The Cabinet Housing Committee are scheduled to meet on 24 September 2025 to discuss housing performance data, complaints, and risk management, as well as updates from tenant and leaseholder panels. The committee will also review recent developments in the housing sector and their forward plan.

Proposed Performance Framework and Performance Data

The committee will be asked to review and approve a proposed new performance framework, designed to monitor compliance metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) at both a strategic and operational level. The framework is scheduled to be delivered in three phases: monthly reporting, an exceptions process, and an annual review.

The monthly reporting process is scheduled to include:

• A compliance report providing a snapshot of compliance.
• A strategic KPI report showing additional metrics and trends.

The report pack includes the first compliance performance report for August 2025, which identifies two areas of non-compliance:

• Gas safety checks: Four outstanding gas checks, three of which are subject to legal proceedings.
• Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR): 17 non-compliant domestic cases due to internal policy, and one non-compliant block due to an issue with the communal electrical supply.

The report pack also contains details of outstanding fire risk actions, including legacy actions from before April 2025. According to the report pack, a contractor is scheduled to begin compartmentation¹ works in mid-October, with completion expected in approximately 10 weeks.

The additional KPIs report highlights areas of exception, including:

• Void[^3] numbers: An increase in void numbers since April 2025, reaching 172 in July 2025, although the report pack states that this trend is expected to decrease.
• Homelessness applications: A spike in July 2025 to 54 applications.
• Housing revenues: A trend in the opposite direction to that desired for arrears levels, number of arrears, and former tenant arrears.
• Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSM): Emergency repairs completed within target consistently sitting under 90%.

The report pack states that additional work is required regarding repairs statistics, as the data is not currently considered accurate.

Housing Complaints and Compliments

The committee will be presented with the Quarter 1 2025/26 Housing Complaints and Compliments Report. During this period, 66 complaints were opened at Stage 1, with 3 of these subsequently being withdrawn or closed due to no tenant contact, and responses were provided for 62 complaints at Stage 1 and 11 complaints at Stage 2.

The report pack notes a recurring pattern of complaints related to works that were agreed upon but not completed or followed through, as well as a lack of updates provided to tenants. The report pack identifies poor communication, service provision, and contractor issues as the primary reasons for complaints.

Of the 62 Stage 1 responses sent, 17 included offers of compensation. The report pack states that there has been an increase in Stage 2 requests, potentially due to demands on staff in Building Services.

Strategic Housing Risk Register

The committee will be asked to note the council's Strategic Housing Risk Register. Since the last review, one risk has been raised, one reduced, and one suspended:

• CH1: Housing Revenue Account: Raised to a risk score of 20.
• CH3: Stock condition data: Reduced from 16 to 12 due to updated mitigating actions.
• 216: Rough Sleeping Accommodation: Suspended as it is now being managed on a service level risk register.

A new risk has been added:

• Demand for Housing accommodation: The report pack states that if the number of asylum seekers and refugees and homelessness generally continues to increase in Cheltenham, and there is insufficient accommodation to meet the demand for housing then there will be increased pressures on homelessness and rough sleeping services. The raw risk score is 20, and the current risk score is 16.

Tenant and Leaseholder Panels

The committee will receive updates from the Tenant and Leaseholder Panels. The Tenant Panel has been scrutinising repairs, while the Leaseholder Panel has a new representative, Elizabeth (Lizzie) Mawdsley. The Resident Engagement Officer has updated the terms of reference of the Leaseholder Panel to make it a more effective space.

Briefing Note - Housing Sector Insight

The committee will be presented with a briefing note on recent developments in the housing sector. This includes updates on government strategy, announcements, and reports from the Regulator of Social Housing and the Housing Ombudsman.

The briefing note also mentions research and campaigns, including a report on the increase in reported assaults against housing staff and a report showing that social rents in England have declined in real terms over the past decade.

Other Matters

The agenda includes:

• Apologies for absence.
• Declarations of interest.
• Public and member questions.
• Appointment of Leasehold Representative.
• Approval of the minutes of the last meeting.
• A verbal briefing from the chief executive and director.
• A review of the Housing Committee Forward Plan.
• Identification of items to be referred to Cabinet.