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TENANTS AND LEASEHOLDERS PANEL To: Councillors Alison Butler, Sean Fitzsimons, Tony Harris, Patricia Hay-Justice, Michael Neal, Avril Slipper and Sue Winborn A meeting of the TENANTS AND LEASEHOLDERS PANEL will be held on Tuesday 2nd October 2012 at 6:30pm, in THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, The Town Hall, Katharine Street, Croydon CR0 1NX. JULIE BELVIR Council Solicitor & Monitoring Officer, Director of Democratic & Legal Services, Taberner House, Park Lane, Croydon CR9 3JS MARGOT ROHAN Senior Members Services Manager 020 8726 6000 extn.62564 [email protected] www.croydon.gov.uk/agenda 24 September 2012 Note: Refreshments for Panel Members will be available in Room F4 from 6.00pm AGENDA - PART A (REVISED) 1. Welcome and Introductions 2. Disclosure of Interest In accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct and the statutory provisions of the Localism Act, Members and co-opted Members of the Council are reminded that it is a requirement to register disclosable pecuniary interests (DPIs) and gifts and hospitality in excess of £50. In addition, Members and co-opted Members are reminded that unless their disclosable pecuniary interest is registered on the register of interests or is the subject of a pending notification to the Monitoring Officer, they are required to disclose those disclosable pecuniary interests at the meeting. This should be done by completing the Disclosure of Interest form and handing it to the Business Manager at the start of the meeting. The Chairman will then invite Members to make their disclosure orally at the commencement of Agenda item 3. Completed disclosure forms will be provided to the Monitoring Officer for inclusion on the Register of Members’ Interests 3. Apologies for absence 4. Minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 24th July 2012 To approve the minutes as a true and correct record. 5. Matters Arising 6. Welfare Reform Verbal report from Elaine Wadsworth (Head of housing strategy, commissioning and standards) 1
Transcript
Page 1: AGENDA - PART A (REVISED) · Technological changes – more interaction through internet Had focus groups and street surveys to get residents’ views – interesting results Proposed

TENANTS AND LEASEHOLDERS PANEL To: Councillors Alison Butler, Sean Fitzsimons, Tony Harris, Patricia Hay-Justice, Michael Neal, Avril Slipper and Sue Winborn

A meeting of the TENANTS AND LEASEHOLDERS PANEL will be held on Tuesday 2nd October 2012 at 6:30pm, in THE COUNCIL CHAMBER,

The Town Hall, Katharine Street, Croydon CR0 1NX. JULIE BELVIR Council Solicitor & Monitoring Officer, Director of Democratic & Legal Services, Taberner House, Park Lane, Croydon CR9 3JS

MARGOT ROHAN Senior Members Services Manager 020 8726 6000 extn.62564 [email protected] www.croydon.gov.uk/agenda 24 September 2012

Note: Refreshments for Panel Members will be available in Room F4 from 6.00pm

AGENDA - PART A (REVISED)

1. Welcome and Introductions

2. Disclosure of Interest In accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct and the statutory provisions of the Localism Act, Members and co-opted Members of the Council are reminded that it is a requirement to register disclosable pecuniary interests (DPIs) and gifts and hospitality in excess of £50. In addition, Members and co-opted Members are reminded that unless their disclosable pecuniary interest is registered on the register of interests or is the subject of a pending notification to the Monitoring Officer, they are required to disclose those disclosable pecuniary interests at the meeting. This should be done by completing the Disclosure of Interest form and handing it to the Business Manager at the start of the meeting. The Chairman will then invite Members to make their disclosure orally at the commencement of Agenda item 3. Completed disclosure forms will be provided to the Monitoring Officer for inclusion on the Register of Members’ Interests

3. Apologies for absence

4. Minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 24th July 2012 To approve the minutes as a true and correct record.

