Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillor David Downes (Portfolio Holder - Leisure and Tourism), Councillor Stan Fox, Councillor Ray Heffer and Thomas Evans (Empty Property Officer).

To note any urgent items of business which the Chairman has consented to being considered under the provisions of Section 100(B) 4(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

There were no urgent items of business to consider.

Members should declare the existence and nature of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interest and Non Statutory Interest as defined by the Members’ Code of Conduct in respect of:

a)  any business on the agenda

b)  any urgent additional items to be considered

c)  any matters arising out of those items and if appropriate, withdraw from the meeting at the relevant time.

 There were no declarations of interest made.

To consider the minutes of the meeting on 21^st February 2022.

Moved by Councillor Rose Bowler and seconded by Councillor Andrew Joesbury

RESOLVED that the Minutes of a Customer Services Scrutiny Committee held on 21^st February 2022 be approved as a correct record.

(Members should contact the officer whose name appears on the List of

Key Decisions for any further information.  NB: If Members wish to discuss an exempt report under this item, the meeting will need to move into exempt business and exclude the public in accordance with the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985 and Local Government Act 1972, Part 1, Schedule 12a for that part of the meeting only).

Committee considered the List of Key Decisions and items to be considered in private document.

Moved by Councillor Rose Bowler and seconded by Councillor Andrew Joesbury

RESOLVED that the List of Key Decisions and items to be considered in private document be noted.

The Joint Housing Policy and Intelligence Officer presented a report which gave an update on the Housing Strategy 2021 – 2024’s Action Plan.  Due to some gaps in the update report further detail was given by Assistant Directors directly within the meeting.

Key Priority 1 – Providing Good Quality Housing

(Aim 1)           To date Bolsover Homes had delivered 16 homes with a further 21 to be handed over.  Work was also now commencing on site at The Woodlands in Langwith, where new sustainable construction methods would be used.  Further development was planned at Market Close, Shirebrook and two further sites were earmarked in Langwith.  There were also plans in place for the Woburn Close area in Blackwell.  In total all of this should lead to 120 properties.

Councillor Andrew Joesbury asked if building on old garage sites was an idea that had been explored. The Assistant Director of Property Services & Housing Repairs explained that officers had batched them together in Pinxton and South Normanton, but doing the same in Clowne did not stack up financially.

Councillor Andrew Joesbury was concerned that because there was no Council owned land to build on in South Normanton, it would mean no Council Houses being built there. The Assistant Director of Property Services & Housing Repairs assured him that the Council was always looking for land to purchase, and the Dragonfly scheme was partly carried out in South Normanton.

Councillor David Dixon also requested that further discussions take place with Barlborough Parish in relation to garage sites within the locality.

Councillor Clive Moesby declared for transparency that he was the ward Councillor for Blackwell, where housing was planned.

The Housing Policy and Intelligence Officer stated she would investigate how many private households were due to be created in South Normanton and pass the information back to Members. Councillor Andrew Joesbury also requested that she investigate how many of the houses in the Strategy, earmarked for that area, were going to be affordable housing.

(Aim 2)           The Assistant Director of Property Services & Housing Repairs explained that officers had spoken to Keepmoat Homes about sites in Hodthorpe and Pinxton.  To date 14 homes had been secured from Keepmoat in Bolsover, 9 from Avant in Creswell and 3 in South Normanton.  However, he noted that due to changes in Homes England guidelines this was now proving a more difficult route to securing additional stock.

(Aim 3)           The Assistant Director of Property Services & Housing Repairs explained noted that the Bolsover Homes ‘Woodlands’ development at Langwith would be built to the Platinum level of the Sustainable Homes standard.  Properties under B@Home were built to Bronze level.  Councillor David Dixon referred to the Code for Sustainable Homes (low carbon housing stock) and asked what had been done to the Council’s stock. The Assistant Director of Property Services & Housing Repairs explained that they would collect rain water and have air tests. He added that Ground Source heating pumps were piloted 10 years ago.

Councillor David Dixon felt that the  ...  view the full minutes text for item CS49-21/22

N.B.The Assistant Director of Property Services & Housing Repairs and the Housing Policy & Intelligence Officer left the meeting at this point.

The Assistant Director - Housing Management & Enforcement presented a report to consider and feedback on the new draft tenancy agreement.  The agreement was currently out to public consultation, ending on 29 April.  Once the consultation ended there would be a brief period to review comments then the new agreement would be approved and circulated to tenants.

