Agenda item

TLS KPI Q1 & Q2 - Housing Performance report

Minutes:

Sally O’Sullivan, Tenant and Leaseholder Services Manager introduced the report and made the following points:

 

·  The Housing Services Team has come a long way from October 2020 when the services was brought back in-house;

·  Income management was looking good;

·  The Services was currently scoping the capital works;

·  By the end of December the Royal Crescent tender would be in place;

·  Tenants survey feedback indicated that the service was getting better;

·  The Services was still working on improving the standards for Landlord Compliance including fire risk;

·  The team was working on improving voids;

·  Working relations with Mears had improved significantly.

 

Members made comments and asked questions as follows:

 

·  The council started from a bad position but now the situation had significantly improved;

·  It was good to note that an 18 months improvement plan was now in place;

·  Members were happy to hear that the Mears contract was going on ok;

·  What were the penalties if Mears underperformed?

·  How long was the current contract?

·  Where were the tenants meetings being held?

·  Were there any training opportunities for tenants training?

 

Bob Porter and Sally O’Sullivan responded to Member comments and questions as follows:

 

·  There were no specific penalties in the contract;

·  The main focus was on making improvements in their performance;

·  Monthly meetings are held between TDC officers and Mears;

·  Strategic meetings are held quarterly;

·  The contracts ends in 2025;

·  Mears experienced some difficulties in recruiting for some of the trades, hence the backlog in some work areas;

·  Supply of materials had also been an issue;

·  However both of the above issues had since been resolved and there should be an improvement in performance and tackling of the backlog;

·  Currently tenants meetings were being held online. The intention is to move them to the TDC Main Offices;

·  Tenants would in future be offered training to enable them to scrutinize the performance of the service;

·  They would also be trained so that they could assist the Service with equality impact performance and the tender process;

·  The council had started a programme of tenancy visits, which helps identify properties with problems and the visits help ascertain the condition of these properties;

·  Where existing tenants had requested to move, officer conduct inspections to pick out any issues regarding the condition of properties;

·  These visits also help tackle tenancy fraud;

·  Officers also provide advice on damp and mold issues.

 

Thereafter Councillor Fellow proposed, Councillor Currie seconded and Members agreed to note the report.

Supporting documents: