Issue - meetings

RESOLVED:

That the housing annual compliance report be noted.

KEY DECISION:

No

PORTFOLIO:

Housing and Homelessness

ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED/REJECTED:

As set out in the report.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST:

None

DISCUSSION:

The Portfolio Holder for Housing and Homelessness presented the Housing Compliance report which covered a full financial year.  The report had been considered by the Housing and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Panel at its meeting in June.  It detailed the statutory compliance measures to demonstrate effective scrutiny of the housing function.  Work would continue to ensure that damp and mould awareness and prevention would remain a priority.

The Service Manager, Housing Maintenance, Programmes and Servicing highlighted that there had been a positive level of housing compliance across council owned housing stock as well as transparency of reporting through governance structures.  The efforts the team supported the readiness for Awaab’s Law which would come into effect in October 2025 as well as any future inspections by the Social Housing Regulator.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance and Corporate was pleased to see the positive compliance rates and that the team continued to strive to improve the housing compliance rate year on year.

A non-Cabinet Member reported he would welcome the reporting of equalities information, in particular those with disabilities to be collated separately, recognising that this group of people were more likely to spend a greater amount of time in their homes and could be more impacted with, for example, delays to repairs and maintenance.

The Assistant Director of Housing recognised that this was at the heart of what the housing service was trying to achieve.  There had been criticism of the housing sector in general with a one size fits all approach often being taken.  The housing service improvement plan would consider a more individualised approach.  It was essential to get to know the housing tenants and their households better to greater understand what things might impact them and it was recognised that more vulnerable people were more likely to be living in social housing.