Agenda item - STAR (Survey of Tenants and Residents) Survey 2016

Report of the Executive Director for Neighbourhoods, Communities & Housing (copy attached).

27.1    Ododo Dafe, Head of Income Involvement & Improvement, introduced the report and highlighted:

·         The postal survey was sent to a randomly selected sample of 3000 tenants and had received a higher response rate from the previous year.

·         There were two areas where the satisfaction rate had been reduced, these being: the overall quality of homes; and neighbourhoods as a place to live.

·         There will be a short article in the next edition of Homing In and a further, more detailed article in the spring edition outlining the findings.

27.2    In response to the queries raised by the Panel the Head of Income Involvement & Improvement clarified:

·         The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) had strict guidelines outlining where the money should be spent. The HRA could be spent on improving neighbourhoods; however, the Council could not spend the HRA on residents that were not Council tenants.

·         The choice based letting scheme allowed tenants to bid for available properties and these properties were not prioritised for mental health needs but for housing need. It was added that a higher number of residents with mental health issues were being housed because there was a greater need.

·         It was proposed and agreed that a future item should be presented to the Area Housing Panel.

27.3    RESOLVED – That the Panel agreed to note the report.