Agenda item

RECOMMENDATION:

It is recommended that the policy committee comment on the proposals within the attached cabinet report, ref CAB 3511(H) which is to be considered by Cabinet Committee (Housing) at its meeting on the 23 July 2025.

Councillor Neil Cutler, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Transformation attended on behalf of the Cabinet Member for Good Homes and introduced the report, ref CAB 3511(H), which outlined the Social Housing Regulation Consumer Standard Improvement Plan. The introduction included the following points.

1.    In February 2024, the Cabinet Committee (Housing) received a report on new consumer standards, and the housing service was asked to undertake a self-assessment.

2.    Following an internal self-assessment, an external independent assessment was commissioned which identified long-term issues that would jeopardise the council’s ability to meet safety and quality standards.

3.    In February 2025, the Cabinet Committee (Housing) was informed that a self-referral had been made to the Social Housing Regulator.

4.    The regulator made a judgment on 30 April 2025 of C3, indicating serious failings and a need for improvement in safety, quality, transparency, influence, and accountability.

5.    An improvement plan had been developed and was shared with the regulator, with monthly meetings established to demonstrate progress.

6.    It was noted that work with the regulator was expected to take approximately 18 months, after which the service could be subject to an inspection.

The committee was asked to comment on the proposals within the attached cabinet report, ref CAB 3511(H) which was to be considered by the Cabinet Committee (Housing) at its meeting on 23 July 2025. The committee proceeded to ask questions and debate the report. In summary, the following matters were raised.

1.    A question was asked about the feedback received from residents following the communication sent to them.

2.    Clarification was sought on the structure of the report and how priorities were agreed with the regulator, specifically regarding target dates and the process for revising them.

3.    A question was asked about how the priorities were determined and whether the compliance work was prioritised due to safety concerns.

4.    A query was raised regarding the budgetary provisions for contract resources, given the potential staffing challenges and the premium cost associated with agency staff.

5.    A question was asked about the extent of the additional workload for officers, in terms of hours, cost, or staffing, as a result of the referral.

6.    A question was asked about the measures being taken to update processes and procedures to ensure that compliance data was correctly managed for the long term after the initial catch-up work was completed.

7.    A concern was raised about whether Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) would impede the implementation of new systems.

8. A question was asked about the progress of transferring data from external contractors to internal systems.

9.    A specific question was asked about the electrical safety checks, particularly whether a new contractor was in place and if the catch-up work was underway.

10.Clarification was sought on the reasons for the minor slippage in mobilising the stock condition survey and the expected start and finish timelines.

11.A question was asked about the process for establishing an ongoing, regular review of housing stock conditions after the initial comprehensive survey was completed.

12.Information was requested on the outcomes of the safety checks being conducted, including any emerging areas of concern.

13.Clarification was sought regarding the references within the report to asbestos, what this entailed, and whether it posed an active safety concern or was a procedural issue.

14.A question was asked whether an uplift in the regulatory grading would be expected if the improvement plan was adhered to.

15.A concern was raised regarding the statement on page 38 about ensuring sufficient funding for actions derived from asbestos surveys, and whether this could lead to significant unforeseen costs.

These points were responded to by Councillor Neil Cutler, Simon Hendey, Strategic Director and Yvonne Anderson, Service Lead - Housing Landlord Services accordingly.

RESOLVED:

1.    That confirmation be sought from the Cabinet Member for Good Homes that the Cabinet Committee (Housing) would be responsible for monitoring the improvement plan.

2.    That the committee would discuss at a subsequent meeting the impact of future government regulations, including an officer perspective on the council’s proposed response.

3. The Cabinet Member consider the committee’s comments raised during the discussion of the item.