Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Rackham.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 21 June 2023 as a correct record.

RESOLVED:

The minutes of the meeting held on 21 June 2023 were confirmed as a correct record.

To note any declarations of interest made by members in connection with an agenda item. The nature of the interest must also be specified.

Members are asked to discuss any possible interests with Democratic Services prior to the meeting.

There were no Declarations of Interest.

To receive any public participation in accordance with the Council’s public participation scheme.

There were no issues raised in the public participation period.

To receive an annual report providing an update on the contracts for the Health and Leisure centres and Dibden Golf Course.

The Panel received two presentations providing an annual update on the contracts for the Health and Leisure Centres (Freedom Leisure) and Dibden Golf Course (Mytime Active).  The presentations had been published with the agenda for the meeting.

Freedom Leisure

Representatives from Freedom Leisure, Chris Deadman - Head of Operations and Peter Cheeseman – Area Manager for the New Forest attended the meeting and addressed the Panel, the following was noted:

·        Freedom Leisure was in its second year of partnership with the District Council;

·        Strategic objectives and purpose; this included increasing participation levels and supporting “Active Communities”;

·        Fitness memberships for 2022/23 had increased with over 6,000 members;

·        The learn to swim memberships had increased from under 3,000 in July 2021 to 4,800, which was very positive news.  This was the highest level of swimming lessons the New Forest leisure centres had ever seen;

·        Capital projects had been completed in Applemore, Ringwood and Totton.  The total capital expenditure was close to £3m in the first two years of the contract;

·        The Healthy communities work was outlined.  This targeted hard to reach groups and people were referred through the GP referral scheme.  There had been 12,500 referrals.  Classes included Chair Yoga, Health Circuits, etc.  Freedom Leisure was currently working with 400 people from over 30 GP surgeries in the New Forest;

·        The impact of utility costs, this was £800k more than had been budgeted for.  Freedom Leisure had worked to reduce usage of year on year units by 1.1m units for gas and 185k units for electricity which was positive and therefore reducing the impact to some extent;

·        Financial performance.   A loss of £1.5 m was noted over two financial years.  A significant impact for this loss was due to the increase in the cost of utilities, which had not been forecast.  Another factor was the delay to capital projects in terms of start and finish times and therefore there had been a loss in budgeted income from these projects; and

·        The key objectives for 2023/24 were noted.  There was confidence that there would be a more positive direction of travel for future years.  Gym refurbishments were planned for Totton, Applemore and New Milton leisure centres for completion by the end of the calendar year.

In response to a member question about the £1.5m deficit, it was clarified that the loss was to Freedom Leisure and that it would sit on the audited accounts.

A member of the Panel asked how Freedom Leisure could make improvements.  It was noted that there had been a delay to the timing of the capital projects due to procurement matters, which had affected revenue, and therefore lessons had been learnt for future projects.

The work of Healthy Communities was recognised and a member questioned whether Freedom Leisure could work outside of the District Council area in order to generate more income.  It was recognised that Freedom Leisure had been contracted by the District Council and there was a responsibility to residents in the District  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.

To consider the Food and Safety Service Plan.

The Panel considered the Food Safety Service work plan. 

The Panel noted that this was a statutory document produced on an annual basis.  A risk based approach was taken to food hygiene inspections in line with the Food Standards Agency Code of Practice to ensure that resources were targeted where they were most needed.  Therefore, those food premises which were the highest risk or the poorest performing were the priority for inspection.

Officers had been following the FSA Local Authority Recovery Plan, which set out how authorities should deliver an effective food service, whilst recovering from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, however this had ended in March 2023.

The New Forest had around 2,000 food premises, ranging from low to high risk.  Throughout the recovery plan there had been a strong focus on those with a high risk or poorly performing.  In 2022/23 472 inspections had been carried out.  It was anticipated that a similar number of inspections would be carried out this financial year, but this would also include some of the lower risk businesses. 

The food hygiene rating system was explained to the Panel ranging between 0-5, with 5 being very good and 0 poor.  A number of factors were assessed as part of the rating system which include the structural elements of the building, hygiene and the confidence in the management of the business in order to provide a rating.

The Chairman expressed his thanks on behalf of the Panel to the officers in environmental health, noting the high number of inspections carried out last year.

