Issue - meetings

A report from the Strategic Director of Housing and Regeneration is attached.  (Key decision – reference number 5720)

Cllr George Savva (Cabinet Member for Social Housing) introduced the report of the Strategic Director of Housing and Regeneration, reviewing the progress of the Council Housing Service over the last year and the proposed Work Plan for 2024/25. An improvement plan for 2023/24 was implemented and significant progress achieved as detailed in the report. Surveys showed that tenant satisfaction was high and had increased from 2022/23. The revised plan for 2024/25 was included in the report and included wider actions in respect of Decent Homes compliance, particularly the regeneration of the Joyce and Snells estate.

In response to Members’ queries, officers confirmed that the shortfall of £43m over the next 10 years referenced in the report meant that works could only be delivered at a certain pace, but if the Council received additional grant funding or greater flexibility it would be able to increase decent homes standard delivery. It was advised that an 83% level of decency was anticipated by the end of this month. The delivery was across the whole borough and focused on components failure, including kitchens, bathrooms and roofs.

DECISION:  The Cabinet agreed to:

I. Approve the Work Plan for 2024/25 for the Council Housing service to drive forward improvement in services and resident satisfaction.

II. Note the Tenant Satisfaction Measure scores which will be submitted to the Regulator of Social Housing in March.

III. Ask the Housing Scrutiny Panel to review progress of the plan alongside Cabinet’s oversight of progress through the monitoring of key performance indicators in the Corporate Performance dashboard.

The report sets out the options considered, if any, and the reasons for the recommendations and the decision.