Agenda item

This report sets out the performance of housing services at Quarter 3 for the period 1 October to 31 December 2023.

            The Business Improvement Manager was invited to present the report.  Since the previous report housing performance had improved in ten areas and declined in six areas.  Gas compliance had reached its target of 100% placing it within the top quartile and electrical inspections had also improved and was now within the second quartile.  Although  average relet times had not improved as much as expected this was due to the impact of a number of long term voids, now relet.   It was confirmed that the current contractors were performing well.  The Housing Options Team continued to be impacted by a high demand for services, which had increased waiting times for emergency and temporary accommodation.  Arrears levels remained high and the Neighbourhood Services Manager was working with their team to improve recovery levels.  With regards to housing fraud, eight properties had been recovered up to 31 December 2023.  Higher cases of abandonment and non-occupation were being seen, which were thoroughly investigated by the Fraud Officer. 

            The Chair then invited members to make comments or ask any questions and congratulated offices on achieving 100% gas compliance.   A member requested information on the right to buy scheme in respect of the number of properties sold under this scheme, the revenue raised and how it was spent.  The Business Improvement Manager undertook to provide the information antidotally within future reports.  It was noted that whilst there had been a steady number of RTB applications most were not reaching completion, which may be impacted by higher mortgage rates.    In response to a question asking if there was a sign off process in in place that allowed residents to provide feedback on work undertaken on their property, the Group Head of Housing advised that transactional surveys would be introduced to find out if residents were happy with the works undertaken.  It was noted that due to completion of approximately 10,000 jobs each year a sample survey of the works would take place.   A member asked that the voids figures be split into long-term and short-term figures.  The Group Head of Housing advised that officers were able to provide this information, which was already collected for operational purposes.  He explained that the KPI’s methodology was constructed to enable benchmarking against other housing authorities.  Whilst he would not suggest moving away from how this KPI was reported he advised that a report on the KPIs for 2024-25 would be considered at the next Committee meeting concerning target setting to ensure they drove improvements.  He explained that officers were looking to move away from upper quartiles as a target and would instead set targets to drive improvements year on year.  A question was asked with regards to housing fraud and the total value of savings to the Council and if the estimated cost to the Council, of £93,000, was the Government’s recommended figure and if so could a more realistic figure be used?  The  Business Improvement Manager confirmed that the Council used the Government figure of £93k per property.  She undertook to discuss with the Neighbourhood Services Manager to see if it was possible to provide a different consistent methodology other than that provided by the Government.

            The Committee noted the improved performance in complaint response times during Quarter 3.