Housing, Dundee Contract Services And Environment Services Committee - 23/08/2004

At a MEETING of the HOUSING COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 23rd August 2004.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Bailie WRIGHT, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 21st June 2004 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I HOME ENERGY CONSERVATION ACT (HECA) THIRD PROGRESS REPORT 2001-2003

The Director of Housing submitted Report No 515-2004 seeking approval for the Home Energy Conservation Act (HECA) Third Progress Report, a draft of which had been submitted to the Scottish Executive by the deadline of 16th July 2004.

The Committee approved the 2004 HECA Progress Report.

II BUILDING STRONGER COMMUNITIES - PHYSICAL REGENERATION IN THE COUNCIL SECTOR - SURPLUS HOUSING AT1-63, 2-192 SUMMERFIELD GARDENS AND 74-156 SUMMERFIELD TERRACE, WHITFIELD

On a reference to Article II of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 21st June 2004 the Director of Housing submitted Report No 554-2004 seeking approval of the demolition of 170 flats at the above locations.

The Committee:-

(a) agreed to declare surplus and demolish 170 flats at 1-63, 2-192 Summerfield Gardens and 74-156 Summerfield Terrace, Whitfield, Dundee (Appendix 1 of report);

(b) remitted to the Director of Housing to award priority rehousing status to the remaining tenants together with the statutory Home Loss Payment of 1,500 (Appendix 2 of report);

(c) remitted to the Director of Planning and Transportation to prepare tenders and seek offers for demolition treatment at the appropriate time;

(d) remitted to the Director of Social Work to enter into discussions with the sheltered housing wardens regarding the redeployment process at the appropriate time;

(e) remitted to the Director of Housing to report back to Committee on the options for sheltered housing lounge and the adjacent warden's house, at the appropriate time; and

(f) remitted to the Director of Housing and the Director of Planning and Transportation to bring forward proposals for redevelopment at the appropriate time.

III HOUSE DECORATION FOLLOWING DISRUPTIVE CAPITAL CONTRACTS

The Director of Housing submitted Report No 573-2004 seeking approval for a change in procedure regarding the redecoration of elderly and disabled tenants' homes following disruptive capital contracts.

The Committee approved the proposal to fully redecorate the homes of elderly and disabled tenants following disruptive contracts such as heating and rewire programmes and agreed that the new procedure begin in all contracts on site at 23rd August 2004 where decoration had not yet started and those contracts with a start-on-site on or after 23rd August 2004.

IV TENDERS RECEIVED

(a) The City Architectural Services Officer submitted Report No 579-2004 giving details of offers received for the undernoted contracts:-

(i) 71-73 Earn Crescent - Bedsit Integration

The Committee agreed to accept the lowest offer by Ward Building Services Limited amounting to 27,138.48 to which required to be added the undernoted allowances:-

making a total expenditure of 32,300.48.

(ii) 219-245 Blackness Road - Repairs to Stairs and Landings

The Committee agreed to accept the lowest offer by Raynor Building Services Limited amounting to 60,193 to which required to be added allowances of 1,269 for planning supervisor and 8,829 for professional services making a total expenditure of 70,291.

(b) The City Engineer submitted Report No 555-2004 giving details of offers received for the undernoted contracts.

(i) St Fillans Road 65-69 and 87-97 - Demolition

The Committee agreed to accept the lowest offer by Safedem amounting to 94,649 to which required to be added the undernoted allowances:-

making a total expenditure of 247,736.

(ii) Concrete Repairs to External Elements - 2004/05 - Various Developments

The Committee agreed to accept the lowest offer by Castle Contracting Limited amounting to 62,700 to which required to be added the undernoted allowances:-

making a total expenditure of 72,700.

V 163-216 HADDINGTON CRESCENT - ASBESTOS REMOVAL AND DEMOLITION

The Director of Planning and Transportation submitted Report No 568-2004 giving details of offers received to carry out the above work.

The Committee agreed to accept the negotiated offer with Dundee Plant amounting to 327,801.95 to which required to be added the undernoted allowances:-

making a total expenditure of 424,026.95.

VI COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS AND GROUPS - ADMINISTRATION GRANTS

There was submitted Agenda Note AN314-2004 advising that the Director of Housing had received the undernoted applications requesting grant assistance towards administration costs for 2004-2005.

The Committee approved accordingly.

VII HOUSING (SCOTLAND) ACT 2001 - IMPROVEMENT, REPAIRS AND ENVIRONMENTAL GRANTS, HOME LOANS ETC

There was submitted Agenda Note AN315-2004. Reference was made to the minute of meeting of this Committee of 15th November 1999 when grant expenditure under the Housing (Non-HRA) Budget was agreed.

It was agreed that the grants approved during June and July 2004 in each of the categories were as follows:-

* may contain commercial premises.

Previous applications transferred and approved under the new grant scheme Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 (additional grant expenditure)**.

** no works having commenced under old grant scheme applicants therefore chose a financial test of resources and transfer to new scheme.

The Committee resolved under Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 that the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the undernoted item of business on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 6 and 9 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Act.

VIII 18-20 DRYBURGH STREET, DUNDEE

There was submitted Agenda Note AN316-2004 advising that an Association's Lease of the above subjects had expired in the early part of this year.

The Committee agreed that, after consultation with the Director of Housing, the Council enter into a new Lease on the terms and conditions detailed.

HELEN WRIGHT, Convener.