Agenda and minutes

Cllr Abbott was appointed by the Board as Chair for the meeting (in accordance with Part 2 D 9.2 of the Constitution).

There were no declarations of interest.

a)  To agree the Minutes of the previous meeting held on 19 December, 2019

b)  Matters arising

The Minutes of the meeting held on 19^th December, 2019 were agreed and signed as a true record.

Further to minute 25/19 ‘Recycling Performance in Coventry’ and 26/19 ‘Update on Recycled Road Surface Materials in Coventry’ the recommendations made by the Scrutiny Board had been sent to the Cabinet Member for City Services. 

Briefing Note of the Scrutiny Co-ordinator

The Scrutiny Board considered a presentation of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) which they had requested, to provide an update on the outcome of the Christmas waste collection 2019 (minute 25/18 refers).

The presentation covered:

·  Background information including the different bank holidays and closure days each year

·  Waste collected this year and costs

·  complaints

·  challenges including delivering calendars and bags and staffing during non-contracted hours

·  communication

·  2020 considerations

The Scrutiny Board questioned officers on aspects of the presentation including: -

·  Formal and Informal complaints received via Councillors and directly to officers

·  Staff volunteering

·  Agency staff

·  Essential waste services staff working hours

·  Benchmarking with neighbouring authorities

·  Costs including reputational damage

·  Closure week in waste different to other council closure days  

·  Communication

·  Managing expectations of residents

·  Options to consider for Christmas 2020

Members were reassured that all staff including agency staff were trained and issued with equipment and worked hard to catch up with the 14 rounds that were short on the Monday 30^th December, 2019.

The Board thanked staff for their responsive and proactive communication and for working hard to catch up with the collection of waste following the Christmas closure.

RESOLVED that the Scrutiny Board recommends 

1)  The Cabinet Member for City Services identify a new process to understand the full extent of the complaints/compliments about waste collections which would include contacts from residents to councillors and officers not just the formal complaint process through customer services.  This should be an all year-round process and not just for complaints over the Christmas period.

2)  Consider a wide range of options in preparation for Christmas 2020 including:

a.  no refuse collection for that week and providing extra bags,

b.  using agency staff entirely to deliver the service over that week,

c.  a review of contractual requirements for staff over the closure week

Briefing Note of the Deputy Chief Executive (People)

The Scrutiny Board considered a briefing note of the Deputy Chief Executive (People) which detailed progress made with the Temporary Accomodation Charging Policy Consultation.  Appended to the briefing note were the Temporary Accomodation Charging Policy pre-consultation draft, key changes, Equality and Consultation Analysis and the Consultation Survey.

On 5th January 2020 there were a total of 689 households living in Temporary Accommodation (TA) provided by Coventry City Council: 390 were families with dependent children (lone and two parent families) and 285 were single people or childless couples. Temporary Accommodation used by the Council includes: Bed and Breakfast and hotels, hostels, private rented homes and Housing Association homes.

The majority of households placed into TA do not currently contribute towards the rental and Council Tax costs or the utilities (gas, water and electricity) they use.  The Council also meets the full cost of storage of personal belongings.  The Housing and Homelessness service reported an overspend of £3 million in 2018/19, despite an additional £2.7 Million of resource. This overspend was set to increase unless the Council undertakes a range of activities to both reduce spend and increase income.

The Council were currently consulting upon the introduction of a 'Temporary Accommodation Charging Policy'. The proposed policy contained the following elements:

•  Utilities and Council Tax: Making households in Temporary Accommodation responsible for the Council Tax and the utilities they used.

•  Storage: Households in temporary accommodation would pay to store their belongings.

•  Licence Fee: Households who were not entitled to full housing benefit because they work and/or have ‘excess income’ would be asked to make an affordable contribution towards the rent, through a licence fee.

If the policy, as it currently stands, was approved it was projected that the Council would save £400,000 per year through households paying for the utilities they use; £163,000 per year through households paying for their own storage and between £200,000 and £220,000 through the introduction of a licence fee (this was dependent on the preferred licence fee charge – a question in the consultation survey).

In addition to the economic case for change, a key policy outcome was that single people and families were tenancy ready by the time they move out of Temporary Accommodation and into Permanent Accommodation.  To do this the Council would look to:

•  Focus on independent living – single people and families would be able to manage their money effectively by the time they leave Temporary Accommodation

•  Provide Appropriate Support - Where single people and families experienced financial budgeting difficulties support would be provided through the recommissioned homeless support service

•  Only charge proportionately - charging would be based upon what people could pay; the Council would not charge indiscriminately.

The main reason for homelessness for households owed a duty in Coventry was “Family no longer willing or able to accommodate” (18%), “Ending of an Assured Shorthold Tenancy by a private landlord” (15%) and “domestic abuse” (11%).  Rent arrears as a contributory factor to homelessness was not recorded in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 33.

Report of the Scrutiny Co-ordinator

The Scrutiny Board received and noted their Work Programme for 2019/20.  Members requested that the update on speed enforcement cameras remain on the agenda for consideration this municipal year.

Any other items of public business which the Chair decides to take as a matter of urgency because of the special circumstances involved.

There were no other items of urgent public business.