Agenda item

The following question was submitted by Janet Clancy for response by the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Housing.

 

“What is the council doing to free up derelict properties?  For example, two houses in Norton, 66 Norton Avenue and 68 Norton Avenue.  They were converted into Council offices over 25 years ago and have been left empty.”

 

The Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Housing responded with:

 

“The properties in question are owned by a local Registered Housing Provider, the Council is in contact with them to understand their plans for future use.

 

The Council works proactively with property owners to support owners return their properties to use.  If appropriate we will also use our enforcement powers to ensure that properties are secured.

 

We will also proactively seek funding opportunities for monies which can be used to bring empty properties to use.  For example, in the North Thornaby Area, Town Deal monies have been used by the Council to support a partnership with a local Registered Housing Provider (North Star) which has recently to date resulted in 5 properties being returned to occupation, 3 further properties have been purchased and are undergoing repair before occupation with a further 7 planned.

 

In addition, long-term empty properties are also subject to a Council Tax ‘empty homes premium’ (with the aim of encouraging owners to return to use).

The process of taking control of empty housing and properties and returning them to use without the agreement of the owners is fraught with difficulties as highlighted in the Place Select Committee report on Affordable Housing. Contained within that report was a recommendation for the Leader of the Council to write to central government to highlight the issues of properties being left empty and the obstacles to local authorities to take control and bring the properties back into use.”

 

Janet Clancy asked the following supplementary question:-

 

“So how many homes across the Borough are empty?”

 

The Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Housing responded with:-

 

“I will have to get back to you with that figure. It was in the Place Select Committee report.”

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The following question was submitted by Nathan Sizer for response by the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Housing:-

 

 “What is happening with the derelict Newtown Social Club on Durham Road? The building is falling into further disrepair and stone cladding is now starting to fall off the building into the public footpath and road below. It needs demolished. Also a source of constant anti-social behaviours.”

 

The Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Housing responded with:-

 

“Newtown Social Club is in private ownership.  The Council is in contact with the owner to ensure that the building is secured.

 

A meeting has recently been held between the MP for Stockton North (Chris McDonald) Councillor Surtees, representative from the local resident’s association, the council and 3 local Registered Housing Providers.  Each of the Registered Housing Providers have agreed to consider exploring whether they can potentially use the building or land for residential development.  During this meeting, it was also emphasised that the building owner remains responsible for this building and is required to ensure it is secured. The property is a clear anti-social behaviour hotspot and Councillor Surtees has been working hard to try and find a solution to the situation. A meeting is taking place now to on the larger issue of bringing the site back into use.”

 

Nathan Sizer asked the following supplementary question:-

 

“The talks have fallen through so where do we go from here?”

 

The Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Housing responded with:-

 

“I will go back to officers and look at a way forward for this issue.”

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The following question was submitted by Nathan Sizer for response by the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Housing.

 

“What is gonna be done about all these HMO properties that are popping up all over Stockton? They are destroying the town and causing massive issues with anti-social behaviours etc, we need a cap on them.”

 

The Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Housing responded with:-

 

“Not all HMOs require a planning approval to convert a property.  Under planning legislation, a small HMO (defined as a dwelling which contains between 3-6 residents who share a main residence, and basic amenities generally do not require a planning permission from the Council.

With regard to the management of HMO’s the Council operates a Mandatory HMO Licensing scheme for HMO’s that are occupied by 5 or more persons.  In addition, the Selective Licensing scheme which came into force in Nov 2024 which covers the Stockton Central, North Thornaby and Newtown areas will require ‘smaller’ HMO’s along with all private rented properties in the area to also require a license.”

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The following question was submitted by Nathan Sizer for response by the Cabinet Member for Environment, Leisure and Culture.

 

“Will the Leader of the Council come to Newtown for a walk around and see the mess of the area? We are being ignored by the Council and we need investment in this area as we are seeing a big decline around here.”

 

The Cabinet Member for Environment, Leisure and Culture responded with:-

 

“I’m sure the Leader of the Council as she has done on many occasion would be pleased to visit Newtown along with yourself. We are no strangers to Newtown area and we do regularly walk about the area with Councillor Surtees.