5. Matters Arising

6. Welfare Reform Verbal report from Elaine Wadsworth (Head of housing strategy, commissioning and standards)

1

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7. Repairs Re-procurement - Progress Report Verbal update from Judy Pevan(Service Manager Stock Investment)

8. STAR survey Verbal update from Chris Stock (Resident Involvement Manager)

9. Tenant Scrutiny Update Verbal update from Tenant Scrutiny Panel members

10. Housing Question Time Events Chris Stock (Resident Involvement Manager) (see report attached)

11. Residents’ Network Verbal update from Chris Stock (Resident Involvement Manager)

12. Feedback a) London Tenants’ Federation – Michael Hewlett b) Mayor’s Housing Forum - Michael Hewlett c) ARCH – Michael Hewlett d) Croydon Voluntary Sector Alliance (CVSA) – Guy Pile-Gray e) Croydon Congress – Marilyn Smithies f) All Ages Inter-generational Conference – Sian Foley g) Resident Involvement Champions – Chris Stock

13. Any Other Business

14. Dates of Future Meetings all in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Croydon at 6.30pm: 6 February 2013 30 April 2013

AGENDA - PART B

None

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TENANTS AND LEASEHOLDERS PANEL

Notes of the meeting held on Tuesday 24 July 2012 in the THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, The Town Hall, Katharine Street, Croydon CR0 1NX

Present: Michael Hewlett (Chair), Syed Ahmed, Marianne Ascott, Mark

Burrell, Ken Coates, Peter Cooper, Chris Crossdale, Bernard Daws, Bob Dean, Sylvia Fletcher, James Fraser, Jim Mansell, Peter Mason, Julian Paine, David Palmer, Guy Pile-Grey, John Piper, Stephen Pollard, Marilyn Smithies, Maureen Symes, Jamil Tarik, Robert Varney, Kim Wakely and Colin Wood.

Councillors: Councillors Alison Butler, Sean Fitzsimons, Tony Harris, Patricia Hay-Justice, Michael Neal, Avril Slipper and Sue Winborn

Observers: Dave Sutherland (Director of Housing Management Services), Tony Brooks (Director of Public Safety), Mark Brown (Head of Landlord Services, North), Peter Brown (Director of Housing Needs and Strategy), Sian Foley (Head of Safe & Sustainable Communities), Chris Stock (Resident Involvement Manager), Ian Svennevig (Resident Involvement Officer), Elaine Wadsworth (Head of Housing Strategy, Commissioning & Standards); Housing Scrutiny Panel: Ruth Alladice, Carol Bennet, Riki Clarke, Sheryl Read; Note taker: Margot Rohan (Senior Members’ Services Manager)

Disclosure of Interest None. Welcome and Introductions Michael Hewlett, Vice-Chair, welcomed all to the meeting. Apologies for Absence Apologies were received from Cllr Avril Slipper, Hilary Newmark, Laurence Taylor and Eric Webb. Minutes of the meeting held on Monday 2nd April 2012 The Notes of the meeting held on Monday 2 April 2012 were agreed as a true record of the proceedings. Matters Arising There were none.

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Elections Chris Stock took over to request nominations. He explained that the Chair needs to be available for agenda setting meetings etc with Chris Stock. Members of Tenant Scrutiny Panel (TSP) have to stand down if they become Chair. Nominations for Chair: John Piper, Marilyn Smithies and Michael Hewlett. Each candidate explained why they felt suitable to be elected Chair. Secret ballot results were: John Piper 3 Marilyn Smithies 9 Michael Hewlett 12 Dave Sutherland welcomed Michael Hewlett, the previous Vice-Chair, and offered congratulations. Nominations for Vice-Chair: Marilyn Smithies, Marianne Ascott and John Piper. Secret ballot results were: Marilyn Smithies 17 Marianne Ascott 1 John Piper 7 Marilyn asked if she had to stand down from the TSP as Vice-Chair. Chris Stock agreed she should. Croydon Congress Rep: There being no other nominations, Marilyn Smithies was duly re-elected. Nominations for Croydon Voluntary Sector Alliance Rep: Marianne Ascott, Guy Pile-Grey – both were elected. Nominations for London Tenant Federation Reps: Michael Hewlett, Ken Coates and Stephen Pollard. Secret ballot results were: Michael Hewlett 18 Ken Coates 15 Stephen Pollard 12 Michael Hewlett and Ken Coates were duly elected. ARCH Rep: There being no other nominations, Michael Hewlett was duly re-elected. Tony Brooks attended to give an update on issues from the previous meeting, regarding bringing together Neighbourhood Wardens and Streetscene officers:

