Falklands : Falklands: Committee News (05/10/05)
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 05.10.2005 (Article Archived on 19.10.2005)
A Brief run-down of Falkland Islands Government Committee news
FALKLANDS: COMMITTEE NEWS
Compiled by J. Brock (FINN)
A meeting of the Planning and Building Committee will take place in the Liberation Room of the Secretariat at 0900 on Thursday, 06 October 2005. After apologies for absence, declarations of interest and confirmation of the minutes of the meeting held on 08 September 2005, planning applications will be discussed. The Environmental Planning Officer will then make recommendations. Building Permit applications will then be reviewed by the Building Advisor and an amendment to the approved plans for the erection of a dwelling at 7 Anderson Drive, will be discussed and prior to the exclusion of Press and public, the date of the next meeting, thought to be Thursday, 03 November 2005 in the Liberation Room of the Secretariat beginning at 0900 will be confirmed.
The Stanley Lands Committee (public session) will meet in the Liberation Room of the Secretariat at 1330 hrs on Thursday, 06 October 2005. After apologies for absence, declaration of interests and confirmation of the minutes of the meeting held on 08 September 2005, the lease of the Government Boat House will be discussed. Other items on the agenda include permission to erect signs on the Firing Range, lease of land at Gordon Lines, grazing review, applications for building plots, EXCO decisions on land sales, Cable & Wireless’ application to lease land to the rear of the Town Hall, the Murrell River Draft Management plan and confirmation of the date of the next meeting, thought to be 1330 hrs on Thursday, 03 November 2005.
HOUSING COMMITTEE REPORT
By J. Brock (FINN)
A meeting of the Housing Committee took place in the Liberation Room of the Secretariat at 1330 on Wednesday, 05 October 2005. Present were Cllr. the Hon. Mr. Stephen Luxton (Chair), Cllr. the Hon. Mrs. Norma Edwards, Mrs. Dawn Hoy (Housing Officer Designate), Ms. Roma Plato (Treasury Accountant) Ms. Kathleen Dobbyns (Director of Human Resources), Ms. Vikki Butler (Team Leader, Social Work), and Mrs. Lynn Brownlee (Minute Taker).
Confirmation of the minutes of the meeting held on 03 August 2005 for the open session took place and there were no matters arising from those minutes. A lengthy discussion about the date of the next meeting then ensued, with Cllr. Norma Edwards saying she would not be attending. Cllr Luxton suggested a discussion on who would take her place and Mrs. Edwards suggested her husband, Cllr. Roger Edwards, who is now at the Party Conferences. The next meeting would take place on the 7th of November 2005 regardless of the election as the old Council would keep meeting in Committee until the new Council took over.
The only discussion in the public section of the Housing Committee Meeting was the Draft Housing Application Form and Guidance Notes (Copy of Draft not yet available to FINN).
On page one, eligibility for Housing was discussed and suggestions to the wording on the form were made. Joint tenancy was thought to be a bit messy for “partners” and the Committee liked the “Principle Tennant” idea. On page two, there was discussion about wording concerning incomes coming into the household. The idea of “Partners” not being considered for “Joint Tenancy” meant that there may not be a requirement for information about more than the main income.
In Section 4, rent rebates brought a discussion about whether it should be incorporated in the form and it was thought the rebates should be a separate issue. In Section 5, Parents’ adult working children were discussed as far as gross income is concerned and wording was suggested for the form. Cllr. Luxton mentioned that it was important to keep the wording simple but appropriate when rent rebates were in question. Methods of payment were then discussed with a Bank Standing Order preferred and all in Government service and the Special Employment Programme having rent docked from the pay packet.
In Section 7, housing preferences were discussed with people turning down allocations going to the bottom of the housing list. Ms. Hoy said she would like applicants to come in for an interview prior to being allocated a property. It was thought that an interview would help to assess the person’s or family’s needs, like the number of bedrooms, etc. It was suggested that if a property was not quite right that it should be taken by applicant(s) until a more appropriate property could be allocated.
Wording about reasons for applying and whether the requirement for purchase of land could be included and/or changed, as well as assessment info being placed on the form was then discussed. It was thought that if there was an assessment a clue as to whether an applicant would in future buy land and build on it could be made. In the last section, time limits and declarations were discussed, with 15 working days suggested as being enough time to get forms in to the Housing Officer.
Guidelines (also not yet available to FINN) were discussed with eligibility due to employment and rent rebates being part of the document. There was provision on it for a note saying that help with filling out the form was available.
Lastly, non status holders living with status holders were discussed with there being no restraint on this happening provided both “Partners” agreed. However, if this occurs, the “Partners” could not ask for a larger house.
The public section of the meeting ended at 1410 hrs.
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