8. Housing Transformation PDF 124 KB
Report of the Director of Housing
The purpose of this paper is to update the DMCs on progress of the Housing Transformation programme, raise awareness of key pieces of work and immediate priorities within the programme.
Additional documents:
9 Housing Transformation PDF 124 KB
Report of the Director of Housing
The purpose of this paper is to update the DMCs on progress of the Housing Transformation programme, raise awareness of key pieces of work and immediate priorities within the programme.
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Consideration was given to the report of the Director of Housing
Katie Hawthorn, Housing Change and Transformation Manager, took the meeting through the report and she along with Councillor Sagal Abdi-Wali, Cabinet Member for Better Homes, and Tariq Maklad, Complex Repairs Operations Lead, gave the following key responses to questions:
· Tenants would be able to track the progress of reported repairs through the new system that the Council would have in place.
· Officers undertook a full and extensive procurement process before a contract was let. This was followed up through a regular review of the contractor’s performance based around the contractor’s delivery of key performance indicators (KPIS). If it was shown that a contractor was not meeting their KPIS then the authority would work with them to support them through improving their performance. Should this not succeed the Council could then terminate the contract, this had happened a number of times in the past. The authority had experienced managers who would review works being delivered, this was supported with specialist advisers when necessary. Only once the works had been completed to the required KPI would funds then be released to the contractor for undertaking the works.
· Officers would provide information regarding the performance of APEX in relation to its management of the Council lift repairs contract.
ACTION BY: John Stow
· Lifts were challenging and complex systems to keep going and fix when they went wrong. They required specialist staff to repair, the parts were often difficult to procure and subject to other supply chain challenges, and the Council wasn’t able to have spare parts available due to the life cycle of the parts. Often older lifts were more reliable and easier to fix due to having less complex mechanisms. These challenges were being faced by all the lift providers. Due to specialist nature of the work the Council had found, following an assessment, that this was not a service that it was cost effective to bring in-house. The Council was considering bringing in-house the servicing of its heating systems.
· In preparing for and currently seeking to meet the Regulator of Social Housing’s and Housing Ombudsman requirements, the Council had set up a number of panels that allowed the authority to work with tenants and residents to identify issues of concern, measure and improve service performance, and assess and advise on its handling of complaints. The proposed Service Standards Work Shop would be another part to this regulatory compliance process. Information in relation to the issues raised and discussed at these meetings was available to view on the Council’s website. Officers agreed to provide an update on the work of the housing panels.
ACTION BY: Scot Reid
The DMC welcomed the approach being followed by the Council in relation to Domestic Violence and Abuse.
The DMC also expressed its concern regarding tenants and residents struggle to contact staff. They felt the phone service didn’t meet their needs, as it was too complex and didn’t lead to a person answering a ... view the full minutes text for item 9