 

As noted in the previous answer the Council has implemented a Selective Licensing designation which covers the Newtown area.  This designation came into force in November 2024 and requires all private rented properties within the designated area to apply for a license.  This scheme has been implemented as the Council is committed to improving the condition and management of all private rented properties within the area.”

 

The Council’s Care For Your Area team undertake regular work in Newtown. The Newtown area of the Borough has allocated a dedicated street cleansing barrow round covering the bypass road, Durham Road, A177 and Primrose Hill Park Monday-Friday 7am 14:30, and is also supported by a street cleansing operative in a small van. We also see the mechanical sweepers visiting this area on a 6-8 week programme to sweep the channels, although like other areas there are times when some areas would not get swept due to parked cars. Due to the type of housing in the area and the need for rear lane collections for refuse, gated rear lanes are swept weekly by a small sweeper following a total clearance following refuse collections on a Friday.

 

Following some concerns about anti-social behaviour and illegal activity within Primrose Hill Park, the Council and partner organisations recently carried out a crime prevention environmental assessment, which resulted in the Council along with Probation Services planning vegetation removal and cleansing works at key points in the park.

 

Newtown is subject to programmed highways safety inspections, to identify and have repaired any defects that create a significant risk or serious inconvenience to highway users. We have also recently undertaken some white lining works, refreshing junctions from Craigwell Crescent to Dundas Street, including the remarking of speed cushions as all the lining was faded.

This is a brief overview of some of the work ongoing and I hope you can see the Councils commitment to the Newtown Area.”

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The following question was submitted by John McDermottroe for response by the Cabinet Member for Access, Communities and Community Safety .

 

“Will the Leader of the Council commit to formally writing to the Police and Crime Commissioner to request increased resources in Billingham, in response to growing public concern about balaclava-clad youths on off-road bikes and individuals prowling the streets in the early hours trying car doors? These issues have persisted for some time, yet residents feel little has been done to protect them or deter this criminal behaviour.”

 

The Cabinet Member for Access, Communities and Community Safety responded with:-

 

“Recent crime data shows that Billingham continues to experience lower overall crime rates compared to other areas in Stockton-on-Tees.

Nonetheless, reports of anti-social behaviour, including groups of balaclava-clad youths on off-road bikes and individuals trying car doors in the early hours, are a concern to the Council and something we are most certainly addressing with our partners including Cleveland Police.

 

The Council and partners are actively working to address these issues already. Neighbourhood policing teams are in place across Billingham’s wards, engaging regularly with residents and hosting local drop-ins to set community policing priorities. Further to this regular proactive Civic Enforcement patrols are in place, complimented by the use CCTV in key areas. Specific partnership initiatives to tackle the illegal use of off-road bikes as part of Operation Endurance are also on going in the Billingham area.

At a strategic level, Stockton’s Community Safety Partnership brings together Cleveland Police, the Council, and other partners to coordinate responses to crime and disorder. While the statistical data shows Billingham is not among the highest-crime areas in the Borough, the nature of the concerns being raised, particularly relating to youth disorder, off-road bike use, and vehicle-related opportunistic crime highlight the need for the greater attention we have in place to ensure Billingham remains a safe and welcoming place to live and work.

 

The Commissioner will be launching project Salace over the next two weeks that will be focussing hotspots around the Borough with issues that need to be dealt with. There will be regular patrols going on. There will be a meeting with the PCC the week after next and the two Billingham Central Councillors will be in attendance.”

 

John McDermottroe asked the following supplementary question:-

 

“Given these issues have been on-going for months with no noticeable improvement will the Council also consider publishing a public action plan in co-ordination with Cleveland Police outlining specific steps to address anti-social behaviour to improve physical policing in Billingham.”

 

The Cabinet Member for Access, Communities and Community Safety responded with:-

 

“I think I have answered the bit about improved physical policing in Billingham and if you stay for the full meeting, you will hear a motion on off-road bikes and youths in balaclavas.”

