Issue - items at meetings - Decent Homes & Adaptations

Report of the Strategic Director Place (copy attached).

(1)       That a change be agreed to the Brighton & Hove Standard and the surveying process for Decent Homes whereby adaptations to the kitchen or bathroom carried out for the current tenant do not affect the eligibility of the property to have a replacement kitchen or bathroom installed.

(2)               That it is agreed that the HRA capital budget will fund this change by carrying out any additional installations through the existing kitchens and bathrooms budgets in 2012/13.

(3)       That it is agreed that refurbishment works to those properties that have already been surveyed are phased over the financial years 2013/14 and 2014/15.

(4)       That it is agreed that a review of the Brighton & Hove Standard will be started in 2012/13 for implementation after the planned achievement of decency in December 2013.

11.1    The Committee considered a report of the Strategic Director Place which set out proposed changes to the delivery of the council’s Housing Investment Programme and the Brighton & Hove Standard in relation to properties where disabled adaptations had been carried out for the current tenant.

11.2    Councillor Farrow thanked officers for the report, and was pleased that the Notice of Motion which has been agreed at Council in March 2012 was being implemented.

11.3   Councillor Mears asked if a list of all the properties which had had a new kitchen or bathroom installed could be provided, and said that it would be helpful if the Committee could be provided with a brief update on what was expected in the Mears contract. Councillor Mears was aware that tenants in Essex Place had been informed that they would get new kitchens and had now been told that that would take place until 2016. Officers agreed to provide a list of those properties which had had work undertaken. Properties in Essex Place had been surveyed and some were found to pass the Decent Home standard.

11.4   Councillor Jarrett thanked officers for the report and was pleased that an anomaly had been resolved.

11.5    RESOLVED -  (1)     That a change be agreed to the Brighton & Hove Standard and the surveying process for Decent Homes whereby adaptations to the kitchen or bathroom carried out for the current tenant do not affect the eligibility of the property to have a replacement kitchen or bathroom installed.

(2)               That it is agreed that the HRA capital budget will fund this change by carrying out any additional installations through the existing kitchens and bathrooms budgets in 2012/13.

(3)       That it is agreed that that refurbishment works to those properties that have already been surveyed are phased over the financial years 2013/14 and 2014/15.

(4)       That it is agreed that a review of the Brighton & Hove Standard will be started in 2012/13 for implementation after the planned achievement of decency in December 2013.