The Chairman will advise the meeting of the evacuation procedures to follow in the event of an emergency. This is particularly important for visitors and members of the public who will be unfamiliar with the building and procedures. The Chairman will inform the meeting whether there is a planned evacuation drill due to take place, what the alarm sounds like (i.e. ringing bells), where the closest emergency exit route is, and where the second closest emergency exit route is, in the event that the closest exit or route is blocked. The Chairman will inform the meeting that: (a) in the event of the alarm sounding, everybody must leave the building via the nearest safe available exit and gather at the Assembly points at the far side of the Car Park. Nobody must leave the assembly point until everybody can be accounted for and nobody must return to the building until the Chairman has informed them that it is safe to do so; and (b) the lifts must not be used in the event of an evacuation. Any officers present at the meeting will aid with the evacuation. It is important that the Chairman is informed of any person attending who is disabled or unable to use the stairs, so that suitable arrangements may be made in the event of an emergency.

The Chair outlined the emergency evacuation procedure.

Councillors should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves or their spouse, civil partner or person with whom they are living with as a spouse or civil partner. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.

The Chairman will ask Members if they have any interests to declare in respect of items on this agenda, under the following headings:

(a) Disclosable Pecuniary Interests (DPI) under the Localism Act 2011. The nature as well as the existence of any such interest must be declared. After declaring a DPI, the Member must leave the meeting and not take part in the discussion or vote. This applies even if there is provision for public speaking.

(b) Disclosable Non Pecuniary Interests (DNPI) under the Code of Conduct adopted by the Council in May 2012. The nature as well as the existence of any such interest must be declared. After declaring a DNPI interest, the Member may stay, speak and vote on the matter.

(c) Where it is possible that a fair-minded and informed observer, having considered the facts would conclude that there was a real possibility that the Member might be predetermined or biased the Member should declare their predetermination or bias and then leave the meeting while that item is considered.

Advice to Members: If any Councillor has any doubt about the existence or nature of any DPI or DNPI which he/she may have in any item on this agenda, he/she should seek advice from the Monitoring Officer, the Head of Legal or from other Solicitors in Legal Services as early as possible, and in advance of the Meeting.

Councillor Ben J Martin (Chair) declared a non-pecuniary interest in Item 7  - Training for Swale Rainbow Homes Shareholder Panel - as he sat on the Board.

To approve the Minutes of the meeting held on 18 May 2022 as a correct record.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 18 May 2022 (Minute Nos. 16 - 20) were taken as read, approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

In response to the Chair’s request for questions on the Forward Decisions Plan, a Member asked if Committee Members could request future items?  The Chair advised that items could be added, subject to resource and the fit with aims and objectives of the Committee.

Resolved:

(1)  That the report be noted.

The Head of Housing and Communities introduced the report which gave a summary of work carried out by Housing and Health Services.  She drew attention to statutory responsibilities and prevention work. The Head of Housing and Communities highlighted the successful outcomes around rough sleepers which was a new function over the previous three years that had grown with the support of central Government funding.  She advised the allocation of funding from the Government for the next three years had just been received but was currently embargoed, and details would be released as soon as possible.

The Chair drew attention to topic areas the Committee might wish to consider in the future including the two new Government white papers, one on Levelling Up and one on housing in general. Issues to be considered within those papers were the ability to fine rough sleepers, the expansion of the Right to Buy scheme and statutory licensing for private sector landlords.

Members asked questions and raised points including:

·         What could the Community Housing Grant fund be spent on?;

·         how many empty dwellings were there currently in the borough?;

·         clarification of process in the Homes for Ukraine scheme, if refugees had to move;

·         some issues crossed over into other Service Committee and Sub-Committees;

·         clarification on what ‘firm deliveries’ of housing meant as at the bottom of paragraph 4 on page 10 of the report;

·         suggested a RAG rating system in order to manage projects and ensure there was enough resource;

·         Service Committees were decision-making and the committee should not need a RAG rating report but did need to be made aware of issues  that might need directing to the Policy and Resource Committee for additional resource;

·         needed to consider how performance was monitored and then make decisions;

·         Housing and Health Committee held a heavy responsibility for the community and it was important the members of the Committee had training on the interventions that could be used, in able to support Officers carrying out the work;

·         Members of the Housing and Health Committee should have appropriate training such as Children and Vulnerable Adult safeguarding training;

·         requested a regular update on roughsleepers, including those using tents;

·         should refer back to the Constitution Working Group that Service Committees might need to consider information reports in order to make decisions; and

·         issues could be raised with officers outside of meetings.

In response, the Head of Housing and Communities explained that the Community Housing Grant fund was ringfenced for community-led housing enablement work such as architects fees or scoping work, funding had to be applied for and was then assessed. The Chair added that the grant could not be used for development.  The Head of Housing and Communities agreed to circulate the current number of empty dwellings to the committee.  She explained that there had been two re-matches of Ukranian families in the Borough and the newly matched homes had to be re-assessed to ensure compliance with the criteria.

The Head of Housing and Communities explained that firm deliveries  ...  view the full minutes text for item 169.

The Head of Housing and Communities drew attention that membership of the Swale Rainbow Homes Shareholder Committee was agreed at the Housing and Health Committee meeting held on 18 May 2022.

The Vice-Chair said that training should be extended to other Members in order that they may substitute.

The Chair outlined the benefits of receiving training.

Resolved:

(1)  That Shareholder Training be mandatory for all members of the Swale Rainbow Homes Shareholder Committee.

(2)  That training be offered to all Members of the Housing and Health Committee in order that they substitute  for Members on the Committee.

To agree the Council’s member representation to the Integrated Care Partnership Joint Committee.

The Chair sought nominations for a Member to be appointed to sit on the Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) Joint Committee.

Councillor Ghlin Whelan proposed that Councillor Angela Harrison be appointed to sit on the ICP Joint Committee.  This was seconded by Councillor Tony Winckless.

Councillor Mike Whiting proposed that Councillor Pete Neal be appointed to sit on the ICP Joint Committee.  This was seconded by Councillor Ken Ingleton.

On being put to the vote, Members agreed to appoint Councillor Angela Harrison to sit on the Integrated Care Partnership Joint Committee.

Resolved:

(1)  That Councillor Angela Harrison be appointed to sit on the Integrated Care Partnership Joint Committee.