Agenda item

N Beresford introduced the report to members giving an overview of the performance of the Housing Service during the first quarter of 2023/24, measured against the suite of performance indicators. She explained that the performance indicators are extracted from InPhase and contained in Appendix A for the Housing & Property Service portfolio. Future reports will provide updates on new government measures, known as the Tenant Satisfaction Measures, which will be reportable from 2024.

She said performance is reviewed on a monthly basis via InPhase reports, which provide an overview of the housing service. The Operational Risk Registers are also reviewed by the relevant teams at least quarterly, to reflect any changes internally or externally that have impacted upon the identified risks and to include new risks. Robust mitigations are in place to reduce the risk’s likelihood and severity. 

She said that this report also outlines any newly arising service pressures and feedback to Members on action taken to address matters arising.

N Beresford is happy to bring further reports to future meetings to drill down on further areas of interest, if need be.

N Beresford was happy to take questions

Cllr Johnson asked, if the foreign national implications are going forward because obviously it mentions the continuing uncertainty about the rising cost of labour and materials.

He said, I just wondered if generally you've got a feel for whether that's something that's going to continue throughout the current financial year or is there, some light at the end of the channel for all of us?

N Beresford commented that she is the service AD and chief Housing Officer working very closely with our colleagues in finance to review the overall healthy revenue and business plan and the continued position in all pressures.
She said they will make adjustments wherever needed to ensure that those are effectively managed.

M Pinnel said that he thinks it is difficult to give assurance at this stage, but what he can give assurances around is as an attached alluded to is the oversight that we've got as a team.
So there's a couple of things in train at the moment as Members are aware, we are re procuring two of our biggest contracts.

One is the Osborne contract, refer to the total asset management contract and the other one is the heating contract.
He said both contracts, are substantial amounts of money one is 23 million and the other is in the circle of four. We are expecting some price increases because of the volatility of the market and as you're alluded to, the supply chain and availability in materials and expertise.
However, what we will be doing with the procurement process is building in efficiency savings, because if we don't building the efficiency savings and work with our contractors and supply chain, we won't be able to afford to provide the services that we're currently providing.
So he think it's an absolutely key question to ask and thinks it's very difficult to articulate and a trim a positive answer.
However, please do take assurance that you'll be the first committees to be aware of any plans and proposals moving forward and for probably the first time in a long time the Council are holding contractors accountable to provide some efficiency savings back to us as a Council to make the joint enterprise between us and contractors deliverable.
He said it is in their interest to make it work because they get longevity of work, and its in our interest to make it work, to continue to provide the level of service that unknown members are looking for us to provide.

The report was noted.