MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE SOCIAL SERVICES, HOUSING AND BENEFITS SELECT COMMITTEE HELD AT COUNTY HALL, NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT ON WEDNESDAY, 1 MAY 2002 COMMENCING AT 9.30 AM
Present :
Mr C R Hancock (Vice-Chairman), Mr A C Bartlett, Mrs D Gardiner, Mr G S Kendall, Mr A J Mundy, Mrs E Oulton, Mr R C Richards, Mr D G Williams
Portfolio Holder :
Mr R G Mazillius
Also Present (Non Voting) :
Mr R R Barry, Mr J A Bowker, Mr B C Buckle, Mr P D Joyce, Mr R A Sutton
Apologies :
Mrs T M Butchers, Mrs B D Clough, Mr G P Price, Mr I R Stephens
(In the absence of the Chairman the Vice-Chairman, Mr C R Hancock, took the chair)
1. MINUTES
RESOLVED :
THAT the minutes of the meeting held on 3 April 2002 be confirmed.
2. URGENT BUSINESS - INVER HOUSE, BEMBRIDGE
The Chairman indicated that there was an item of urgent business that required consideration by the Committee prior to the next meeting. The matter was of a confidential nature.
RESOLVED :
THAT the item be considered after the exclusion of the public and press.
3. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Interests were declared in the following matters :
Mr D G Williams had a Personal Interest in Minute No 5, as the Council’s nominated representative on the Vectis Housing Society Ltd.
Mr A Sutton had a Personal Interest in Minute No 5, as the Council’s nominated representative on the South Wight Housing Association Management Committee.
4. PUBLIC QUESTION TIME
Cllr Joyce asked a question of the Chairman, on behalf of a member of the public, to which an appropriate reply was provided.
Mr A J Mundy declared a Personal Interest, due to his wife’s connection with the Meals of Wheels service.
5. PRESENTATION
The Vice Chairman introduced and welcomed Mr J Iles, the Chief Executive and Mr R Brandt, the Chairman, of South Wight Housing Association (SWHA). Members received a presentation on the proposed partnership between SWHA and the Southern Housing Group which also provided a background to the establishment of SWHA, in 1990, as a Large Scale Voluntary Transfer (LSVT) housing association. Based in Sandown, the SWHA was a major provider of housing on the Isle of Wight, owning or managing over 2,500 properties island-wide. Over the past two years the SWHA Board had become aware of the need to seek membership of a larger Registered Social Landlord (RSL) Group in order to comply with Government legislation and other strategic challenges. Members were informed that after a very lengthy and intensive selection process, the Board had chosen Southern Housing Group as the preferred partner. SWHA’s residents and shareholders who had been informed, consulted and involved with the selection process, supported the final choice. Since the decision, the two associations had been working very closely together to agree the legal and practical arrangements for SWHA to become part of the Southern Housing Group. The Housing Corporation, which regulated housing associations, had given approval to the partnership and the date for formal agreement was 1 July 2002.
Members raised a number of questions with regard to the proposed merger and were reassured that all existing SWHA’s tenants’ rights would be preserved. A number of key points highlighted in the business case during the evaluation of the partnership proposal were noted. SWHA would be in a stronger financial position than if it remained as a stand alone organisation and would be better placed to protect standards of service delivery due to the implications of recent Government legislation with regard to rent re-structuring.
The Vice-Chairman, on behalf of the Committee, thanked Mr Iles and Mr Brandt for their very informative and interesting presentation.
RESOLVED :
THAT the presentation on the proposed partnership between South Wight Housing Association and Southern Housing Group be noted.
6. SOCIAL SERVICES AND HOUSING BUDGET : PROJECTED INCOME AND EXPENDITURE FOR 2001 - 02
The Strategic Director reported on the projected overspend which, at the end of the current financial year, was still anticipated to remain within the £570K overspend, approved by Council on 20 February 2002. It was reported that as the final overall position would not be determined until the end of June a report setting out the final accounts would, therefore, not be available until the July meeting of the Select Committee.
RESOLVED :
THAT the report be noted.
7. FORWARD PLAN
Members received the Councils’ Forward Plan covering the period May to August 2002 and noted the matters which came within its terms of reference.
RESOLVED :
THAT the Forward Plan be noted.
8. EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS
RESOLVED :
THAT under Section 100 (A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business, namely Minute No 9, on the grounds that there was likely to be disclosure of exempt information, as defined in paragraph 9 of part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.
9. INVER HOUSE, BEMBRIDGE
The Strategic Director of Social Services and Housing circulated a confidential report with regard to Inver House, Bembridge. Members were reminded that at the meeting of the Select Committee, on 6 February 2002, it had been resolved that the proposals outlined were not contrary to the Councils’ Strategy for the Residential Care of the Elderly. Subsequent to that meeting the Head of Property Services had negotiated the terms and conditions of the proposed lease. However, Members had expressed a number of concerns with regard to a clause in the lease which would enable Islecare ‘97 to grant sub-leases to existing or future tenants. The report of the Strategic Director aimed to address the questions raised. Members discussed the points outlined in the report. In response to Members queries it was proposed that arrangements be made for a joint, informal meeting of the Resources and the Social Services, Housing and Benefits Select Committee to facilitate detailed consideration of all the issues and to enable a joint recommendation, to the Executive, to be determined on the granting of a lease to Islecare 97 with regard to the proposed development of Inver House, Bembridge.
RESOLVED :
(i) THAT the Select Committee does not recommend to the Executive to approve the proposals set out by Islecare for the development of Inver House, relying on the advice of the Head of Property Services on the questions of the lease and premium;
(ii) THAT further investigations be undertaken, via the Resources and the Social Services, Housing and Benefits Select Committee before any recommendation be presented to the Executive.
CHAIRMAN