Agenda and minutes

The Chair for this meeting Cllr Hass Yusuf welcomed all attendees to the meeting which was being live streamed.

Apologies had been received from Councillors James Hockney (Substitute Cllr Joanne Laban), Edward Smith (Substitute Cllr Glynis Vince), Ergin Erbil, Margaret Greer, Saray Karakus and Gina Needs.

Members of the Council are invited to identify any disclosable pecuniary, other pecuniary or non-pecuniary interests relevant to the items on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Chair to introduce the purpose of the meeting.

The Chair explained that the purpose of this meeting was to look at the work programme and prioritise items for the coming Municipal Year.

To agree the minutes of the Housing Scrutiny Panel meeting held on the 11 February 2021.

AGREED the minutes of the meeting held on the 11 February 2021.

The Scrutiny Panel will hear from the Cabinet Member and officers outlining priorities and areas of challenge.

Cabinet Members and Officers will be asked to leave the meeting at this point.

The Chair invited Joanne Drew, Director of Housing & Regeneration to present the Local Priorities for 2020/21 she highlighted the following:

• The remit of the Housing Scrutiny Panel is informed by two strategies agreed by Cabinet.

• Delivering on the Housing and Growth Strategy 2020:
  • More affordable housing – this sits under the remit of the Regeneration and Economic Development Scrutiny Panel.
  • Being proud of and investing in our council homes – this includes the £250m investment in existing stock and cleaner estates.
  • Quality and variety in the private housing sector – many vulnerable residents are living in the private sector, there is a focus to intervene to improve and enable access for residents Enfield Let was mobilised in October 2020, there are plans for Housing Gateway growth, and the landlord licencing the scheme comes into force this September.
  • Inclusive placemaking – This sits under the remit of the Regeneration and Economic Development Scrutiny Panel.
  • Accessible housing pathways for everyone – this includes; Developing supported housing solutions for people with specialist needs; Rough Sleepers provision; 95 long term homes with support to connect residents into the community and to secure employment and Reardon Court extra care application to Planning Committee.
• Delivering the Homelessness Prevention Strategy 2020 - Making homelessness something that is rare, brief and non-recurring:

o   A better future for rough sleepers –permanent housing of residents taken in during the pandemic.

o   Homelessness Prevention Board – making homelessness something that is everyone’s responsibility.

o   The new Housing Advisory Service fully mobilised with focus on early help.

o   Prevention activity resulting in lower numbers into Temporary accommodation.

Committee Members raised the following comments and questions:

·         The Vice Chair read out a list of items for consideration raised by the Chair Cllr Hockney who had been unable to attend this meeting as follows:

o   Cladding compliance with Building Safety Bill.

o   Temporary accommodation levels and strategy to reduce.

o   Enfield Repairs Direct overview on delivery and recent changes.

o   Housing Gateway and budget underspends.

o   Overview on the new HRA Development programme. (It was confirmed that this is covered by the remit of the Regeneration & Economic Development Scrutiny Panel)

o   New partnership arrangements with Registered providers.

·         The Director of Housing & Regeneration was asked to comment on these suggestions. The building safety item is very timely with building legislation enacted with a range of new responsibilities that the council has to prepare for. An overview of the new landscape and how the council is preparing and responding might be helpful to the panel. The temporary accommodation is very relevant, with the pandemic the council will not be able to meet the forecast targets which was part of the remodel. The council has had to take in more than 450 residents into emergency housing and have not been able to move people on from temporary accommodation due to the pandemic.  Enfield Repairs Direct was welcomed as an item. Housing Gateway is a vehicle to improve the Councils response to the private rented sector and the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To agree and prioritise items for the new work programme.

The Chair opened discussions in terms of the work programme. It was suggested that there were two items per meeting.

Following discussions, the process for extra meetings was confirmed.

Members were reminded of Councillor Hockney’s suggestions:

• Cladding Compliance with Building Safety Bill, including an overview of Building Safety- this to be an early item.
• Temporary accommodation levels and strategy to reduce.
• Enfield Repairs Direct overview on progress, delivery and recent changes, the suggested timescale was to look at in the winter.
• Housing Gateway and budget underspends.
• New Partnerships arrangements with Registered providers, the suggested timescale was to take this at the final meeting.

Other items raised by officers with Councillor Hockney were; Estate Management (Meridian Water) Outcome of Resident engagement Consultation, Housing Standards and Social Housing White Paper progress.

Councillor Vince raised the following on behalf of Councillor Smith including; housing repairs, churn of staff in housing, reducing numbers in temporary accommodation and update on new partnership arrangements.

Winter response team was raised this is a new initiative introduced last year and could be included under the repairs item. Deep cleaning under Covid was raised, this could be covered under estate management.

Discussions were held on the most appropriate timings for items.

The following items and timings were agreed:

September’s meeting

Building Safety- including cladding compliance with Building Safety Bill

Temporary accommodation levels and strategy to reduce

Churn of staff in Housing

December’s meeting

Enfield Repairs Direct- overview on progress, delivery and recent changes

Estate Management, including winter response team

March’s meeting

New partner arrangements with Registered providers

Housing Gateway and budget underspends

To note, for information, the attached terms of reference for the Housing Scrutiny Panel.

The terms of reference were noted.

To note that the next Housing Scrutiny Panel meeting is scheduled to take place on Thursday 30 September 2021.

The date of the next meeting was noted.