

Declarations of disclosable pecuniary, other registrable and non registrable interests

Members are reminded of their responsibility to declare any disclosable pecuniary, other registrable or non-registrable interest in respect of matters contained in the agenda.

 

Minutes:

There were no declarations of disclosable pecuniary, other registrable or non-registrable interests.

 

61.

Public participation

Minutes:

There was no public participation.

62.

Briefing on the work of the Health & Housing Committee

Verbal Presentation

Minutes:

Terms of Reference for the Committee were circulated for Members’ information.

 

The Head of Strategic Planning and Housing and the Head of Environmental Health Services gave resumes of the service areas covered under their remits.

63.

Appointment of Working Groups pdf icon PDF 61 KB

Report of the Chief Executive enclosed

Minutes:

The Chief Executive submitted a report asking Committee to consider the reappointment of the working groups under the remit of the Health & Housing Committee and their membership.  The two active working groups under the remit of this Committee were highlighted.

 

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

 

Approve the continuance of the strategic housing and health and wellbeing partnership working groups for the 2023/24 municipal year, each being made up of five members consisting of two Conservatives, one Liberal Democrat, one Labour and one Independent Group Councillor.

 

Strategic Housing – Councillors S Hirst, S Atkinson, M Robinson, R Ray and J Atherton

 

Health and Wellbeing Partnership – Councillors S Hirst, R Elms, M Robinson, R Ray and I Brown

64.

Capital Outturn 2022/23 pdf icon PDF 100 KB

Report of the Director of Resources enclosed

Minutes:

The Director of Resources submitted a report reviewing the final outturn of the 2022/23 capital programme for this Committee and seeking member approval for the slippage of some capital scheme budgets from the 2022/23 financial year to the 2023/24 financial year.

 

Members were reminded that the total approved budget for this Committee’s capital programme of 10 schemes was £3,581,040.  Later in the year the capital programme budget was revised to £1,397,630 in respect of 8 schemes. This followed a review of progress on all schemes in the capital programme and included moving budget of £2,185,460 on 5 schemes into the 2023/24 financial year.

 

Members were informed that the actual expenditure on this Committee’s capital programme was £391,415, which is 28% of the revised estimate budget.

 

Of the 8 schemes in the revised capital programme 1 was completed in year. The remaining 7 schemes were not completed in-year, however a large proportion of these are ongoing grant schemes. Slippage totalling £1,006,190 from the 2022/23 financial year in to the 2023/24 financial year is requested on these 7 schemes.

 

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

 

Approve the slippage of £1,006,190 as set out at paragraph 3.4 of the report.

65.

FPN Fines pdf icon PDF 85 KB

Report of the Chief Executive enclosed

Minutes:

The Chief Executive submitted a report seeking approval from committee on the new proposal of setting fine levels for fixed penalty notices within the environmental health department.

 

Members were advised that currently there was no standard approach adopted for setting fine levels within the environmental health department and this has created disproportionality. 

 

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

 

1.     Approve the proposal to set all FPNs issued by the environmental health department to the maximum level allowed at the time of being issued.

 

2.     Approve the proposal that where an FPN payment is made within 14 days, the fine is to be reduced by a quarter (rounded to the nearest pound).

 

66.

Pest Control Update pdf icon PDF 72 KB

Report of the Chief Executive enclosed

 

Minutes:

The Chief Executive submitted a report providing committee with an update of the expansion of the services offered by pest control.

 

It was noted that the Council’s pest contractor will now undertake treatments for:

 

-        Rats

-        Mice

-        Wasps

-        Moles

-        Squirrels

-        Fleas

-        Flies

-        Beetles

-        Cockroaches

 

67.

Ex Offenders Accommodation Programme pdf icon PDF 69 KB

Report of the Chief Executive enclosed

 

Minutes:

The Director of Economic Development and Planning submitted a report updating members on the Accommodation of Ex-Offenders scheme operating across East Lancashire.  This scheme supports ex-offenders into their own Private Rented Sector (PRS) tenancies.

 

It was noted that the award for the East Lancashire Authorities is:

 

·        2023/24 - £116,404

·        2024/25 - £116,404

 

Burnley Borough Council is the lead Authority and they have entered into a service level agreement with the support provider Calico to administer the scheme.

 

The scheme provides an additional resource to RVBC whereby the Housing team make a referral to Calico as soon as a ‘duty to refer,’ or any homeless case is received from Probation. Calico will then assist ex-offenders to find suitable accommodation in the private rented sector.

 

 

68.

Home Upgrade Grant (HUG) scheme Phase 2 pdf icon PDF 721 KB

Report of Director of Economic Development and Planning enclosed

Minutes:

The Director of Economic Development and Planning submitted a report to make members aware of the availability of the Home Upgrade Grant (HUG) and to encourage uptake across the Borough.  The scheme applies to off mains gas properties.

 

It was noted that the Borough has a high percentage of off mains gas properties and therefore it is important that residents are aware of the availability of the scheme as often rural properties are not eligible for grant schemes.  The availability of the scheme will be promoted through the Council’s website, press releases and Parish Councils.

 

 

69.

Minutes of Working Groups pdf icon PDF 52 KB

Minutes of Strategic Housing Working Group – 11 April 2023

Minutes:

Committee noted the minutes of the Strategic Housing working group that took place on 11 April 2023.

70.

Reports from representatives on outside bodies pdf icon PDF 45 KB

Report of David Peat enclosed

Minutes:

Former Councillor David Peat submitted a report relating to the Lancashire Mental Health Partnership Board Consultation on 15 March 2023 and the Lancashire County Council NHS and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee on 22nd March 2023.

 

 

 

 

71.

Exclusion of Press and Public

Minutes:

RESOLVED: That by virtue of the next item of business being exempt information under Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be now excluded from the meeting.

 

72.

Update on Grant Approvals

Report of the Director of Economic Development and Planning enclosed

Minutes:

The Director of Economic Development and Planning submitted a report informing Committee of recent approvals for Disabled Facilities Grants and Landlord Tenant Grants.