The Housing and Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Panel of Greenwich Council is scheduled to consider reports on rough sleeping, repairs performance, and building safety and compliance. The panel will also be presented with an overview of future reports planned for discussion.

Rough Sleeping

The panel is scheduled to receive a presentation offering an update on the issue of rough sleeping within the Royal Borough of Greenwich. The report pack indicates that this presentation will cover how the council is working to prevent and reduce rough sleeping, safeguard vulnerable residents, and improve community safety. Key areas of focus are expected to include an assessment of current trends and demand, winter preparedness plans, temporary accommodation pressures, the effectiveness of support pathways, and prevention and early intervention strategies.

Repairs Performance

A report on the council's repairs performance is scheduled for consideration, with the panel invited to make recommendations to the Executive. The report aims to assess performance trends, resource challenges, and the sustainability of improvements within the Repairs team, which manages 24,000 homes across the borough. Specific areas to be covered include damp and mould, leaks, and major repairs. The report details performance data and trend analysis, repair completion times, first-time fix rates, and complaint statistics. It notes that damp and mould orders have significantly reduced, with initial visits compliant with Awaab's Law¹. The report also highlights challenges such as an increase in fire-related incidents and rising costs of materials and fuel, and outlines strategies to mitigate these pressures, including increased delivery through the Direct Labour Organisation.

Building Safety and Compliance

The panel is also scheduled to consider a report on building safety and compliance, with the potential to make recommendations to the Executive. This report, commissioned as part of the panel's work programme, will provide an update and review on fire, asbestos, and electrical safety compliance, as well as adherence to the Housing Assurance Framework. The report details the council's journey following a Regulatory Notice from the Regulator of Social Housing in August 2022 regarding water risk assessments and self-referral areas, and the subsequent lifting of this notice in February 2026 after significant work and investment. It outlines key requirements for fire and building safety, including those for Higher Risk Buildings (HRBs), and provides a performance update as of September 2026 across electrical safety, asbestos management, fire safety, and building safety. The report notes that all 77 of the council's HRBs are registered with the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) and that a Mandatory Occurrence Reporting system is in place. It also details progress on remediation of external walls for specific buildings and applications made to the Cladding Safety Scheme.

Commissioning of Future Reports

The panel is asked to note the work items scheduled for presentation at its meeting on 17 December 2026. These include a review of the Selective Licensing scheme, assessing the conditions and management of licensed properties, and an examination of children in temporary accommodation. The panel will consider the scope of these forthcoming reports and specify any detailed requirements to ensure the information provided is relevant and effective for scrutiny.