Agenda item

This report provides a summary of the Housing service performance over 2016/17.  The report details the team’s performance against the indicators that fall within the remit of the Housing Overview & Scrutiny Committee for the fourth quarter of the financial year.  It also provides customer feedback data and a summary of the completed actions from the 2016/17 Housing Service Plan. 

The Committee has the opportunity to comment and scrutinise the presented performance data.  In addition the Committee may identify future committee reporting requirements regarding performance management.  

Recommendation

It is recommended that the Housing Overview & Scrutiny Committee:

1.    considers the performance figures, as set out in Annexe 1, and agrees any observations or recommendations about performance it wishes to make to the Executive;

2.    considers the customer feedback data and agrees any observations or recommendations about performance it wishes to make to the Executive;

3.    considers the Service Plan Outturn report, as set out in Annexe 2, and agrees any observations or recommendations about performance it wishes to make to the Executive;

4.    considers scope of work and identifies areas for the Committee future workplan; and

5.    considers how performance monitoring should be achieved in 2017/18 and agrees a way forward.

Annalisa Howson introduced the performance management report that covered the 4^th quarter of 2016/17 (January – March 2017) and the overall performance for the year. Performance had generally been good, with just three indicators missing the target.

The voids re-let performance had fallen below target, with the average number of days to re-let normal voids in Q4 being 24 days. The average for the year was 22 days. This was a marked improvement from 2015/16, but did demonstrate that the 20-day target was challenging and did not allow for any slippage in processes.

It was not considered that there was any fundamental weakness in the voids process, and a range of actions had been taken to further support the process and address issues.

The performance on gas safety checks was a snapshot at the end of the quarter, and it was not unusual for a small number of checks to be outstanding. Every reasonable effort was made by the contractor to schedule appointments in good time to achieve compliance, but occasionally there were unable to obtain access to a property without the intervention of the Council. There was a very clear escalation process from the contractor to the Council, and the Council did not delay in referring cases to court for a warrant. Two checks were outstanding at the end of March, and both had been completed in April after a court warrant enabled access.

The responsive repairs ‘fixed first time’ indicator had improved again in Q4, to 76% of jobs, although it still fell short of the target of 78%. There had been steady improvement over 2016/17 in this indicator, and this was reflected in the corresponding improvement in customer satisfaction with the responsive repairs service.

In response to questions from the Committee, it was noted that:

·         The performance indicators were suite of indicators that were used with in the service as a performance management tool.

·         There was no target set for the number of affordable houses delivered each quarter as they tended to be completed and handed over in multiples as developments were completed.

·         Where possible, hard-wired smoke alarms were installed in council homes, and these were checked as part of the gas safety check. It was likely that there would be changes in requirements for smoke and fire alarms in some types of property as a result of the Grenfell Tower fire.

The Committee had been asked to consider how it wished to monitor performance in the Housing Service in future, and the Chairman noted that two of the O&S committees had decided to take the report by exception. He had originally felt that the Housing Committee might do the same, but on reflection he was inclined to suggest that the report format should continue as it was for the time being, as it provided useful context for the work of the Committee.

The Committee noted the overall good performance, and the exceptions, and agreed that they wished to continue receiving the full performance monitoring report on a quarterly basis for the time being.