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The following question was submitted by John McDermottroe for response by the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Housing:-

 

“It has now been almost a year since 87 households were forced to leave Dawson House in Billingham. Residents were originally told they would be displaced for just 2 to 3 days — yet many remain in limbo, facing prolonged disruption and distress. This is simply unacceptable. Will Stockton Borough Council commit to writing to Thirteen Group to demand a clear update on the current situation specifically, when, or even if, residents will be allowed to return to their homes?”

 

The Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Housing responded with:-

 

"The Council has been in contact with Thirteen Group about the future of Dawson House following the identification of significant concerns regarding fire safety which prompted Thirteen Group to relocate tenants. I will follow up this conversation to ensure that tenants are given an update on the progress of the issues. In the meantime officers are working with Thirteen Group to look at the long-term future of Dawson House as part of the regeneration of the adjacent Billingham town centre.”

 

John McDermottroe asked the following supplementary question:-

 

“Will the Council commit to publishing any correspondence or update they have received from Thirteen Group so the affected residents and the wider public can be kept properly informed so there is greater transparency and accountability around this on-going situation?”

 

The Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Housing responded with:-

 

“I have got a statement from Thirteen Group that I will read out.

 

“We have permanently rehoused 82 of the 86 customers who required rehousing (3 properties were empty) of the 89 properties in the block, all tenants have received home loss payments of £8,100. We had two leaseholders and have bought back these properties and rehoused where required.

 

Only 3 customers left to move into permanent homes.

 

1 customer who has been temporarily rehoused will be moving into their permanent home once repair work is completed.

1 customer is living with friends and family, with a property identified and now ready to move into and we are currently liaising with this customer.

1 customer remains in Dawson House, with a property accepted and will transfer once the repair work has been completed.

 

Where customers have moved into new homes, we have ensured that we provide an enhanced empty home offer, including carpets and white good if required by our customers.

In allocating homes, we have rehoused customers where they wished to move, with the vast majority remaining within the Billingham area. 

 

We remain committed to working with the remaining 3 customers who require a permanent move and are pleased that all 3 know where their new home will be. We are committed to working closely with SBC officers on the future of the building.”

 

And I of course will be helping as much as I can along with every other officer.”

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The following question was submitted by Terry Chapman for response by the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Resources and Transport:-

 

“How long must the residents of Yarm be inconvenienced, and business viability undermined, until Stockton Council accepts that the abolition of the free hour parking on Yarm High Street was a big mistake?”

 

The Cabinet Member for Resources and Transport responded with:-

 

“Parking charges were introduced in Stockton and Yarm as part of the council’s empowering our future missions. When the decision was taken the cabinet was mindful that the council’s car parks need up to date machinery that accept modern payment methods, as well as regular maintenance. When the decision was taken, the cabinet at the time committed to a review after twelve months.

 

Upon becoming leader in April, Cllr Evans made it clear that it was one of her priorities to review the impact. At the last meeting of full council in May, a motion calling for a review was passed unanimously. Since then, we have worked at speed to get a review underway, and I can report that last Thursday cabinet a review into parking charges in Yarm and Stockton. This has happened sooner than the original twelve-month promise.

 

This will be a meaningful review that will give the opportunity for those impacted to give their views, this includes businesses, residents, high street users and local councillors. The leader and I have also pledged to meet with businesses that want to speak with us.

 

We will use data over a six-month period to track the impact, and I can also confirm that the first three months of data collection will be the last three months. Initial data collection does show an increase in footfall; however, I want to look at this in more detail as initial data can often be misleading.

Cabinet will consider the findings later this year and any potential changes will made to fit in with the council’s budget setting process.

 

I welcome Cllr Innes, the shadow cabinet member for Resources and Transport for his willingness to work across party lines on this, and Cllr Coulson for his admission that this is not straightforward and that we could look at a compromise such as thirty minutes free.

 

We have heard the message from many residents and businesses on this issue and understand their concerns. We get it, and as I have set out, are already underway in reviewing the issue.”