Following a question from a Panel member it was noted that a rating of “0” did not necessarily close a premises.  It was explained that the “imminent risk to the consumer based on food safety” needed to be assessed.  A range of options were available to Environmental Health officers to use when determining the most appropriate course of action.  The approach taken was to work proactively with businesses to address any areas of concern, but if deemed necessary, powers would be used to close a business.

It was noted that new food businesses would not always receive an inspection as soon as they open and it was questioned what could be done to support these new businesses, recognising that they could have a positive impact on the local economy.  In response, the officer explained that there was a wide range of information available for new businesses on the District Council’s website and the Food Standards Agency website.  Officers could be contacted to talk to new business owners, and would be able to offer tailored advice, for example on training or the fitting out of a new kitchen, specific to each individual business.

RESOLVED:

That the proposed Food Safety Service work plan for the forthcoming year be supported.

To consider the progress and updates to the Health and Wellbeing Action Plan.

The Panel considered the updates to the Health and Wellbeing Action Plan.

The Health and Wellbeing Plan had been adopted by the Council in 2022.  This identified three strategic priorities; working in partnership, increasing physical activity and improving mental wellbeing.  Within each of these priorities a number of actions had been identified with projects to be delivered including a lead officer.  Each had a RAG rating to highlight the progress of the action and a timeframe.  Projects on track were in green, blue identified those which had been completed and red was significantly behind schedule.  The officer highlighted the one project which involved providing a skateboarding club for young people with long term health conditions, which had not been delivered due to poor weather conditions over the summer.  The Panel noted that there could be the opportunity to deliver this project in 2024.

A number of new strategies had recently been published including the Public Health Strategy for 2023-2026 by Hampshire County Council and Get Active: A strategy for the future of sport and physical activity by the Government.  The Council’s Health and Wellbeing Plan was aligned to the priorities within these two strategies.

The Panel noted that each project had aims and objectives, milestones for delivery and following completion, an assessment would be carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of the project.  The Action Plan was a working document, and it would be continually updated.

It was highlighted to the Panel that the first meeting of a Community Forum would be held in October, which would bring together different groups, initially to consider the cost-of-living crisis.  It would be a good way to share ideas, good practice and to work together with many different partners.

The Panel noted the significant work being carried out to deliver the projects identified in the Action Plan.  It was recognised that the Action Plan enabled officers to capture the good work, in one central place and through the evaluation of projects following completion, further actions would be identified.

RESOLVED:

That the Panel considered and noted the progress and updates to the Council’s Health and Wellbeing Action Plan.

To consider the draft Tenant Engagement Strategy.

The Panel considered the proposed Tenant Engagement Strategy.  The Tenant Engagement Manager addressed the Panel and highlighted that the Strategy had been produced in response to The Charter for Social Housing Residents – Social Housing White Paper and the Social Housing Regulation Act.  It had been written with a view of putting tenants at the heart of services and that more engagement and communication would be carried out with them.

The Strategy proposed four key strategic priorities:

1.     Listening to our tenants

2.     Putting tenants first

3.     Knowing our tenants and supporting engagement

4.     How we communicate with tenants

The Panel recognised the hard work and quality of the services provided to tenants by the housing team.  It was acknowledged the Strategy would build upon these foundations.  It was requested that thanks from the Panel be passed on to staff within the housing team.

RESOLVED:

That the draft Tenant Engagement Strategy and consultation proposals be supported for approval by Cabinet.

To receive an annual update on the delivery of the Greener Housing Strategy.

The Panel considered the update and actions completed on the Greener Housing Strategy, following the publication of the strategy in 2022.

The Council’s Greener Housing Delivery Manager, Sophie Tuffin had been appointed to take forward the actions identified in the strategy.  She gave an update to the Panel as follows:

·        Stock condition surveys were being carried out on the Council owned stock.  The surveys would help to identify areas for improvement to bring them up to an EPC rating of C or above by 2030.  In the longer term, the council housing stock was required to have net zero carbon emissions by 2050. 

·        Software was being used with the stock condition survey information to enable officers to cost scenarios to achieve the EPC rating of C or above by 2030.  This would enable officers to plan financially for the forthcoming work.  3,175 council homes would require some kind of retrofit work over the next 7 years.

·        Housing staff were being upskilled in order to deliver the greener housing agenda.

·        Officers would continue to use all available funding options. It was recognised that bidding opportunities for funding were likely to reduce over time.

