Agenda, decisions and minutes

At this point in the meeting, the Executive Member is asked to

declare:

·        any personal interests not included on the Register of

Interests

·        any prejudicial interests or

·        any disclosable pecuniary interests

which they might have in respect of business on this agenda.

At this point in the meeting, the Executive Member was asked to declare any personal, prejudicial or pecuniary interests he may have in the business on the agenda.  None were declared.

To approve and sign the minutes of the Decision Session held on Monday 15 February 2016

Resolved: That the minutes of the Decision Session of the Executive Member for Housing and Safer Neighbourhoods held on 15 February 2016 be approved and signed by the Executive Member as a correct record.

At this point in the meeting, members of the public who have

registered their wish to speak at the meeting can do so. The

deadline for registering is at 5.00 pm on Friday 18 March 2016.

Members of the public may register to speak on an item on the agenda or an issue within the Executive Member’s remit.

Filming, Recording or Webcasting Meetings

Please note this meeting may be filmed and webcast and that

includes any registered public speakers, who have given their

permission. This broadcast can be viewed at

http://www.york.gov.uk/webcasts.

Residents are welcome to photograph, film or record Councillors

and Officers at all meetings open to the press and public. This

includes the use of social media reporting, i.e. tweeting. Anyone

wishing to film, record or take photos at any public meeting should contact the Democracy Officers (whose contact details are at the foot of this agenda) in advance of the meeting. The Council’s protocol on Webcasting, Filming & Recording of Meetings ensures that these practices are carried out in a manner both respectful to the conduct of the meeting and all those present. It can be viewed at:

https://www.york.gov.uk/downloads/file/6453/protocol_for_webca

sting_filming_and_recording_council_meetingspdf

It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

This report presents the outcomes of the annual 2015/16 Tenant Satisfaction Survey which is the biggest single gauge of satisfaction across landlord services by leaseholders and tenants of council owned housing stock.

Resolved:

(i)           That the results of the 2015/16 Tenant Satisfaction Survey be considered and the officer comments regarding future actions be noted.

(ii)          That a Tenant Satisfaction Survey for 2016/17 be run.

Reason:   To ensure that the Council has up to date information regarding customer satisfaction, enabling landlord and building services to target resources and improvements to those services prioritised by customers.

The Executive Member considered a report that highlighted the outcomes of the annual 2015/16 Tenant Satisfaction Survey.

Officers gave an update and confirmed that the survey had taken place between October and December 2015 and was primarily carried out by post but contact by email and text was also used. The survey contained several new questions to ensure the results were compatible to feed into Housemark benchmarking and the results showed that 11% of tenants answered the survey.

In answer to the Executive Members questions officers confirmed that visitor numbers to West Offices and email contact to officers had increased but phone calls received had declined.

Officers discussed the analysis and stated that the results were statistically significant to within +/-2.48%. The Executive Member noted that:

·        the vast majority of areas within the Your Property theme had increased with a notable increase within the overall quality of the home, overall repairs, maintenance service and with gas servicing arrangements. 

·        tenant’s satisfaction with neighbourhood and estate services had mainly increased, however, satisfaction with the neighbourhood as a place to live had decreased.

·        tenants cited dog fouling as the highest problem followed by car parking, condition of the roads/pavements and rubbish or litter issues.

·        satisfaction with the service delivery had mixed results and included decreases in the ability of staff to deal with a query at first point of contact, ability of staff to deal with a query efficiently and effectively and the ease of making a complaint.

In response to the results officers confirmed:

·        they would be considering frontline services to effectively deliver a more proactive approach with customers.

·        Building Services would continue to improve their service, including implementing a text messaging notification service for residents.

·        amendments to the tenancy agreement made it a requirement that tenants requested permission to keep a pet and tenants would also be issued with a best practice guidance on keeping a pet

The Executive Member thanked officers and welcomed even more positive results in the 2016/17 survey.

Resolved:

(i)           That the results of the 2015/16 Tenant Satisfaction Survey be considered and the officer comments regarding future actions be noted.

(ii)          That a Tenant Satisfaction Survey for 2016/17 be run.

Reason:   To ensure that the Council has up to date information regarding customer satisfaction, enabling landlord and building services to target resources and improvements to those services prioritised by customers.

The report informs the Executive Member that a new regional loan product has been developed by the Regional Homes and Loans Service aimed at alleviating fuel poverty within the city and asks him to agree amendments to the Private Sector Assistance Policy to ensure York residents are able to access the new product.

Resolved:

(i)           That the development of the loan product to tackle fuel poverty be noted.

(ii)          That Option 1, to amend the Private Sector Assistance Policy and introduce a new Energy Repayment Loan product, be agreed.

Reason:  The new evidence base from the Building Research Establishment found that, although fuel poverty levels in the City were generally below the national and regional average, there were certain Wards which were found to be higher.

The Executive Member considered a report that informed him of the new regional product that had been developed by the Regional Homes and Loans Service aimed at alleviating fuel poverty within the city.

Officers gave an update and confirmed that since 2007 York council and 21 other local councils used the Regional Homes and Loans Service based with Sheffield City Council to deliver a range of loan products, in particular the loan called Home Appreciation Loan.  It was now proposed to recycle funds from redeemed Home Appreciation Loans and other loan products to help tackle Excess Cold and Fuel Poverty across the Yorkshire and Humber Region.

The Executive Member noted that these new affordable Energy Repayment Loans (ERL) would be available from 1 April 2016, subject to delegating the function to Sheffield and had been developed to complement and supplement other energy efficiency funds. The ERL was designed to be a loan of last resort, where other forms of finance were not viable.

In answer to the Executive Members questions officers confirmed that each loan was based on regular affordable monthly repayments, managed by the Homes and Loans service and repayments would normally be by means of direct debit but should the house be put up for sale or the loan owner had died, it would be repaid once the property had been sold.

Officers confirmed that in order for the Council to carry out this function it would need to delegate its powers to Sheffield City Council to award the grant in the same way as the Home Appreciation Loan.

Resolved:

(i)           That the development of the loan product to tackle fuel poverty be noted.

(ii)          That Option 1, to amend the Private Sector Assistance Policy and introduce a new Energy Repayment Loan product, be agreed.

Reason:  The new evidence base from the Building Research Establishment found that, although fuel poverty levels in the City were generally below the national and regional average, there were certain Wards which were found to be higher.