Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Byrne and Councillor Dawood.

Members are asked to declare any interests they may have in the business to be discussed.

Members were asked to declare any interests they might have in the business to be discussed.

Councillor Aqbany declared an Other Disclosable Interest in the general business of the meeting in that family members were council tenants.

Councillor Cank declared an Other Disclosable Interest in the general business of the meeting in that family members were council tenants.

Councillor Joshi declared an Other Disclosable Interest in the general business of the meeting in that family members were council tenants.

Councillor Newcombe declared an Other Disclosable Interest in the general business of the meeting as family members were council tenants.

In accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct, the interests were not considered so significant that they were likely to prejudice the Councillors’ judgement of the public interest. Councillors were not therefore required to withdraw from the meeting during consideration and discussion of the agenda items.

Councillor Newcombe declared a prejudicial Other Disclosable Interest in the report at Appendix E of the agenda ‘Review of the Housing Register / Housing Allocations Policy’ as he was listed on the Council’s Housing Register. He stated he would withdraw from the meeting when the agenda item was discussed.

The minutes of the meeting of the Housing Scrutiny Commission held on 22 August 2016 are attached, and Members are asked to confirm them as a correct record.

AGREED:

that the minutes of the Housing Scrutiny Commission held on 22 August 2016 be confirmed as a correct record.

The Monitoring Officer to report on the receipt of any petitions received in accordance with Council procedures.

In accordance with the Council procedures, it was reported that no petitions had been received by the Monitoring Officer.

The Monitoring Officer to report on the receipt of any questions, representations or statements of case received in accordance with Council procedures.

In accordance with the Council procedures, it was reported that no questions, representations or statements of case had been received by the Monitoring Officer.

The Director of Housing submits a report to the Housing Scrutiny Commission for noting. The report provides an overview of the changes that have taken place within the Housing Division as part of the Housing Transformation Programme, both to the organisational structure and the changes to service delivery.

The Director of Housing submitted a report to the Housing Scrutiny Commission for noting which provided an overview of the changes which would take place within the Housing Division as part of the Housing Transformation Programme, both to the organisational structure and to service delivery to tenants. Charlotte McGraw, Head of Service, summarised the report under the main headings, and the next steps which would see the new organisational structure go live from 31^st October 2016.

The Chair noted in the report a forecast for an improvement in service delivery of the repairs service. He asked if the restructure would have an impact on progress of the Repairs Improvement Programme. The Director of Housing responded that outstanding repairs had been significantly reduced. He added that a more detailed list of repairs information would be brought to the Commission in due course once the new structure had gone live.

The Chair asked what the staff complement of the new structure was. The Commission was told 421 members of staff were in the review, and 386.5 posts would be created by the review. 20 post titles had been deleted and 14 new posts created. There had been 40 voluntary redundancies, and there were potential compulsory redundancies, but staff might be deployed elsewhere. It was noted more detailed information would be circulated to the Commission, and would include Tenancy Management Services staff levels as requested by the Chair.

Members were asked to note the development of a new voids and property lettings process to reduce re-let times and meet housing need as early as possible. They were informed that kitchen refurbishments in voids was carried out in house by operatives where possible, resulting in a saving in labour costs, and ensuring capital programme funding went further on kitchen improvements.

The Chair noted the reference in the report to specific focus on vulnerable tenants, communal cleaning and fire inspections, and asked how the functions were being improved, in particular communal cleaning, and how proposed changes linked into the recommendations of the Commission. The Head of Service said that based on the Commission’s recommendations with regards to communal cleaning, a revised procedure and checklist for officers visiting a property was being developed. She added that for all areas staff were managed through performance management, and specific performance issues could be elevated to line managers.

In response to further questions from Members it was noted that:

·         Organisational reviews put pressure on staff and had an impact on staff morale. Managers and Team Leaders would support staff through training development and learning opportunities, both ongoing and in the future. Support sessions and information on AMICA the counselling service were also offered. Part of the reason for the review was that staff reported they had too much workload, and changes in the structure had alleviated pressure on staff.

·         The review had brought back district heating to a centralised team (under Gas), and concern was raised that past difficulties in its management would resurface. The Director of Housing  ...  view the full minutes text for item 35.

The Director of Housing submits a report to the Housing Scrutiny Commission for noting. The report provides an overview and update of the next phase of the Housing Solution Replacement (HSR) Programme.

The Director of Housing submitted a report to the Housing Scrutiny Commission for noting, which provided an overview and update of the next phase of the Housing Solution Replacement (HSR) Programme, the Housing Division’s IT replacement scheme, replacing Open Housing. Paul Hussain, Programme Manager (Housing Systems) presented the report, and informed the meeting he had responsibility for delivering the next phase of the Northgate programme.

The Scrutiny Commission was informed that Northgate was the successful bidder in the tender procurement process to replace the IT system, and was put in place to collect rents, manage repairs and manage tenant accounts. It was reported that ongoing support costs were more attractive than previously. Phase 1 went live in January 2016, and was reported as being at year four of a seven year contract. Phase 2 would see the delivery of self-service modules to enable online transactions for rents and repairs.

