Agenda and minutes

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interest they may have in any matter which is to be considered at this meeting.

None.

Agreed.

Received a report detailing the proposed Barking and Dagenham Housing Strategy 2007 - 2010 which represented the Council’s ambitions for housing, assessed needs, highlighted the key issues, determined priorities and outlined the broad direction of travel for housing in the Borough.

Agreed, in order to assist the Council achieve its Community Priorities of ‘Improving Health, Housing and Social Care’ and ‘Making Barking and Dagenham Cleaner, Greener and Safer’, to recommend to the Assembly that the Barking and Dagenham Housing Strategy 2007 – 2010 be adopted.

Received a report detailing the Council’s proposed Gender Equality Scheme(GES), and setting out the legislative requirements of the Council and the actions taken to meet them.

Members noted that the process had enabled the identification of priorities for women, men and transgendered people, which helped to shape the gender equality objectives of the Council.

Agreed, in order to meet its legal requirements, signal its commitment to the principle of gender equality and put in place plans to greatly improve access to goods and services for women, men and transgender people, to:

1.  Adopt the Gender Equality Scheme and Action Plan; and

2.  Consider an annual report reviewing the implementation of the Scheme and proposing amendments to the Scheme and Action Plan prior to the submission of a revised Scheme be submitted to the Executive in February 2010.

Received a report concerning changes to the bulky waste collection service.

Members noted that the new collection service that would allow customers to have the option to pay for a fast track service that would remove their waste in 3 working days rather than five weeks. Charges were also proposed for the 15% of visits made where residents had forgotten to present their waste for collection and another collection was needed.

Agreed, in order to improve choice for customers and improve the cleanliness of streets, to:

1.  The revised fee structure and service standards for the Bulky Waste Collection service as detailed in the report; and

2.  A review of the impact of the new charging structure as part of a wider review of the service.

Considered a report of the Adult Education Scrutiny Panel’s review of Adult Education for those residents aged 60+.

The origin of the panel’s review stemed from the receipt of a number of letters of complaint to The Adult College of Barking & Dagenham arising as a result of the College’s decision to remove the age-related fees concession for residents aged 60+.

Agreed to endorse the findings of the 60+ Scrutiny Panel and recommend the proposals to the Assembly.

Received a report proposing a range of options for the future provision of residential care for older people and the home care service, and summarising the process and outcome of a comprehensive consultation on the implications of the decisions.

Agreed, in order to deliver the required efficiencies and meet the needs of vulnerable older people in the Borough, to:

1.  Support the closure of Brockelbank and Mayesbrook.

2.  Support the refurbishment of Lakerise to provide a specialist Dementia care home and maximise the opportunities at the adjacent Sheltered Housing Unit to extend dementia services.

3.  The restructure of the Home Care service to provide better services for local residents, but delay the phased staffing reductions for nine months whilst discussions continue with trades unions on cost reductions and the finalization of a new agreement.  In the event that such cost reductions do not enable the service to be delivered within its budget then Option 3 will be implemented by the Corporate Director of Adult & Community Services with effect from January 2008.

(Option 3 as summarised in the report is that: “the service will be restructured with a directly provided ‘intake’ personal care service, together with a specialist dementia team. Initially the Council will continue to provide a long term service in-house, reducing over a period of time with the balance of hours being commissioned form the independent sector.”)

Further to Minute 151 (20 February 2007), received a report concerning The Housing Corporation’s recent announcement that it is to extend its current schedule of development partners who will then be eligible for direct grant for the provision of new affordable homes.  This would include Registered Social Landlords, private developers and potentially new asset backed delivery vehicles, such as the Council’s proposed Barking Riverside Local Housing Company.

The timetable for making a written submission to the Housing Corporation for Partnership Status was very tight and needed to be with the Housing Corporation by 17 May 2007.

Whilst this timetable presented difficulties, securing partnership status for the Barking Riverside Local Housing Company would be of great benefit to the Council and community in terms of providing affordable homes by way of securing grant or direct equity investment from the Housing Corporation that would not be available to the Council alone.

Agreed, in order to assist the Council achieve its Community Priority of Improving Health, Housing and Social Care, that a submission be made to the Housing Corporation for Partnership Status for the Barking Riverside Local Housing Company.

* Item considered as a matter of urgency with the consent of the Chair under Section 100B (4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.