The Cambridge City Council Housing Advisory Board met to discuss several key issues, including a strategic procurement pipeline for repairs and maintenance, the North Cambridge Framework for Change, Awaab's Law and damp and mould policy, a resident engagement strategy, housing complaints, and housing performance for 2024-25. The board agreed to adopt the Terms of Reference subject to amendments. They also agreed to meet on Mondays at 5.30pm.

Strategic Procurement Pipeline for Repairs, Maintenance, and Compliance Contracts

The board reviewed the strategic procurement pipeline for repairs, maintenance, and compliance contracts. This pipeline, valued at approximately £74 million, includes around 13 contracts for planned and responsive maintenance, as well as specialist compliance activities like damp, condensation, and mould treatment.

The aims of the pipeline are to:

• Strengthen in-house delivery
• Help the council meet its statutory obligations
• Improve tenant satisfaction and service resilience
• Ensure transparency, enabling providers to plan effectively, and aligning activity with the council's corporate direction.

The council is required to maintain and publish a pipeline of contracts under the Procurement Act 2023¹. The pipeline focuses on the City Services Directorate, and the council will review the feasibility of delivering works in-house before proceeding to external procurement.

The programme covers statutory obligations and compliance requirements for the housing portfolio, as well as support for the council's commercial properties and operational facilities, including community centres and office buildings.

The pipeline aims to deliver several tenant-facing outcomes and benefits, including:

• Quicker resolution of repairs, including damp, mould, and disrepair
• Improved tenant safety through stronger compliance on fire, asbestos, and water testing
• A more reliable repairs service, reducing disruption and repeat visits
• Clearer communication with tenants
• Faster turnaround of voids²
• Greater consistency of service standards
• Improved tenant satisfaction and confidence

The procurement pipeline also aims to support the council's community wealth building objectives by maximising local economic benefit, creating skills and employment opportunities, encouraging ethical supply chains, and strengthening community resilience.

A supplier engagement event was planned for September to alert the marketplace to the forthcoming procurement opportunities and encourage a wide and competitive field of bidders.

Housing Performance Report 2024-25

The board reviewed the Housing Performance Report for 2024-25, which summarised performance across key areas, including compliance, operational delivery, tenant satisfaction measures, and complaints.

Key points raised during the discussion included:

• Benchmarking: Concerns were raised about the appropriateness of the comparator peer group, which included large East of England housing associations. It was suggested that comparator local authorities and providers of a similar stock size would offer more meaningful benchmarking.
• Compliance Data: Clarification was sought on charts relating to electrical testing (EICRs) and the completion of actions arising from those inspections. Members requested that the number of fire risk assessments scheduled also be included for context.
• Damp, Condensation and Mould (DCM): Members asked whether the causes of damp and mould were being properly addressed. Officers confirmed that updated policy information was available on the council's website.
• New Builds: Concerns were raised regarding tenant satisfaction with new builds, particularly the issue of unexpectedly high utility bills. The board asked officers to investigate the cause, with heating networks suggested as a possible factor.
• Targets: Members queried whether targets should be adjusted where performance consistently exceeded the set threshold, so that higher standards could be aimed for.
• Non-Decent Homes: It was noted that the figure reported for non-decent homes did not include cases where tenants refused works. Members emphasised the need to distinguish between refusals and non-access cases in future reporting. It was also clarified that underspend was not the cause of non-decency.
• Service Charges: The board requested more detailed reporting on service charges, including information on arrears where payment plans were in place.
• Contractor Performance: Concerns were expressed about the performance of the council's contractor, particularly citing negative feedback in relation to contractor handovers.

The board asked that future iterations of the report reflect these points to provide clearer, more comprehensive information.

Housing Advisory Board Terms of Reference

The board agreed to adopt the Terms of Reference subject to amendments.

Key issues raised by Tenant and Leaseholder Representatives included:

• Terminology should have consistently stated Housing Advisory Board (HAB).
• Independent members (3.2/3.4): concern was expressed that threeyear appointments might be too long; wording on tenancy breaches should not have penalised tenants for Universal Credit administrative failings.
• Secretariat (3.6/8.1): concern was expressed regarding the capacity of the Resident Engagement Team (then at 3 days per week plus 2.5 days for Open Door). Secretariat support should not have fallen solely on existing RE staff.
• Co-option (3.8): tenant/leaseholder reps should have selected replacements via the approved election procedure, with HAB then formally co-opting.
• Training and communication (3.10/3.12): digital communication requirements needed clarification; provision of equipment should have been considered to avoid excluding potential reps.
• Work programme (3.16): it was requested that elected reps be able to request items for inclusion.
• Chairing (6.2): co-chairs were to be elected annually to allow wider participation; four years was to be a maximum term only.
• Allowances (8.5): the existing three-tier allowance system was to remain until review; monthly expense claims were considered impractical.
• Tenant/leaseholder communications (10.3): provision should have been made for non-digital communication.

Meeting Venue for the Housing Advisory Board

The Board agreed to meet on Mondays at 5.30pm. Meetings were to rotate between community centres, subject to accessibility. Storey's Field Centre was excluded as it had no nearby council tenants. Hybrid participation was to be supported via portable Owl equipment.

Policies: Regulatory Compliance and Tenant Engagement

The board considered the draft policy covering the big six safety areas.

Comments:

• It was agreed that information from external managing agents (e.g. Warwick Estates) needed to be fully incorporated in compliance reporting.
• Regulatory frameworks should have addressed district heating networks.
• Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) should have extended beyond sheltered housing and been resourced appropriately, potentially integrated into the forthcoming tenant census.

Policies: Rent and Service Charge

The board considered the draft policy.

Comments:

• Annual reporting should have included a breakdown of stock by rent type (social, affordable 60%, affordable 80%).
• Data on tenancies subject to rent convergence should have been provided.
• It was clarified that the policy was owned by Housing but implemented by Finance, with Cabinet agreement required for overarching rents.
• Annual reporting of net changes in council housing stock was requested.

Housing Revenue Account Improvement Plan

The board considered the draft HRA Improvement Plan.

• Members requested that Housing Advisory Board representatives be explicitly included in relevant web content and publicity materials.
• It was noted that the plan referenced anti-social behaviour (ASB) and domestic abuse as lower priority areas; officers explained this was because the council already performed strongly in these areas.
• Members also noted the job descriptions for the Resident Engagement Manager and Officer posts and emphasised the need to ensure adequate resources for the resident engagement function.

Annual Workplan for Housing Advisory Board

The board considered its future work programme.

• Members requested that future reports include work on the implementation of Awaab's Law³ and consideration of wider housing hazards, such as cold and heat.
• It was agreed that a report on housing risks would be brought to the December 2025 meeting.
• Members asked for a review of lessons learned from new build programmes, including snagging and contractor handover processes.
• The board wished to be involved in specific officer projects, with the exception of specialist fire compliance work.