Agenda item

The Policy Officer presented the report which covered those Key Performance Indictors (KPIs) for quarter 2 of 2024/25 in respect of Housing.  Appendix A to the report gave the overall performance against the nine actions that the Committee monitored.  Six actions were green being on or above the target set.  Three actions were on amber, these actions were currently less than 10% off target with resolutions in place to achieve the target within a reasonable timeframe.  There were no red actions.  An all Member briefing on a new KPI dashboard would take place in the new year.

The Director of Housing and Projects referred to page 46 of the report which covered the Void performance.  The target for void properties had been set at 100 days by 31 March 2025.  Currently the target was 126 days which had reduced from the previous quarter of 143 with positive progress being made to reduce the void time.  A second void contractor was currently out to tender and this would be discussed at the Cabinet meeting in December 2024 which would support reducing the timeframe down to 100 days by March 2025.

A discussion on Voids followed and the Director of Housing and Projects was asked how confident she was that the target of 100 days would be met by March 2025.  She stated that with the appointment of a second contractor to work on void properties and the commitment of the team she was confident that the target in March would be achieved.

The Chairman proposed that a full report on Voids be received at the meeting of the Housing OSC in March 2025, the proposal was seconded and on being put to the vote AGREED.

Decision

That a full report on Voids be submitted to the March meeting of the Housing OSC in 2025.

Further discussion on voids followed.  A non-Committee Member referred to the practice of erecting boards and metal shutters on void properties and whether this is still the case.

The Head of Technical Services (Housing), stated that this practice was only followed if there was a security issue, however he could not confirm at the present time whether there were any properties with South Kesteven.

ØAction

That an email be forwarded to Members of the Housing OSC confirming whether there were currently any void properties boarded up within South Kesteven.

More discussion followed and it was stated that previously void properties had been shown on Stat Maps however that was no longer the case.  The Director of Housing and Projects stated that she would look at how the information could now be provided.

ØAction

The Director of Housing and Projects to look at an alternative means of providing void information in map form.

One Member asked about those tenants who refused air source heat pumps and denied access to properties and how this affected the KPI’s.  The Director of Housing and Projects stated that this was a challenge as the Council wanted to replace failed systems.  As part of Wave 3 of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund it was hoped that a Tenancy Liaison Officer would be recruited to be able to liaise with tenants to understand their concerns and manage the scheme.

Members noted the report.