Agenda item

7.1

The Committee received a report of the Director of Housing and Neighbourhoods Service containing further information in connection with the Housing Repairs Insourcing Project, specifically the full costings of the ballot of tenants and leaseholders, together with details of consultation meetings that have taken place to obtain the views of tenants and leaseholders. The report also contained further details of a number of general repair issues, which had been considered by the Committee, at its meeting held on 26^th March, 2015, as part of the call-in of the Cabinet decision on Future Options for the Housing Repairs and Maintenance Service, and the Committee had requested the further information. 

7.2

Present for this item were Janet Sharpe (Director of Housing and Neighbourhoods Service), Jason Siddall (Council Housing Service), John Kite (Tenants’ representative) and Yulia Yushina (Leaseholders’ Forum).

7.3

The report contained details on the financial implications of a full tenant and leaseholder ballot, the legal requirements for holding such a ballot, and other options for obtaining the views of tenants and leaseholders, including details of existing customer engagement and governance framework, additional repairs, specific consultation undertaken and customer engagement going forward.  The report also contained a response to queries raised by the Committee with regard to various aspects of the Housing Repairs Contract and attached, as appendices, a detailed response to a question raised by a member of the public at the meeting on 26^th March 2015, in terms of which tenant groups had been consulted, a chart showing the current structure of the Council’s Housing Engagement/Governance structure, the Well-maintained Homes and Neighbourhoods Service Design Project Group’s Vision Statement and a leaflet produced by Housing Services providing advice on how to prevent condensation in homes.

7.4

Members raised questions and the following responses were provided:-

·                Whilst it was accepted that there would be major risks involved in terms of the insourcing project, including financial risks, there was an obligation on the Council to consult with all tenants and leaseholders, and the proposed ballot had been viewed as the most effective method of holding such consultation.  A sub-group had been established to look at the best method of consultation.  It was believed that the Council had an excellent structure in terms of consulting with its tenants and leaseholders, and that the method chosen would give everyone a better understanding of the process involved.

·                The precise cost in terms of the full ballot of tenants and leaseholders would not be known until the work had been formally procured.  The costs set out in the report represented an estimate.

·                As part of the process, all tenants and leaseholders would be sent a ballot paper, and given the option of returning it in a number of different ways. 

·                The three housing areas which had chosen to have a bi-monthly Local Estates Services and Investment Forum (LESIF), in addition to the Local Area Housing Forums, were Central, East and South West.  The decision to have the LESIFs had been taken by the Local Area Housing Forum.

·                The suggestion to send ballot papers out with tenants’ and leaseholders’ annual rent demand letters would not be a possibility as these letters were sent out after the Council meeting in February, after the approval of the Housing Rent Account and rent levels, therefore there would be an issue in terms of timing and additional cost.  John Kite, on behalf of the tenants, indicated that it was always difficult sending information out by letter as several people either would not receive it, read it or interpret it correctly, and this was highlighted by the low attendance at meetings of his local Tenants’ and Residents’ Association, despite several invitations being sent.  Yulia Yushina, on behalf of the leaseholders, indicated that there were only around 2,500 leaseholders across the City, with the Leaseholders’ Forum only holding meetings on a quarterly basis.  Both the tenants’ and leaseholders’ representatives were of the opinion that tenants and leaseholders would not mind who delivered the service, as long as it was effective.

7.5

RESOLVED: That the Committee:-

(a)       notes the contents of the report now submitted, together with the information now reported and the responses to the questions raised;

(b)       thanks Janet Sharpe, Jason Siddall, John Kite and Yulia Yushina for attending the meeting and responding to the questions raised; and

(c)        requests that the Director of Housing and Neighbourhoods Service considers the views and comments now raised by the Committee.