HOUSING COMMITTEE

Agenda Item 102

 

Brighton & Hove City Council

 

Subject:

Housing Committee workplan progress update and Housing performance report - Quarter 1, 2020/21

Date of Meeting:

16 September 2020

Report of:

Executive Director Housing, Neighbourhoods & Communities

Contact Officer:

Name:

Ododo Dafé

Tel:

01273 293201

 

Email:

ododo.dafe@brighton-hove.gov.uk

Ward(s) affected:

All

 

FOR GENERAL RELEASE

 

1.         SUMMARY AND POLICY CONTEXT:

 

1.1         This is a report illustrating how progress against Housing Committee work plan 2019-23 priorities and targets, as well as other Housing service targets, could be reported to residents and to committee.  It was agreed at Housing Committee on 15 January 2020 that a small group of Housing Committee members and officers would meet to look at how any report might look.

 

1.2         This small group met on 1 September 2020 and progress has been made on a document for discussion. The report covers Quarter 1 of the financial year 2020/21 and is attached as Appendix 1.

 

1.3         Information highlights from the quarter include:

·         Customer feedback – 67 compliments received from customers, and 61% of stage one complaints responded to within 10 working days

·         Private sector housing – 23 empty homes returned to use

·         Major adaptations – waiting times for applications were 16.6 weeks for private sector homes, and 5.3 weeks for council homes

·         Housing needs – over 400 people sleeping rough or at risk of doing so were accommodated as part of the Council’s Covid-19 response

·         Council housing – re-let times have been impacted by Covid-19 restrictions, and 12 homes were let in an average of 91 days

·         Repairs and maintenance – 99.4% of emergency repairs completed within 24 hours and 97.5% of appointments kept.

 

 

2.         RECOMMENDATIONS:    

 

2.1       That the Housing Committee notes the report.

 

3.         RELEVANT BACKGROUND INFORMATION/CHRONOLOGY OF KEY EVENTS:

 

3.1      The report uses red, amber and green traffic light symbols to provide an indication of performance, and also trend arrows to provide an indication of movement from the previous quarter. 

 

4.         COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND CONSULTATION:

 

4.1      This report will go to Area Panels in September 2020 for residents to comment and enquire upon.

 

5.         FINANCIAL & OTHER IMPLICATIONS:

 

Financial Implications:

 

5.1      The area of performance with the most significant financial impact is the ability to collect rents from tenants. Over the last two years the percentage of rent collected has fallen in the HRA, and although the performance still compares favourably when benchmarked against other stock holding councils around the country, this is of concern and a review is underway to identify actions that will help to improve this. Indicator 15.1 shows that during the first quarter of 2020/21, rent arrears for current tenants have increased by £0.310m to £1.974m. The Housing Income Management team is undertaking targeted work with tenants who are transferring to Universal Credit, and an additional post has been included in the HRA budget for 2020/21 to enhance the support the council can directly offer tenants around welfare rights and appeals.However, it is likely that Covid-19 will have both short term and longer-term impacts on rent collection performance going forward coupled with the increase in numbers of people claiming Universal Credit.  

 

5.2       It is important that rent collection levels are improved going forward so that the HRA can provide the management and maintenance services residents expect. 

 

 

Finance Officer Consulted:     Monica Brooks          Date: 4th September 2020  

 

Legal Implications:

 

5.2.      There are no legal implications to draw to Members’ attention arising from the report.

 

Lawyer Consulted:      Liz Woodley                      Date: 27.08.20

 

            Equalities Implications:

 

5.3       There are no direct equalities implications arising from this report.

 

            Sustainability Implications:

 

5.4       The average energy efficiency rating of council homes stands at 67.5 (out of a maximum of 100) and efforts to increase this rating contribute towards the council's sustainability commitments and help to reduce fuel poverty.

 

Crime & Disorder Implications:

 

5.5       There are no direct crime and disorder implications arising from this report. Cases of anti-social behaviour involving criminal activity are worked on in partnership with the police and other agencies.

 

            Risk and Opportunity Management Implications:

 

5.6       There are no direct risk and opportunity implications arising from this report.

 

           

Public Health Implications:

 

5.7       A large number of services were stopped or significantly impacted in March in order to comply with Coronavirus (Covid-19) restrictions.

 

            Corporate or Citywide Implications:

 

5.8      There are no direct corporate or city wide implications arising from this report.

 

 

 

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION


Appendices:

 

  1. Housing Committee workplan progress update and Housing performance report - Quarter 1, 2020/21

 

Background Documents:

None