Agenda item - Any Other Business

71.1    Hilary Edgar said Leach Court had completed a successful EDB bid for curtains for the communal lounge area and would now like to switch to use the budget for electrical light fittings. She confirmed that it was OK to switch the funding and the Panel voted unanimously in favour of the change. 

71.2   Hilary Edgar provided a handout with future Panel dates for the year.

71.3    Hilary Edgar confirmed that the EDB voting panel date needed to be communicated to all residents.  She confirmed that there would not be any filming of bids, since there was enough money in the budget to cover all the panels.

71.4    The major projects of windows and external decoration for Somerset Point was still ongoing in spite of a long waiting time. Hilary Edgar confirmed that they were still waiting to hear back from Mears on the tender fo r windows and balcony doors and it was confirmed by residents that regarding the fittings, hinges had to be positioned on the outside, since the doors could not open inwards as this would restrict the floorspace.  There was also a worry about the effects of being within a marine climate and Martin Reid confirmed that they would look for hinges that would not rust and were aiming at providing quotes in April.

71.5    A resident Anne Stewart stated that they had been waiting almost 10 weeks in total in order to get a quote on repainting front doors on flats.  They were still waiting now for Dulux to get reassurance on what was required.  It was resolved that it should now be sorted and that Jeff would call Anne shortly on this matter. Mears also confirmed that they would be recycling glass and original windows from these buildings,

71.6.  The Chair confirmed that this was his last Panel as Chair before the elections and that he was keen to see the attendance continue, since the Central panel had not previously been well  attended.  However, since the attendance had increased, the  Central Panel was now the best attended Housing Panel with the  greatest increase in numbers.  The Chair wished everyone Good Luck and Goodbye.  Barry Hughes and Bill Randall both stated that it was important that the Panels were chaired by those councillors who would be attending the Housing Committee.  It puzzled the Panel that these rules were being followed but still not written into the statute.  Hilary Edgar confirmed that she would pass this recommendation on to Democratic Services who would check the Area Panel terms of reference.