Issue - items at meetings - Housing Management Performance Report Quarter 1 2014/15

Report of Executive Director of Environment, Development & Housing (copy attached).

39.1    The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director Environment, Development and Housing which set out the performance for quarter 1 of the financial year 2014/15.    The report included the new indicators for Tenants in Arrears, Decisions on Mutual Exchanges made within 42 calendar days, and Repairs completed at first visit.  The report was presented by the Head of Income, Involvement & Improvement.  

39.2    Councillor Wilson referred to Rent Collection and arrears.  She referred to 2 and 3 and asked if debt and arrears were becoming polarised.  Councillor Wilson did not think that 4 – Tenants in arrears served a Notice of Seeking Possession should be deleted, unless there was another indicator which showed when court action commenced.  Councillor Wilson considered 7 – Former tenant arrears collected – to be a massive leap from quarter 1. She asked if something had been done to improve the indicator. 

39.3    Councillor Wilson referred to paragraph 4.1.1 and asked for more detail about the average re-let times.  Councillor Wilson referred to paragraph 4.4.1 – Reports of ASB incidents by type.  She would like to see the differential between the top three, spilt off from environment and recorded on a ward by ward basis.

39.4    The Head of Income, Involvement & Improvement referred to Indicators 2 & 3 in paragraph 4.0 – Rent Collection and current arrears.  Data could be presented to future committees. Some younger and older tenants were in arrears.  Information about court action could be added as an indicator as suggested.  Targeted action was being taken with regard to Indicator 7 on Rent collection and arrears – Former tenant arrears collected.  It was hoped that further improvements would be seen next year.  Work was being completed on improving average re-let times.  More detail could be provided on ASB in future reports.

39.5    The Chair requested that the indicator relating to Tenants in arrears served a Notice of Seeking Possession should remain an indicator in future reports.

39.6    Councillor Peltzer Dunn referred to Indicators 1 to 3 and 6 in paragraph 4.0 – Rent Collection and Arrears.  He found it difficult to get a true picture of the percentages.  The Head of Income, Involvement & Improvement explained that Indicators 1 to 3 were providing information, and information had many different breakdowns.  She could provide more detail to a future meeting.  The Principal Accountant stated that she would check and clarify these figures and report back. 

39.7    Councillor Peltzer Dunn referred to paragraph 4.5. He congratulated the team in Tenancy Fraud.  However, he noted that 6 tenancy fraud cases had been closed with just 2 resulting in eviction.  He asked if the other 4 cases were found ‘not guilty’.  The Head of Tenancy Services explained that some cases were abandoned as the intelligence had been found to be malicious.  Councillor Peltzer Dunn stated that he would like to see more information about this area of work. 

39.8    Councillor Peltzer Dunn referred to paragraph 5 – Community Engagement and Consultation.  He asked why the Committee had not seen a report on the tenants’ views and recommendations relating to the performance measures.  The Head of Income, Involvement & Improvement explained that a report was submitted to the Area Panels where there was some discussion.  She could provide details of the discussion in future reports.  The Chair stated that this was the agreed procedure.  Any recommendations from tenants should be reported to the Committee.  The Head of Income, Involvement & Improvement explained that on this occasion there were not any recommendations or requests from tenants.   

39.9    Councillor Peltzer Dunn referred to Appendix 2 – Long Term Empty Properties.  The List of General needs and sheltered long term properties (6 weeks or more) looked similar to what was presented last time.  It was very noticeable that 21 properties were ready to let. He noted that discussions were underway in relation to Westbourne (Temporary accommodation long term empty property) after three years.  The Head of Income, Involvement & Improvement stated that officers were not happy that it had taken that long.  It might have been more helpful to the Committee if officers had included the history of the property.  There were historical problems in terms of the budget and the property.  More detail could be provided on that issue.   It was not known why 21 properties were ready to let.  This could fluctuate and was a snapshot in time.  10 of these properties were sheltered housing flats.   The Chair stated that 21 properties in the context of the whole stock was a very small number.

39.10  Councillor Daniel referred to paragraph 4.2 – Property and Investment.  She would like information at some stage on the acceleration rate of Indicator 11 – energy efficiency.  She asked if Indicator 19 – Repairs Helpdesk – calls answered within 20 seconds was incorrect in showing amber.  The result for quarter 1 was 80%.  Councillor Daniel referred to 4.3 – Estate Service.  She asked why Indicator 7 – Graffiti removals completed within 3 working days had a lower target than the year end 13/14.   The Head of Income, Involvement & Improvement replied that all these matters would be looked at.  However she pointed out that there had only been 5 cases of graffiti removal in Quarter 1, which made it easier to achieve 100%.  

39.11  Councillor Mears referred to paragraph 4.4.2 – Reports of ASB incidents by ward. She would like to see a specific action plan in relation to East Brighton which was not improving.  Councillor Mears asked if support plans were in place for vulnerable people who were being brought into the area.  It was possible that this matter was affecting rent collection in the area.   Councillor Mears referred to Seaside Homes in relation to Appendix 2 – Long Term Empty Properties.  She asked if the remit had changed in relation properties going over to Seaside Homes.  The Chair replied that there had been problems in Eastern Road in relation to drugs and alcohol.  One key area was sheltered housing, where there were three tenants with drug and alcohol problems.  Seaside Homes had batches. It was always agreed that some were long term and some were short term. 

39.12  The Head of Tenancy Services informed Members that four reports would be submitted to future meetings.  A report would be submitted to the Area Panels and the next Housing Committee providing an update on the issue of the Eastern Road corridor.  A report on the new Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act would be submitted to the City Assembly and the Housing Committee.  A report would be submitted to a future Housing Committee on the remodelling of the service offer to housing and a report would be submitted on the Sheltered Housing Stock Review.  These four reports would address many of the issues raised at this meeting.  

39.13  Councillor Mears mentioned that approximately 2 years ago, there was a proposal to look at 30 sheltered housing units changing to extra care housing.  Was this in the proposals going ahead?  Councillor Mears stated that in the budget papers £2m was still shown as a pressure in Adult Social Care. The Committee needed to know how secure the sheltered housing stock was.  There was a waiting list of 500 plus to go into sheltered housing.  The Executive Director, Environment, Development and Housing replied that the Brookmead scheme was going ahead but nothing else.  Housing worked closely with Adult Social Care and any proposals would be submitted to the Housing Committee. 

39.14  Councillor Meadows confirmed what Councillor Mears had said.  Councillors had been told at the Adult Care & Health Committee that schemes had been decommissioned and turned into extra care housing.  The Executive Director stressed that there was no plan to decant HRA tenants.  A new housing supply was being planned rather than using HRA money. 

39.15  RESOLVED -  (1)    That the report, which was submitted to Area Panels in September 2014, be noted along with comments made by the Committee. 

          (2) That it is noted that future performance reports will show arrears in bands as a sub-set.