Agenda item - Residents Question Time

Responses to items raised at recent Tenant Only Meetings (copy attached as ‘blue pages’).

33.1    (Item 1 – Window Replacements Programme for Woodingdean)

 

33.2    Residents stated the following enquiries and views:

 

·         Communications issues between BHCC and residents with regards to wait and response times still negative

·         There is a lack of clarity on where works are going to begin

·         Residents noted their anxiety due to priority frequently given to high-rises.

 

33.3    Officers gave the following responses in response to residents’ concerns:

 

·         The effort to update and correct issues regarding response times is an ongoing effort

·         Jeff Tourmentin will be requested to call and help regarding this issue.

·         The Chair, Councillor Mary Mears, stated the response in the blue pages were untrue and misleading/factually incorrect, she furthered stated that she felt this was setting tenant reps up for failure with relevant associations.  The Chair also noted that for the last 10 years, the replacement of windows in Woodingdean has been a mitigating issue. Finally the Chair requested an accurate response in future.        

 

33.5    (Item 2 – Trades buttons and resident involvement)

 

33.6    Residents stated the following concerns and enquiries:

 

·         Noted there was a difficulty for elderly residents

·         Highlighted issues regarding business promoters who disrupt people’s lives within the estate by buzzing every resident’s front door

·         Residents cantered their queries by recognising the difficulty of meeting every neighbour within the estate

 

33.7    Officers stated the following by way of response:

 

·         Acknowledged it is difficult to find a solution to fit everyone

·         Will refer to Rachel Metcalf to send an Officer to meet with Chris El-Shabba to discuss issues further with scope to find a solution

·         Agreed to find out if emergency services have been made aware of keys to allow entrance, it was suggested the key fobs can be issued to help promote community aspect and cohesiveness.

·         Cllr Steven Bell suggested risk assessments should be taken in regards to BHCC’s responsibility to residents

·         The Chair stated this needs to be monitored

 

33.8    (Item 3 – Council attendance at residents association meetings)

 

33.9    Residents stated the following concerns and enquiries:

 

·         Did not accept the Officer’s position and stated the ongoing issue regarding lack of communication between new and substitute RIO’s at meetings, noting that in some cases RIO’s had not attended meetings

·         Restatement that lack of communication was an issue

·         Stated although the AGM had attended a previous meeting, residents had yet to receive a response

·         Cllr Bell agreed and furthered that there was an ongoing issue related to departments not taking responsibility and passing issues on to each other

 

33.10  Officer responded to resident’s concerns with the following:

 

·         Officers have written to the association and apologised

·         Will look into the AGM taking notes and search for a response

·         Officers stated that, in some circumstances, BHCC cannot always find a RIO at such short notice

·         Encouraged residents to state main concerns for the year so that BHCC can further focus on these as a matter of importance

·         Chair stressed the importance of the AGM at meetings and was aware of a case where the AGM did not attend a meeting they were meant to. She stated that she was unhappy with the lack of clarity of response in the blue pages and suggested a system of communication lines should already have been set up and urged a more coherent process in the future.

 

33.11  (Item 4 – New Housing Management Teams)

 

33.12  Residents stated the following concerns and enquiries:

 

·         Lack of notification of important information, an issue regarding EDB bid information hard to find online was given by way of example

 

33.13  Officers responded to resident’s concerns with the following:

 

·         Stated that in a previous case the issue was that the dates were constantly changing which was exacerbating the problem around communication

·         Agreed to check that information is definitely being sent to the Resident Representatives

·         The Chair stated that they also do not receive the updates, she further asserted that not everyone spends their time in front of a PC and that this should not be forgotten.

 

 

33.14  (Item 5 – Estate Development Budget 2016/17)

 

33.15  Residents stated the following concerns and enquiries:

 

·         Stated confusion in regards previous declarations that work should be completed however now being quoted with an extra £12,000. Residents requested greater clarity  and sought a more comprehensive explanation for issues regarding payments to Woodingdean

 

33.16  Officers responded to residents’ concerns with the following:

 

·         Mears Co to take details and submit them to the branch to finalise this issue.

·         Ododo Dafe stated she will go back to formulate a response

·         The Chair expressed concerns regarding the excess quote of £12,000 and enquired how this came about given that a survey had been conducted

 

33.17  RESOLVED - That the investigation be kept ongoing by way of further meetings

 

33.18  (Item 6 – Estate Development Budget 2017/18)

 

33.19  Residents stated the following concerns and enquiries:

 

·         Requested a map and further information to help recognise the difference between private and Council land

·         Noted frustration amongst residents in past cases where private land owners have rejected bids by way of outnumbering local residents 5 / 7

 

33.20  Officers responded to resident’s concerns with the following:

 

·         EDB budget was reduced previously and reserves were used to top it up

·         Agreed to provide a map indicating the difference between private and Council land

·         Glyn Huelin stated that maps can be sourced and provided

·         Re-affirmed that any issues residents have regarding the Estate Development Budget can be sent to the Resident Involvement Officer

·         The Chair stated figures were changed at Budget Council and requested that these be checked to confirm the figures were correct as of Feb 2017.

·         Cllr Bell stated that maps provided should also take in to account information regarding highways in the area

 

33.21  RESOLVED – that Officers are to check figures are in line with Budget Council figures correct as of February 2017.

 

33.22  (3 Star Items – West Ward)

 

33.23  (Item 1 – Increase in fly-tipping)

 

33.24  Residents confirmed they had witnessed this occurring all across the City.

 

33.25  RESOLVED – that the response was satisfactory

 

33.26  (Item 2 – Storage of mobility scooters)

 

33.28  Residents stated the following concerns and enquiries:

 

·          Current price of mobility scooter use is payable

·          Enquired if a City Car model for scooters was possible

 

33.29  Officers responded to residents’ concerns with the following:

 

·         Stated that in some estates there is room for new builds

·         Point is made in policy, that it is down to where scooters are based

·         Stressed the consideration of safety in regards to a statutory safety obligation

·         It is a planning requirement to provide bicycle storage

 

33.30  RESOLVED – That the report is satisfactory

 

33.31  (Item 3 – Proposed change to EDB regulations)

 

33.32 Residents stated the following concerns and enquiries:

 

·         Some groups were putting a large amount of bids for things that could have been raised independently

 

33.33  RESOLVED – that the report is satisfactory.

 

33.34  (Item 4 – Payback Team)

 

33.35  RESOLVED – that the report is satisfactory.

 

33.36  (Item 5 – Estate Inspections)

 

33.37  Residents stated the following concerns and enquiries:

 

·         The scope of the inspections could be widened to include current issues residents have

·         Stated that that many properties are failing the standard despite inspections

 

33.38  Officers responded to resident’s concerns with the following:

 

·         Building and outside areas are to maintain the property to a certain standard

·         If individuals are having any problems there are specific departments available to help

·         There is an ongoing program with tenants where residents are visited once every 5 years

·         If there are any specific concerns, residents can contact the relevant team and a welfare visit will take place

·         The Chair stated that this issue had been raised last June and agreed with the resident’s concern.

 

33.39  RESOLVED – That the report is satisfactory

 

33.40  (Item 6 – Balconies at Ingram Court)

 

33.41  RESPONSE NOT READY