Agenda item

The Director of Housing submits a report to provide an update on the Division’s performance on the completion of responsive repairs to council properties. The report will also provide an update about the implementation of service changes.

The Director of Housing reported on the Division’s performance on completion of responsive repairs to council properties and the implementation of service changes.

Ian Craig, Head of Service, presented the report, and the following points were highlighted:

·         There was an improvement in the electronic customer satisfaction monitoring with timely satisfaction / dissatisfaction data reporting.

·         With the roll-out of the mobile working solution, there was an ongoing programme of hardware replacement of hand held PDAs / tablets.

·         There were enhanced communications around materials deliveries to homes which informed tenants at all stages of the repairs process.

·         A report on the pilot for the delivery of glass from the supplier would be provided to the Assistant Mayor for Housing as part of efficiency savings.

·         Internal tracking devices monitored driver behaviour and provided an efficient service with the allocation of drivers to jobs.

·         A managed stores service for materials would be procured during 2018-19.

·         A de-scaling programme for soil and vent pipes, particularly in high rise flats, would be introduced in 2019.

·         A programme of planned work would be launched across the city, commencing with communal areas.

The Chair congratulated the department on its apprenticeship and employment policy; this was a great example to the private sector and construction industry which for decades had failed to provide the training base needed for its long-term stability. He asked if there was a period of time once they had qualified that they had to stay with the Council. The Head of Service reported that there was a two-year agreement that if people left within that time, they would have to pay back the cost of training, on a sliding scale over the two years.

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

·         Approximately 10% of tenants were not available for previously arranged appointments. Officers had tried ways to reduce the figure, for example by texting people the day before, on the day, and en-route to the job. With the new mobile working solution, operatives would be able to phone the tenant on the way, or ring the tenant if they got to the property and they were not there.

·         Quite a few issues had been raised about waste stacks on St Matthews. Officers were moving forward with a proactive programme of waste stack cleaning/descaling

·         Issue of feeding pigeons raised – a practice which also encouraged other pests. Officers were looking at installing signs advising against feeding birds and on how to dispose of rubbish correctly.

·         There were repeat offenders who were not allowing operatives to gain access for repairs. Tenancy management would investigate to find out if people were actually living at the property. Sometimes there were genuine reasons for no access, for example, a crisis. It people were not in, the job would be cancelled, unless it was dangerous not to complete the job. The last step taken would be to gain entry under landlord powers to access the property.

·         Operational challenges to completing jobs on first visit could be caused by many things,

·         Operational problems with the old mobile working solution included jobs not being returned to the system as outstanding, and problems with IT systems, which should be resolved with the roll-out of the new mobile working software.

·         With regards to electronic customer satisfaction / dissatisfaction feedback, data was being collected, and reported information would be brought back to the Commission as part of the Repairs report at a future meeting.

·         With regards to 6. Next Steps in the report, a six-month update would be brought to the Scrutiny Commission.

The Chair thanked the officer for the report.

AGREED:

1.    That the contents of the report be noted.

2.    A report on electronic customer satisfaction / dissatisfaction feedback would be brought to a future meeting of the Commission as part of the Repairs performance report.

3.    A six-month update would be brought to the Scrutiny Commission.