● 22 Area enforcement officers for North, South and Central ● More NEOs than Streetscene migrated due to the age profile ● Retained infrastructure and vehicles ● Encouraging people to report more issues ● Need a couple more street based officers to manage areas of the borough

which are causing concern ● More ability to enforce – new powers ● Mobile dog patrol – reduced but still 24/7 coverage ● CCTV system and Environmental Response Team remain ● Better joined-up services across the public realm ● More effective response to issues

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Issues raised:

● Despite complaints, doors with entry phones are left open and dog fouling is spoiling the community

● Truscott House – every day a couple with a dog take a short cut across the tenants’ grassed area and the dog fouls there.

Tony Brooks: If you give us the details, we will follow up and put a stop to this. Dave Sutherland: We can deal with dog fouling. We have enforcement powers now and can issue Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs).

● Recycling – will you be fining people who do not recycle? What about cardboard, metal etc – you do not seem to be recycling these?

Tony Brooks: If people have the opportunity to recycle and refuse to do so, as a last resort we will fine them. Mark Brown: The bulk refuse team come under housing services and they do recycle – tyres and white goods.

● After estate inspection on Fieldway, there was a car which had been there for 6 months and nothing had been done. We contacted Maggie (Area Enforcement Officer) and it was shifted immediately – thank you.

● Truscott House – bins get too full and tenants have to tie bags on the side ● The bins smell awful – they need cleaning. Who cleans out the food bins as

they could cause spread of germs? Tony Brooks: The food bins are emptied weekly. We can recommend a deodorant. The council does not clean any bins.

● Bins are not put back properly and doors swing back and get broken. Tony Brooks: Contractors should put them back – we will take this up.

● Can we give feedback for the consultation on recycling? Tony Brooks: There is a questionnaire on the website: www.croydon.gov.uk/democracy/consultations/compulsoryrecyclingconsultation The following issues were followed up after the meeting:

● Can residents have additional recycling boxes and is there a charge? No charge for additional recycling boxes. A maximum of 5 are allowed per property and 2 external food waste containers. Additional boxes can be ordered through the contact centre.

● Food waste – bins smelling, particularly in hot weather ● Whose responsibility is it to clean food waste bins?

There is no planned cleaning regime for the communal food waste containers as there is no budget for this. This is similar to the dry recycling where the Council contractors do not clean the containers. Unfortunately there is nothing that really can be done to counteract the smell. As long as residents use the liners and Veolia empty weekly then smells should be kept to a minimum.

● Palladin bin container areas on housing estates - doors are left open and become damaged.

Veolia have been advised to return the bins to the bin cupboards and close the doors. However there are a few local arrangements with caretakers to leave the bins outside the cupboards so that they can cleanse the cupboard and then put the bins back.

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Resident Involvement Framework Chris Stock (Resident Involvement Manager) summarised the report:

● Croydon has good reputation for involving residents ● Number of people getting involved decreasing, quite dramatically in some

cases ● Regulatory requirements – replacing Audit Commission – asking council to

co-scrutinise with tenants. ● Budgets much reduced – have to ensure value for money ● Scrutiny not easy – takes a lot of training and skills – provided by council ● Technological changes – more interaction through internet ● Had focus groups and street surveys to get residents’ views – interesting

results ● Proposed changes – retain things that work well, induce new ways of

working and get new people involved ● CHPs – some have very low attendances – 3 options:

○ Disband panel ○ Make panel self-servicing (reduce council support) ○ Merge panels

● Question Time roadshows – panel of officers, with people invited to ask

questions, resulting in an action plan following the meeting – piloting in autumn (evenings)

● Themed open events ● To develop online forum to discuss issues and allow communication directly

with officers ● Young people involved in All-Ages group – will work with them to get more

young people involved in scrutiny ● Publicity – to develop communications strategy with residents ● Online Newsletter – first one out in August – everyone can register ● Specialist groups require greater commitment, skills and experience –

competency requirements for some of groups ● Some measures to start immediately – by this time next year, everything

should be in place Issues raised:

● Residents’ Associations to take more responsibility for servicing meetings with less support from council. This sounds like what happened with Neighbourhood Partnerships.

