Issue - meetings

The housing capital and cyclical works programme is currently delivered by five officers within the planned works team. There is a need to recruit an additional four officers to make sure the housing capital and cyclical works programme from the financial year 2019-20 onwards is fully delivered within the required timescale and budget.

This report seeks approval to increase the planned works team within the Housing Service by four officers. This will mean the team comprising a total of nine officers.

Recommendation

That the Executive recommends to Council that:

1.    the planned works team is increased from five to nine officers.

2.    the associated costs required to increase the team by a further four officers are agreed.

37.1  Cllr King reminded the Executive that one of the strategic objectives of the HRA Asset Management Strategy was ‘to maximise the council’s assets, minimise liabilities, and develop a capital programme that meets tenants’ aspirations’. This objective had only partially been met as the 1% pa reduction in council housing rents from April 2016 had limited the programme of capital works the Council could undertake, with a priority on basic maintenance and day to day repairs. There had been a direct impact on tenant satisfaction, which had remained static at 79% in the 2017 survey of tenants and residents.

37.2  The new rent standard that was expected to be implemented, would permit rent increases by up to Consumer Price Index (CPI) plus 1% each year for a period of at least 5 years from April 2020. This would allow the Housing Service to catch up on the capital and cyclical works programmes frozen since 2016, and additional resources were needed to ensure the enhanced work programme would be delivered.

37.3  The Leader added that the Council had ambitions to deliver more houses and provide affordable homes for local people, and there was wide cross-party support for this. It was important that our housing stock was maintained and fit for the future, and these proposals would ensure the capital programme was adequately resourced.

The Executive RESOLVED to

RECOMMEND to Council that:

1.    the planned works team in Housing is increased from five to nine officers.

2.    the associated costs required to increase the team by a further four officers are agreed.