Agenda item

Cabinet received the Overview and Scrutiny report and recommendations and will respond in due course.

Councillor Mildren addressed Cabinet commenting that he had been a member of the Task and Finish Group but had been concerned when it was drawing up its conclusions that options for resident or on-site wardens were not to be included.  He did not support the supposition that the re-introduction of wardens would not improve service to the public.  He commented that many people moving into sheltered housing expect wardened assistance and that if this was to be removed then the tenants’ should be closely liaised with.  He understood that Cabinet on 28 July would be considering a report of the future of sheltered housing and queried what other work was going on and who would be consulted.

Councillor Hawkins addressed Cabinet and supported the comments made by Councillor Mildren.

Councillor Glynane addressed Cabinet and commented that Overview and Scrutiny had completed a good piece of work over a six month period.  He noted the involvement of the County Council and the amount of evidence gathered, use of statistics, best practice, visits and the involvement of residents.  He also noted the support for the service and the challenges that an ageing population posed for local authorities.  He also commented on a recent Help the Aged report which stated that it was unrealistic for wardens to be provided as a general position.

Councillor Clarke addressed Cabinet and noted that the Housing Strategy included the review of sheltered housing and made comments about hard to let properties and their fitness for purpose.  He also referred to the County Council’s closure of day care facilities.  He believed that in the evidence no one was suggesting that the service would not be improved by the provision of residential wardens.  He believed it was a question of affordability.  It seemed to him that the Council was closing its mind to residential or on-site wardens.  He felt that the views of the Independent Councillors had been ignored and queried why a minority report could not be produced.  He asked that the statement about the service not being improved by the provision of wardens be removed from the report.

The Chair commented that Cabinet was receiving a report and was not in a position to change its contents.  He noted that the situation in respect of a minority report could be raised via the Constitution Working Party.

Councillor Malpas submitted a report and commented that neither Councillors Mildren or Hawkins had questioned the conclusions at the time that they had been drafted.  He thanked everyone who had been involved and had contributed to the Task and Finish Group including the Portfolio Holder.  He noted that her comments had been included because they were part of her evidence.  Councillor Malpas observed that Milton Keynes did not provide wardens for all their schemes and were in fact considering whether to move to the system that the Council now had.  Councillor Malpas commented that the recommendations were largely matters of detail which were important to tenants, for example, provision for accommodating mobility scooters and the wider use of community rooms or community centres.  Councillor Malpas stated that the report had been presented to the County Council with a recommendation to their Cabinet for closer working between the two Councils.

In answer to a question Councillor Malpas commented that the issue in respect of Melbourne, Abbey and Devonshire Houses was over doctors being able to exit the flats without using a key fob if the resident they had been visiting was not well enough to see them out.

Comment was made that as the population was generally getting older that this provided a challenge to the Borough and County Councils to work more closely together.  The comments made by Mr Adams and Mr Swinn about the possible provision of wardens if the size of the local scheme made this viable should be further considered.

The Chair thanked Overview and Scrutiny for the work which had been undertaken.

RESOLVED:         That the report and recommendations be received and that a response would be given in due course.