MINUTES

1. WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS
Richard Opened the meeting at 10.43 am and welcomed all members present. He apologised to those members who arrived late due to delays with their transport.

2. MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING
Minutes of the last meeting were accepted as a true record of proceedings. Apologies to Mr and Mrs Halfpenny who once again did not receive a copy.

We would like extra copies issued to the Wardens for them to put on their notice boards.

3. MATTERS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MEETING
Tim Bray representing Hereford Council for Sheltered Housing asked Jean Fishpool to contact Eddie Clarke regarding her outstanding query.
Tim said that fire drill will be arranged for certain Sheltered Housing schemes.

Tim told members that the change over of the Sheltered Housing and the alarm system had taken place on Tuesday 1st this should not make any difference to our group, or to the services Sheltered Tenants receive.

Richard said that funding will continue for our group, this has been confirmed by Jim Russell head of sheltered housing.

Richard asked members who would like to join the sub-group to contact
Susanna Piohtee if they have not yet done so. This is a small group looking at ways to improve living conditions for sheltered housing tenants, who would report back ideas to the main S.H.T.U.G. group.

Secretary to telephone Tony Jaques secretary to invite him to our next meeting on November 7th at Smallbrook Gardens.

4. TREASURERS REPORT
Jean Fishpool said that we now have £134 in our fund. Chairman thanked Jean.

CHAIRMANS REPORT

a) Election of new Chairperson
There was a poor response but Crawford Powney said he would be happy to take over as Chairman but he will be abroad for 4 months the group asked Richard if he would kindly stand in as Chair until Crawford returns. Tim Bray reminded members that council officers are quests at our meetings and Richard confirmed that the group should be self run but he agreed to chair the next few meetings until Crawford returned.

b) Tenant Federation Representative
Richard said there was a vacancy to fill, representing Sheltered Housing on the Herefordshire Tenants Federation and Eileen Houghton volunteered and was duly elected.

6. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

a) Barklie Court
Residents are still having problems with neighbours putting out bread which is attracting rats. This seems to be a general problem and it was agreed that letters would be sent to all sheltered tenants and if this failed to work, wardens would then speak to the tenants involved.
cupboards. Tim will look into this.

b) Fownhope
Mr. Hince has still not received a reply to his complaints to the council since July. Tim said he would look into it for him.

c) Smallbrook Gardens
Mrs. Halfpenny is concerned about a neighbour who is still waiting for her door chain to be repaired. Tim said he would look into this but stressed that door chains should only be when answering the door to callers. In an E.C.! T.B. emergency door chains could obstruct help getting to a tenant.

d) OT Reguests
Tim said the budget regarding OT requests had now dwindled with some people having to wait longer or get work done privately. Contacting Age Concern may help.

e) Innesfield
Lil asked if 'dropped kerbs' could be put in so tenants in wheel chairs can gain access to the road from the pavements. Tim agreed it was a problem and would see what could be done.

f) Southgate Court
Tim was asked to find out who was responsible for the cleaning of the stairways.

G) Rapid Response
Jean Fishpool and Roy Adams said they were very pleased with the response to a call at Smallbrook Gardens for an ambulance. Thanks to all concerned.
RICHARD AND TIM WERE ASKED BY EILEEN IF THEY WOULD LEAVE THE ROOM WHICH THEY DID

7. TENANT BOARD MEMBERS
Eileen told members that she was concerned about certain things that she and Robert Downie had heard at a meeting they attended recently. She then read. out the following proposal.

At the meeting at the Chase Hotel, Ross, to select a new Tenant Board Member for the new company, several tenant Board Members told us that the as business going on with the Board that they said would alarm tenants if they knew what was happening. They could not tell us what it was that distressed them, because they were sworn to secrecy.

I propose that we hold an Extraordinary General Meeting at Southgate Court on Monday 7th October 2002 at 6.0pm. I also propose that we invite Tenant Board Members to attend this meeting and tell us exactly what is going on at the Board Meetings and answer our questions about the Boards business.

Eileen then asked members if they would like to attend. With the absence of our Chairman, members had to make up their own minds whether to attend or not.

RICHARD AND TIM RETURNED TO THE MEETING.

8. NICKY GOUGH
The group decided to invite Nicky to our next meeting to thank her for all the help and support she gave us in setting up the group.

9. EXPRESSION OF SYMPATHY

The group would like to express our deepest sympathy to the relatives and friends of one of our members, Charlotte Baldwin, who passed away recently.

Richard closed the meeting at 12.10 pm and expressed the groups thanks to Jean and Roy for hosting us at Fowbridge Gardens. 10.

10. DATE AND VENUE OF NEXT MEETING

Smallbrook Gardens on November 7th at 10.30 am.