Agenda item

To receive a report from the Director of Environment and Housing presenting an update on a series of summaries of housing issues that were presented to the Board in September 2015 and including additional information.

The Director of Environment and Housing submitted a report which provided an update on a series of summaries of housing issues that were presented to the Board in September 2015.  In addition, the report also included information relating to the implications of the Housing and Planning Bill 2015 and the current position regarding responsive repairs and maintenance.

The following were in attendance:

-  Councillor Debra Coupar, Executive Member (Communities)

-  Neil Evans, Director of Environment and Housing

-  Liz Cook, Chief Officer (Housing Management)

-  Simon Costigan, Chief Officer (Property and Contracts).

-  John Statham, Head of Housing Partnerships and Housing Growth

The key areas of discussion in relation to the various housing issues were as follows:

The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) growth programme with a focus on HRA council house programme and use of Right to Buy (RTB) receipts

·  An update on the Council House Growth programme.

Progress with the Empty Homes Strategy

·  Acknowledgement regarding the significant progress made in relation to the Empty Homes Strategy.

Standards within the Private Rented Sector

·  Particular reference was made to the proposed measures set out in the Housing and Planning Bill 2015 in relation to tackling rouge landlords in the private sector.

·  Clarification that the Directorate was awaiting clarification regarding arrangements for managing the properties of a banned person.  Further details to be provided to the Board when available.

·  The Executive Member (Communities) advised that a report on private sector housing in Leeds was being submitted to a future Executive Board meeting.  Details to be provided to the Scrutiny Board in due course.

Estate Management arrangements

·  Good progress made in relation to the Tenant Scrutiny Board Inquiry regarding the Environment of Estates.  Some initial feedback had been received in relation to improvements needed to estate walkabouts, communications and garden maintenance.  An update on progress with the Board’s Inquiry would be reported back to the Board.

·  Acknowledgement of the positive work undertaken as part of the High Rise Project.

Local Lettings Policy

·  Members were reminded that following the Board’s November meeting, it was agreed that more detailed policy proposals would be developed and presented to the Scrutiny Board at its January 2016 meeting.

Enforcement of tenancy agreements

·  Members noted the update and no particular issues were raised.

Briefings on housing management forums

·  Members noted the update and no particular issues were raised.

Temporary accommodation

·  Implications of the Autumn Statement to be reviewed in relation to Housing Benefit.

·  A request to be provided with a breakdown by Ward regarding the 92 households in emergency temporary accommodation.

·  Confirmation that the timescale for temporary accommodation was approximately 12 months.  Due to the demands on Council housing stock and to ensure a level of stability, families were generally allocated private sector housing on a 6 month let.

Housing and Planning Bill

·  Concern regarding aspects of the Housing and Planning Bill, particularly in relation to the policy referred to as ‘pay to stay’, which required higher rents for high income social tenants.  The Board requested to receive a specific update on the Housing and Planning Bill at a future Board meeting.

Update on Responsive Repairs and Maintenance

·  An update on the work undertaken by Mears and Leeds Building Services.  The Board asked for a breakdown regarding the additional income in 2013/14 arising from performance deductions that was invested in the central heating boiler replacement programme.

·  Members noted an omission in the report in terms of referencing repairs and improvement work to Council properties in the North of the City.

·  A recognised need for greater consistency across the different contractors in terms of performance indicators.

·  A need for more robust checks to audit the end-to-end service when measuring overall contractor satisfaction with repairs services (in accordance with KPI: RR6)

·  Acknowledgement regarding other areas of poor performance that required additional support.

·  The Board requested that future reports provide a breakdown of repairs completed within timescale in terms of emergency repairs, priority repairs and general repairs.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the contents of the report and appendices be noted

(b)  That the Board receives a specific update on the Housing and Planning Bill to a future Board meeting

(c)  That the requests for information/clarification be provided.

(Councillors P Grahame and K Ritchie left the meeting at 4.05pm, during the consideration of this item.)