Agenda item

FWilliamson introduced the report, referring to performance highlights and challenges. 

Highlights – had continuingly good levels of performance in terms of satisfaction with repairs and maintenance service.  Positive outputs from Tenancy Sustainment Team who work with tenants with complex needs.  Number of rough sleeper approaches has reduced from 6 to 0 for same period as last year, due in part to the good work of team and initiatives working with Hightown with their outreach worker.  Positive news on rent collection; qtr. collection increasing in part due to proactive work the team are doing in respect of universal credit. 

Challenges continuing to see problems with empty home key to key times.  Had some feedback from Keymark that due to all our units being included in that criteria (including those undergoing major works) it shows us as high in that area, but reasonable overall.  In terms of lettings, have been some delays in getting properties re-let, some due to refusals, some due to sheltered.  The team have been carrying out work to establish why some schemes are more popular than others and why dispersed schemes are more popular.  Satisfaction with outcome of ASB has reduced, a lot of this is around communication with those people bringing complaints to us.  Been some recent changes to bring ASB team within Housing Service, enabling us to provide a more consistent service to any tenure that has ASB problems.

FWilliamson invited questions.

Cllr Mahmood referred to sheltered accommodation, commenting that trouble letting those units has been an issue for a long time and asking; do we need to categorise them, to see how we can look at things differently?  There is a high demand for housing but we have all these properties that we cannot let.  LWarden responded that they are currently undertaking project work around sheltered housing to try and understand tenant’s needs.  Devised an action plan to look at promoting schemes, some suggested changes to brighten up and make schemes more accessible  Next step is to draw up clear plans to bring this forward.  Will also be looking at incentivising people to move to sheltered units, particularly those in larger homes who need adaptations or are perhaps isolated.  Very much something we are aware of and have teams working on potential solutions and will bring a paper forward later in the year.

Cllr Mahmood asked, have we looked at reducing age you can move into sheltered housing?  LWarden confirmed yes, in some cases we reduced age to 50 from 60 in some of the more difficult to let schemes, but have found that too big a split in ages can cause some difficulties in inter-generation and managing the scheme.  Have also done some work to increase the levels of savings you can have and still qualify from £100k to £250k, hoping that will increase the numbers of people that can come into sheltered housing who still need the level of support a scheme can provide. 

Cllr Griffiths added that one of the biggest complaints she receives in respect to sheltered accommodation is the ‘younger’ residents moving in.  Different ages have a different lifestyle so have to take all those challenges into consideration when looking at ages etc. 

Cllr Imarni observed that, from the handful of people in Gadebridge that have spoken to her, they don’t seem to be aware of when they become eligible for sheltered accommodation, particularly those not already engaged with services via benefits etc.  FWilliamson responded that there have been some open days and advised that they don’t want to send out any communication at this stage, until the current review is concluded as we now have 4 categories of scheme in terms of longer term viability so need to consider whether some of them are decommissioned or made available for general use.

Cllr England expressed his thanks to the team for the proactive work being done on Universal Credit and also the great news on rough sleepers.  He queried, how do you know the figure is accurate, when do you know you have looked everywhere? 

FWilliamson responded that the data is based on the number of people that present themselves as a rough sleeper.  We also collect information from other agencies in terms of anyone who is reporting as a rough sleeper who might not be presenting to us, so that is included. 

Cllr England referred to Empty Homes and the Keymark feedback, commenting that as Dacorum are a big stockholder, for us to be just slightly behind the medium has more of an impact as it would be for some other authorities and asked, what else is there we can do to improve in this area, if we had more people could we do more?

FWilliamson advised that Soprasteria have been commissioned to undertake a review and with their findings they have made a number of suggestions on how we can change the process to front load the process.  They identified a number of areas they believe could be run consecutively to reduce the key to key time by running as many of those processes in tandem.  LRoberts added it is also about team communication and what systems and products we are using.  Looking at all those and hoping to deliver a quick wins project soon.

Cllr England asked, given this is an age old process, people moving out new people moving in, how has this process become such that a consultant is needed to identify changes?  FWilliamson  responded that the lettable standard has improved which means we try to do as much work as we can with the property empty rather than once the tenant is in situ, so they suffer less disruption, however this does impact the time it takes to turn those properties around.  There has also been a change in how we record compliance information, we now undertake all the commissioning of things like asbestos surveys.  Another issue is the condition people leave properties in, we have done a lot of work around charging tenants for leaving properties in poor condition.  Been working with Clean Safe & Green to carry out property and garden clearances – that brings another party into the process which can add more time.  Soprasteria have stripped that back to look at all of those elements and see what can be streamlined.

Cllr Griffiths added this is an area that has been difficult to resolve for a number of years, been looked at various times but have never got it to quite where we want it to be.  Having someone from outside to strip it back will help.

Cllr Mahmood referred to the service objectives for each group, commenting that they all seem to have either expired or were completed in 2019 – asking, why has this not been refreshed?  FWilliamson advised that the qtr. 3 update is gives the current position – the objectives are set at the beginning of the performance cycle and updated/reported quarterly, to monitor if objectives are meeting their deadlines.  Have a number of service plan objectives still ongoing.  Some things have finite finish date as have to comply with scrutiny and Council timescales.  Some objectives are completed in year, some will be rolled forward into next year. 

Cllr Mahmood, asked, do you refresh targets each year?  FWilliamson confirmed that yes, we have an annual service plan over and above business as usual which is why we have the quarterly updates.

Cllr Pringle referred to a point made about sheltered housing and commented that although there may be a surplus properties at the moment, she would want to sound a note of caution about decommissioning them without mapping what the future need might be as there could be some demographic changes.  Cllr Pringle asked; is there any consideration to younger people who might not quite qualify, but might be on housing list and have other conditions such as medical need, do we signpost people to sheltered accommodation if they might not be aware they qualify?  FWilliamson responded that decommissioning would be a last resort, it is an intervention category, expressing we either need to do something drastic now or soon to make those properties fit for purpose for the future (such as first floor access).  We do spend time looking at demographic and aging population, we consult with Public Health England.  It is difficult to fully understand how we make the properties more attractive, but work we are doing around allocations will come as secondary work once we know where we are going to invest.

FWilliamson referred to point around demand, adding we do not go out and proactively try to identify people who might be suitable for sheltered accommodation, but the housing advice team do give advice on all tenures, including sheltered, even if they are not in the age qualification, if a tenant has medical need we might discuss with them the suitability.

Cllr Mahmood referred to coronavirus and what we would do in terms of vulnerable people in sheltered accommodation.  LWarden confirmed this is something they are considering and will keep strong links with partner organisations and keep sheltered housing officers briefed, 

Cllr England commented, with regard housing service plan, he cannot see any reference to the climate emergency, and asked, is this a plan that is due to be updated and is that why it is not in there?  FWilliamson responded that they had a service planning away day on Friday (last) and the Climate agenda is in every strand of the service plan – it is cross cutting across all areas of service to identify how we can best respond in a proactive way, both in relation to our buildings and our tenants.