 

Terry Chapman asked the following supplementary question:-

 

“I’m re-assured and pleased to hear at what was said there and my question is will the Council take into account the broader impacts on Yarm High Street in the fact that people meet there with their dogs. It is a shopping area yes but also serves many other purposes and I just want to emphasize that point so that we can all enjoy the delights of Yarm High Street.”

 

The Cabinet Member for Resources and Transport responded with:-

 

“Yes the town centres across the Borough are the beating heart of our local communities. I totally accept what you have said about people meeting up and other leisure activities. I think prior to Covid we took meeting up with people for granted. It is important we have places to do this. This will be a thorough review.”

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The following question was submitted by Mo Waqas for response by the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Resources and Transport:-

 

“Stockton’s Q2 2024/25 report shows a £6.6 m overspend covered by ‘Powering Our Future’ reserves. What is your Minimum Working Balance if grants fall 20 % and adult-care costs rise 10 %, per CIPFA resilience index, and what reserve trigger (<3 % of net spend?) forces you to issue a Section 114? Outline stage-gate scrutiny, external audit steps and how you’ll alert residents if a £5–10 m gap emerges mid-year?”

 

As Mo Waqas was not in attendance at the meeting he would receive the following written response:-

 

“Issuing a Section 114 notice is a decision for the Section 151 officer when they believe that expenditure will exceed all available resources, or that the Council is unable to set a balanced budget. External audit’s role is to assess the accuracy of the annual statement of accounts and comment upon the Council’s Value for Money arrangements.

 

The Council has very robust financial management arrangements in place. Thorough budgetary control processes frequently review performance against budget within year. Any factors that may indicate deviation from the approved budget, are identified as soon as possible and discussions undertaken to identify any potential corrective action where necessary. Budget managers, the finance team and senior leaders are all engaged throughout the process.

Medium Term Financial Plan updates are reported to members of Cabinet on a quarterly basis. This is then presented to members of the Executive Scrutiny Committee on the same frequency, to allow scrutiny of the content. The reports include an update on the projected financial position for the current financial year, which would highlight to members and residents any projected variance against the approved budget.”

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The following question was submitted by Mo Waqas for response by the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Resources and Transport:-

 

“Draft accounts reveal IFRS 16 lease debt and a capital plan reliant on PWLB borrowing plus £20 m capital-receipt flex. If the 2026/27 Fair Funding reset cuts retained business-rates 15 %, PWLB rates spike 100 bps, and IFRS 16 pushes usable reserves below CIPFA’s red-flag, what quantified threshold freezes all new capital, who authorises it, and how is the S25 robustness statement escalated to full Council within statutory deadlines?”

 

As Mo Waqas was not in attendance at the meeting he would receive the following written response:-

 

“The Section 25 statement is produced by the Council’s Section 151 Officer and included within the Medium-Term Financial Plan Report to Council when setting the annual budget and council tax precept.

 

Within the Section 25 statement, the Section 151 Officer reports to members of council on

•           the robustness of the estimates made for the purposes of the budget calculations, and

•           the adequacy of the proposed financial reserves.

 

In preparing the statement, the Section 151 Officer will consider risks and any other factors that may impact upon the council’s budget; including cost drivers such as inflation, interest rate levels and demand.”

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The following question was submitted by Paul Dolan for response by the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Resources and Transport:-

 

“We heard at the last meeting that the purchase of Dunedin House was in excess of £3m can you advise how much was paid for the refurbishment, how it was funded and who the contractors were?”

 

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Resources and Transport responded with:-

 

“Dunedin House delivers a modern workspace that facilitates the Council’s ambition to provide a more collaborative and flexible work environment to support staff retention and recruitment. The building’s workspaces have been designed to create a productive, efficient and collaborate working environment that encourages creativity, innovation and a sense of community. Each neighbourhood space is different in size and layout to meet the needs of the service areas located within them.

 

Dunedin House forms part of the Council’s accommodation review and in February 2020, Cabinet approved the consolidation of its administration buildings from ten  down to two. By moving most employees into one location, it allows the council to rationalise its office accommodation and reduce its ongoing maintenance and running costs. It also fits in with modern working practices that have come in since the Covid pandemic.

