Agenda item

Report to follow.

Officers presented the Housing/Housing Revenue Account Strategic Improvement Plan Progress Report. The following was highlighted for Members’ consideration: -

·         Significant Housing Revenue Account (HRA) issues had been identified particularly in Repairs and Maintenance.

·         The Cultural change work was underway.

·         This report was the third update to Members as part of the three year improvement plan.

·         Senior Officers completed and implemented a Review of the Housing and Community Services Management Team.

·         The consultation phase of the Review of Housing Capital/ Property/ Compliance Team(s) had taken place.

·         There was due to be a Review of Locality Team(s) in May 2020.

·         An external consultancy was commissioned to carry out Stock Condition Surveys and a Work Force Skills Audit.

·         Stock Condition Surveys were due to be completed in January 2020.

·         Regular compliance updates including Fire Safety Orders, Control of Asbestos, Electricity and Gas were received by Portfolio Holders and Executive Members.

·         A new Housing IT system was procured at the end of 2019 and would be implemented by December 2021.

The Chair asked Councillor Warhurst, as Portfolio Holder for Housing if there was anything further he would like to add and Councillor Warhurst thanked the Officers for their hard work and comprehensive report. Councillor Warhurst added that the new Housing IT system would provide a much more robust control of the Council’s Housing stock

Members questioned how Officers hoped to make savings in order to help the HRA balance. Officers explained there had been a change to the way contractors were engaged, that non-essential electrical works had been suspended and that the Council had capitalised as much as possible. It was also confirmed that the review and redesign of the Voids process had improved. Members requested that Officers distribute further information regarding the backlog of Void properties and how they had been reduced.

Members had a discussion about whether the Housing IT system would be able to ‘talk to’ the Finance system. Officers informed the Committee that although there was not a system that addressed both functions the new Housing IT system would certainly be able to interface with the Finance system and that some of the same Officers were working across both projects therefore there was integration and oversight between the two projects. Some Members questioned why the implementation phase for the system was so long and Officers explained there had been an overhaul of the Policies and Procedures which had prolonged the process but that a large amount of preparatory work had been undertaken and the programme of works was firmly underway. Officers resolved that they would circulate the Project Plan to Members for their information.

Members questioned how the Council was ensuring that there was sufficient Council Housing stock in Redditch. Councillor Warhurst confirmed that there had been no new stock built by the Council in Redditch since 1998 but that there was a tender undertaken in January 2020 in order to build 20 houses in the Borough.

RESOLVED that

1)    Officers should circulate the data regarding the backlog of Void properties amongst Overview and Scrutiny Committee members.

2)    Officers should circulate the Housing IT System Project Plan amongst Overview and Scrutiny Committee members.