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26. 3. 97
COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE
10 MARCH 1997
A meeting of the Community Services Committee
was held on Monday 10 March 1997 at 4.00 pm
PRESENT: Councillor Garry Moore (Chairperson),
Councillors Carole Anderton, Graham Condon,
Anna Crighton, Carole Evans, Ishwar Ganda,
Pat Harrow, Lesley Keast and Barbara Stewart.
IN ATTENDANCE: Councillor Charles Manning from 4.45 pm
(absent for part of clause 4.1)..
APOLOGIES: Apologies for absence were received and accepted
from the Mayor and Councillor David Cox.
Councillor Carole Anderton, Carole Evans and
Lesley Keast retired at 6.40 pm and were
absent for clause 3.
The Committee reports that:
PART A - MATTERS REQUIRING A COUNCIL DECISION
1. TERMS OF REFERENCE -
review of the delivery of housing outputs RR 4734
| Officer responsible | Author |
| Property Manager | Rob Dally |
| Corporate Plan Output: Advice to Council |
The purpose of this report is seek endorsement of the terms of reference for a review of the delivery of housing outputs, and as requested by the Committee during its review of the draft 1997/98 annual plan and budget for housing.
BACKGROUND
The housing output is monitored by the Community Services Committee.
During the 1997/98 draft annual plan and budget review, the Committee sought information relating to the staff cost of delivering the housing output and as a result of ensuing discussion asked for a service level review.
The terms of reference for such a review had already been drawn up by the Property Manager prior to this request and have been slightly modified to meet the Committee's requirements.
The review was initially to be carried out by (substantially) Housing staff but the composition of the review team has now been changed to give more a corporate (independent) focus.
DRAFT TERMS OF REFERENCE - DATED 20 FEBRUARY 1997
Introduction
The Housing Section of the Property Unit is currently structured to deliver housing outputs from a team comprising:
| * Section (Housing) Manager |
| * Two administrative support staff |
| * Six "Housing" Officers |
| * Four "Welfare" Officers |
| * Two "Activities" Co-Ordinators |
| * Two temporary staff putting in place the confident living programme |
The Council has recently carried out a review of its role in affordable housing through to the year 2010, with a recommendation that the Council's role be expanded.
It is now timely to review the efficiency, effectiveness and appropriateness of the structure of "housing" and "welfare" support in the delivery of housing outputs.
In broad terms:
(a) "Welfare" Officers are currently responsible for tenancy arrangements including on-going monitoring/support.
(b) "Housing" Officers are currently responsible for managing the Council's infrastructural housing assets, including the implementation of an asset management plan currently being developed, and the maintenance of gardens/grounds.
There is a interaction between the activities which can cause both tensions and mutual support.
The housing output is operationally self funding with surpluses being transferred to the Housing Development Fund.
It is intended that the project team considering this review comprise the following:
Specific Objectives
To review the service delivery of the housing section of the Christchurch City Council with particular reference to existing Council policy on housing.
Scope of Work
1. To carry out a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis of "housing" and "welfare" activities as they currently exist.
2. To review the "processes" used in delivering the housing output and streamline the same so as to ensure the most efficient/effective service delivery.
3. To seek input and comment throughout the review process, from all "Housing" staff.
4. Review/research appropriate information including the "tenants satisfaction survey" carried out by Mike Reid/Ruth Palmer in 1993.
5. To investigate and review how the "Housing" and "Welfare" services are currently being delivered in other local authorities, including an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of those methods.
6. To consider the extent to which tenant mix may be expected to change in the future and the implications of this.
7. To consider the findings of the "customer services" review recently completed by Insight Consulting and take cognisance of the same.
8. To review the skills base available currently and compare it with the skills base required for the recommended service delivery option.
9. To review workloads currently existing and compare that with other local authority service providers where possible (benchmarks).
10. To review Council housing service delivery overseas by means of the internet if available.
11. To consider how the impact of future technologies (including laptop computers) could affect future communication/service delivery patterns for housing.
12. To consider the long term operational and capital (if applicable) costs required to support the option recommended.
13. To carry out a cost/benefit analysis of the proposed option compared with existing services.
14. To recommend changes to the way the housing section organises its service delivery in order to ensure that it best meets the Council's new housing policy.
Time Frame
Task to be completed by 30 June 1997.
Output
Recommended structure for the delivery of the Council's housing output.
Recommendation: 1. That a review of service delivery of the Housing Section be undertaken by a sub-committee consisting of Councillors Carole Anderton, Anna Crighton, Graham Condon, Garry Moore, Barbara Stewart and that this sub-committee engage independent advisers to assist the review and that the Housing Section staff assist this sub-committee with this review. The review to report to the July 1997 meeting of the Community Services Committee.