 

Dunedin House includes energy efficient lighting, heating and ventilation, and includes a solar panel scheme on the roof which is reducing the Councils energy costs for the building, whilst reducing its CO2 emissions.

 

The contractors for the delivery of the Council’s new headquarters were Northeast based Esh Construction Limited, and the refurbishment costs were £8.15m, plus £2.1m for furniture, fittings and equipment, plus £1.25m for the delivery of a new Council Chamber that we are sat in this evening. By comparison, the original plan to build a new civic building on the waterfront was estimated to be £32.3m.

 

The refurbishment is funded by £5m prudential borrowing, £2.05m Revenue Funding, and £1.1m in Capital Receipts.

 

Dunedin House is located at the heart of the Central Stockton and North Thornaby Blueprint area and is situated in the Tees Valley Care and Healthy Innovations Zone. The Council’s move to the Tees Valley Care and Health Innovation Zone has been a catalyst for investor confidence in the area, where we are seeing a reduction in vacancy rates, and an increase in businesses and other public sector associated businesses moving to the zone.

 

Paul Dolan asked the following supplementary question:-

 

“What selection process was used to approve and appoint the contractors?”

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Resources and Transport responded with:-

 

“As with every other public sector organisation in this country we have strict procurement and tendering processes and I’m happy to supply you with information on that.”

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The following question was submitted by Julie Dolan for response by the Cabinet Member for Environment, Leisure and Culture:-

 

“In April 2026 the Council are to change the way our waste is collected with the introduction of kitchen waste food caddy and bags, outdoor waste food caddy, white recycling bags and blue recycling bags to be delivered to 90,000 households. In addition new bin wagons are required to accommodate the separated waste. What is the total cost of this change and how is it funded?”

 

Cabinet Member for Environment, Leisure and Culture responded with:-

 

“The associated cost implications for the Simpler Recycling reforms were captured in the Powering Our Futures Report to Cabinet in October 2024. These forecast a reduction in budget envelope of c.£500k in 25/26 and c.£2.8m in 26/27. The performance against these budgets will be monitored and reported through the Council’s regular budget monitoring processes, linking into the Council’s Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP).”

 

Julie Dolan asked the following supplementary question:-

 

“How would I get hold of that information?”

 

Cabinet Member for Environment, Leisure and Culture responded with:-

 

“Some of that information will be in Council documents and I’m sure that officers can get that information to you on my behalf.”

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The following question was submitted by Julie Dolan for response by the Cabinet Member for Environment, Leisure and Culture:-

 

“At the last meeting we heard that brown bins had brought in revenue of £800,000 across the Borough but what was the cost of the bins themselves, the additional bin wagons and staff to operate the wagons?  Essentially how do the costs compare against the £800k received?”

 

The Cabinet Member for Environment, Leisure and Culture responded with:-

 

“The Council were already delivering a Green Waste collection service and as such there aren’t additional staff and vehicle costs. At present the Council have spent approximately £475,000 on the new garden waste bins.”

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The following question was submitted by Stephen Fryer for response by the Cabinet Member for Environment, Leisure and Culture:-

 

“Stockton Globe is the quietest ATG operated venue in the UK.  Was the decision for ATG to operate Stockton Globe as a "music focused arena" a barrier from bringing more performances to our town, or are the current performance levels acceptable?”

 

The Cabinet Member for Environment, Leisure and Culture responded with:-

 

“Stockton Council is pleased to be able to collaborate with an international company of the scale and sophistication of ATG. The Council wouldn’t be able to attract or create the shows that ATG brings to Stockton and to the UK. We are keen to see a variety of types of entertainment at the Globe, reflecting the preferences of our diverse communities. The venue presents a broad programme including music, musical theatre, comedy and dance. The Council doesn’t place any restriction on the type of shows ATG select.

 

I have got some additional information from ATG have forwarded to me and I will take the opportunity to read that out:-

 

“Stockton Globe is part of the ATG portfolio and operates similarly to our other music focused venues in terms of programme levels and quality content.