It was noted that Phase 1 had been more complex than originally anticipated, with key staff leaving at a critical time, but challenges had been overcome, and post go-live issues had been resolved. The system had only failed once, and was more stable in comparison to Open Housing. The new system had also removed the need for duplication of inputting information for back office staff, and had increased productivity gains and efficiencies.

Phase 3 would deploy the Repairs Self-Serve and Mobile solution, and would take 12 months to deliver the full Repairs Self-Serve portal. For the Council’s Channel Shift agenda, the more services that could be provided online would see cost savings through reducing calls through the call centre. It was calculated that the cost of a face to face enquiry was £6.79. Northgate had calculated that contact through the system cost 15p per transaction. Additional services at Phase 3 would include the delivery of job information to operatives tablet device and list the materials needed to complete a repair for the operative, increase first fix repairs, and reduce return visits to the site.

It was acknowledged self-service was not a ‘one size fits all’, but would alleviate some of the work in back offices. The Division had talked to other authorities to find out how they had encouraged people to get online, and was a good insight as to what officers needed to do moving forward. It was also noted that not all people had access to online facilities, so there remained a need to deliver the current service for some tenants, particularly the vulnerable. As part of Channel Shift, the Customer Services would be asked how they were encouraging people to use the system.

The next phase of Northgate implementation would require further significant capital investment. The budget for 2016/17 was £1.446million with further funding required for 2017/18. It was anticipated the project would be fully implemented by the end of 2017.

The Chair asked that, as more was asked of Northgate, how confident officers were that the system would meet the department’s requirements, and as it neared the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 36.

The Director of Housing submits a quarterly rent arrears progress report to the Housing Scrutiny Commission for the period April 2016 to June 2016, as requested. Members are asked to note the report.

The Director of Housing submitted a quarterly rent arrears report to the Housing Scrutiny Commission as requested for noting. The report covered the period April 2016 to June 2016. Vijay Desor (Head of Service) and Mike Watson (Income Collection Manager) presented the report for the period 4^th April 2016 to 27^th June 2016.

It was reported that there was an increase of £222k compared with the same period in 2015, an increase of 14%. It arose from the cumulative impact of welfare reforms and a difficult financial environment, though it was believed a target of £1.5million arrears was achievable. More serious arrears had increased by 0.26%, though they were significantly lower than two years ago. The number of cases affected by the bedroom tax had fallen to 8.2% of tenants, though arrears for those affected had increased by 5.4% (£9,872) in the first quarter.

Members noted that the number of evictions had increased, with 25 evictions carried out during the report period of which nine were family cases and 16 single people, and possibly external factors had put pressure on the finances of families. Evictions were a last resort and the Council ensured all avenues were explored to avoid that option.

Members were informed there were 137 cases owing more than £1k and 70% of those cases also had Council Tax arrears of more than £500. Some 70% of cases with arrears received partial or full benefit. Families not dependent on benefit appeared to be managing better than those on the lowest form of income and benefit dependent, who were also more likely to have multiple debts than those not on benefits.

The Rent Income Excellence Network (RIEN) performance data at the end of the financial year April 2015 to March 2016 showed that the Council was in a better position than average for rent collection at 97.88% for the last quarter.

The Chair noted that officers had done a remarkable job in what was a very difficult financial climate, with people having budget pressures.

In response to further comments made by Members it was noted that:

·         It was difficult to generalise that people in receipt of benefit couldn’t manager or didn’t have enough income. At the start of a tenancy, Income Management had a robust policy to undertake a financial benefit statement with tenant. Accounts were continually monitored, and contact was made with the tenant at first indication of a problem with payment. Support was given with the focus that rent should be paid.

·         The £2million void loss included the refurbishment of the St Peters tower blocks. The figures contained in the glossary at Appendix 1 to the report were indicative for the graph, and were not accurate.

·         The Income Management Team was not scoped into the current Housing review.

·         Universal Credit (UC) continued to be rolled out, with the programme extended to 2022. In January 2016 UC was introduced to new single claimants, and 120 cases in Leicester had been affected so far. Also, people moving  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37.

The Director of Housing and the Assistant Mayor for Housing submit a report which seeks the comments of the Housing Scrutiny Commission on the proposals to carry out a review of the Housing Register and the Allocations Policy.

The Director of Housing and the Assistant Mayor for Housing submitted a joint report which sought the comments of the Housing Scrutiny Commission on the proposals to carry out a review of the Housing Register and the Allocations Policy.

The Chair, Councillor Newcombe, withdrew from the meeting at this point following his declaration of interest. The Vice-Chair, Councillor Alfonso, took the Chair.

Caroline Carpendale, Head of Service, presented the report and highlighted the following points:

·         There were 11,000 on the Housing Register but only around 1,500 had a realistic chance of receiving an offer of accommodation;

·         A significant further loss of properties was anticipated under the ‘Right to Buy’ scheme;

·         The register required review to ensure it was fit for purpose, and to manage customer expectations;

·         There were 2,500 applicants on the two lower bands, with 43% of those having little or no chance of receiving accommodation, and 50% of who had shown little or no activity online for 6 months.