·        The estimated cost to carry out the retrofit improvements to bring them up to EPC rating of C by 2030 was £9.3 million.  A further £115 million would be required to meet the net zero carbon target by 2050.  It was imperative to respond quickly to any funding opportunities as they become available.  Contractors would also need to be available to work with the council to deliver the housing retrofit works.

·        The Cosy Homes New Forest scheme would be launched later in September.  This was specifically for home owners with a NFDC postcode to help them in the first steps to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

·        The Warmer Homes upgrade scheme over the last two years had helped 252 homes in the District.

Members welcomed the launch of the Cosy Homes New Forest scheme and it was felt it should be widely promoted.

A member of the Panel noted that it would be incredibly challenging to carry out retrofit works to 3,175 council owned homes by 2030 in order to achieve an EPC rating of C, recognising that only 70 had been carried out to date.  It was questioned whether this would be achievable.  In response, it was recognised that whilst challenging, there was confidence it could be achieved.  It was explained that many of the properties were in band D and that the upgrade work was relatively minimal with increased insulation being the main measure to ensure that properties meet the target.  Much of the groundwork, particularly in relation to the procurement of contractors to carry out these works was underway. 

The Assistant Director Housing highlighted to the Panel section 8 of the report which dealt with the financial implications.  The significant funding required to carry out the retrofit works was not currently available and would be a budget pressure in the medium to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.

To receive an update on homelessness.

The Panel received a presentation providing an update on homelessness which has been attached to these minutes as an Appendix.

The Service Manager for Housing Options, Rents, Support and Private Sector Housing reported the following:

·        The Council was part of a scheme for ex offenders, which aimed to reduce reoffending and to make the accommodation process smoother and more efficient for offenders being released from prison.  The Council had been awarded £180k funding for two years.  Good links had been made with the prisons and a dedicated officer was due to start work at the beginning of October.  Two properties within the private rented sector had been awarded to date to ex offenders.

·        An internal audit of the Prevention and Relief Services would to be carried out shortly.

·        Funding for the 8 housing support posts had been extended until March 2025, which was positive news.

·        The BBC planned to film a documentary on mental health support which would  involve meeting and interviewing Council staff.  The documentary would highlight the joint work between the District Council and the NHS in order to obtain better outcomes for clients experiencing mental health difficulties.

·        There were currently 5 rough sleepers across the District.  Two had been referred to another local authority and two were to be rehoused.  In terms of emergency accommodation, there were 29 single people and 24 families in emergency accommodation.  One family was in external B&B accommodation.  It was acknowledged that to date the expenditure on B&B accommodation was under budget.

·        Ukrainian families: There was 75 hosts and 221 guests in the District.  After 18 months the hosts were naturally coming to an end and any guests wishing to remain in the local area would require longer term accommodation.  Funding had been made available through the Local Authority Housing Fund for the purchase of up to 12 properties.  Two had been purchased to date and they would be let in due course.  In response to a member question, it was confirmed that the Ukrainian guests were being accommodated in the private rented sector.  The housing team had been working with letting agents and landlords to secure accommodation.

·        Statistics regarding the number of applicants on the housing register were presented to the Panel.  These were split into bands and there were statistics on the number of properties which had been let over the last 15 months (see slide 4 of the presentation).   

The Panel acknowledged that over the last 3-4 years immense progress had been made to provide council owned temporary accommodation and that the use of B&Bs had reduced which was a positive step forward.

The Chairman requested thanks, on behalf of the Panel be passed to the outreach team who worked with those homeless and rough sleeping on their efforts.

To receive an update on the progress of the Housing Strategy and HRA property development and acquisition.

The Service Manager for Housing Strategy and Development gave a presentation providing an update on the delivery and progress of affordable housing, which had been attached to the minutes as an Appendix.  The following was noted:

·        Completed works: 38 & 40 Ambleside, Lymington to refurbish two 2 bed houses.  Improvements to 1 and 2 Peak Hill in East Boldre had also been completed.  These were two structurally unsound properties. These two properties had 3 bedrooms and had been reconfigured to maximise space and install ASHPs.  Buildings contractors, as part of the building contractor framework had been used to complete these works.

