Present at the meeting:
- Councillor K Anderson (Cabinet Champion)(In the Chair)
- Councillor Mrs A M L Bland
- Councillor B Bowen
- Councillor J Eccles-Churton
- Councillor J N Grundy
- Councillor J D Hodgkinson
- Councillor J Moodie
- Councillor Mrs A Turnock
- Councillor Mrs M J Whiteside
- Mr A Roberts (co-opted Member)
48 Apologies for absence: Councillors H L Cadman, Mrs S Dewhurst and Ms L E Fagan and Chief Superintendent L Bruckshaw, Mrs M Burgess, Mr J Harding, Mr H Holden, Mr M Humphries and Mr M Simpson (Co-opted Members).
49 Minutes: The minutes of the meeting of this Panel held on 10 November 2008 were approved as a correct record.
50 Exclusion of the public - section 100a Local Government Act 1972: Resolved: The public is excluded from the meeting when the Panel discusses the following item for the reason set out below:-
51 ‘Kiss my Butt’- a drama for high schools: The Panel considered a report of the Executive Director of Environmental Services, which informed Members about the recent initiative ‘Kiss my butt’ – a drama to encourage teenagers to think about the health impact of smoking.
Agreed: The Panel notes the report.
52 Business case for Wigan and Leigh Housing (WALH) participation in new housing development: The Panel considered a report of the Executive Director of Environmental Services, which informed Members of the business case developed by Wigan and Leigh Housing for the possible development of new affordable housing. The business case had been designed to take advantage of the new opportunities to bid for grants from the Homes and Communities Agency (formally Housing Corporation).
Agreed: The Panel notes the report.
(Councillor Mrs M J Whiteside declared a personal and prejudicial interest in this item as she is a Board Member of Wigan and Leigh Housing and left the room during discussion there on)
53 Housing response to the economic climate and recession: The Panel considered a report of the Executive Director of Environmental Services, that advised Members of the effects the current economic climate and recession were having on Wigan’s housing situation. The report also detailed what measures were being implemented and developed to help relieve those affected the most.
Agreed: The Panel notes the report.
54 Quarter 3 Performance Reporting 2008: The Panel considered a report of the Executive Director of Environmental Services, which advised Members of the Environmental Services Department’s Quarter 3 performance data for 2008.
Agreed: The Panel notes the report.
55 Funding Announcements:- Housing: The Panel considered a report of the Executive Director of Environmental Services, which informed Members of a number of housing funding announcements. The general performance by Wigan and Leigh Housing continued to improve in most of the key areas. In some areas, rent collection, repairs performance and empty properties performance was outstanding.
Agreed: The Panel notes the report.
(Councillor Mrs M J Whiteside declared a personal and non-prejudicial interest in this item as she is a Board Member of Wigan and Leigh Housing)
56 Off Road and Nuisance Motor Vehicle Strategy: The Panel considered a report of the Executive Director of Environmental Services, which informed Members of the developing off road and nuisance motor vehicle strategy to address the associated problems. Although there had been some notable successes in dealing with individual cases in the past, the problems experienced by communities as a consequence of the illegal and anti social use of off road motor cycles and other vehicles were persistent and difficult for any single agency to resolve.
The chairman requested that a progress report on these issues be submitted to a future meeting.
Agreed: The Panel notes the report.
57 Wigan and Leigh Housing (WALH) Half Yearly Performance 2008/09: The Panel considered a report of the Executive Director of Environmental Services, which informed Members of the Performance of WALH during the first half of 2008/09. Although some areas of the report identified performance as being outstanding there were still areas of concern, such as homelessness, however, WALH had put plans into place in an attempt to address this issue.
Agreed: The Panel notes the report.
58 Private Sector Leasing: The Panel considered a report of the Executive Director of Environmental Services, which informed Members of proposals for a Private Sector Leasing scheme and sought approval to enter into long term leasing arrangements as part of an initiative to deliver 150 new affordable homes. The Overview and Scrutiny Committee had considered the report at minute 120.
The option of private sector leasing had been explored previously and a smaller initiative to help re-house former asylum seekers and been very successful. The scheme would be managed by Wigan Housing Solutions, specifically set up for this purpose. It would be monitored closely, and if successful, there would be scope to expand the scheme by bringing in future partners.
Agreed: The Panel notes the report.
59 Questions by Members at Panel meetings: There were none.
