Agenda item - Options for future delivery of housing repairs, planned maintenance and capital works

24.1               Glyn Huelin, Business & Performance Manager, introduced the report and emphasised the importance of the feedback received through consultation with residents and other stakeholders.

24.2               The Chair noted that the housing repairs contract would be the subject of a special Housing & New Homes Committee on 26 September 2018.

24.3               In response to Residents, Officers stated that Mears were required by the existing contract to carry out quality insurance checks, although the Council did check any major works. The new contract would likely have a different system in place to scrutinise works done.

24.4               Delia Hills assured Residents that the feedback calls made after repairs were not merely looking for positive feedback and all issues or faults reported would be recorded.

24.5               Residents did state that their experience of Mears had not been entirely negative and Mears had definitely done good work during the contract.

24.6               In response to Residents, Delia Hills agreed at the situation regarding wet room puddling was not satisfactory and she would follow up outside of the meeting to ensure that repairs took place.

24.7               In response to Residents, Officers stated that they tried to align any work with decorating so that newly decorated areas would not be disturbed by new fittings or similar. Thy apologised if this had happened and stated that the contractors carrying out the work should have returned the area in the stated that they had found it in.

24.8               Residents raised concern that communal areas were in an appalling state and some areas had not been re-decorated for nearly two decades. Estate Development Budget bids had been placed, however bids had been rejected due to estates no fitting specifications.

24.9               Officers responded they will be commissioning work on charter and seniors housing that would include a section on decoration which would feedback into reviews. Officers agreed that a lot of their stock did look tired and acknowledged that an important aspect for sheltered housing was to feel welcome in communal areas. This was an issue that would be raised going forward.

24.10            The Chair stated that the case would be flagged and that feedback for the wider environment and communal areas would be incorporated in to the report. The main areas that had been drawn to attention were less repeated monitoring, less wasteful use of scaffolding, getting jobs done right first time, improved coordination with decoration, shorter contracts and a report that draws together all the wider themes.

24.11            Residents stated that there should be some acknowledgement for the positive aspects of the Mears contract, such as the responsive help desk and their feedback mechanism. They raised the negative implications of long-term contracts such as historical problems with fraud and the difficulties for leaseholders. They noted that if the contract were to change in future that the help desk service should be replicated by other providers.

24.12            The Chair stated that it was important for Residents views to be heard at committee and he encouraged residents to contact him with concerns or issues that they felt had not been raised at the meeting or through the consultation process.

24.13            RESOLVED: That the Panel noted the report.