2. That a letter of congratulations be sent from the Committee to the staff of the Housing Section in appreciation of the work undertaken by staff of the section.
(Note: Councillor Carole Evans requested that her vote against recommendation 1 be recorded.)
PART B - ITEMS DEALT WITH BY THE COMMITTEE AND
REPORTED FOR INFORMATION ONLY
The Committee resolved to receive a supplementary report in relation to a partnership proposal from the Commissioner for Children as tabled.
2. DOGS IN HOUSING COMPLEXES RR 4707
The Committee considered a report from the Property Manager on the rules which might be adopted to allow dogs to be kept in Council housing complexes.
The report followed from the resolution of the Council in May 1996 which recommended consultation with residents on the possibility of dogs being permitted in Christchurch City Council housing complexes and the establishment of rules under which they would be kept.
A working party consisting of Councillors Lesley Keast, David Cox and Carole Anderton had prepared some suggested draft rules and these were considered by the Committee.
Concern was expressed by members of the Committee at the following aspects of these proposals:
The suggestion that a substantial consensus of at least 90% of tenants should be obtained in the first instance.
That only small breeds of dogs of eight to ten kilogram weight maximum would be permitted.
The need for a policy on the spaying and neutering of dogs.
The difficulty of removing dogs from a number of complexes at the end of the trail period it was decided to discontinue with this exemption. (Note: It was suggested that any trial could perhaps be confined to only one complex.)
The proposal should make it clearer that only "one" dog was allowed per unit per tenant.
There was concern at the suggested provision that the Council could at any time withdraw permission to keep the dog and it was considered that some sort of appeal process would be appropriate.
Having regard to the above the Committee therefore resolved that the proposed draft rules on the keeping of dogs in Christchurch City Council housing complexes be referred to a sub-committee consisting of Councillors Lesley Keast, David Cox, Carole Anderton and Anna Crighton for reconsideration and report to a future meeting of the Community Services Committee.
(Note: Councillor Pat Harrow requested that his vote against the above resolution be recorded.)
3. PARTNERSHIP OFFICE OF COMMISSIONER
FOR CHILDREN/CCC RR 4785
The Committee considered a report from Lyn Campbell, Children's Advocate, and Dave Hinman, Principal Policy Analyst, on the proposal for a partnership between the Office of the Commissioner for Children and the Christchurch City Council. The Commissioner had expressed interest in establishing "presence" in the city to work in partnership with local government and the wider community on matters concerning children, youth and their families.
The Committee resolved to endorse the approach being taken to develop an ongoing partnership between the Council and the Commissioner for Children.
4. ITEMS RECEIVED
The Committee received the following reports:
4.1 Deputations by Appointment
The Committee was addressed by Mr Laurie Dalziel, Chairperson of the Christchurch City Council Youth Work Funding Programme Inter-Agency Group, who briefed Committee members on the programme.
Mr Dalziel provided information on the key result areas of the programme, the role of the inter-agency group, agencies and the youth workers and introduced the members of the group and the three youth workers, Grant Harris, Tonto Neilson and Ricky Ehau.
Mr Dalziel and other members of the inter-agency group then answered questions from Councillors and Mr Dalziel indicated that one of the next major tasks of the group would be the preparation of business plan to clearly focus on achieving the desired goals of the programme.
It was suggested that a seminar could be held in some two to three months' time to allow for the opportunity of more in-depth discussion on the programme.
4.2 SRHA Strategy Pharmaceutical Usage RR 4751
The Committee considered a report from the Senior Policy Analyst, Jennifer Pitcher, on the extent of pharmaceutical usage in Christchurch and the SRHA strategy to address this. In addition the Committee was also briefed by Carolyn Gullery, Manager, Primary Care and Jill Nuttall, SRHA.
The report and presentation provided details on and highlighted the significantly higher use of pharmaceuticals per head of population in Christchurch in comparison with the rest of New Zealand. It gave details of the strategies the Regional Health Authority proposed to deal with this involving closer liaison with health professionals and pharmacists. In addition the strategy would place a significant emphasis on consumer awareness, involvement and access to alternative therapies.
4.3 Pitcaithly House RR 4752
The report updated Councillors on the present situation regarding the request for assistance from Pitcaithly House, who had originally approached the City Council in August 1996, seeking assistance towards projected funding deficits for the 1997 and 1998 years. In addition they had also sought assistance from Trustbank Community Trust and the report advised that this request was unlikely to be considered until April or May of this year when a final decision on assistance could be made.
4.4 Review of Implementation of the 1996/97 Corporate Plan
Because of a lack of time consideration of the reports from units was carried forward to the next meeting of the Committee.
The meeting concluded at 6.50 pm
CONSIDERED THIS 26TH DAY OF MARCH 1997
MAYOR