Issue - meetings

To receive a report from the Head of Housing providing a quarterly update to Members on activity undertaken by Mid Devon Housing (MDH), including some relating to enforcement.

The Group had before it, and NOTED, a report * from the Head of Housing and Health providing a quarterly update to Members on activity undertaken by Mid Devon Housing (MDH) including some relating to enforcement.

The following was highlighted within the report:

·         The report presented a full set of performance and Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSM) data.

·         For the first time it also presented the outcome of the TSM perception surveys.

·         Overall there had been a very strong performance in the MDH area.

·         Performance was at or above target on repairs.

·         Debt levels were very low.

·         Voids remained under pressure due to high turnover and high damage levels, however 97% of properties in the housing stock were occupied at any one time.

·         There was a sufficient number of respondees to the TSM perception surveys to meet the requirements of the Regulator and were enough to be representative.

·         Importantly, at the moment, there was nothing to compare this data to as the Regulator had not published any national bench marking.

·         Mid Devon was the first local authority in Devon to put their full TSM data into the public domain.

·         Reference was made to the statistical data within the report but it was explained that this data needed unpicking. It certainly suggested some areas for improvement and officers would be working up a plan for the future.

·         The Regulator would be placing a lot of emphasis on TSM’s going forwards, the sector was consumer driven with all data and outcomes being inspected.

Consideration was given to:

·         The importance of early intervention to ensure tenants stayed in their properties as long as possible despite financial difficulties.

·         What would happen with a possible change in Government at the next General Election? It was explained that many recent changes to the housing sector were now on the statute book and unlikely to be reversed. The Regulatory framework was likely to remain part of the housing landscape going forwards. This was not something to be feared but to be embraced.

·         More proactive work would be undertaken to ascertain why it was some tenants did not feel safe in their homes.

·         There was a huge challenge over the interpretation of the responses as the questions were prescribed by the Regulator. It was felt that everybody interpreted questions differently. This would be a work in progress.

·         The monthly officer meetings and whether Members had a role to play in them? It was considered that this was a safe place for officers to discuss issues in their areas alone and that much of this was operational in any case. 

Note: * Report previously circulated.