Agenda item

The Housing Strategy and Development Officer explained that part of the Bolsover Tenants Challenge and Change Group was to provide a direct link for tenants to provide feedback to the Council.  Mr. S. Bramley had been invited to address the Committee.

Mr. Bramley explained he was 1 of 6 tenants in the Challenge and Change Group, adding they had chosen to review the Voids Process as their priority; they would ask what the standard was, what the speed was, and whether tenants were satisfied with the work being undertaken by the Council.

A number of site visits had taken place; the offices at Doe Lea to look at the systems and processes and 3 void properties at different stages of the void process.

At Doe Lea, the tenants saw how the Council and Dragonfly Development Ltd. handled the work.  A whiteboard system was in place which helped portray the start-finish timeline, with Mr. Bramley noting the statutory steps required such as the removal of asbestos.  Mr. Bramley stated he and the other tenants had been very impressed with the handling of the work involved, with the next step witnessing the work being undertaken in practice; this involved the site visits of 3 void properties.

These visits took place independently and away from the Council’s own inspections team; this was to not confer and influence the tenants’ views.

A property on Westfield Bank, Barlborough, where the previous tenant had passed away with no next of kin, needed clearing of all furniture and personal possessions before any/all repairs could take place.  During the visit, the tenants had carried out their inspection with guidance from the repairs co-ordinator; a worksheet was used to categorise the repairs required.  The repairs co-ordinator explained that these works would be ordered on the computer system which would automatically produce a costing, including a separation of materials and labour costs.

A property on Elmton Road, Creswell was partway through a refurbishment.  The works were major with a new bathroom, kitchen, and rewire.

A property on East Street, Creswell, was almost complete, with major works having been undertaken; a wet-room installed and a rewire of the electrics.

There had been the intention to visit a fourth property, but due to time constraints this proved not possible.  The tenants had been told major work had been undertaken, with a wet-room, replacement windows, full decoration, and rewire taking place.

At a following meeting, the tenants had been able to see the full costing and planning involved, as well as the work undertaken by Dragonfly Development Ltd. and the various contractors; the latter enabled fair comparisons to take place.

A number of recommendations had been forwarded by the tenants, including the need for a greater number of electrical sockets be made available and for more documents that were easier to read for tenants.  An exploration of a voucher programme for decorating could also take place, enabling new tenants to choose their own styles.

Mr. Bramley noted the standards of the Council were very high, and the few areas where there were concerns Dragonfly Development Ltd. had agreed (e.g., the stripping of all wallpaper before plastering, or the leaving of carpets down if in good condition – this would save the Council financially).

The Challenge and Change Group would welcome the opportunity to discuss this report with senior management.  They wished to work with the Council to develop an action plan which set out ways of how to implement the recommendations in the report or discuss options.  Mr. Bramley explained the current tenants involved wished to leave a legacy for the next group of tenants to build upon.  A lot of work had been undertaken by the tenants and staff involved, with feedback incredibly important for the Council to maintain and develop the high standards exhibited; quality and affordability were paramount.  Mr. Bramley credited the staff and contractors involved throughout the process.

The Chair thanked Mr. Bramley for attending the meeting and commented tenants who generally moved into the Council’s properties were there for financial reasons; it was unfair to expect those who could not physically decorate themselves to carry out such work – further assistance may be required in such circumstances.  The Housing Strategy and Development Officer noted a voucher scheme for tenants to decorate their new homes was currently not in development, but some assistance could be provided by the Council or independent contractors.

Mr. Bramley noted it was important for the Council to not favour some contractors over others; information on all local contractors could be provided (reiterating the need for clearer, easier to read documents and information be made available).  This information could also be expanded to cover all items related of the Council’s properties for tenants to use (Mr. Bramley had discovered he had been paying the water bills of another property, and another occupier was paying for his, all due to confusion over which water meter belonged to which resident).

The Monitoring Officer asked if this report needed to go to the Executive, and the Housing Strategy and Development Officer explained the review had already been introduced to Housing Stock; the inclusion at this meeting was to inform the Committee.

The Portfolio Holder for Housing thanked Mr. Bramley for attending and for his and the other tenants’ time and work on this issue; it was worthwhile for Councillors to know what the Council was working on.  The Director for Strategic Services agreed, thanking Mr. Bramley, the other tenants, and stated their comments were reassuring.  The Head of Service – Housing Management echoed previous sentiments and informed the Committee that future recommendations would be submitted on a quarterly basis so tenants could provide direct feedback.

A Member noted that this work was likely the best scrutiny the Council could have.

Mr. S. Bramley left the meeting.