·         Under the Council’s Housing Allocations Policy households were assessed and placed in one of four bands depending on housing circumstances and need. The proposal was to remove existing households on bands 4 and 5 with little or no need;

·         Overcrowding and under-occupation rules would also be looked at;

·         Benchmarking had also been undertaken with Derby, Nottingham and Northampton relating to how their register looked and how housing allocation was managed, and if they had already taken steps to remove some households from their register.

In response to Members’ questions, the following information was given:

·         Information was produced every six months on average waiting times in each band for different sizes of property. The information changed over time, and would be provided to the Housing Scrutiny Commission at a future meeting;

·         A major change to the register would go to full consultation for a minimum of six weeks. Information on how many tenants would be left on Bands 1, 2 and 3, and waiting times were not available. Members were asked to note that 43% of applicants were in bands 4 and 5, so would reduce the number of those on the register by approximately half. The three remaining bands would also be configured. It was not intended to give those removed from the register the opportunity to challenge the decision;

·         The Housing Allocations Policy was complex, and it was intended to make it more transparent and straightforward. Vulnerable persons under the Inclusion Strategy would still be helped with the bidding process. Extra staff at York House had assisted with completion of online forms. Members were concerned that assistance was not provided at St Peters and St Matthews housing offices, and that assistance at libraries was not always good. They were informed forms could be completed over the telephone if people were struggling to fill in forms.

The Director of Housing said that a corporate review of Advice Services was underway and the Housing Division had been asked to feed into that review to ensure it met the needs of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 38.

The Director of Housing submits a report to the Housing Scrutiny Commission which provides an update and overview of the STAR service (Supporting Tenants and Residents) that is currently provided to tenants within Leicester. Members are asked to note the content of the report.

The Director of Housing submitted a report to the Housing Scrutiny Commission for noting, which provided an update and overview of the STAR (Supporting Tenants and Residents) service that was currently provided to tenants within Leicester.  Cath Lewis, Service Manager, STAR (Floating Support Team), and Suki Supria, Service Manager, presented the report.

Members heard the STAR service was currently under the umbrella of Tenancy Management and made up of four distinct parts:

1.    Five community-based STAR teams based in decentralised housing offices;

2.    STAR Family Support service provided from Border House;

3.    STAR Amal team set up in response to the Government’s Vulnerable Persons Resettlement (VPR) Programme to support refugees displayed from Syria;

4.    The Revolving Door team who provided the support needed to repeat homeless.

Members were informed the STAR service had not yet been subject to any service review, however, they were aware of the government requirement to reduce rent by 1% per year for the next four years, and the savings needed had been estimated at £11.72million. STAR would be evaluated to see if there were efficiencies or savings to be made.

It was noted that STAR had received 146 compliments in 2015/16, and was a well-liked service by Members, Tenants Forum and tenants.

Members were invited to comment and ask questions on the report, and points made included the following:

·         A budget of approximately £1.7million covered staffing and administration costs. A reduction in staff had not been defined and the current service provided would be looked at by undertaking a service review, during which eligibility criteria, the increase the number of caseloads and staff levels would also be looked at. A business case would be produced but as yet there was no image of the future service. Members of the Commission would receive an update report at a future meeting of any proposed changes to the service.

·         It was confirmed that STAR services would retain its branding when it moved into Housing offices, and there had been no significant issues with people using the service.

·         The current staffing level for STAR for was 5 team leaders and 32 housing related support workers.

·         Data was collected on the number of clients assisted and the income tenants received, for example discretionary housing payment.

·         Duplication of services was avoided. If a tenant had the capability to use another service, for example, Citizens’ Advice, STAR would refer them on. For vulnerable people an assessment would be made by the service, and would be referred later, but the initial assessment would form part of the case.

·         A breakdown of services and funding over the past 12 months for the four parts of STAR would be circulated to Members.

·         New Parks office would be closed for refurbishment. When it re-opened it would have the self-service offer through Channel Shift. STAR and the Housing team would be relocated in the building.

The Chair thanked officers for the report. It was suggested the item be an ongoing agenda item, and requested an update in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 39.

The work programme is attached. The Commission is asked to comment and/or amend as it considers necessary.

The Chair drew attention to the Housing Scrutiny Commission Work Programme for noting.

AGREED:

that the Housing Scrutiny Commission Work Programme be noted.

Members are asked to note the following dates of meetings:

15^th November 2016, 6.15pm – Re-scheduled meeting

28^th November 2016, 6.15pm – Meeting Cancelled

19^th December 2016, 5.30pm – Special Meeting

The Chair asked Members to note the date changes to meetings in November and the Special Meeting of the Commission on 19 December 2016.

AGREED:

that the dates of the meetings of the Housing Scrutiny Commission Work Programme be noted.

No other items of urgent business had been brought to the attention of the Chair.

The meeting closed at 9.10pm.