Established, nearby competitors Newcastle City Hall and Hull Connexin Live (formerly Hull Bonus Arena) both typically deliver between 100 and 120 events annually, after many years of operation. The Globe benchmarks against these after just 3 full years’ operation.

 

The Globe has a big focus on the growth of non-ticketed functions and events and well as community and creative learning. Its core artistic programme however will always focus on quality content as opposed to number of shows.

Whilst it takes time to establish a venue, since opening the Globe has secured world class artists such as Queens of the Stone Age, Nick Cave, Robert Plant and Paloma Faith, with more artists soon to be announced.” Thank you.”

 

Stephen Fryer asked the following supplementary question:-

 

“We have been told continuously that the Globe will bring £18 million back into the local economy every year. I’m guessing that this figure comes from the 2017 document estimating that the social and economical impact of the Globe development proposals. Based on figures released this month. I believe that the money brought back into the local economy is currently about £3.5 million per year, far less than the £18 million per year we were promised, I’m happy to give you the figures if you want. How much do you believe is being brought back into the local economy by the Globe based on the current performance levels? and if it is more than £4 million can you please break down those figures and tell us how you arrived at those figures and if you are closer to the £3 or £4 million per year why were the projects of £18 million so far out?”

 

The Cabinet Member for Environment, Leisure and Culture responded with:-

 

“The figures we have with regard to extra added value to the Tees Valley economy are as follows:-

 

“In 2024, the Tees Valley saw:

£475million generated by overnight visitors – up 1.3% on 2023, and 3.9% higher than 2019, before the covid-19 pandemic.

£906million from day visitors – up 5.4% on 2023, and 0.6% above 2019 levels.

23.4million visitor days and 20.4million individual visits, offering increases of 4.5% and 5.0% respectively on the previous year.

Tourism directly supported 10,035 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs, rising to 12,919 when indirect employment is included.

The food and drink sector provided a total of 4,758 FTE roles, up 3.1% from the previous year.

With the largest growth in Stockton for all sectors.

So I’m very pleased with performance of the Globe and that added value of visitors bring to our economy and extremely pleased with the jobs that have been created.”

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The following question was submitted by Stephen Fryer for response by the Cabinet Member for Environment, Leisure and Culture:-

 

“Why have Stockton Borough Council not been open and transparent with residents, hiding the fact that we CAN put garden waste in the green bin? The SBC Website still states "From Tuesday 01 April 2025, if you need your garden waste to be collected you will need to pay a £40 subscription fee".  "If you don't sign up to our new service you can either home compost your garden waste or take it for free to Haverton Hill Household Waste Recycling Centre"

 

The Cabinet Member for Environment, Leisure and Culture responded with:-

 

“Stockton Council continues to promote recycling and to follow national Government guidance on waste and recycling services. We do not say that people cannot put their garden waste in their residual waste bin, but we do discourage them from doing so.

 

If residents put garden waste in the green bin it adds to the weight and cost of waste that is incinerated, ultimately costing local people more and releasing more greenhouse gas into the atmosphere.

 

It’s great to see so many of our residents signing up for the new garden waste collection services. I think that shows that people want to help us recycle more, save money and do their bit for the environment. I have done all I can as the Cabinet Member for Environment, Leisure and Culture to motivate as many people as possible to continue to recycle.”

 

Stephen Fryer asked the following supplementary question:-

 

“The Council have not said that you can put your garden waste in the free bin. I’m all for recycling but you haven’t been open and transparent. The law is very clear you have the legal right to a refund if you were misled about a product or service. Companies and organisations who are selling a product or service you should not keep information about that product or service hidden or obscured. The Citizens Advice website even if the seller sells by mistake it counts as misleading the service. So will SBC refund everyone who has paid the £40 fee for the brown bin service as it has been miss sold and if not why have SBC broke the law?”

 

The Cabinet Member for Environment, Leisure and Culture responded with:-

 

“I will refer Mr Fryer back to my response to his first question. We do not state that people can not put their garden waste in their residual bin but we continue to discourage it. The brown bin service is a subscription service that people can chose or chose not to subscribe to.”