The Cabinet Housing Committee met on Wednesday 25 September 2024, addressing significant issues including compliance with social housing consumer standards, tenant satisfaction, property safety, and the housing revenue account budget. Key decisions included the election of Councillor Julian Tooke as Chair and Councillor Richard Pineger as Vice-Chair, and a commitment to improving property compliance and tenant engagement.

Regulator for Social Housing - Consumer Standards Update

The committee received an update on Cheltenham Borough Council's compliance with the new Social Housing Consumer Standards, which came into effect on 1 April 2024. Gareth Edmundson, Chief Executive of Cheltenham Borough Council, explained that while Cheltenham Borough Homes had historically appeared to be a high-performing organisation, a recent due diligence exercise revealed areas needing improvement, particularly in safety and compliance. As a result, the council has made a self-referral to the Regulator for Social Housing (RSH) to address these issues transparently.

Caroline Walker, Head of Community Services, presented a gap analysis against the four consumer standards: Safety and Quality, Neighbourhood and Community, Tenancy, and Transparency, Influence and Accountability. The Safety and Quality standard was identified as an area of significant concern, with a need for updated stock condition surveys and improved systems for managing health and safety data. The council is working to address overdue fire actions and has secured external expertise, including from Pennington's, to assist with property compliance.

The committee discussed the importance of evidence-based decision-making and the need for clear explanations of compliance data. Work is ongoing to consolidate all property and tenant data onto the QL management system. The council also committed to ensuring that tenant handbooks are accessible, readable, and include information on both landlord and tenant responsibilities. Consideration will be given to providing audio or translated versions for tenants with literacy challenges or those for whom English is not their first language.

Quarter 1 Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSM) Tracker Update

Caroline Walker presented the results of the quarter 1 tenant satisfaction surveys. Overall satisfaction with the council's services remained strong at 77%, with high satisfaction levels for the time taken to complete repairs, keeping tenants informed, and treating tenants fairly and with respect. However, areas for improvement were identified in how the council listens to and acts on tenant feedback, the approach to dealing with anti-social behaviour (ASB), and the handling of complaints.

To address these areas, the council is following up with dissatisfied tenants through personal conversations and is working with the communications team to highlight actions taken through You Said, We Did features in tenant newsletters. Transactional surveys will be launched in October to gather feedback from tenants who have directly used services like ASB reporting and complaints handling. The committee also discussed the importance of communal areas and noted that a tenant scrutiny activity on their maintenance and cleaning had generated recommendations that will be integrated into a multi-team project. The Regulator of Social Housing's emphasis on communal areas was highlighted, with issues in these spaces now being reported on a per-home basis.

Quarter 1 2024-25 Housing Complaints and Compliments Report

This report provided an overview of housing-related complaints and compliments received during the first quarter of the financial year. Caroline Walker reported that 71 complaints were received and accepted at stage one, with 42 being upheld in full or in part. The council has seen a significant reduction in disrepair claims being pursued through the courts, with tenants now being encouraged to use the council's internal complaints process. Areas identified for learning and service improvement included the management of communal spaces and customer contact standards.

The committee noted that the self-assessment against the Housing Ombudsman's Complaints Handling Code had been approved. The Stage 2 panel for complaints will now consist of a senior member of staff, with the Cabinet Member for Housing kept informed.

Property Compliance Healthcheck

The committee received an update on the council's property compliance status as of 31 July 2024. The Interim Service Improvement Lead, Dean Epton, provided a verbal update on key areas:

• Fire Safety: There are 74 outstanding actions relating to fire doors and windows, with contracts now in place for replacements and repairs. High-priority actions are expected to be completed by December 2024, and all overdue actions by March 2025. Work on compartmentation has also progressed, with 57 outstanding actions. Escape routes have seen 8 outstanding actions, some related to bin storage areas.
• Electrical Safety: The number of overdue 5-year electrical checks has reduced to 81. The council is migrating from a 10-year to a 5-year inspection cycle.
• Asbestos: Contracts for asbestos surveys and remediation are in place and work is expected to commence within two weeks.
• Water Safety: There are 4 outstanding actions relating to water safety, mainly due to access issues with communal water tanks. These are scheduled for completion by the end of the week.

The committee requested more granularity and examples in future reports to better understand the nature and impact of these actions, particularly on the number of homes affected. The council is also working on ensuring tenants who may not be able to self-evacuate in case of fire are identified and supported.

Stock Condition Survey - Knowing Our Properties

Dean Epton informed the committee that a new stock condition survey, essential for compliance with consumer standards, would commence the following week. A contract is in place with a consultancy to survey all homes and communal areas within 12 months. The initial phase will focus on a representative sample of 20% of properties to identify any unexpected issues and inform the Asset Management Strategy and the 20-year HRA Business Plan. The survey will also include energy surveys to support applications for grant funding for energy efficiency improvements.

Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Budget Monitoring Report - Quarter 1

Stafford Cruse, Director of Finance and Assets, presented the Q1 budget monitoring report for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA). The forecast net operating surplus for the year is £255k, an adverse variance of £101k from the budget. This is partly due to higher interest rates and compliance costs, offset by savings from bringing housing services in-house. The report highlighted that no revenue contributions to the capital programme are forecast this year, with the revenue budget being held centrally to fund the Consumer Standards Improvement Plan.

The committee discussed the capital programme, including the new build projects at 320 Swindon Road and Monkscroft School, and the potential for budget slippage to be carried forward. The impact of increased borrowing on interest payments was also discussed, with an expectation that future savings from fixing debt at lower rates will allow for reinvestment in tenant priorities. The significant budget allocation for insulation and the need to meet net-zero targets by 2030 were also noted.

Updates from the Tenant and Leaseholder Panels

Agnieszka Wisniewska, Tenant Representative, reported that the Tenant Panel had supported the transition of housing services back into the council, reviewed recommendations from Campbell Tickell, and provided feedback on the Fencing Policy and Single Equality Scheme. The panel will next scrutinise the Housing Ombudsman's Complaints Handling Code.

Housing Committee Workplan

The committee requested several additions to its workplan: oversight of the new build programme and development pipeline, a review of the communal areas maintenance and cleaning project, regular review of the housing risk register, and a review of the Leasehold and Commonhold Bill.

Briefing Note - Housing Sector Insight

The committee noted the briefing on recent developments in the housing sector, including government plans for housing reform, the Renters' Rights Bill, and the Leasehold and Commonhold Reform Bill. The impact of these on local leaseholders was highlighted.

Any Other Business

Councillor Suzanne Williams raised concerns about the risk of flooding experienced in Princess Elizabeth Way and the need to ensure vulnerable tenants are supported. The Chief Executive and committee members thanked the teams and community groups for their rapid response during the recent flooding. It was agreed that further consideration would be given to how to support residents during flood events, including the provision of sandbags and the clearing of drains.