Agenda and minutes

Apologies Cllr Mary O’Connor, no substitute.

Cllr Peter Kemp declared non-pecuniary interests as a member of the Board of CNWL and as a member of the Trustees of Hillingdon MIND.

Were agreed as an accurate record.

All items were considered in Public.

The Mental Health Consultant introduced the draft report framework and reviewed the written and witness evidence the Committee had received.

Following discussions the following points were noted:

• That the draft final report include a Chairman’s Foreword and Closing Word
• Recommendation 1: That the first recommendation concerning a performance report produced by the Mental Health Partnership Board be moved and included at the end of the report recommendations.
• Recommendation 4: That the recommendation be amended to propose improvements to crisis provision
• That the draft final report include reference to the one, one, one crisis telephone help line service
• Recommendation 11: That the word ‘effectively’ be added to the recommendation
• That the report include the scope to improve access to information including the Council’s website and Directory of Services
• That all recommendations be grouped under the lines of enquiry set out in the scoping report for the review

Resolved –

1. That the report be amended for 30^th January 2013 meeting incorporating the changes listed above.

The Deputy Director of Housing, Residents Services introduced the scoping report for the Committee’s second review entitled ‘Housing and Benefit Changes and the Impact on Hillingdon Residents from January 2013’.

The Committee heard that the focus of the review would be what the Council was doing to mitigate the impacts of the proposed changes.

During discussions, it was noted that as housing benefits would no longer be paid to landlords, it was anticipated that this would lead to a rise in homelessness. The Committee agreed it was essential for the review to have access to the most up to date statistics to enable it to make informed judgements and also ensure recommendations were based on the latest information.

The scoping report was agreed subject to a number of minor amendments which included:

• That a representative from a Housing Association be invited as a witness for the review
• That the review have regard to Black and Minority Ethnic families where English was not their first language and the likely impact of changes to this group.
• That the review include the impacts to travelling communities

Resolved –

1. That the scoping report be agreed subject to the amendments proposed at the meeting.

Reference was made to the work programme and timetable of meetings.

With reference to 30^th January 2013 meeting, the Committee agreed to start this meeting at 6:00 pm to consider items from the Forward Plan.

Resolved –

That the report be noted.

The Committee considered the following briefing notes at the meeting:

• Cabinet Member Decision Item 834 – Anti-Social Behaviour Policy for Tenants and Leaseholders
• Cabinet Member Decision Item 835 – Domestic Violence Procedures for Housing Staff

In addition, the Committee considered the Forward Plan from December 2012 to March 2013:

Resolved –

1. That the contents of briefing notes 834 and 835 be noted

2.      That the 30^th January 2013 meeting start at 6 pm to consider:

·        Cabinet Item 741a – Hillingdon Housing Strategy 2012-2015 Policy Framework

·        Cabinet Item 813 – Tenancy Strategy

·        Cabinet Item 836 – Outcome of further consultation on Learning Disabilities Day Services (subsequently moved to February 2013 Cabinet)