Agenda item

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Planning)

The Portfolio Holder for Housing and Planning introduced the report which was presented to Cabinet on the 26^th October to update them on the comprehensive preparations for the council’s compliance with the Social Housing (regulation) Act 2023. Specifically, the: Programme Launch and associated Project(s) management infrastructure, Terms of Reference and assurance sought via the Housing & Homelessness Advisory Board, Collection of required Tenant Satisfaction Measures in readiness for submission to the Regulator Social Housing by April 2024, Procurement of external resources to collate and prepare for submission by April 2024, required tenant perception measures and associated improvement planning. The report was now being present to Corporate Scrutiny to review.

The Portfolio Holder highlighted the following –

Ø  This is a programme that includes eight projects that feed into the areas of the regulatory changes brought in by the Social Housing Regulation Act many of which are also being discussed through the Housing and Homelessness Advisory Board which includes the Tenant Consultative Group

Ø  The Act and its changes are a good thing that will help strengthen the tenants voice, improve the standards of home and elevate complaint handling.

Ø  Risks to be aware of that will increase pressure on the Council include burden of continuous regulatory oversight, increased financial risk (fines for non-compliance) and additional reputational risk (regulator can ‘name and shame’)

Ø  Complaints is an area of focus which is important to ensure tenants voice will be continuously heard and there will be engagement with officers on this.

Ø  Repairs and safety including monitoring of repairs and how they are undertaken will be monitored and presented back to members including the issue of damp and mould.

The Assistant Director, Neighbourhoods highlighted the following –

Ø  The council could potentially be facing inspection from April 2024.

Ø  The programme provides an infrastructure which is organisational wide falling under several directors.

Ø  The pack includes the latest tenant satisfaction measures in 3 parts. The 10 management indicators that the government requires from next year. The second section around the tenant’s satisfaction measure which will be supported by field work before it needs to be published next year and what tenants would like to see in terms of performance management which are to be discussed at the cross-party board meeting.

Ø  Since Cabinet on 26^th October, we have a  new housing minister Lee Rowley who has confirmed commitment to the new regulatory framework, continuing Social Housing quality updates, regulators are doing spotlights on items such as complaints and damp and mould which could form the basis of a risk assessment around who is inspected first.

Ø  Internal comms are being formed and we are looking at ensuring that the  tenants consultative group have the skills to hold members and officer’s to account.

The Committee made the following comments/observations and asked the following questions:

Ø  Clarification around the why some of the documents were showing as restricted? And why the ‘smiley faces’ seem to be the wrong way around which doesn’t appear to make sense.

Officers confirmed that this is because the report was  initially published for the Housing and Homelessness Advisory Board which is not a public meeting but that the content does not need to be restricted.

The ‘smiley faces’ come from the tenant consultative workshop but that this has been changed for the board meeting next week.

Ø  In the Engagement and accountability workstream the report only refers to complaints, but that engagement goes far wider than this and what else is happening?

The officer clarified that the work being done around engagement is much wider than complaints, including customer insight, how we tailor services through equality and diversity and inclusivity, and engaging tenants to influence and scrutinise activities.

Ø  Clarification around the increase showing in ASB cases from April to August?

The officer highlighted that this could be attributed to new measures being applied due to new definitions and how those cases are treated, additionally the implementation of the new neighbourhood impact team had been working to openly encourage the reporting of anti-social behaviour.