Agenda item

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The Panel received a presentation from the Housing Standards Officer.  A copy of the presentation is attached.

The Chair thanked the officer for the presentation and invited questions and comments from the Panel, as summarised below.

In response to a question from Councillor Sandell, the Housing Standards Officer confirmed that work was being carried out to engage with Parish Councils and community events had been arranged.  He acknowledged that there were some problems with some installers of air sources heat pumps, but there was a scheme in place to stop rogue traders and those participating in the schemes outlined in the presentation would be checked for the relevant accreditations.

Councillor Kunes asked for advice on applying for grants and if payment was required up front and then claimed back.  The Housing Standards Officer explained that different schemes had different criteria and if individuals were unsure they were welcome to contact Housing Standards for advice.

Councillor Ware asked if the schemes permitted cold calling and unsolicited calls and it was explained that individuals could phone the Housing Standards Team to check the legitimacy of organisations or they could check online that they were a reputable company.  He advised individuals not to give out personal or financial information to cold callers.

The Portfolio Holder for People and Communities, Councillor Rust, thanked the Housing Standards Officer for the fantastic work in this area to reduce costs for residents and cut carbon emissions.  Councillor Rust reiterated the concerns relating to cold callers and how it could deter vulnerable and elderly people from engaging in genuine schemes.

Councillor Kemp referred to the social housing decarbonisation fund and the initial target of 100 properties.  She felt that this meant that a lot of properties would be missing out.  The Housing Standards Officer explained that this was the initial target, but the scheme would run until 2025 so there could be opportunities to do more.  The Council was also working closely with relevant Housing Associations.  In response to a further question from Councillor Kemp, the Housing Standards Officer explained that Norfolk Warm Homes Consortium was used to deliver and ensure that deprived areas within the Borough had been contacted to make them aware of schemes available to them.

The Portfolio Holder for People and Communities, Councillor Rust, stated that she held regular meetings with Freebridge Community Housing and would work with them to ensure that progress with schemes was monitored and discussed as required.

The Chair asked if schemes were available for private landlord tenants and the Housing Standards Officer explained that there were schemes available and individuals could contact the Housing Standards Team for more information.

The Vice Chair asked about the difference in attainment for Eco 4 verses Eco 5 and was advised it was due to resources being allocated this time around.  The Vice Chair also asked for information on the amount of funding available through the schemes mentioned in the presentation and the Housing Standards Officer agreed to provide the information.  He also explained that the schemes were coming forward this year as the resources were now in place to manage them and the Council were working with the NHS on referrals.

In response to a question from the Vice Chair, the Housing Standards Officer confirmed that Councillors could refer households directly to Housing Standards for further investigation on what schemes they could potentially benefit from.

The Portfolio Holder for Climate Change and Biodiversity, Councillor de Whalley, thanked the Housing Standards Officer for the work in this area and stated that it was important to get the message out to as many households as possible.  He asked about older properties within the Borough and the Housing Standards Officer stated that there were options available to improve energy efficiency including external and internal wall insulation.

RESOLVED: The update was noted.