Chris Stock: Residents can invite officers directly. Resident Involvement Team will attend.

● On other panels, the Chair steps down after a year so someone new is always elected.

Chris Stock: We will review the constitution and will agree new proposals before next election. We will put it to each CHP and discuss issues.

● Cannot see anything wrong with election. Liz Reeves was returned as Chair for a number of years because she had the confidence of the panel members.

● CHP in Norbury – last meeting there were 14 residents – meeting at 10am so those with jobs unlikely to attend. What is minimum number expected?

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Chris Stock: About 10. Attendance in evenings was even less, so we moved to morning meetings. Need to look at fresh ways of doing things.

● Shrublands – fearful about roadshows – will they happen and what will come from them?

Chris Stock: Definitely happening in autumn. We will see how they go and see how to promote them. Welfare reform Elaine Wadsworth (Head of housing strategy, commissioning and standards gave a verbal report:

● Number of changes affecting council housing and benefits – big issue ● Council consulting on changes to council tax benefits ● Will come back to get views on how to promote changes ● How can we support tenants and prepare them for changes? ● Changes coming in over long period starting April 2013 ● Update on Tenancy Strategy:

○ Tenants conference in May – all authorities have to produce a strategy○ Law changing ○ In future will be able to give short term tenancies ○ Asked questions at conference ○ Feedback:

■ How long should short term tenancies be? Some concerns: ■ Might affect stability of community ■ In 5 years a lot of things can change ■ 2 years – too short? ■ Possibility to give some people with problems a chance

○ Cannot have different policies in different boroughs – national policy ○ Consultation continues – online – until 5 September - see website:

www.croydon.gov.uk/news/pressreleases/ctaxsupportproposal

Comment: Housing associations are not the best of landlords – have substandard properties which they are letting to people who cannot afford to pay for better. Tenant Scrutiny Update Tenant Scrutiny Panel members gave a verbal report – Sheryl Read:

● 11 members (10 now Marilyn Smithies has had to resign) ● In-depth training over last few months ● 2-day induction programme – quite involved ● 1-day induction to Croydon Housing Services – saw how call centre works in

afternoon ● Some panel members felt uncomfortable about chairing – session about it ● Full day’s training about central skills – project management, presentation

skills, assertiveness etc. ● Training with Housemark (benchmarking) – see website:

www.housemark.co.uk

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● Decided to use Croydon Council Resident Involvement Conference to raise awareness of existence of Scrutiny Panel

● Call centre came out as a big topic ● Next meeting – decided to look at contact centre ● 5 July – planning day – looked at lines of enquiry, what techniques to use

and what roles for different people ● 1 August – mystery shopping

The Tenant Scrutiny Panel was congratulated on their good work. Croydon Landlord Services Update Dave Sutherland (Managing Director Croydon Landlord Services) gave a verbal update, with Mark Brown (Head of Landlord Services, North) on the warden services:

● Neighbourhood Warden services – busy year ● Enforcement and volunteer warden scheme ● New uniform, new powers – service relaunched ● Powers to issue FPNs for dog fouling, littering etc ● Enforcement – aim to change behaviour ● June – started issuing FPNs – issued 8 so far – will take legal action against

those who do not pay ● Leaflets, notices, posters up all over estates showing offences which can

result in issuance of an FPN ● Shadowed staff in Southwark ● Volunteer warden scheme – advertising campaign: in Open House, posters

etc ○ Good response – slow to start ○ 40 interested – some interviewed and some ready to start – CRB’d ○ Starting in August/early September – same role as wardens but

without enforcement powers ● More professional

Dave Sutherland explained restructure (structure chart attached – Appendix 1):

