Agenda item

Vincent kindly presented this report on behalf of E Brooks.

A Vincent summarised the report giving a brief overview on key points 1-8 outlined in the report.

A Vincent was happy to take questions on the report.

Cllr W Wyatt-Lowe referred to page 17 there is nothing on trends or how other authorities are doing, it would be nice if we could compare data.

A Vincent explained a bench marking exercise which they were doing, this currently shows satisfaction. He is happy to bring the report to the committee when it’s available hopefully before Christmas.

W Wyatt-Lowe also refereed to page 24 the risk register and asked if anything had come up in the business plan?

A Vincent explained that the meeting had been postponed to early October; feedback will be given at the next overview and scrutiny meeting.

Cllr Timmis asked why the new affordable homes had no data given.

A Vincent said he will feedback this information to the committee, he believes the information wasn’t available at the time of the report deadline.

Cllr Timmis stated that we are below target with 90% repairs done, and asked if there was a backlog.

Cllr Griffith said that when the budget was previously done for this year the backlog wasn’t taken into consideration and the budget wasn’t increased. However the budget for next year is currently being done and this is taken into consideration so the budget has been increased to resolve under achievement.

Cllr Mahmood added to that saying with repairs maintenance we have failed.

Cllr Griffith stated that Osborne’s had some issues around staffing, a valued member of the team had left and that they found it hard to replace that person. It then takes a while to build it back up to the standard which they previously had. It is being turned around and they are improving again and plans are now in place to stop similar future problems.

We have granted Osborne’s a further one year’s contract because the KPI’s have gone up.

Cllr Mahmood referred to item 4 page 16, refugees - We have taken on two families so far and I see that the first family were involved with lots of charities etc. but I haven’t heard anything about the second family, its gone quiet.

A Vincent stated that both families only came yesterday and they have both been given the same support from organisations and charities.

Cllr Bassadone asked if they were in Council houses in the same ward.

A Vincent confirmed that they were in Council houses but they were both in different wards.

Cllr W Wyatt-Lowe referred to sheltered and supported housing on the risk register, what is done by County supporting old people?

A Vincent said that he thinks that the two terminologies are getting mixed up; none of those schemes are run by County they just cover the care side.

Cllr Wyatt-Lowe referred to the lettings agency and asked how it will be tied in?

Cllr Griffith said it’s going to come to overview and Scrutiny and is due to go to Cabinet in November. She added that it’s not a lettings service it’s a finding house service, we want to encourage landlords to come to us.

Cllr Timmis added to that saying if London Council house someone over here for a set period of time then they became homeless, is it our duty to re house them.

A Vincent confirmed that that was correct however DBC don’t have a massive issue with this as other Councils tend to locate people to cheaper areas so the issue here is very small.

Cllr Griffith added that it is legal what they are doing and to prevent it from happening here we need to get our landlords on our list.

Cllr Mahmood asked if we take Landlords on for a minimum term.

Cllr Griffith said it’s normally 6 months but the lettings policy explains all this.

Cllr Mahmood said that the new format for the housing services plan is very smart. He asked that why on page 39 the new build Wood house is marketed by Jarvis.

Cllr Griffith confirmed that they are the builders so they market it with us.

Cllr Mahmood asked what local challenge was.

A Vincent confirmed that its work within the homeless, a pier organisation does a challenge and looks where we are and makes recommendations, we then do the same for them which cuts costs.

Cllr Mahmood also asked why the complaints for the staff survey report had gone up.

A Vincent said it’s not necessarily that complaints have gone up we have just made the process easier for people to complain.

Cllr W Wyatt-Lowe referred to page 55, every figure deteriorating can they see the last report to see why they have gone down.

A Vincent said that if it’s only a small change then it could be down to sampling, the only concerns are if it’s a big drop, this survey came out when Osborne’s were having issues so we suspect that in some areas the figures will have gone back up.

Action:  To feedback ‘new affordable homes’ data.

Outcome: Report was noted.