Councillor Andrew Joesbury referred to paragraph 3.3 in the current agreement (“You must not keep or use any more bottled gas”) and asked if this had been amended. The Assistant Director - Housing Management & Enforcement confirmed this has been changed in the draft agreement.

Councillor Andrew Joesbury referred to paragraph 4.3 in the current agreement (“You must not enter on any property that has not been let to you as part of the property”) and asked the reasons for this paragraph. The Assistant Director - Housing Management & Enforcement explained that the paragraph was there because of boundary disagreements.  This section was aimed at redefining access rights.

Councillor Andrew Joesbury referred to Section 10 in the current agreement (‘Tenant Behaviour’) and asked if enforcing it would be changed in the new draft. The Assistant Director - Housing Management & Enforcement explained that the new draft would have more substance on tenant anti-social behaviour, and give officers more options like protection notices or fines.

Councillor Andrew Joesbury referred to Section 4.54 in the current agreement (‘Vehicles and Parking’)and asked if some of it could be enforced. The Assistant Director - Housing Management & Enforcement explained that things had been added to the new draft to allow them to deal with parking, like obstructing access.

Councillor Clive Moesby asked if provisions would be included for tenants who take in Ukrainian refugees. The Assistant Director - Housing Management & Enforcement stated she would investigate if doing this would affect their benefits.

The Chair asked if the tenancy notice period was going to be reduced from four weeks to two weeks. The Assistant Director - Housing Management & Enforcement explained that they would be allowed to give two weeks’ notice in future where the property could be cleared in time.  Notice would still need to be given on a Monday.

The Chair asked what the reasoning had been behind tenancies in the new draft being able to start on any day of the week instead of just Monday. The Assistant Director - Housing Management & Enforcement explained that it was something that began during the COVID pandemic, and carrying on with it would offer the Council more flexibility and reduce void periods.

The Assistant Director - Housing Management & Enforcement encouraged everyone to fill in the online Tenancy Agreement consultation questionnaire, which was in the ‘Consultation’ section of the Bolsover District Council website.

Moved by Councillor Rose Bowler and seconded by Councillor David Dixon

RESOLVED to note the draft Agreement and provide comments for consideration as part of the formal  ...  view the full minutes text for item CS50-21/22

N.B. The Assistant Director - Housing Management & Enforcement and the Legal Executive left the meeting at this point.

The Section 151 Officer presented a report for Members to consider and feedback on the revised Business Rates Mandatory and Discretionary Rate Relief Policy attached at Appendix 1.

Councillor Andrew Joesbury referred to South Normanton Parish Council trying to purchase the Zion Methodist Church, and asked if the Parish Council could get reduced business rates for the deal. The Section 151 Officer advised him to contact Revenue services.

Moved by Councillor Rose Bowler and seconded by Councillor Andrew Joesbury

RESOLVED to note the Business Rates Mandatory and Discretionary Rate Relief Policy and provide comments for consideration as part of the development of the         Policy in advance of formal Executive approval and implementation.

(Section 151 Officer)

The Section 151 Officer presented a report for Members to consider and feedback on the revised Council Tax Discretionary Relief Policy attached at Appendix 1.

The Section 151 Officer explained that the reason for the revision was to amend some of the out-of-date information in the policy, to ensure it remained fit for purpose.

Moved by Councillor Andrew Joesbury and seconded by Councillor Rose Bowler

RESOLVED to note the Council Tax Discretionary Relief Policy and provide comments for consideration as part of the development of the Policy in advance of formal Executive approval and implementation.

(Section 151 Officer)

N.B. The Portfolio Holder – Finance and the Section 151 Officer left the meeting at this point.

Committee considered their work programme 2021/22.

The Chair referred to the mention in the item ‘HOUSING STRATEGY - MONITORING UPDATE’ of the Empty Property Officer sending Members a briefing note on a flat in Whitwell that had been empty for 25 years. The Chair asked Members if they would prefer this briefing to be sent to them or presented at a Committee meeting. Member agreed they would prefer it to be sent to them.

The Chair requested that for the Committee’s agreement of the ‘Review of Council-owned Adapted Accommodation’ Scrutiny report, an Extraordinary meeting should be scheduled at the end of April 2022.

Moved by Councillor Rose Bowler and seconded by Councillor Andrew Joesbury

RESOLVED that the Work Programme 2021/22 be noted.

(Scrutiny & Elections Officer)