Agenda item

Councillor Sue Nicholls, Chair of the Task and Finish Group, said that the first task and group was held on 29 October 2025, which was attended by all four group Members, Councillors Carter, Marlow, Nicholls and Swainston, with support from the Housing Lead Officer Katherine Gilcreest.

Councillor Nicholls explained that she had outlined the work programme that had been agreed by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. She said that the Members discussed the scope of the review that was to be undertaken in the communication of housing providers with customers, elected members and council officers, as well as external partners who could provide the benefit of their experience and how this could benefit the review process.

Councillor Nicholls said that the housing lead officer had presented a report to the group that outlined the responses from the survey that had been sent to registered providers about their current communication methods.

Councillor Nicholls said that this had been a useful exercise as it had demonstrated some of the issues that residents, members and officers have in trying to contact registered providers. The Task and Finish Group reviewed the survey and had agreed slight amendments to provide clear responses to a couple of questions and an additional question about the role of elected members.

Councillor Nicholls said that it was also agreed that the survey would be recirculated to registered providers yet to respond and the local contacts which were held by officers would be used for housing providers, in order to hopefully increase the response rate. The Task and Finish Group had also requested that a map was produced that showed where registered providers were operating in the district.

Members were advised that it was also decided that three further task and finish group meetings would be held, with expert witnesses being invited to the next two meetings on 17 November and 4 December 2025, to help inform the recommendations of the group and to provide information on current processes, areas of good practice and areas for improvement.

Councillor Nicholls said that the group would invite officers from East Herts Environmental Health and Community Safety, representatives from East Herts citizens advice, the housing regulator, a large housing provider and two smaller housing providers.

Councillor Nicholls said that the final task and finish group meeting would be held on 6 January 2026 where members would draw together the information gathered from expert witnesses and put together recommendations for the Executive Member for Neighbourhoods.

Councillor Nicholls said that she would present the report containing the recommendations of the task and finish group to the 20 January 2026 meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The Executive Member for Neighbourhood added her thanks to Councillor Nicholls for making the arrangements for the Task and Finish Group meetings. Councillor Jacobs asked if the 20 January 2026 was a realistic timetable for the final report.

The Director for Communities suggested that to keep to the pace and the timescale would be his suggestion with an option to review progress nearer to 20 January 2026. Councillor Carter said that this was going to be a really interesting piece of work, and she was glad that the citizens advice bureau would be asked for evidence as part of the scrutiny process of registered providers communication methods.

Councillor Horner proposed, and Councillor Cox seconded, a motion that the progress of the task and finish group be approved and a final report on this review with recommendations be bought to Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday 20 January 2026.

After being put to the meeting and a vote taken, the motion was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED – that (A) the progress of the task and finish group be approved; and

B      a final report on this review with recommendations be bought to Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday 20 January 2026.