Issue - items at meetings - Annual report to council tenants and leaseholders 2012

Report of the Strategic Director, Place

RESOLVED

That Housing Committee, subject to the changes noted in paragraph 35.5, approved that the annual report to council tenants and leaseholders 2012 at Appendix 1 of the report, for publication and distribution to all council tenants and leaseholders in December 2012.

35.1The Committee considered a report of the Head of Housing and Social Inclusion. The report provided a copy of the Annual Report to council tenants and leaseholders 2012. The Committee were asked to approve the report.

35.2 Councillor Farrow thanked officers for the report. He said it was good but felt that it could be better, and suggested that in future the process of designing and consulting on the content and layout be started earlier. The Chair agreed.

35.3 Councillor Mears noted that some of the information had been removed from earlier versions, and that this one was too simplified. The final page of the report had a summary of the Income and Expenditure, which showed how each £10 received had been spent. Councillor Mears felt the diagram, which showed the amount in percentages, was unnecessary and a simple list would suffice. Officers said that focus groups been consulted and they had been happy with way the information had been provided.

35.4 Councillor Peltzer Dunn referred to the page relating to Income and Expenditure information, and also had some concern over the diagram showing the percentage of each £10 spent, and suggested it be removed. That page also showed the total income and expenditure, but without any further information it looked as if a profit of around £2m was being made and suggested that a brief note be added explaining where the balance went.

35.5 The Chair said it was difficult to provide information in a manner which everyone found appropriate, and noted that the focus groups had been happy with the ‘final’ version. The Chair accepted the comments of Councillors Peltzer Dunn and Mears, and asked if the percentage element could be removed from the diagram on Income and Expenditure. Officers agreed to do that, and said that a short explanation on the difference between the level of income and expenditure would be added.

35.6 Councillor Powell asked if the Annual Report had been assessed to ensure the colours used complied with the advice of the RNIB. It was confirmed that officers had checked the colour contrasts in the document.

35.7 RESOLVED

That Housing Committee, subject to the changes noted in paragraph 35.5, approved that the annual report to council tenants and leaseholders 2012 at Appendix 1 of the report, for publication and distribution to all council tenants and leaseholders in December 2012.