Agenda item

To update the Committee on actions to ensure regulatory compliance of the Council’s social housing landlord function following the non-compliance notice issued by the Regulator of Social Housing.

The Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning presented the report which gave an update to the Committee on the actions taken by the Council to ensure regulatory compliance of the Council’s social housing landlord function.  Members were aware that the Chief Executive in consultation with the then Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning self-referred the Council to the Regulator of Social Housing in February 2021 following the failure to meet legal requirements regarding checks on fire, gas and electric services were identified.

Monthly meetings had been held with the Chief Executive, the Acting Director of Housing and the National Regulator to cover issues of work in respect of the regulatory framework.  Following the documents that are appended to the report and the work done by the Council, the Regulator recommended that the Council sought the formal removal of the Regulatory Notice. It was confirmed that the letter was sent by the Chief Executive to this effect.  A further meeting with the Regulator was scheduled for the following week and the Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning was confident that the Council would soon be out of special measures.

The Acting Director of Housing referred Members to Appendix 1 of the report which dealt with the current compliance performance for July 2023 and was reported in August to the Regulator.  The format of the report was slightly different as it was a bench marking document.   The Acting Director of Housing highlighted the following:

-       Five 100% compliance areas were reported in July.

-       Gas compliance was at 99.13%

-       Electric compliance was 90.80%, which was a huge increase from when the Council went under Notice.

-       Asbestos compliance was at 100%.

-       The standout item was the completion of fire risk assessments which when the Council went under Notice was below 50% it was now at 100% and this had been sustained since late 2022.

The Acting Director of Housing reiterated what the Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning had stated, that the Regulator had invited the Council to send a letter requesting the removal of the Notice and this was submitted the next day and data for the end of July had been submitted in August 2023.   

The line graphs appended to the report showed the continuous improvement made, which had been reported to the Rural and Communities OSC when its remit included housing since the Council went under special measures.  The work was not yet complete, but the Council should hear within the next six to eight weeks in respect of the removal of the Notice. 

Members agreed with the fantastic progress that had been made and congratulated the Acting Director of Housing and his team and asked how further improvement could be made.  It was stated that continuous improvement would be instilled into the work undertaken with the right tools in place to continue the positive progress. The compliance would form part of the KPI reporting to both the Housing OSC and the Governance and Audit Committee and through the Corporate Plan.

Further discussion followed with comments being made in respect of the positive change in culture within the housing team, the consolidation of working practices being reactive and responsive to regulations such as the damp and mould, smoke and CO2 issues and incorporating them into working practices and policies without being asked too.  The Acting Director of Housing informed the Committee that there would be suite of compliance policies and procedures coming forward within the next few months for adoption by Cabinet.

One Member asked how information was monitored, such as when inspection were due and what tools were in place and also whether the Council had any responsibility in respect of private landlords and their tenants.  It was stated that the private sector was not strictly within the remit of the Council.

There were systems in the background such as ‘propeller’ which captured the information such as fire risk inspections and monitored the work and the actions required.  The future asset management system and the integrated housing management system would allow for a single version of data which wasn’t available two years ago.

The report also included the external audit actions in respect of policy and procedures and having the correct procedures in place to ensure they were fit for purpose.  It was stated that following the Housing restructure there was a permanent dedicated team in place that monitored the information and looked to make improvements.

The Chairman stated that although going into special measures had been viewed with dismay, the work that had been undertaken by the Housing team to date had ensured that all properties were safe for the tenants and the quality of housing being offered was of a high standard.

One Member asked whether Fabric First was being used alongside the compliance areas and if it wasn’t whether it should be.  The Acting Director of Housing replied that one of the key deliverables between now and March 2025 was the energy efficiency upgrades across 332 properties which was being funded through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF).   Future legislation would not allow properties with a EPC rating below a C to be rented, therefore those current properties with a D or below rating would be targeted to ensure their energy efficiency was increased. The first strand of SHDF work would soon be undertaken and Eon would be working on behalf of the Council and the first tranche of letters would be going out within the next few weeks.  Work covered would be in respect of solar panels, external wall insulation and also different heating systems.

The Technical Services Manager referred to the internal team which was having retrofit training so that the resources were inhouse for that particular knowledge and expertise.   The Technical Services Manager then gave details of the proposed works with the caveat that they were subject to change. It was proposed that 149 had solar panels plus insulation to walls and lofts.  136 conversions to air source heat pumps and 48 to external wall insulations, she reiterated that the numbers weren’t fixed until the properties had been surveyed.

Members noted the update.