Agenda item - Residents Question Time

Responses to items raised at the Tenant Only Meeting held on 23 October 2018 (copy attached as ‘blue pages’).

1)         Maintenance and protection of green areas

·                Residents raised concern over the council not applying for Tree Protection Orders (TPOS) on their own land and that in specific case an arboculturalist’s decision could be overruled by the council.

·                The Chair responded that from a planning perspective of the council it was very rare for a tree to be cut down for development however when it was a replacement like-for-like tree would have to be planted.

·                In response to residents, officers stated that the Housing team worked in partnership with City Parks over the maintenance and protection of green areas.

·                Residents raised concern about a lack of communication by the council between local communities and the tree surgeons regarding the reasons for tree removal on some occasions.

·                The Chair stated that if these situations occurred or if residents had any other emergencies involving a trees to call on 01273 292929 or email arboriculture@brighton-hove.gov.uk.

2)         Estate Development Budget (EDB) underspend

·                In response to residents, officers stated that the environmental improvement budget was allocated from the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and was separate to the EDB.

·                In response to residents’ concerns over the fairness of funding allocation across the city, officers stated that funding was divided on the number of properties in each area and that unspent money returned to the main EDB ‘pot’ for allocation across the city in subsequent years. They added that this enabled all areas to benefit from the underspend.

·                Residents raised concern for the continually declining RA members and that some areas lacked an association entirely. They added that there were areas that needed improvements and it was unfair that other areas of the city tapped in to the west areas unspent funds.

·                Pat Liddell, Resident Involvement Officer, stated that residents did not have to be part of a residents association to bid for EDB projects. She added that she engaged in door knocking and surveys in the area and had helped many places develop useful bids, however often it was that people did not want to participate