Issue - meetings

To consider the Homes for Haringey performance report.

RECEIVED the Homes for Haringey (HFH) Performance Report for April 2010 to February 2011 presented by Nick Powell (Head Of Housing Strategy, Development & Partnerships), Rowann Limond (HfH Director of Finance), Jackie Thomas (HfH Executive Director – Housing Management).

NOTED

·        The performance target for the payment of invoices (Page 112 of the agenda pack) had not been met and it was explained that this was down to the system used where HfH invoices were passed on to and processed by the Council’s accounts payable department.  Discussions were being held to consider HfH withdrawing from the service level agreement with the Council and processing payments in-house.

·        A Member expressed concern that many of the performance targets for lettings (page 97) were not being met. The HfH Director of Finance explained that it was a priority to ensure that HfH was meeting lettings standards. Practices were in place such as phoning all tenants one week after they have moved in to a property to ensure they were satisfied. There had been a 10% in tenant satisfaction in February 2011.  Some issues with properties were dealt with after a tenant had moved in. 

·        Void turnaround times were affected by the number of individuals who were required to access a property to carry out tasks.  Officers recognised the need to improve the process and HfH was going through a process of reducing the number of sub-contractors it used and was training employees in order to put an in-house team in place to carry out some of these works.

Clerk’s note:  The Chair left the meeting at 20:45 hrs.  The Vice-Chair took over the chairing of the meeting.

·        In relation to a member’s concerns that targets for stage 2 and members’ enquiries were not being met (page 110) it was noted that a new system for complaints and feedback had gone live in January 2011 and would be reviewed.

·        Officers recognised the length of time taken to provide people with sheltered housing and highlighted that people often changed their minds about the accommodation they wanted.  HfH work with these people and will still support them to move into alternative schemes.

Clerk’s note: The Chair returned at 20:50 hrs.

RESOLVED to note the report.