Agenda item

Report of the Director for Placemaking and Housing. To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Housing, and Planning (Deputy Leader).

Considering a new policy for adoption across the Council's landlord services: the responsive repairs policy.

Cllr Hakata declared a personal interest in item 13, Responsive Repairs Policy, referencing the Member Code of Conduct paragraph 6.2(i) in part five of the Council’s Constitution.

Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning introduced the report which sought approval of the new responsive repairs policy which set out aims to deliver an effective, efficient and timely repairs, maintenance and planned improvements service for the homes and communal areas for which Council is responsible. It included service standards to support delivery of the policy and set out how tenants can hold the Council to account.

The Cabinet Member highlighted that the policy included introduction of a new urgent category which would sit alongside the emergency and priority category. It was noted that an emergency would be responded to within 24 hours and an urgent repair responded to within seven days and a priority repair for completion in 28 days.

In response to questions from Cllr Emery, the following information was noted:

-       In relation to making explicit the timing for a repair to be completed rather than just including the required response times, it was noted that this could not be included in the policy as there were a range and complexity to some repairs. It was noted that some repairs were often not simple and may require sourcing a spare part or fixture which maybe dated or require access to a supply chain to source this. Assurance was provided that there was a repairs handbook that detailed the very specific type of repair that would be done within each category, whether it's an emergency urgent or priority.

-       With regards to improving the quality of repair work, it was important to note that there were average of 55,000 repairs carried out per year. In relation to quality control, there were sample size post inspection surveys and desktop audit that was carried out by the team leaders. It was explained that when operatives attended to carry out repair, they would take a picture of the place of the repair before it's done, and then once after. The team leader would then do a sample of the audits just to make sure those pictures reflect the right level of quality.

-       Assurance was provided of new measures that have been put in place to ensure repair quality was right first time and to a sufficient standard. There was also a new insight module which provided team leaders with insight into operative level productivity and how many appointments they have attended and to identify any consistent non-attendance. This would allow targeted conversations with operatives where there particular pattern. Therefore, compared to the previous year, there was now a lot more rich data to really utilise and move repairs service forward.

-       Compensation payments for contractors not attending repairs was not something that was applied by private or public sectors and the resourcing focus was on ensuring a good responsive repair service where repairs were done as efficiently as possible.

RESOLVED:

1.To approve the Responsive Repairs Policy at Appendix 1, having had regard to the Equality Impact Assessment at Appendix 2.

2.To delegate to the Director of Placemaking and Housing in consultation with the relevant Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning any future changes to this policy required by changes to legal or regulatory requirements arising in the three-year period before the policy is due for review.

Reasons for decision

The newly drafted policy will set a new direction that is informed by best practice to underpin an improved repairs services for Council tenants and leaseholders and for their wider households. Instilling higher standards through the policy will also help to avert complaints and disrepair cases from emerging.

The new policy will help the Council meet the Social Housing Regulator’s consumer standards, specifically the Safety and Quality Standard and the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard.

Delegating amendments to the policy required by changes to legislation and regulation to the Director of Placemaking and Housing in consultation with the relevant Cabinet member for Housing and Planning would allow for quicker changes to be made if needed to meet any new legal or regulatory requirements introduced during the 3-year period between reviews.

Alternative options considered

We could continue to not have a policy in place for this service. This option was

rejected because it would not meet the Council’s needs or those of its tenants or leaseholders. Introducing this new policy will assist the Council to meet the Social Housing Regulator’s Safety and Quality Standards and our commitment to introduce updated policies in the Housing Strategy 2024 ? 2029 and the Housing Improvement Plan 2023.

We could have prepared a policy without any of the new main features such as

service standards, a new urgent priority response timescale or the policy approach to leaks. This option was rejected because this policy will underpin an improved repairs service for Council tenants and leaseholders and for their wider households which aims to provide effective, efficient and timely provision.