Sustainable Environment Policy and Scrutiny Committee - 22 January 2008

Councillors:-

Peter Wakeling (Chairman)

Barbara Lamb MBE

Brian Norman (Vice-Chairman)

Chris Lloyd

Mary Connolly

David Major

Graham Denman

Les Mead

Francis Durham

Tenants and Leaseholders’ Representative: Jacqui Grove

The Policy and Scrutiny Committee welcomes contributions from members of the public to its discussion on agenda items.  Contributions will be limited to one person speaking for and one against each item for not more than three minutes.  Please note that, in the event of registering your interest to speak on an agenda item but not taking up that right because the item is deferred, you will automatically be given the right to speak on that item at the next meeting of the Policy and Scrutiny Committee.  Details of the procedure and the list for registering the wish to speak will be available for a short period before the meeting.

1.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

2.

MINUTES

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 4 December 2007 (copy enclosed for Members of the Policy and Scrutiny Committee).

07 12 04 SE mins DOWNLOAD

3.

NOTICE OF OTHER BUSINESS

Items of other business notified under Council Procedure Rule 31 to be announced, together with the special circumstances that justify their consideration as a matter of urgency.  The Chairman to rule on the admission of such items.

4.

DECLARATION OF INTERESTS

To receive any declarations of interest.

SCRUTINY INTERNAL

5.

FINANCIAL POSITION STATEMENT & BUDGET MONITORING REPORT – NOVEMBER 2007 (MONTH 8)

This report gives an update of the three- year medium-term financial plan and the position on the current year’s budget for the period ending on 25 November 2007 (circulated separately).

POLICY/PRE SCRUTINY

6.

SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT POLICY AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE’S WORK PROGRAMME

To review and make necessary changes to the Policy and Scrutiny Committee’s work programme.

08 01 22 SE i - (06) - work prog DOWNLOAD

7.

CHOICE-BASED LETTINGS PROGRESS UPDATE

This report updates the Committee on what progress has been made on the development of a joint Choice-based Lettings (CBL) scheme for Western Hertfordshire.

08 01 22 SE i - (07) - choice based lettings DOWNLOAD

08 01 22 SE i - (07) - cbl project plan appendix A DOWNLOAD

8.

DRAFT NEW HOUSING ALLOCATION POLICY – THREE RIVERS CHOICE HOMES FOR PUBLIC CONSULTATION

This report seeks comments and in principle endorsement from Members in respect of the proposal to withdraw the existing Housing Allocation Policy following further comprehensive consultation with tenants, residents, voluntary and statutory organisations and replacing it with the New Housing Allocation Policy – Three Rivers Choice Homes. 

08 01 22 SE i - (08) - draft new housing allocation policy doc DOWNLOAD

08 01 22 SE i - (08) - new housing allocation policy DOWNLOAD

9.

NUMBER OF EMPTY PROPERTIES IN THE DISTRICT

This report provides information on the number of long term empty properties in the District as requested by Members.

08 01 22 SE i - (09) - empty properties DOWNLOAD

10.

HOUSING EQUALITIES PROGRESS UPDATE

To update Members on the progress the Housing Department has made against implementation of Best Value Performance Indicator 164 (BVPI) – Equal Access to Social Housing.

08 01 22 SE i - (10) - equalities DOWNLOAD

11.

UPDATE ON REDEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS FOR GADE VIEW GARDENS

To seek approval to increase the number of affordable units on the Gade View Gardens site and reduced capital receipt for the transfer of land at Gade View Gardens to Home Group Housing Association.  (Report to follow).

12.

TENANTS AND LEASEHOLDER FORUM MINUTES

To receive the minutes of the Tenants and Leaseholder Forum held on 10 October 2007.

08 01 22 SE i - (12) - 07 10 10 TL mins DOWNLOAD

13.

OTHER BUSINESS – if approved under item 3 above.

14.

EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

If the Committee wishes to consider the remaining item in private, it will be appropriate for a resolution to be passed in the following terms:

            “That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and 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 under paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Act. It has been decided by the Council that in all the circumstances, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.”

(Note: If other confidential business is approved under item 2, it will also be necessary to specify the class of exempt or confidential information in the additional items)

1.

HOUSING STOCK TRANSFER – MEMBER WORKING GROUP MINUTES

To receive the minutes of the Housing Stock Transfer – Member Working Group  held on 19 November 2007

2.

OTHER BUSINESS – if approved under Item 3.