There were no Apologies for Absence.

There were no Substitute Members.

There were no Visiting Members.

RESOLVED: That Councillor Mrs Wilson be elected Chairman for the remainder of the Municipal Year 2010/11.

RESOLVED: That Councillor Burton be elected Vice Chairman for the remainder of the Municipal Year 2010/11.

There were no disclosures by Members or Officers.

There were no disclosures of lobbying.

RESOLVED: That the Items on Part II of the Agenda be taken in public but the information contained therein remain private.

RESOLVED: That the Minutes (Part I) of the Meeting held on 24 March 2010 be approved as a correct record and signed.

RESOLVED: That the Political Group Spokespersons for the remainder of the Municipal Year 2010/11 be appointed as follows:-

Conservative – Councillor Burton

Liberal Democrat – Councillor Field

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Regeneration and Communities regarding proposed responses to the consultation document ‘Local decisions: a fairer future for social housing’.

The Committee went through each of the responses and the following points were raised and considered important to be included in the response to the consultation:-

·  The inclusion of an independent advisory role to help tenants understand the implications of a transfer

·  The inclusion that tenants should be given the option to stay on the same tenure or take a new agreement should they be the subject of a forced change

The Committee suggested changes to responses to questions 9, 10, 15, 18, 20, 28 and 30.

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO THE CABINET MEMBER FOR REGENERATION:-

That the Cabinet Member for Regeneration agrees the proposed responses to the consultation, as amended and set out in the attached Appendix.

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Regeneration and Communities regarding the options for SHAC now the original period of its terms of reference has expired.

All Members felt there was a future role for this Committee following the completion of the stock transfer to Golding Homes.

Members felt that, should the Committee continue as proposed, it was important to ensure that there is an opportunity to build up an expertise of housing amongst the Members of the Committee.  Members also felt it was important that meeting dates were set in advance, rather than on the current ad-hoc basis, and that the number of Members on the Committee should be an odd number.

The Committee proposed slight amendments to the Terms of Reference.

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO CABINET:

1.  That the Strategic Housing Advisory Committee remains as the advisory body for the Cabinet and/or the Cabinet Member on matters relating to housing in Maidstone.

2.  That, subject to agreement to 1 above, the Council be recommended to approve the new Terms of Reference, including an increase in the number of Members on the Committee, as set out in the Appendix, and the Constitution be amended accordingly.

RESOLVED: That the Minutes (Part II) of the Meeting held on 24 March 2010 be approved as a correct record and signed.

6.30 p.m. to 8.50 p.m.