·        Under construction: Work was progressing on the Former Testwood Club site in Totton to provide 12 new flats.  Completion was expected in December 2023 / January 2024.  These had been designed as a pilot scheme to meet the Future Homes Standard.  The building was being monitored to ensure they were built to the correct standard and the performance of these properties would be monitored for 12 months following completion.  Burgate Acres in Fordingbridge was a Metis Homes scheme and the District Council had purchased 14 homes under Section 106 and a further additional 3 for Shared Ownership.  A Homes England grant funding had been awarded as part of this purchase.  Completion was expected between November 2023 and May 2024.  The Panel noted that 5 of the 6 shared ownership properties had been marketed in July and over 30 applications had been received.  The purchase of 4 of these properties was in progress as one bidder had dropped out.  Finally, Moore Close in New Milton was due to start construction in October.  This was to provide 16 new properties for affordable rent.  There had been challenges with the site due to covid, building costs and interest rate increases.  A Homes England grant had been obtained for £1.5m.

·        Further updates: Demolition of the 2,000 sq m former Hythe Medical Centre had commenced.  There was a lot of asbestos within the building and therefore the correct procedures needed to be followed.  This was to build 22 new homes.  37/37 Salisbury Road, Totton had received planning permission.  This site had Japanese knotweed which would need to be dug out and a large hole would be left.  It was anticipated that the demolition of 37 Salisbury Road would help to fill the hole left behind.  Parsonage Barn Lane, Ringwood, this scheme was to reconfigure single person temporary accommodation to provide 5 units of 2/3 bedroom self contained units of temporary accommodation for families.  The plans were being finalised and work was due to start on site in October.

·        Local Authority Housing Fund: A decision had been made in early 2023 to provide 12 resettlement homes using a grant of £1.8 m to provide 10 homes for Ukrainian families and 2 for Afghan families.  The team were looking at ex-Council property buy backs in order to deliver these homes.  2 had been purchased to date and a further 8 properties had been identified.

·        The current development  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23.

To agree the work programme to guide the Panel’s activities over the coming months.

RESOLVED:

That the Work Programme be approved.

To agree the following meeting dates (Wednesdays at 6.00pm):

19 June 2024

12 September 2024

16 January 2025

13 March 2025

RESOLVED:

That the following meeting dates (Wednesdays at 6.00pm) be approved:

19 June 2024

12 September 2024

16 January 2025

13 March 2025

Cllr Steve Davies, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Homelessness

The Portfolio Holder thanked the Housing team for the reports presented at the meeting.  There were challenges which needed to be recognised.  He was pleased to attend the Service Showcase earlier in the month and meet with members of the Homelessness team, particularly the outreach worker and mental health worker.

He reported that he had recently visited sites across the District of new and future developments for social and affordable housing. He had visited locations from New Milton to Totton where almost 40 new homes would be built, in addition to the new homes at Ladycross Road in Hythe.  He has also looked at the site of the former Hythe hospital which would provide another 20 homes for local people.  The most innovative of the sites was the former Testwood Club in Totton, a pilot scheme being built to the Future Homes Standard.  The Portfolio Holder was delighted to announce it would be named Penman House, after the Councillor for the area Neville Penman.  

Furthermore, it was necessary to enable construction of affordable homes for young people, what used to be called starter homes.  A Task and Finish Group would be commissioned to consider the opportunities using modern methods of construction for modular housing which would enable the building of sustainable homes quickly and easily.

Cllr Dan Poole, Portfolio Holder Community, Safety and Wellbeing

The Portfolio Holder highlighted the following matters:

·        Safer New Forest Partnership: The summer had been very busy for the Partnership which had held a number of community engagement events in the towns, alongside rural car parks across the national park.   To date, the team had completed 412 surveys across the 12 events and further events were planned over the autumn.  He reported he was delighted to report that the surveys had shown that 98.3% of residents remain satisfied or very satisfied with where they lived (405 residents).

The clerks of all Town and Parish Councils in the District were being asked to complete a ‘community safety survey’ and secondary schools in the District would be sent an online young peoples’ survey.

The findings from these surveys would be published within the Safer New Forest Strategic Assessment which will help inform next year’s Community Safety Partnership Plan.

·        Public Space Protection Orders: Two new Public Space Protection Orders came into force on 1 July 2023, the first one relating to wildfires and the second one prohibiting the feeding and petting of forest animals.

The Community Safety Team had carried out training for partners and the feedback had been very positive. The emphasis focused on engagement and education rather than enforcement. Over the Summer there has been 508 opportunities for engagement but there had been no need to escalate matters further.  The situation would be monitored with partners.

·        Service Showcase: This took place on the 7 September was a great opportunity for all the services within the Portfolio to share their work and for Members and staff to see the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26.