Best Value Housing Review Group - Minutes 18 February 2010

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At a MEETING of the HOUSING BEST VALUE REVIEW GROUP held at Dundee on 18th February, 2010.

Present:

Councillor Andy DAWSON
Councillor Kevin KEENAN
Councillor Craig MELVILLE
David DORWARD, Chief Executive
Ms Elaine ZWIRLEIN, Director of Housing
Mr David SIMPSON, Housing Department
Mr Gregory COLGAN, Housing Department
Ms Eileen CHRISTIE, Housing Department
Mr Gordon BIRRELL, Housing Strategy Manager
Mr Ken LAING, Director of Contract Services
Ms Mary SMITH, DFTA
Mr Jim COCHRANE, DFTA
Ms Kim SMITH, UNITE
Mr Tom KELBIE, GMB
Mr Graeme LAWRENCE, Tenants - East
Kirsty WELLS, Tenant Information Service

Apologies for Absence:-

Bailie Rod WALLACE
Bailie George REGAN
Councillor Fraser MACPHERSON
Councillor Ian BORTHWICK
Mr Martin WILKIE-McFARLANE, Shelter Scotland
Mr David JONES, Tenants - West
Ms Rena SMITH, DFTA

David DORWARD, in the Chair.

I MINUTE OF MEETING OF 8TH DECEMBER, 2009

The minute of meeting of 8th December, 2009 was submitted and approved

II MATTERS ARISING

(i) ESTATE SUPERVISION STRATEGY

It was reported that the Local Community Planning Partnerships (LCPP's) were to be briefed on the revised Estate Supervision Strategy on 5th March, 2010.

(ii) AMENDMENTS TO THE COUNCIL'S LETTING POLICY

It was noted that Report No 18-2010 by Director of Housing recommending a number of changes to the Council's letting policy as a result of comments from the Scottish Housing regulator and from improvements which had been highlighted through best practice had been approved at the Housing Committee meeting held on 25th January, 2010.

It was noted that a presentation had taken place recently to members of the Housing Best Value Group and all elected members.

III LETTINGS LEAN SERVICE REVIEW INCLUDING RELET DECORATION PILOT

A report by Director of Housing had been distributed with the agenda for the meeting to advise Best Value Review Group members on progress made with the lean service review of relets and to report on the success of service improvements to improve the quality of the relet product and the time taken to carry out relets following criticisms by the Scottish Housing Regulator that relets in Dundee took to long and were of poor quality.

Eileen Christie of the Housing Department reported that a number of steps had been taken to reduce the time property was empty and improve the quality of relets, these have been previously reported to the Housing Best Value Group and had now been introduced and are now part of the service. They include the following:

Reduce relets on hold awaiting materials
Reducing the time taken to transfer the gas supply
Input reports of change at first point of contact
Increased emphasis on phone contact
Introduce web based "available now" category for selected properties which had been fit to let for ten days or more or refused three times for a property based reason
No contact homeless cases
Improving the availability of signing appointments
Reintroducing the "fit to view"
Movement of keys

The following areas are still progressing and should complete shortly:

Redecoration
Tenant led inspection
Kitchens
Major Repairs
Cleaning

It was not easy to separate the effect of each individual experiment in such a complex process. However the results show that offers per let have reduced from 3.7 in January 2009 to 2.7 in December 2009 and weeks to let have reduced from 18 weeks in January 2009 to 12 weeks by July 2009. This had remained consistent despite introducing new initiatives such as redecorating, installing 50 kitchens and holding properties for legal action on redevelopment cases.

The Housing Best Value Review Group agreed to:

Note the sustained improvement in relet performance as a result of the experiments in the lean service review.
agreed that the experiments and pilot projects on redecoration continue and the effect of redecoration on relet times was monitored, with experiments being amended as required to improve let ability whilst keeping to budget.
Agreed that the feasibility of a contract with appropriate default causes for late keys outwith target times was investigated for major repair work.
Agreed that further regular updates on these initiatives were reported through the Director of Housing's Letting Service Improvement Team, by the East District Housing Manager and reported back in accordance with the procedures on these.
To implement a relet standard following the appropriate consultations, by April 2010.
Agreed to remit Letting Service Improvement Team to progress the following:-

Monitor redecoration pilots and recommend future courses of action based on outcomes
Oversee the revised specification through Dundee Contract Services
Review special need relets and major repair procedures
Review the conclusions of the Relet Tenant Inspection Team

It was further noted that the outcome of the relet pilot would be completed by August 2010 with the costs built into the 2011/2012 budget setting process. Tenants would be kept informed at all stages of this process.

It was further reported that the findings will be notified to the Scottish Housing Regulator at the time of their update inspection in September 2010.

IV HOUSING FOOTPATHS IMPROVEMENTS

Report by City Housing Manager on housing footpath improvements had been circulated to all Housing Best Value Review Group Members with the agenda.

It was reported that using Equality of Life funding, a programme of improvements to footpaths, currently held on the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) as part of a citywide survey in 2003/2004 had been delivered. The condition of all HRA footpaths was categorised on a scale of 1 to 5 with a score of 5 the worst.

By the end of March 2010 all category 4 and 5 footpaths will be upgraded and 2011 would be taken up with revisiting areas where Category 3 footpaths may have deteriorated since survey.

With regard to ongoing maintenance of the HRA footpath network, discussions were continuing with City Development Department with a view to identifying the level of financial resources required. It was planned to role the outcome of these discussions onto the budget setting process for 2011/2012.

V IMPROVEMENT PLAN UPDATE REPORT

Report by Director of Housing had been circulated with the papers to update the Best Value Review Group on progress on the improvement plan agreed with the Scottish Housing Regulator.

Appendix 1 to the report details all actions which were due for completion to date and a summary of progress. 75 out of the total 149 actions were due to be completed by January 2010.

Of those which were due for completion:

74% of the actions due for completion were now completed.
16% of the actions due for completion were 75% complete or greater.
7% of actions due for completion were 50% completed or greater.
3% of actions were due for completion were less than 50%.

It was noted the remainder of the plan was on schedule within the timescales specified and updates highlighting any significant progress or delays requiring remedial action would be reported at each Housing Best Value Review Group meeting.

The Best Value Review Group agreed to:

(i) note the contents of the report including the overall performance on the significant measures highlighted in paragraph 5 and summarising progress on all items which were due for completion up to and including January 2010.

(ii) agreed to refer this report for approval at the Council's Housing Committee.

(iii) agreed that, as part of the commitment to Public Performance Reporting, this report be added to the Plans and Performance Section of the Council's website.

VI PROGRAMME OF MEETINGS 2010/2011

The programme of meetings of the Group detailed under Item VIII of the Agenda was agreed.

VII ANY OTHER CURRENT BUSINESS

(i) Programme for future agendas of the Best Value Review Group

It was agreed that the programme of Housing Department agenda items for future meetings of the Housing Best Value Review Group would be circulated along with the minutes of the meeting for information. Any suggestions for future agenda items would also be welcomed from Housing Best Value Review Group members.

VIII DATE OF NEXT MEETING

Thursday, 15th April, 2010 at 2.30 p.m., Committee Room 1, 14 City Square, Dundee

This information is provided by the Housing Department