Agenda item

The Area Manager for New Parks will deliver a presentation.

Marie Murray, Area Manager for the New Parks area gave the presentation. The following points were covered during the presentation:

-       New Parks ward became Western ward following the last election, and the New Parks office also covered Fosse and Westcotes wards;

-       The Area Manager for New Parks also had responsibility for the three gypsy and traveller sites in the city;

-       The old New Parks ward had the most deprived lower super output area in the city, and was among the 100 most deprived areas in the country (out of 32,500), and included the Aikman Avenue flats and Mossgate;

-       Details of unemployment, life expectancy, ethnicity and fuel poverty;

-       Age profiles and household types;

-       Number of evictions of council tenants, the majority of which were for rent arrears, though three were for anti-social behaviour;

-       New Parks district had nearly a third of reported anti-social behaviour cases for the city (26.4%), and added to Beaumont Leys (24.9%) the two districts in the west of the city handled over 50% of total reported cases;

-       Tenure and housing stock profile – almost a third of households in the New Parks district lived in privately rented accommodation, only a small portion of which were empty for 18+ months;

-       Monthly void report figures highlighted an improvement on the average  re-let time of 42.8 days (previously 73 days in 2014);

-       HomeChoice made 251 adverts for properties over 12 months up to August 2015. 2-bedroom properties had the highest number of bids.

-       Of the LCC homes with spare bedrooms, 17.7% are in the New Parks district, and a number of initiatives are underway to try and get people to downsize.

-       It has been four years since New Parks had any new homes built, but there is potential for development on disused garage sites.

-       Estate improvement works have had a significant positive impact on the lives of tenants and residents, with the cost of the project work totalling £412,000.

-       Key Achievements 2014/5, in particular Leicester to Work, providing contracts for people out of work through referral from the Job Centre. Projects include cleaning of cladding, environmental and communal area improvements, and car parking resolution.

-       Capital works saw nearly £3million spend on improvements to properties in New Parks.

-       Officers work with other agencies to provide support for tenants.

-       New Parks achieved 0 outstanding out of the category for Responsive Repairs, and best practice has been shared across other districts.

-       Priorities planned for 2015-16 totalling £361,000.

-       Just over £2million Capital works programme total for 2015-16.

-       Future project include parking bays, and recycling facilities.

-       Challenges for the future included honing change management skills to ensure managers and staff had the necessary knowledge and skills.

-       Social media was recognised as something that could be used as a useful tool, but also noted as a contributing factor in serious management cases.

Members asked questions following the presentation as follows:

The Chair requested information on the voids figures in the presentation for the New Parks district. It was explained that the end figures taken from the monthly void report showed average re-let times for routine voids only, with an average of 42.8 days, an improvement on 73 days for 2014. Non-routine voids were not included in the presentation, as they would skew the figures due to the length of time required to fix some properties.

The Chair noted the good news around responsive repairs, which was an issue in other parts of the city. Marie explained that the New Parks district was top in most of the key performance indicators (KPIs), though jobs completed at first visit required improvement. Work with the planning section, conversations with the workers undertaking repairs and trialling new methods in the district, for example, meeting with Councillors, tenants and residents groups, had seen positive results. Figures were checked each week to look at individual repairs, and tenants / stores were contacted to iron out holdups. There were certain jobs that would never be completed straight away as some large jobs required a survey.

The landscaping work in parts of the district was noted, and it was explained grounds maintenance work had been reduced. Members suggested that the practice should be introduced in other parts of the city, and Leicester into Work could be contacted to assist with the work. It was noted there was a particular issue around St Peter’s area, and a future presentation to the Scrutiny Commission would cover that area.

Members requested further information on the stock profile for New Parks district to be shared with Housing Scrutiny Commission Members. Marie explained there were over 1,100 flats in the area, which brought with it its own issues in terms of the variety and design of flats across the district. Different blocks and what work, repairs and fire inspection regimes were required took time.

Members raised concern over the 866 empty private sector homes in the district, and the little control the Council had over them. They asked what measures were in place to bring those properties back into use and reduce the pressure on the housing waiting list. Simon Nicholls, Head of Service (Capital Investment) informed the meeting there was a team based at Ian Marlow Centre who worked on reducing the number of empty homes in the city. It was explained around 20 private sector properties across the city became empty each month through various reasons, for example, bereavement. The Council could, on occasion compulsory purchase a property, which did not necessarily go back into the Council’s housing stock, but could be sold. A report on the Empty Homes Strategy would be brought to a future Housing Scrutiny Commission meeting.

The Chair asked the Executive Member for Housing to comment. He thanked the Area Manager and officers for the work undertaken in New Parks district.

The Chair requested that KPIs for responsive repairs for the city be brought to a future Housing Commission meeting.

RESOLVED:

1.    That the presentation was welcomed, and the successes in the area noted.

2.    That the Area Manager provide a profile breakdown of housing stock for the district to Scrutiny Commission Members.

3.    It was noted a report on the Empty Homes Strategy would be brought to a future meeting.

4.    That information on KPIs for responsive repairs for the city be brought to a future meeting.