Agenda and minutes

Venue: Hendon Town Hall, The Burroughs, London NW4 4BG

Contact: Jan Natynczyk 020 8359 5129 Email:  jan.natynczyk@barnet.gov.uk 

Items
No. Item

1.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 62 KB

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 7 February 2018, be agreed as a correct record.

 

2.

Absence of Members

Minutes:

None.

3.

Declarations of Members Disclosable Pecuniary Interests and Non-Pecuniary Interests

Minutes:

Councillor

Agenda Item(s)

Interests Declared 

Ross Huston

7 – Housing Strategy

8 – Fire Safety

Non-pecuniary interest by virtue of being a Council appointed Director for Barnet Group.

Shimon Ryde

7 – Housing Strategy

8 – Fire Safety

Non-pecuniary interest by virtue of being a Council appointed Director for Barnet Group.

Tim Roberts

7 – Housing Strategy

Non-pecuniary interest by virtue of, together with is wife being private landlords of a single property in the borough of Barnet.

 

4.

Report of the Monitoring Officer (if any)

Minutes:

None.

5.

Public Questions and Comments (if any) pdf icon PDF 115 KB

Minutes:

The Committee noted the details of the responses to the Public Questions which had been published and circulated prior to the meeting.

 

Public comments were made by Jasmin Parsons on Agenda Item 7 – Housing Strategy.

 

6.

Members' Items (if any)

Minutes:

None.

7.

Housing Strategy pdf icon PDF 383 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the Housing Strategy report which provided an update on the various changes that have occurred since approval of the Strategy in 2015. The report further advised the Committee that under The Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 (HRA 2017)the Council is required to produce Homelessness Strategy.

 

Having considered the report, the Chairman put the recommendation to the vote. The vote was recorded as follows:

 

 

For

6

Against

0

Abstained

4

 

RESOLVED -

1.            That the committee endorse the emerging themes for the new Housing Strategy and instruct the Deputy Chief Executive to prepare an updated draft strategy for consideration by the Housing Committee at its meeting on 10 October 2018.

 

2.            That the committee endorse the emerging themes for the new Homelessness Strategy and instruct the Deputy Chief Executive to prepare an updated draft strategy for consideration by the Housing Committee at its meeting on 10 October 2018.

 

8.

Fire Safety pdf icon PDF 258 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

 

The Committee considered the report which provided an overview of progress with the Council’s response to the Grenfell Tower fire disaster, including replacement of cladding on council tower blocks at Granville Road, and improvements to fire safety in other council blocks.

 

Having considered the report, the Chairman put the recommendation to the vote.

 

RESOLVED –

 

1.    That the Committee notes the progress to date with high priority fire safety works including the positive progress in replacing the cladding at Granville Road.

 

2.    That the Committee approves a revised programme of fire safety works for council dwellings as set out in Appendix 1, to include:

-       Ongoing works to replace cladding at Granville Road

-       High priority works as previously agreed by the Committee in October 2017

-       Desirable works to high rise properties including the installation of sprinkler systems to blocks of flats with 10 or more floors and a single stairwell.

 

3.    That the Committee agrees that, subject to agreement by Policy and Resources Committee, an additional £12.5m is allocated from the Council’s Housing Revenue Account to meet the full cost of the revised programme in 2. Above. This is in addition to the amount of £17.5m previously agreed, bringing the total amount to £30m, noting that £7m of this is expected to be reimbursed by the Government to cover recladding costs at Granville Road.

 

4.    That the Committee instructs Barnet Homes to proceed with developing a programme of fire safety works for low and medium rise flats and provides the Committee with costed proposals for this in October 2018.

 

5.    That the Committee instructs the Deputy Chief Executive to undertake a review of fire safety and high rise residential blocks in the borough to ensure compliance with the direction issued by the Secretary of State and the ongoing safety of residents in the borough.

9.

End of Year 201718 Commissioning Plan Performance pdf icon PDF 329 KB

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report which provided an annual overview of performance at the End of Year (EOY) 2017/18, including budget outturns for revenue and capital (where relevant), progress on key activities, indicators that have not met the annual target, and management of high level risks for the Theme Committee in relation to the Commissioning Plan.

 

 

Having considered the report, the Chairman put the recommendation to the vote.

 

RESOLVED - The Committee reviewed the finance, performance and risk information in relation to the Theme Committee’s Commissioning Plan.

10.

Local Lettings Policy pdf icon PDF 237 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report which set out outcome the outcome of the consultation on introducing a local lettings approach in Barnet and sought agreement to amending the Housing Allocations Policy (Appendix 2, Paragraph 4.12) to allocate a proportion of new build housing stock through this mechanism.

 

 

Having considered the report, the Chairman put the recommendation to the vote.

 

 

RESOLVED –

 

1.    That the proposed amendment to the Housing Allocations Scheme be approved as appended in Appendix 1, Paragraph 4.12

2.    That the findings of the consultation report be noted. 

11.

Compulsory Purchase of long term vacant properties - Public pdf icon PDF 189 KB

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report which recommended the making of Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPO) in relation to three long term vacant properties and to give Officers the discretion to proceed with any of the three options detailed in the report of consensual purchase, cross undertaking or dispute resolution. The property identified and case details were contained within the exempt report.

 

Having considered the report, the Chairman put the recommendation to the vote.

 

RESOLVED –

 

1.         That the Housing Committee recommends to the Assets, Regeneration and Growth Committee to authorise the making of Compulsory Purchase Orders, under Section 17 of the Housing Act 1985 and the Acquisition of Land Act 1981, in respect of the properties identified as ‘a to c’ in the exempt report.

 

2.         That, subject to the Assets, Regeneration and Growth Committee authorising the making of the Compulsory Purchase Orders referred to in recommendation 1 above, the Orders be submitted to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government for consideration and confirmation.

 

3.         That, in the event of the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government returning any of the Orders for confirmation by the Council, the Deputy Chief Executive be authorised to confirm the Order(s).

 

4.         Following confirmation of any of the Orders, to authorise the Deputy Chief Executive to enter into a cross-undertaking with the owner(s) of any relevant property not to implement the Order on the condition that the owner(s) agree to bring their property back into use within a reasonable time.

 

5.         If a cross-undertaking is not entered into as referred to in recommendation 1.5 below, or the terms of the cross-undertaking are not adhered to by the owner, to recommend that the Assets, Regeneration and Growth Committee authorises the Deputy Chief Executive to proceed with the compulsory acquisition of any of the properties in question.

 

6.         To authorise the Deputy Chief Executive to enter into negotiations for consensual purchase of the property at current market value or to enter into alternative dispute resolution with the owner

 

7.         Following compulsory acquisition of any of the properties ‘a to c’, an options paper on the onward disposal will be brought back to the Assets, Regeneration and Growth Committee for a decision.

 

8.         To note that the financial costs of the CPOs will be funded through the currently approved capital programme.

 

 

12.

Committee Forward Work Programme pdf icon PDF 201 KB

Minutes:

RESOLVED – That the Committee note with work programme.

13.

Motion to exclude press and public

Minutes:

RESOLVED -  that under Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 2 and 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act (as amended).

 

14.

Compulsory Purchase of long term vacant properties - Exempt

Minutes:

RESOLVED - that the information contained in the exempt report be noted.

 

15.

Any Other Items that the Chairman Decides are Urgent

Minutes:

None.