Agenda item

RESOLVED that the performance information, and updates against the Regulator for Social Housing Improvement Plan be noted.

Executive considered a detailed report, presented by the Portfolio Holder for Housing, which provided Members with performance information for Quarters 1 – 3 (2024/2025), to understand progress made in meeting actions under the Regulator for Social Housing Improvement Plan, as well as an update on specific areas of activity for the Housing Service.

The Regulator for Social Housing (RSH) had updated the Consumer Standards with effect from 1^st April 2024 - these fell into four main categories designed to ensure tenants received high quality services.  The Social Housing Regulation Act, which also came into effect from 1^st April 2024, gave the RSH enhanced powers to inspect landlords to ensure they complied with the Consumer Standards.  The Council was one of the first local authorities to be inspected under the new inspection regime and received a C2 grading in August 2024 - C1 was the highest and C4 the lowest.

The C2 grade recognised that the Council had provided some assurance and met the Consumer Standards in many areas but had identified some areas where improvement was needed.  The Housing Management Team, working alongside Dragonfly Management, continued to work with the Regulator to develop an improvement plan to address the key themes they had identified as well as looking at how the Council could continue to demonstrate continuous compliance with the standards and strive for a C1 grading.

The Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSM) were introduced by the Government in April 2023, and were designed to help monitor how well landlords were doing at providing quality homes and services, and to understand how they could make improvements.  The Council, as a registered provider with more than 1,000 dwellings, was required to annually publish performance information regarding compliance with the Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs).  This included information which the Council held; Landlord Management Information and the Tenancy Perception Survey. In order to monitor compliance, figures were reported quarterly to the Housing Liaison Board (HLB), as well as the operational Housing Stock Management Group (HSMG).

The Council was also required to publish information on its complaint performance.  The Annual Complaint Handling and Service Improvement Report must be published by June each year, and to ensure the Council monitored compliance with timescales and trend data, this information was also presented to the Housing Liaison Board (HLB) and Housing Stock Management Group (HSMG).

Between February and April 2024, the previous Government consulted on proposals to introduce a new, regulatory standard relating to the competence and conduct of social housing staff.  This would ensure that staff had up-to-date skills, knowledge, and experience, and that they exhibited the right behaviours to deliver a high quality, professional service and treated residents with respect.  This standard would require senior housing managers to hold a Level 4 Housing qualification and Senior Housing Executives to hold a Level 5 Housing qualification.  The proposed standards were to be introduced with effect from April 2025, however, there had been no update from the new Government on this proposal.

Members asked various questions to which the Assistant Director Housing Management and Enforcement responded to.

Members thanked and congratulated the Assistant Director Housing Management and Enforcement for an in depth report.

RESOLVED that the performance information, and updates against the Regulator for Social Housing Improvement Plan be noted.

Reasons for Recommendation

The Regulator for Social Housing had emphasised the need to have greater oversight of the Housing Service by Executive.  This was an information report to keep Members informed of the Housing Services performance information for Quarters 1 – 3 (2024/2025) to provide an update regarding actions under the Regulator for Social Housing Improvement Plan as well as an update on the Stock Condition Survey.

Alternative Options and Reasons for Rejection

Not applicable to this report as providing an overview of performance and for information only.