Agenda item

The Board is requested to receive an update on East Leeds Responsive Repairs Service recommendations and raise any questions with the Manager in attendance for this item.

Rob Goor introduced himself as Responsive Repairs Service Manager and explained he was attending on behalf of Simon Costigan, Chief Officer who was unable to attend the meeting due to another commitment. RG went through the recommendations and gave feedback on progress so far.

Recommendation 1 – That Housing Leeds provide dedicated repairs training for new staff as part of their induction and regularly review training needs of existing staff. In addition, that Housing Leeds supports the Contact Centre’s training programme.

RG explained the service has invested heavily in training for frontline visiting staff which means that more complex repair types can be resolved better, for example for damp related repairs. Better repair equipment has also been provided to surveyors to diagnose problems.

Two Officers were also located at the Contact Centre from April to January to help train officers. Processes were developed which means that repairs are better dealt with and more efficiently.

It was asked by a member why they are not there now and what would happen because of the high turnover of staff at the Contact Centre – RG explained that the Officers who were taught would pass this knowledge on and also new guidance has been developed which means repairs can be ordered more effectively.

RG explained that the repairs ordering process now needs to be improved in other parts of the service which raise repair orders, for example the Housing Office or Community Hubs, as the Contact Centre only raise about 40% of the total number of repairs. RG noted that when benchmarking has been carried out as to the ways that tenants can report repairs, that Leeds has a lot more ways to report than other organisations which can be a good thing but a balance needs to be found to ensure consistency in quality.

RESOLVED - The Board resolved recommendation 1 is closed.

Recommendation 2 – Implement and roll out the Total Works system.

RG explained that Total Works became operational in July 2017 and all operatives are using the system which is reducing back office administration. The Chair noted in his discussion with Officers that the system has a few issues, which RG said is an honest appraisal of the system but he acknowledged it’s partly down to Total Works but also how it has been adapted to how East Leeds want. RG noted visits have been carried out to other organisations who are using Total Works to identify improvements.

It was asked by the Board if the number of repairs being carried out per day has increased since the system was introduced, as this was explained at the visit to Leeds Building Services as something which would occur with the new system. RG noted that he couldn’t answer this with certainty, but processes still need to be improved to improve efficiency. During the inquiry members were informed the Total Works system would reduce the number of visits to stores. The Chair asked if this had occurred, and RG confirmed this was the case.

RESOLVED - The Board resolved Housing Leeds should provide an update in 12 months’ time to report on progress.

Recommendation 3 – Implement new working practices through Total Works, in relation to creating additional appointments, by reducing waiting times and increased tenant satisfaction. 

RG explained improvement in customer satisfaction has not yet impacted as expected. Communication through the repair process is cited as the main reason customers are dissatisfied. RG noted the scheduling system has not been rolled out alongside Total Works and so manual intervention is currently having to be carried out. It is hoped once the scheduling tool is rolled out this will have a positive impact on customer satisfaction.

RESOLVED - The Board resolved Housing Leeds should provide an update in 12 months’ time to report on progress.

Recommendation 4 – Improve customer satisfaction by using and acting on learning from complaints. Improve the process and communication where follow on work is required including follow up work after accessing out of hours service. Take ownership of complaints and enquires and see through to conclusion.

RG explained as with the previous recommendation where follow-up work is required that this is a cause of dissatisfaction. It was also noted complaint responses were previously not managed well across teams, and this has been pushed hard by management to improve quality of responses and meeting targets for response, and ensuring the officer dealing with the complaint takes ownership. The service have also been making use of the complaints to learn lessons from them.

RESOLVED - The Board resolved recommendation 4 is closed.

Recommendation 5 – That Leeds Building Services, work with the Contact Centre, HUBs and local housing offices to ensure staff know how to identify key properties types such as heating type, to enable more accurate repair reporting. Ensure staff are adequately trained and information is readily available on systems to enable accurate reporting in relation to dual communal heating systems, for example; gas boiler but with electrical components in individual flats, to ensure the correct trade is allocated. Provide portable heating for tenants when repair is not possible.

RG noted that this comes back to the repairs reporting process. Currently RG view is there are too many people ordering repairs and this needs to be reviewed to identify a model that best suits Leeds and Leeds tenants.

RG noted that there should always be supply of portable heaters to provide to tenants where we cannot repair a heating system and assurance was sought by management that this was happening, through informing operatives they have a supply with them, though repairing the system this would be the first priority.

RESOLVED - The Board resolved recommendation 5 is closed.

Recommendation 6 – Administration on repairs performance is improved – so that orders are closed down in a timely manner on systems, including sub-contractor orders. This will ensure that performance reporting is not adversely affected.

Leeds Building Services are currently ensuring that sub-contractor invoicing is dealt with more efficiently as it is money which is leaving the Council. A member asked why we employ sub-contractors and couldn’t the Council employ these trades to cover work needed, however RG noted whilst the Council could do this, some types of work comes in peaks and troughs and there could be a situation where some operatives would not have enough work so using sub-contractors enables the direct workforce to be maintained at an optimum level.

RESOLVED - The Board resolved Housing Leeds should provide an update in 12 months’ time to report on progress.

Recommendation 7 – Make repair raising more accessible online. Whilst this is currently available, it is not actively promoted or widely utilised. Ensure that systems are user friendly, use Plain English and make use of photographs. Utilise involved tenants to critique the service and ensure all follow up enquiries are dealt with promptly. 

RG explained the new Civica Housing Management system would improve this, however the system is still being implemented and this improvement which will be delivered within phase two of the project would likely not be available until at least the end of this year.

RESOLVED - The Board resolved recommendation 7 is closed.

Recommendation 8 – That there is a named contact at Leeds Building Service for new and existing staff to reference complex repair enquiries, including support with communal repairs.

RG explained that doing this would not be a viable solution as problems can occur where a member of staff isn’t in work, for example on leave or on sick, and also with staff moving positions. The service is committed to improve and offer more resources – so for example the call handling team has increased from 2 to 3 staff and a manager is being recruited and a recent report has shown this has had a positive improvement in performance.

RESOLVED - The Board resolved recommendation 8 is closed.

Recommendation 9 – Where a trade has a shortfall in operative numbers, Leeds Building Services consider apprenticeships in these trades and continues to work to upskill operatives in multi skilled trades.

RG reported that 25 apprentices are working with Leeds Building Services. They have been recruited based on the needs of the business. It was explained that they would have a principal trade and be multi skilled in other trades. For the future, Leeds Building Services would be taking on an additional 65 operatives to help with the expansion of the business.

In closing a member asked about how they had found previously there was a split between the housing side and the non-housing side of the LBS business which focused on other Council assets and has this been resolved? RG confirmed it has improved and is now operating more as one business.

RESOLVED - The Board resolved recommendation 9 is closed.

The Chair asked how the report had been taken in Leeds Building Services. RG noted that it had been welcomed as an opportunity to improve.

The Chair thanked RG for his attendance and updates to the Board.