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Environment, Housing and Infrastructure - Approved Panel Minutes - 15 March 2018

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Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Scrutiny Panel

Record of Meeting

Date: 15th March 2018

 

Present

Deputy T. Vallois, Vice-Chairman Connétable S. Le Sueur -Rennard

Apologies

Deputy D. Johnson , Chairman Deputy M. Tadier

Absent

 

In attendance

Deputy S. Luce , Minister for the Environment [Item 7 only]

Mr. A. Scate, Chief Executive Officer, Department of the Environment [Item 7 only]

Mr. W. Peggie, Environmental Director, Department of the Environment [Item 7 only]

Mr.  S.  Petrie,  Director  of  Environmental  Health,  Department  of  the Environment [Item 7 only]

Miss S. McKee , Scrutiny Officer

 

Ref Back

Agenda matter

Action

 

1.  Records of Meetings

The Panel approved the record of the meeting held on 8th February 2018. The Vice-Chairman signed the minute accordingly.

 

25/01/18 Item 2

2.  Public Health and Safety (Rented Dwellings) (Jersey) Law – Draft Regulations

The Panel was advised that no update was available at this time. It was noted  that  the  Regulations  were  still  being  drafted  by  the  Law Draftsman and would be circulated to the Panel once finalised. It was noted that it was unlikely that the Regulations would be debated before the end of this term of office.

 

31/01/18 Item 1

3.  Regulation of Social Housing

The Panel noted that it's Comments on P.120/2017 - Social Housing in Jersey: Introduction of Regulatory Framework' – had been presented to the States Assembly on 16th February 2018. The Panel further noted that the States Assembly had voted against the Minister for Housing's proposals to introduce a regulatory framework and regulator for social housing.

 

 

4.  Legacy Report

The Panel considered the draft legacy report, which had been circulated to Members prior to the meeting. The Panel approved the legacy report as it stood but agreed to await comments from Panel Members that were unable to attend the meeting.

 

 

5.  Quarterly Hearing with the Minister for Housing

The  Panel  noted  that  it  had  been  due  to  receive  the  Minister  for

 

 

 

Housing for a Quarterly Hearing on 1st March 2018. However, due to unforeseen  hazardous  weather  conditions  the  Hearing  had  been cancelled. The Panel agreed that, given the limited timeframe before the end of the term of office and Members' other work commitments, it would not re-schedule the Quarterly Hearing. It was further agreed, however, that the Officer would draft written questions to the Minister for Housing in order to follow up on a number of areas which would have been addressed at the Quarterly Hearing.

SM

 

6.  Housing Accommodation for Special Needs

The Panel noted correspondence it had received from a member of the public  which  raised  concerns  regarding  their  individual  housing circumstances. The member of the public advised the Panel that they had been inappropriately housed and that the accommodation that they had been living in was not suitable for someone with autism spectrum disorder.

The Officer advised the Panel that she had informed the member of the public about the role of scrutiny and that, whilst the Panel was unable to consider individual cases, it would raise the issue of the provision of accommodation  for  people  with  special  needs  with  the  Minister  for Housing.  The  Panel  noted  that  the  Housing  Strategy  specifically identified  a  need  for  developing  detailed  housing  plans  for  specific groups of people; including people with autism spectrum disorder.

The Panel further noted that this matter had been identified within its legacy report as an area that it had recommended for a successor Panel to consider.

 

 

7.  Quarterly Hearing with the Minister for the Environment

The Panel received the Minister and his Officers for a Quarterly Hearing at 10:30am. It was noted that the proceedings were transcribed and that the transcript would be available on the Scrutiny website in due course.

 

 

8.  Future Meetings

The Panel noted that its next scheduled meeting was due to take place at 9:30am on Thursday 29th March 2018. However, it was further noted that this day had now been identified as a States continuation day and that  the  Panel  meeting  would  have  to  be  re-arranged.  The  Panel identified Thursday 27th March as a possible meeting date and the Officer  was  requested  to  confirm  availability  with  the  other  Panel Members.

SM