Agenda item

To consider a report by the Director of Environment and Housing which provides a formal response to Tenant Scrutiny Board in respect of the environment of estates inquiry. The inquiry covered Housing, Waste, Parks and Countryside and Localities teams.

(Report attached)

The Director of Environment and Housing submitted a report which provided the formal response to the Tenant Scrutiny Board in respect of the environment of estates inquiry. The inquiry covered Housing, Waste, Parks & Countryside and Locality teams.

David Longthorpe, Head of Housing Management, presented the report and responded to Members comments and queries.

Detailed discussion ensued on the contents of the report which included:

·  The need to adopt a “one Council” approach and work in partnership with other Council Departments

·  Involve tenants and other stakeholders in managing estate standards

·  The need for a routine inspection programme

·  Provide joint Estate Improvement Plans

·  Harmonisation of processes

·  Set agreed timescales for referrals

·  Act on items identified and monitor through to completion

·  Ensure information collected was correct and used to improve service outcomes for customers

In offering comment Councillor Anderson welcomed the report in particular the one Council approach and the proactive support for tenant participation.

Referring to communal bins storage areas, Councillor Anderson said these were often used as fly tipping zones and could this problem be addressed

In responding the Head of Housing Management said many of the estates were now a mixed tenure and problems did arise with private rented tenants.

Councillor Ritchie also welcomed the report commenting that there was a lot of common sense contained within the recommendations. Action within an agreed timescale was also a useful inclusion. He also suggested that a more proactive workforce at ground level was desirable but accepted the support of the trade unions would be required.

Councillor Hamilton welcomed the Scrutiny Board inquiry and asked if a further inquiry could be undertaken into council house repairs, she said many of the tenants complaints were about repairs. Referring to the estate walkabouts, she said tenants were not being informed when walkabouts were happening, better communication was required.

In offering comment Councillor Bentley supported Councillor Hamilton’s call for a Scrutiny inquiry into council house repairs. Referring to the priorities listed by the tenants in the STAR survey report, paragraph 4.2 of the submitted report referred, Councillor Bentley asked if more could be done in reminding tenants/ right to buy owners of their responsibilities in terms of being good neighbours.

Jo Hourigan supported Councillor Hamilton’s comments that tenants were not been informed about estate walkabouts, tenants also wanted to be able to see action plans.

In summing up the Chair said the issue of council house repairs would be looked into. Referring to the 11 recommendations made by the Scrutiny Board, the Chair said that Housing Leeds had accepted all the recommendations and progress on implementing these recommendations would be revisited in 6 months-time.

RESOLVED –

(i)  To note the feedback from Housing, Waste, Localities and Park & Countryside in response to the recommendations received regarding the environment of estates inquiry

(ii)  To note that Environment and Housing Services would be working together to deliver outcomes recommended in the submitted report and would provide an update to Tenant Scrutiny Board in 6 months

(iii)  That progress on implementing the recommendations of the Scrutiny inquiry be the subject of a report to this Board in 6 months-time

(iv)  That a report on council house repairs be prepared for the next meeting of this Board