Agenda and draft minutes

At this juncture, it was agreed to vary the order of the Agenda in order to accommodate the speakers for Item 6 – West Rhyl Housing Improvement Project.

To consider a report (copy attached) to provide an update on progress with delivery of one element of the Rhyl Regeneration Programme – the West Rhyl Housing Improvement Project.

Councillor Joan Butterfield declared a personal interest in this item as she was a Member of the Community Housing Trust.

The Chair, Councillor Jeanette Chamberlain-Jones welcomed the three guest speakers to the meeting, namely:

Ø  Peter James – Regeneration Manager, Welsh Government

Ø  Graham Worthington – Chief Executive, Clwyd Alyn / Pennaf Housing, and

Ø  Phil Danson – Business Development Director, North Wales Housing

At this point, the Corporate Director: Economy & Public Realm, tendered the Leader’s apologies for not being able to attend the meeting, in his role as Lead Member for the Economy due to a prior engagement.

The Corporate Director: Economy & Public Realm introduced the report to provide an update on progress with delivery of one element of the Rhyl Regeneration programme – the West Rhyl Housing Improvement Project (WRHIP).

The objective of the project would be to attract more economically active people to live in the western area of the town, to support the economy and the community to thrive.  The scheme was initiated to change people’s perception of the area and of Rhyl in general. 

The project was a multi-agency partnership involving the Welsh Government (WG), Housing Associations, the Council and private sector partners. 

A presentation was delivered by Peter James, Regeneration Manager (WG) which outlined the following:

Ø  The history and background of the project

Ø  The various stages in planning the different levels and types of intervention required

Ø  Illustrated the intervention area, project budget and timescales for the project

Ø  Individual projects which had been completed, currently underway or proposed for each of the 6 zones

Ø  Issues which had come to light during the project – including the success stories, complex matters, how they had been surmounted and lessons learnt during the project’s delivery, and

Ø  Future issues / next steps.

Peter James (WG) explained why the WG had decided that intervention had been required in Rhyl.  It had been to attempt to reverse the continued decline of the area as the area suffered from poor housing conditions which, in itself, had been a major stumbling block for economic regeneration.  There had been a large demographic imbalance, as a large section of the local population were single males, and both of those factors had led to a circle of non-investment in the area.

A housing needs analysis had been carried out which identified a shortage of family orientated housing in the area and an imbalance in the area’s housing tenure.  A large number of properties in the area were privately owned but in very poor condition and, therefore, negotiating their purchase had been an extremely complex and time consuming process.  A total of 120 properties had been purchased, the majority via Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs).  The CPO process had been instigated in 2013 and had probably been the most complex urban regeneration project in Wales which involved residential properties.  On completion of the WRHIP approximately £27million would have been invested in west Rhyl comprising of WG, County Council, other public bodies, and private sector money. 

Peter James (WG) then went on and:-

Ø  Advised that the biggest risk initially had been the resettlement of the residents from the properties which had been compulsory purchased.  However, all residents had been successfully resettled without any negative comments being received

Ø  Advised that the project was approximately 6-7 months behind schedule but, due to the complex nature of the project and the poor condition of some of the properties, which had been made the subject of CPOs, the slippage was understandable and manageable

Ø  Detailed the timeframe, planned outcomes and progress of work related to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

To appoint a Vice-Chair for the 2016/17 municipal year.

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, nominations were requested for the office of Vice-Chair of the Partnerships Scrutiny Committee.

Councillor Martyn Holland nominated Councillor Raymond Bartley, seconded by Councillor Pat Jones.

RESOLVED that Councillor Raymond Bartley be appointed Vice-Chair of Partnerships Scrutiny Committee for the ensuing year.

Councillor Joan Butterfield declared a personal interest in West Rhyl Housing Improvement Project.

No urgent items.

To receive minutes of the Partnerships Scrutiny Committee meeting held on the 14 April 2016 (copy attached).

The Minutes of a Partnerships Scrutiny Committee held on Thursday 14 April, 2016 were submitted.

Matters arising:-

Page 7 – Item 6 – Single Point of Access (SPoA).

The Chair, on behalf of the Committee, offered thanks to the staff who made Members welcome during the visit on 14 April, 2016 which had been extremely informative.

RESOLVED that subject to the above, the Minutes be received and approved as a correct record.

A copy of a report by the Scrutiny Co-ordinator, which requested the Committee to review and agree its Forward Work Programme and provided an update on relevant issues, had been circulated with the papers for the meeting.

A copy of the “Member’s proposal form” template had been included at Appendix 2, Cabinet’s Forward Work Programme had been included as Appendix 3, and a table summarising recent Committee resolutions and advising on progress with their implementation had been attached at Appendix 4.

The Committee considered its draft Forward Work Programme for future meetings.

At a recent meeting of the Scrutiny Chairs and Vice-Chairs Group, it had been agreed that a report on the North Wales Safeguarding Boards be included on the Committee’s agenda for its next meeting on 7 July and that a report on the Denbighshire Well-being Plan be presented to the Committee at the October 2016 meeting.

The Corporate Director: Communities gave members a brief overview of the Regional Safeguarding Boards’ work.  

Committee representation on Service Challenge Groups were discussed and updated.

RESOLVED that subject to the above, the Work Programme set out in Appendix 1 to the report be approved.

Councillors Jeanette Chamberlain-Jones and Meirick Lloyd Davies gave feedback regarding the Highways & Environmental Services Service Challenge meeting which they had recently attended.

At this juncture, Councillor Raymond Bartley wished to inform Members that Dolwen Residential Care Home would be celebrating its 50^th Anniversary the following week.

The meeting concluded at 11.55 a.m.