Magherafelt District Council
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MAGHERAFELT DISTRICT COUNCIL MINUTES OF Proceedings of a Meeting of Magherafelt District Council held in the Council Chamber, 50 Ballyronan Road, Magherafelt on Tuesday, 10 September 2002. The meeting commenced at 7.30 pm. Presiding: Rev Dr R T Wm McCrea, MLA Other Members Present: J J Kelly P E Groogan O T Hughes J Junkin J F Kerr P H McErlean P McLean H E Mullan S O’Brien J P O’Neill Apology: T J Catherwood J A McBride R A Montgomery G C Shiels Officers Present: J A McLaughlin (Chief Executive) J J Tohill (Director of Finance and Administration) R Beattie (Senior Environmental Health Officer) W J Glendinning (Director of Building Control) T J Johnston (Director of Operations) Mrs A Junkin (Chief Executive’s Secretary) Representatives from Other Northern Ireland Housing Executive Bodies in Attendance: Mr Sean Mackie – Area Manager Mr Brendan Adams – Planning Manager Mr Herbie Patterson – Local Manager Mrs Hazel Faithfull – Information Manager Planning Service Mrs Joan Bryson – Planning Officer 1. MINUTES 1.1 It was PROPOSED by Councillor J P O’Neill, Seconded by Councillor P H McErlean, and RESOLVED: that the Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on Tuesday, 13 August 2002 (copy circulated to each Member) be taken as read and signed as correct. 2 2. MATTERS ARISING The Chief Executive submitted the following letters OUT OF THE MINUTES from: 2.1 The Roads Service, Western Division confirming that representatives would be in attendance at the October Council Meeting to present the annual report. Noted. 2.2 Mrs Margaret Johnston for the Council’s financial assistance towards her expenses in participating in the International Bowling Series in Wales. Noted. 2.3 Upperlands Community Development Ltd for supplying hanging baskets and flowerbeds in Upperlands and thanking the Council’s staff who planted and maintained the floral displays. Noted. Councillor P E Groogan joined the meeting during this item at 7.32 p.m. 3. NORTHERN IRELAND The Chairman welcomed representatives from HOUSING EXECUTIVE the Northern Ireland Housing Executive to the meeting to present the District Housing Plan 2002/ 90/9/2002 2003 (copy of Housing Plan circulated to each Member). 3.1 Mr Mackie introduced Mr Brendan Adams who had replaced Mr Andrew Hamilton. 3.2 In presenting the report, Mr Mackie stated that the Housing Plan for the current financial year in Magherafelt District Council area represented a total investment of £3.17 million, from the Housing Executive and had been allocated as follows: • Improvement Work - £0.9 million • Planned Maintenance - £0.6 million • Response Maintenance - £0.308 million • Private Sector Grants - £1.28 million Housing Associations would be implementing new build schemes programmed to start during 2002/2003 to the value of £2.47 million. 3 The main aspects of the plan were: (1) Housing Need: The Waiting List showed a marked increase of 33% from 191 in December 2000 to 254 at December 2001. This reflected in increases in housing stress over the same period by 51% from 69 to 104. Mr Mackie stated that the length of time that applicants in housing stress waited to be housed varied depending on the area of choice and the turnover rate, the degree of assessed urgency on housing stress and special housing needs. An analysis of the waiting list indicated that of the 104 applicants in housing stress 43 or 41% were on the waiting list for less than 6 months prior to being allocated a home. A total of 76 or 73% were allocated a home within one year and 28 or 27% waited longer than one year. The allocation of vacated properties was the main method of meeting housing need. Where this level of relets was inadequate to meet need within a reasonable time period, schemes would be added to the New Build programme to provide new homes. During the last year a total of 175 allocations were made. Single adults made up 41% of the total allocations and were nearly double the number in housing stress. There was an increase of 67 or 38% from the previous year on homelessness. A total of 124 were awarded full duty status which was an increase of 26 from the previous year. An action plan was being developed for each District office to review the need of homeless applicants. In addition West Area staff would be establishing a more strategic approach to the long- term homeless need and would be consulting with the Health Trust and voluntary providers to establish the local issues and how best they could be met. Mr Mackie said that only a very small percentage of homeless applicants ever requested temporary accommodation and the average length of stay was short. He said that due to the absence of suitable temporary accommodation in the Magherafelt District, placements were being sent to other Council areas. The possibility of providing temporary accommodation for small families and singles during 2002/2003 was being considered. 