Issue - meetings

To note the Housing Regulation Panel (HRP) progress report 2013/14 and the HRP inspection report on the City Homes Communal Window Cleaning Service.

 

Decision of Executive Councillor for Housing

 

     i.        Noted and welcomed the positive outcomes achieved by residents’ Housing Regulation Panel in their third year of activity.

 

    ii.        Resolved to continue to support residents’ co-regulation and the constructive challenge provided by residents’ Housing Regulation Panel.

 

Reason for the Decision

 

As set out in the Officer’s report.

 

Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

Not applicable.

 

Scrutiny Considerations

 

The Committee were presented with a report by the Chair of the Housing Regulation Panel, Mr Best, on the 2013/14 HRP progress report and inspection report on the City Homes Communal Window Cleaning Service.

 

Diana Minns expressed the Committee’s thanks to the HRP for their hard work and to Mr Best for collating such comprehensive and detailed reports. 

 

The Executive Councillor for Housing also passed on her thanks to Mr Best and the Housing Regulation Panel for the work that they had undertaken.

 

In response to the report the Committee made the following comments:

 

     i.        Welcomed the reports and reiterated thanks to Mr Best, members of HRP and Officers for their work.

    ii.        Acknowledged that there had been no capacity in the past to monitor the window cleaning service to such a standard.

   iii.        Agreed it was important to hold the Council to account if standards were not being met and to discuss how any issues could be resolved.

  iv.        As tenants paid a service charge the work of the HRP was vital to ensure that the money had been well spent. 

   v.        The report had clearly highlighted that the Window Cleaning Service had not been value for money.

  vi.        Disappointed to note the sub-standard of service that had been identified in the inspection report; not one window had met with the inspection standards.

 vii.        Clean windows contributed to a sense of pride to the building and the area in which the tenant’s lived. 

viii.        Questioned the role of the Contractor’s Supervisor and how the standards had failed.

  ix.        Pleased to note the SMART requirements for improvements and the action plan.

   x.        Acknowledged that the service had not been continuously monitored but with the action plan in place hoped that there would be continuing improvements.

  xi.        By publishing the Service Standard and Window Cleaning Schedule this should encourage tenant participation to report to Officers if standards had not been met.

 

In response to Members’ questions the Executive Councillor for Housing and Officers confirmed the following:

 

     i.        The inspection report had been taken extremely seriously.

    ii.        Dismayed to note that windows at the back of Sheltered Housing had not been cleaned.

   iii.        Acknowledged that there were lessons that needed to be learnt.

  iv.        This particular service would be looked at in the overall bigger procurement contract.

   v.        Tenants would be encouraged to become more involved.

  vi.        The service standard would be looked at on a regular basis.

 

Mr Best informed the Committee that due to meetings that he had attended with Officers and the Contractor, the SMART requirements and action plan in place, he now had confidence in the service. He acknowledged the improvements would not take place overnight but they would happen.

 

 

The Committee:

 

Resolved unanimously to endorse the Officer recommendations.

 

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendations.

 

Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any Dispensations Granted)

No conflicts of interest were declared by the Executive Councillor.

 

Diana Minns, as Chair of the Housing Management Board, thanked the Committee and Officers for their attendance during the year, their debate and interest. She also thanked the Committee Manager, Claire Tunnicliffe.

 

The meeting ended at 6.55 pm

 

CHAIR