Minutes of ACF Meeting
Thursday, 19th February 2009

Council Chamber, Civic Centre, Shoreham-by-Sea

Present: -  Bridget Orman (Vice-chair & Secretary), Bruce Andrews, Ruth Andrews, Fred Bathurst, Rose Boden, Bill Bone, Keith Bones, Basil Canivet, Brian Higgins, Sue Holland, George Jones, Paula Kinsella, Elsie Kitson, Sue Lane, Bob McClellan, June Moulton, Barry Page, Sylvia Page, Tanya Page, Ron Pope, Stan Reed, Ann Seldon, Brian Smith and Edna Wye.

ADC:  Barry Maxey (Tenant Participation Officer) and Sue Tubb (Tenants’ Assistant).

• Welcome and introductions

Bridget welcomed everyone to the meeting.

• Apologies

Apologies were received from Wendy Farmer, Tony Morris and Linda Price.  Conny Fairclough (Secretary of Avon Court) had also written to Wendy to say that she was retiring from the ACF.  Everyone wished her well after many years of service to both Avon Court and the ACF.   

3.         The National Conversation – Tenant Services Authority (TSA)

The TSA is the new regulator for homes owned by housing associations and co-ops and from spring 2010, it will also be responsible for council housing and arm’s-length management organisations (ALMOs).  While the TSA is not directly responsible for leaseholders (they are covered by different legislation), the standards that the TSA sets for landlords will clearly affect everyone living in council blocks of flats.

The National Conversation is a series of regional and local events to get the views of tenants and these will be used by the TSA to draw up a set of standards for landlords.  These standards will be ready in autumn 2009. 

The group then split into three smaller groups to discuss the following questions: -

• What is an excellent service?
• How does your landlord perform?
• What is a good landlord?
• What choices do you have?

Everyone was then asked to fill in a questionnaire, which will be sent to the TSA.  The questionnaires are anonymous but all Local Conversations will be plotted on a map and can be seen at: -   www.nationalconversation.co.uk

4.         Minutes of the last meeting 22nd January 2008

            The minutes were agreed.

• Matters arising

Housing Revenue Account budget – the average rent increase for Adur tenants in 2009/10 will be 6.1%.

Millennium Garden – Work has yet to start on tidying up the garden.  Barry to follow this up.

Marsh House vehicle store – Barry said that he visited the site and noted evidence of tyre tracks on the grass.  One resident confirmed that he sometimes has difficulty driving down the path and two said they sometimes have difficulty getting from the path passed parked cars.  Barry to discuss with surveyors about the possibility of widening the path and marking out parking bays.

Social committee – George said he welcomed the idea of forming a social committee for the ACF and that this is something that he has been championing for a number of years.

6.         Treasurer’s report

Ruth reported that there has been no change to ACF funds, although cheques for the Forum competition winners will be going out shortly.     

7.        Bids for environmental improvements

Ron requested funding for plants for the two raised beds outside the scheme managers’ office. 

Brian stated that the sign for Marsh House can only be seen by vehicles travelling in one direction along Park Lane and suggested that the scheme would benefit from having another sign.

8.        Cabinet Agenda

            Item 6 – Introductory Tenancies

Alex Marsh (Tenancy Services Manager) had previously given a presentation to the ACF in November 2008 on Introductory Tenancies.  At the time the ACF had voted unanimously to adopt them and their views haven’t changed since, although members would like to see a review carried out for Cabinet in twelve month’s time. 

9.         Reports of the Sub-Committees

i)          Compact Monitoring Group

            A preliminary draft version of the Compact was distributed to members of the Monitoring Group, with a view to arranging a meeting of the group in early March.

• The Forum

Bridget said that articles had been received from some residents’ group but that there is still space for other contributions.  The next Forum meeting will be on Thursday, 26th February.  

• Adur Leaseholders’ Forum

Bill reported that the last meeting of ALF on Wednesday, 11th February had been very well attended.  He thanked Matthew Reeves and Kate Routley from the Leasehold Property Administration Section for attending and answering a wide range of questions.

• AiP

Ruth explained that at their last meeting on 14th January, it had been decided that proposals for a joint Adur and Worthing Local Strategic Partnership were rather premature but that each would keep the other informed of what they are doing.     

10.       Any Other Business

• There is to be a meeting between the ACF Management Committee and the Section Heads of Adur Homes Services on Wednesday, 25th February and members were asked to contact the committee if they have any issues that they would like raised.  The issues mentioned mainly concerned repairs and included the priority given to communal hallway lighting, timeclocks not being altered when the clocks change and repairs being incorrectly recorded as having been completed.

• Barry asked if anyone who is planning to drive to the InSTEP Conference in Brighton on March 19th would be willing to give a lift to other ACF members attending.   A couple of people put their names forward.  Barry to organise lifts where possible.  

• The evening raffle raised £27.00 for ACF funds.

11.       Date of next meeting

The next meeting will be held at 7.00pm on Thursday, 26th March 2009 at the Southwick Green communal lounge.