Issue - meetings

This report provides the Executive Member with the headline results of the 2006 Annual Housing Service Monitor and will be supplemented by a presentation to Members at the meeting.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for Housing be advised to note the summary results of the 2006 Annual Housing Service Monitor.

Decision of the Executive Member for Housing

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To inform the Executive Member.

Members considered a report which provided the Executive Member with the headline results of the 2006 Annual Housing Service Monitor and was supplemented by a presentation to Members at the meeting.

The Annual Housing Services Monitor was a tenant satisfaction survey which had been carried out in York every year since 1990. During September 2006 a postal survey was mailed to 1800 council tenants selected at random. A total of 878 tenants returned the questionnaire which represented a good response rate of 49% of the sample.

Officers reported some amendments to the figures in the report. Under bullet point 24, the figure for satisfaction with neighbourhoods in 2005 should be 84% and not 74%, and it did not reverse a downward trend. Under bullet point 32, the perceived helpfulness of staff remained static at 81%, and had not risen from 74% in 2005.

The presentation to Members gave a more detailed analysis of the results, including breakdowns according to estate management areas. It was reported that the satisfaction with the overall service remained high, with 80% of tenants stating that they were ‘very’ or ‘fairly’ satisfied. However, there was a steady decrease in the agreement that City of York Council was a good landlord, and a decline in satisfaction regarding value for money, and action taken about nuisance or disturbances. More tenants were dissatisfied with their neighbourhood than in 2005.

Some members raised concerns about the results of the survey, stating that the figures showed a downward trend. Officers reported that there had been variations in satisfaction over the past few years and that there was a need to reconnect with customers, whose satisfaction with methods forinvolvement was at a low level. It was reported that the survey would be used as a tool to improve the services provided. Members requested officers to scrutinize these figures and look into the underlying issues.

Cllr Horton proposed a motion that the recommendation be amended to “That the advisory panel advise the Executive Member for Housing to note with concern the summary results of the 2006 Annual Housing Service Monitor.” This motion was seconded by Cllr Fraser. The motion was put to the vote and the motion was lost.

Cllrs Fraser, Horton and Hill requested that their votes against the decision be recorded.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for Housing be advised to note the summary results of the 2006 Annual Housing Service Monitor.

Decision of the Executive Member for Housing

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To inform the Executive Member.