Agenda item

The Executive Member for Health, Housing and Community Support submitted a report setting out the provision of services to vulnerable tenants housed via the Council to Registered Providers (RP) in East Herts specifically, South (Circle) Anglia and Riversmead Housing Associations and the range of services provided by those providers to support vulnerable tenants.

The Manager, Housing Services, explained how the information was collated.

Councillor N Symonds thanked the Officer for the report, but expressed concern that it did not address the question of repairs and especially repairs for those who were vulnerable.  She referred to specific individual issues and suggested that meetings needed to take place urgently with Housing Associations, Members and senior officers to air Members’ concerns.

The Manager, Housing Services, referred to a range of regular meetings which currently took place between the Council and RPs and explained the difficulties the Council had in influencing RPs and that she did not have access to information on repairs and timeframes.  The Council also had Members on the Boards of South Anglia and Riversmead Housing Associations.

Various Members also expressed concern about South (Circle) Anglia and the time taken to carry out repairs and their internal problems associated with issuing work dockets. 

The Manager, Housing Services agreed that there were issues with South (Circle) Anglia and problems associated with repairs.  She referred to the need for Members to attend the regular RP member forum meetings.  The Manager, Housing Services reminded Members that the issue of the repair services had been discussed at the last forum meeting of South Anglia recently.

The Chairman reminded Members that Tracy White of South (Circle) Anglia’s Management Board had stated that as a first contact, Members should contact her.  The Chairman encouraged Members to contact Ms White regarding their concerns.

Councillor N Symonds suggested that RPs be invited to a meeting with two or three Members and senior Council Officers, including the Director of Neighbourhood Services to speak to them on repair issues and Members’ concerns.  The Chairman said that Members should submit their nominations to the Scrutiny Officer for consideration via a selection process in order to ensure that there was appropriate geographic representation.

The Executive Member for Health, Housing and Community Support reminded Members that forums did take place every quarter and encouraged Members to attend these forums to voice their concerns and said that South Anglia had already been asked to submit their repair and processing data for Members’ consideration.

Members requested that their frustration and concerns regarding the repairs service of registered providers be recorded and conveyed to the RPs directly.  Members supported the suggestion that RPs be invited to a meeting with two or three Members and senior Council Officers, including the Director of Neighbourhood Services, to speak to them directly on repair issues and Members’ concerns. 

RESOLVED – that (A) the range of support and services for tenants offered by the registered providers be noted;

(B)       Members’ frustration and concerns of scrutiny be conveyed to the Registered Providers in respect of their repairs service and these concerns should be expressed through direct meetings between representative Councillors, the Director of Neighbourhood Services and their Chief Officers; and

(C)       nominations from Members for consideration and selection be forwarded to the Scrutiny Officer.