● 24 Sep – moving to new structure ● Lot of services the same ● Instead of 3 district offices – all tenancy teams and neighbourhood services

team together under one manager (to be appointed) ● Working in more centralised way with more technology – hand held

computers out in the field etc ● Range of advantages – better co-ordinated, more joined-up services ● More control under one manager ● Faster responses ● Income – together under one head of service ● Lettings teams together ● Will not feel a lot different – reception at Strand House and at ???? ● Office accommodation – located in Tab Hse and Davis Hse ● Next year Jun/Jul will all be based on one floor in BWH ● Communication – done to north, about to do to East ● Sep – something in Open House ● Write to every household?? Ask TLP views

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● Everything will continue to go through contact centre The following issues were raised:

● Our caretaker washes and cleans the bins – is it the same all over the borough?

Mark Brown: It is part of the caretaker’s role – to visit once or twice a week.

● Bins heavy – difficult to move back. Mark Brown: Speak to your caretaker – his role is to check the contractors have done the job properly.

● Current structure with individual managers – how will that change? Will there still be individuals for each area?

Dave Sutherland: We will keep area managers – but instead of working remotely, they will work together. Structure still the same.

● Originally I had reservations – we are so used to the East District office. When we did resident inspection, I was shocked at the difference in working practices in the different areas.

● Improving services but a couple of residents asked me to point out that caretaking services are going down hill.

Mark Brown: Your caretaker is off sick at the moment – it is only temporary.

● All round bin chambers it is smelling, with dirty glass bottles; stairs not swept, cobwebs round lights.

Mark Brown: We will make arrangements to go round and investigate.

● Truscott House - most residents are elderly. If evening meetings, they would be nervous about coming out on the bus as it gets dark quite early.

Chris Stock: If we have meetings in the evening and anyone feels vulnerable, we will provide a taxi – you just need to ask.

● Access is an issue – doors are left open. Children must be told to desist. Dave Sutherland: Entry phone systems are only as good as those who use them. If a particular household is causing problems, we need to go and see them. Feedback London Tenants’ Federation (LTF) – Michael Hewlett gave feedback from latest meeting:

● AGM 12 June ● Proposed and agreed they form a limited company by guarantee ● Then they can then seek funds elsewhere ● Currently funded by London Councils – but funding likely to dry up or be

significantly reduced Mayor’s Housing Forum – Michael Hewlett:

● 29 June – forum introduced to new structures ● Presentations about what they wanted to achieve ● Panel members do not get enough time to look at their individual interests –

currently just information meetings

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ARCH – Michael Hewlett:

● 23 July AGM – quite successful – over 60 members represented over 500,000 tenants

● Ministers and the DCLG are now listening to what ARCH wants for tenants ● Annual ARCH tenants’ conference – extensive agenda and workshops ● Each member authority can send 5 members – it will be a 2hr journey to the

conference centre at Kettering Croydon Voluntary Sector Alliance:

● There was no report Croydon Congress – Marilyn Smithies:

● The third meeting of Croydon Congress was held on 29th May at Croydon College and lasted 4 hours.

● The theme for the meeting was “Tackling Social Disadvantage & Creating Economic Opportunities.

● The meeting began with a welcome by Councillor Mike Fisher, Chair of Croydon’s Local Strategic Partnership and Leader of the Council.

● Keynote speakers were: ○ Anne Power, Professor of Social Policy and Head of Housing and

Communities, London School of Economics, who shared her vast research experience around social disadvantage.

○ Tony Wilson, Director of Policy & Research, Centre for Economic & Social Inclusion. who spoke on the economic & employment issues in the national context.

○ Nero Ughwujabo, Chief Executive Croydon BME Forum and Jon Rouse, Chief Executive of Croydon Council, who addressed tackling social disadvantage and creating economic opportunities in the local context.

● There were then facilitated table discussions looking at different aspects of social recovery, followed by Panel questions and answers facilitated by Toni Letts, Vice Chair NHS Croydon.

● 13 page document received today outlining how the feedback from this meeting will be implemented.

● There has been much discussion over the three meetings. It is now time for action.