4 (2) Social Newbuild Programme: Mr Mackie said that new housing provision was the responsibility of Housing Associations and in the last year one scheme of 5 units for the Travelling Community at Hillhead had recently been completed. Currently there were plans to commence construction of 5 developments – • 3 units at Upperlands • 3 units at Magherafelt • 5 units at Tirkane, Maghera • 6 units at Moykeeran Crescent, Draperstown • 15 supported housing units at Magherafelt. Mr Mackie referred to pages 40-44 of the Housing Plan which outlined the housing need situation within local housing areas. He explained that these areas were made up of one or more Common Landlord Areas (CLA) which included an estate or group of estates and Housing Association stock. (3) Improving Housing Conditions: Mr Mackie stated that in the programme for Government 2001-2004 a number of key housing related commitments had been set out and on which the Housing Executive had reflected in its improvement programme. The Housing Executive is committed to the renewal of the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods and tackling fuel poverty. In meeting these commitments the Housing Executive had set the following targets: • raise the standard of Housing Executive stock through improvements • introduce more economical and efficient heating in Housing Executive homes through conversion to oil heating • arrange adaptations to ensure that the particular needs of occupants such as the disabled or elderly are met. The Housing Executive had started external cyclical maintenance on 70 homes last year at various locations. Multi-element improvement had started on 28 homes at Gortnari and St Patrick’s Terrace/Glenelly. It was planned to start work on external cyclical maintenance to 205 homes, multi- element improvement in 44 houses including St Lurach’s, Mill Crescent and Kilross. Smoke alarms would be provided in 134 properties, heating replacement in 60 homes at Killowen/Mullaghboy and revenue replacement at Meetinghouse/ Largantogher. 5 Mr Mackie said that the Housing Executive continued to give high priority to the adaptation of homes for persons with a disability. During the year 53 major adaptations were undertaken including heating replacement to 42 homes. In addition minor adaptations were carried out to 107 homes. The total value of adaptation work to Housing Executive stock last year had come to £326,082 and a further £258,932 approved under the disabled facilities grant for the private sector. (4) Grants: Mr Mackie said that the main objective of the grants scheme was to reduce private sector unfitness and through the use of a formal means test target resourced to those in greatest need. During the last year 183 grants had been approved at a value of £1.3 million. A total of 193 schemes were completed and £1.4 million paid. The grants budget for the District was estimated at £1.3 million. (5) Neighbourhood Renewal: Mr Mackie advised that community involvement was a key element of neighbourhood renewal and regeneration. The District office had regular contact with a number of tenants/community associations throughout the Council area. As well as having partnerships with Community Associations the Housing Executive was represented on a number of inter-agency partnerships. The Housing Executive was focused on addressing problems of an anti-social behaviour on their estates. Mr Mackie said that as far as rural regeneration was concerned the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Rural Community Network, the Northern Ireland Voluntary Trust and the Housing Executive had been developing the Rural Estates Programme. In addition a District driven Rural Collage Strategy was completed making significant contribution to those rural families who choose to remain living in their local areas. In conclusion, Mr. Mackie formally recognised the work and dedication of the Manager and Staff of the local Housing Executive office. 6 Mr Mackie thanked the Council Members and Officers for their support over the past year. 3.3 Members’ Questions: The Chairman, Councillor Rev Dr R T Wm McCrea enquired how the £5.5 million spent on Magherafelt by the Housing Executive compared to other District Councils. In reply, Mr Mackie stated that he did not know. It was very difficult to make comparisons between Districts. Councillor Rev McCrea pointed out that kitchens in a number of houses were unacceptably small and schemes had been put back for a period of years, yet in trying to build a community families needed to eat together. He asked what the Executive’s plans were. Mr Mackie accepted that there were a number of estates in Magherafelt where houses did not have a kitchen/dining area. He referred to the St Lurach’s scheme and hoped to secure sufficient funds for at least one scheme to be completed each year.