Agenda item - Annual report 2015

13.1    The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director Environment, Development and Housing which presented the Annual Report, which publicises the performance of the services being provided to tenants and leaseholders.  The Annual Report gave a reflection of the work carried out in the year and the work that is planned for the year ahead.  The report was presented by the Head of Income Involvement & Improvement.

13.2    Councillor Moonan noted the good work carried out but stated that she would like to see more about the aspirations for housing in the future. 

13.3    Councillor Miller referred to page 313 and suggested that there should be a contact number for jobseekers.  The Head of Housing and Social Inclusion replied that a contact number for jobseekers would be inserted into the Annual Report if it was not quoted elsewhere. 

13.4    Councillor Miller referred to the quotation on page 317 and asked if this related to a housing function or a social care function.  The Head of Housing and Social Inclusion replied that it was not a landlord function but was increasingly part of the work being carried out in housing.  Apart from Job Centre Plus there were no other departments that ran courses which supported people back to work or learning.

13.5    Councillor Miller referred to page 318 which quoted that 98.4% of rent due had been collected.  He asked why housing benefit was calculated as rent paid and commented on the high running housing costs compared with the private sector.   The Head of Housing and Social Inclusion replied that the calculations did include an element of housing benefit.  This was the way performance indicators were presented across the country.  This method was commonly used by HouseMark.  27.8% for running housing services was high but housing services did considerably more for tenants than a private landlord would do.  Housing Services housed people who would not be housed by private landlords.             

13.6    Councillor Mears asked for information about Housing Services staff in  Bartholomew House.  She was concerned that back room services such as HR & Finance had moved into the building.  The Interim Head of Housing replied that staff were being consulted on where they should be based.  The service was trying to reduce the cost of office accommodation.  Future accommodation arrangements had yet to be finalised.  Customer Services should be protected and no move would take place before Christmas.  Any future arrangements would be brought back to the committee.

13.7    Councillor Gibson stressed that there needed to be robust evidence to show that call centres were cost effective.  He did not see any reference to large print or audio versions of the report or information about translation into different languages.  The Head of Housing and Social Inclusion replied that officers were aware of the people who needed to see the report in large print.  The report was not translated due to the high costs.

13.8    RESOLVED:-

(1)               That the draft Annual Report 2015 be approved for distribution to all council tenants and leaseholders with the summer edition of Homing In.