All Ages Inter-generational Conference – Sian Foley:

● Magazine project – successful – 24 pages – interviewed celebrities, young people and adults

● Family fun days on 5 estates ● Looking at adding New Addington next time ● Running programme for adults and young people to get fit ● Working with CVA for everyone on Steering Group to gain certificate – share

skills and knowledge with new members ● Expanding group ● 2nd All Ages Conference – working with 12 housing associations developing

a youth conference – want to avoid clash with their conference ● Will be looking at other areas, such as Waddo

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Resident Involvement Champions – Chris Stock:

● Developed Tenant Scrutiny Network across London ● 1st meeting last week ● Opportunity to meet other officers across London

Any Other Business

● Leaseholder Panel member - last 2 meetings cancelled and very poor attendance at previous meetings – not sure who is representing leaseholders. The panel is virtually defunct.

Chris Stock: It is unfortunate there is not much interest from leaseholders in the last year – perhaps we are getting things right, so they have no complaints! But we need to hear their voices. Shortly to do survey asking questions about what sort of involvement leaseholders want.

● Sheltered Housing Panel – new constitution but nothing yet brought forward. Chris Stock: This is part of Resident Involvement Group strategy to open up panels to more people. Dates of Future Meetings All in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Croydon at 6.30pm:

● Tuesday 2 October 2012 ● Wednesday 6 February 2013 ● Tuesday 30 April 2013

There being no further business the meeting closed at 8.37pm.

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TENANTS’ AND LEASEHOLDERS’ PANEL 2 October 2012

Lead Officer: Executive director of adult services, health and housing Wards: All Agenda Item: 10

Subject: - Piloting Housing Question Time Sessions 1. RECOMMENDATIONS 1.1 The Panel is asked to comment on a proposal to deliver two pilot question

time sessions and, if these are successful, role these out across the borough in the New Year.

2. SUMMARY

2.1 This report provides details of how two pilot question time sessions focusing

on housing issues which will be formatted. 3. BACKGROUND 3.1 This Panel received a report in July 2012 setting out revisions to the resident

involvement framework. One of the proposals was to pilot the introduction of housing question time events run along similar lines to the successful Council Question Time events attended by the Chief Executive and leading councillors.

3.2 The purpose of question times is to provide an alternative method for

residents to engage with the decision makers in the housing service. Such a format may prove more attractive to range of residents who fail to engage in our existing framework.

3.3 The details below have been developed together with the Resident

Involvement Group. 4. THE DETAIL 4.1 General Format

The key element of these events is the use of a panel of senior officers and a leading councillor, to provide responses to open questions from the audience.

It is proposed that the panel would normally be made up of: • Dave Sutherland, managing director of Croydon landlord services • Peter Brown, director of housing needs and strategy, • Councillor Dudley Mead or Michael Neal

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and other relevant directors / senior managers would be invited to respond to particular issues where relevant.

4.2 Another key element is the absence of a formal agenda – the events will

comprise of 2 sections: the surgery and the question time session itself. One of the events for the pilot of this initiative would take place in a central Croydon location such as the Town Hall and the other in an accessible location on one of the larger estates. Longheath Gardens has been chosen.

4.3 For the purpose of the pilot, one would be held in the evening and the other

during the afternoon. Should it be agreed to proceed with this type of event over the longer term, it is suggested that the team would arrange 4 or 5 events per year, in different locations, as far as practicable.

4.4 The events would open at 2pm or 7pm with an informal, surgery type

opportunity for residents wishing to report personal issues or discuss matters that would not be appropriate for an open forum. For this service, managers from the key service areas, or possibly customer services staff, would attend and sit at marked tables (with the officers name and the service area) where residents could also sit and report their issues. Tea, coffee, cold soft drinks and biscuits would be available for attendees.

4.5 The formal part of the event will be the question time session which would

begin at 2.30pm or 7.30pm and last for 90 minutes. This part of the event would be chaired by a resident. The individual must be able to control a public meeting and ensure order in a firm but polite manner. In particular they must be prepared to keep the session on track and ask people to remain brief etc. The Chair must also make it clear that the meeting should not become politically motivated and will make reference to the rules for meetings and cover housekeeping etc. prior to opening the session.

