Meeting Details

In terms of Standing Order 20 and the Councillors' Code of Conduct, there were no declarations from Group Leaders or Spokespersons in regard to any prior decisions taken on how Members will vote on any item on the agenda or any declarations of Member's Interests in respect of any item on the agenda.

The meeting resolved that in terms of Section 50A (4) and (5) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, as amended, the public and media representatives be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the items of business appearing at the relevant paragraphs of this minute as specified below, so as to avoid disclosure of exempt information of the class described in the appropriate paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Act.

The Minute of the meeting of the Communities Committee dated 2 April 2019 was submitted and approved.

The Committee noted that no written questions had been submitted.

A report by the Corporate Director (Economic Development, Planning and Infrastructure) informed the Committee of progress on development on Moray's Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan.

Following consideration the Committee agreed to note the second iteration of the Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan which was submitted to the Scottish Government on 29 April 2019.

Under reference to paragraph 11 of the Minute of the meeting dated 5 February 2019 a report by the Corporate Director (Economic Development, Planning and Infrastructure) provided an update on the requirement to review the Assignations Policy in preparation for the commencement of the outstanding provisions of Part 2 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2014 and presented a revised Assignation Policy for approval prior to public consultation.

Following consideration the Committee agreed:

1. to note the requirement to change the Assignation Policy as set out in Section 4 of the report;
   
   
2. to approve the revised Assignation Policy prior to a consultation to seek the views of tenants and stakeholders as set out in Section 5 of the report; and
   
   
3. the consultation responses will be considered at a meeting of the Committee in August 2019.

Under reference to paragraph 7 of the Minute of the meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee dated 7 June 2016 a report by the Corporate Director (Economic Development, Planning and Infrastructure) informed Committee of the impact of Universal Credit on the Council house rent account.

Following consideration the Committee agreed to note the:

1. impact Universal Credit is having on mainstream Council house rent collection; and
   
   
2. actions being taken by the Housing Service to manage the impact.

Councillor Gatt raised concern that the minutes were a record of decisions rather than a record of discussions.  He was of the opinion a decision had been taken previously to present a more abridged version of minutes and asked that this be raised with the appropriate personnel.

In response the Clerk undertook to raise this with management.

Councillor Ross, Ms Bartecki and Mrs McGarrie left the meeting at this juncture.

The meeting was chaired by Councillor Laing.

Under reference to paragraph 9 of the Minute of the meeting dated 5 February 2019 a report by the Corporate Director (Economic Development, Planning and Infrastructure) informed Committee of the performance of the Council's Allocation Policy during 2018/19.

Discussion took place on restrictions with providing new build houses in some villages.  It was stated that some areas had been set aside for new build housing in the Local Plan and questions were raised as to why this was not being progressed.

The Acting Head of Housing and Property undertook to provide a report to a future Committee on the challenges faced in providing new build housing. 

Thereafter the Committee agreed:

1. to note the performance identified within the report;
   
   
2. the allocations quotas for 2019/20 detailed at paragraph 5.4 of the report; and
   
   
3. to note a further report will be provided to a future Committee.

Under reference to paragraph 6 of the Minute of the meeting dated 5 February 2019 a report by the Corporate Director (Economic Development, Planning and Infrastructure) informed the Committee of progress on the Affordable Housing Investment Programme in Moray.

Following consideration the Committee agreed:

1. to note the outturns on the Moray Affordable Housing Supply Programme 2018-19;
   
   
2. to note the Moray Resource Planning Assumption for 2019/20 and 2020/21;
   
   
3. to note the draft Moray Strategic Local Programme 2019/20 programme;
   
   
4. to note progress on the implementation of Bilbohall masterplan; and
   
   
5. that further reports on programme progress will be presented to Committee.

Under reference to paragraphs 9 and 10 of the Minute of the meeting 5 February 2019 a report by the Corporate Director (Economic Development, Planning and Infrastructure) provided the Committee with a progress report on the Housing and Property Service Improvement Plan 2018/19 to 31 March 2019.

Following consideration the Committee agreed to note the progress that has been achieved in relation to the Housing and Property Service Improvement Plan for 2018/19, as set out in appendix I of the report.

Under reference to paragraph 13 of the Minute of the Council meeting dated 14 February 2018 a report by the Corporate Director (Economic Development, Planning and Infrastructure) presented the unaudited budget for the period up to 31 March 2019

Following consideration the Committee agreed to note the unaudited budget monitoring report for the period to 31 March 2019.

A report by the Corporate Director (Economic Development, Planning and Infrastructure) informed the Committee of the near final budget position to 31 March 2019 for the Housing Investment Programme for 2018/19.

Following consideration the Committee agreed to note the near final position as at 31 March 2019 with regard to the housing Investment Programme for 2018/19.

Under reference to paragraph 18 of the Minute of the meeting dated 26 June 2018 a report by the Corporate Director (Economic Development, Planning and Infrastructure) presented the unaudited budget position to the 31 March 2019 for Building Services (DLO).  The DLO is a Trading Operation.

Following consideration the Committee agreed to note:

1. the unaudited financial information for the period to 31 March 2019, as detailed in Appendix I of the report;
   
   
2. the Building Services operating performance as set out in Sections 5 and 7 of the report;
   
   
3. there is a need for the Housing Services and the DLO to identify the reasons for the end of year financial performance; and
   
   
4. that a further report on this matter will be presented to Committee on 27 August 2019.

Under reference to paragraph 5 of the Minute of the meeting dated 6 March 2018 a report by the Corporate Director (Economic Development, Planning and Infrastructure) presented an evaluation of the tender received for the Council New Build Programme Phase 7 project at Stynie Road, Mosstodloch.  The report recommended that the tender be accepted.

Following consideration the Committee agreed to:

1. accept the tender received from Springfield Properties plc for Stynie Road, Mosstodloch Phase 1; and
   
   
2. note that progress on the delivery of the Council's new build programme is reported to the Communities Committee.