4.6 Residents will be able to submit questions in advance. This will provide an

opportunity for officers to research answers in advance of the evening. If time permits questions will be taken form the open audience. If panel members are unable to answer these questions responses will be sent to the questioner within 7 working days. If there is not sufficient time for all questions to be asked question cards will be available. These will be collected at the end of the event and responded to within 7 working days.

4.7. What could be discussed in the open session?

Since these events are run and operated by the council’s housing service, it will be made clear on any publicity or promotional work that the sessions are available for people to ask questions related to all areas of that service. This would include Housing management – tenancy, neighbourhood services, income etc. Needs and resources – allocations, adaptations to council homes etc.

Residents in attendance will be invited to ask questions and members of the panel will provide response(s) as they see fit.

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4.8 Attendees will have three opportunities to put questions which they can use to suit their own needs.

• Writing a question in advance of the session – this may suit those who do not feel confident at speaking publicly.

• Raising a direct question during the session. • Using a pro forma to ask questions or raise an issue in written form

after the meeting. 4.9 Publicity

A name must be agreed for these sessions. As requested by the Resident Involvement Group, unlike the Council question time events, these sessions will not be led by councilors. Tenants have stressed that they wish senior officers to make up the majority of the membership of the panel together with either the cabinet member for housing or their deputy.

4.10 In the circumstances we can not call the events housing question times as

they could easily be confused with the general council question time events. The following suggestions have been made and the panel is asked to comment on these:

• A Question of Housing • Your Housing, Your Questions • Your Housing, Any Questions? • Your Housing Questions

4.11 It is important that the name reflects the purpose and audience for the

sessions. The name and any advertising must make it very clear that this is a question time style event for Croydon council tenants and leaseholders and any other residents affected by the councils housing service or provision.

4.12 Two weeks before each event, officers from the resident involvement team

will go to the relevant areas to distribute leaflets advertising the event and find out peoples views and issues. This will provide useful information about the current issues in the local areas which can then be passed on to give the panel members an idea of the questions they are likely to be asked.

4.13 It is also expected that details of the events will be promoted via the web

pages, emails and free local press. Such advertising will promote both the current and next planned meetings.

4.14 Access to these events will not be restricted by where people live, although

discussions will focus on common issues as dictated by the people who attend. Thus an event held in Shrublands will inevitably focus on issues from that area. However any resident from a Croydon estate or property is welcome to attend an event, regardless of the venue. This will enable residents who may be unavailable for the meeting in their own area to attend and raise questions at a meeting on a more convenient date.

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4.15 Monitoring and follow up

Simple feedback forms will be developed and all attendees will be asked to complete forms before leaving in order to monitor satisfaction with the events.

4.16 Minutes will not be kept but an action record will be maintained for each event

and this will be published on the website and sent to all those who registered for that particular event. This will simply show the question / issue, what was agreed as an outcome or answer and who is responsible for completing the action where relevant. Officers from the resident involvement team will monitor and chase actions.

4.17 Residents will be able to register for an event in advance but will be able to

show up on the day if they have not registered in advance. They will be asked for their details which will be recorded in order to keep them informed and will also enable the team to build up a database of residents who are interested in attending sessions.

4.18 Information on outcomes or updates on actions / issues raised will be made

available on the website and sent to those who have registered and those who are on email.

4.19 Other ideas and developments

With the shift away from formal meetings and peoples’ increased interest in social networking it is possible that some questions may be submitted in advance, via Twitter or on Facebook. Such questions could be aired during The meeting and notes of the response sent back to the individual.

4.20 The resident involvement team will speak to colleagues in other areas to

consider the value of making some form of ‘question time’ opportunity available to young people. The expectation is that the events would be run in much the same way but perhaps focus on a different set of service areas.

5. THE PILOTS 5.1 It has been agreed that the first pilot will take place at Longheath Gardens on

Wednesday 7 November 2012 at 7pm followed by the second at the Town Hall on Tuesday 27 November at 2pm. These meetings will be chaired by Marilyn Smithies and Michael Hewlett respectively.

__________________________________________________________________ Report Author: Chris Stock, Resident Involvement & Scrutiny Manager, Ext. 62864 Contact Person: As above


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