Meeting

Purpose of Report

The Council Housing Repairs and Maintenance Revenue Budget for 2024/2025 was approved within the Council Housing Budget (including rents) 2024/2025 at the Housing and Tackling Homlessness Cabinet Decision meeting on 26 January 2024.

The Council Housing Repairs & Maintenance Capital Budget (Major Repairs Dwellings) for 2024/2025 was approved within the Portsmouth City Council - Budget & Council Tax 2024/2025 and Medium-Term Budget Forecast 2025/26 to 2027/28 by the City Council on 13 February 2024.

The purpose of this report is to inform Members of the spending proposed for the financial year 2024/25 for revenue and capital funded maintenance and improvement programmes for the City Council's retained housing stock together with the HRA Assets (Non-Dwelling) capital scheme (including Housing IT Business Software) and to seek approval to incur expenditure in respect of the capital schemes and rolling programmes.

The report will also update the Cabinet member on the year end position on the delivery of the 2023/24 Repairs & Maintenance programmes, the forecast spend against the approved budget and to highlight any future issues.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1.    The Cabinet Member notes the allocation of finance for the funding of the Revenue Budgets for repairs and maintenance of dwellings listed in Appendix A.

2.    The Cabinet Member approves the allocation of capital budgets listed in Appendix B and Appendix C for 2024/2025, and the Director of Housing, Neighbourhood and Building Services be authorised to seek approval from the Director of Finance and Resources (Section 151 Officer) under Financial Rules, Section B11, to proceed with schemes within the sums allocated.

3.    The Cabinet Member notes the year end position and progress of the 2023/24 Repairs and Maintenance budget plan and capital spend.

4.    The Cabinet Member requests that a mid-year report is brought to provide an update as to in year revenue expenditure and progress of the HRA capital programme.

Purpose of Report

The purpose of the report is to inform members of new Local Authority Housing Landlord Services Complaints Policy and to seek approval for implementation of the policy.

The policy will apply to anyone who has been directly affected by Local Authority Housing Landlord Services.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1.    The Cabinet Member for Housing and Tackling Homelessness approves the Local Authority Housing Landlord Service Complaints Policy (Appendix A - Local Authority Housing Landlord Service Complaints Policy V1.6) and that Housing, Neighbourhood and Building Services implement the policy from 1 April 2024 to support the ongoing response to The Charter for Social Housing Residents, Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 and Housing Ombudsman Complaints Handling Code.

2.    The Cabinet Member to note the following key points are covered within the policy which will complement the Corporate Complaints Policy:

·         The management of Landlord specific complaints to sit within Housing, Neighbourhood and Building Services to enable accurate reporting and improved customer experience.

·         Clarity of the customers that are affected by the policy and circumstances under which is applied.  This includes tenants, leaseholders, former tenants as well as anyone acting on behalf of someone who is affected by actions or decisions made by Portsmouth City Council as a Local Authority Housing Landlord.

·         The introduction of the Complaints Lead role who will be responsible for implementation of the policy and overall ownership and development of the policy as demand is understood through clear reporting and measures from the start of the service delivery.

·         Clear definition of the meaning of a complaint and the way in which a landlord specific complaint will be defined to allow purposeful management of complaints relevant to the service.

·         Clarity around expected response times to Stage 1 and Stage 2 complaints and details of how customers can expect complaints to be managed within the stages.

·         Details of how complaints can be made to the new service, including guidance around Verbal and Anonymous complaints as well as complaints raised via a representative or advocate.

·         Clear information regarding the new complaints procedure, detailing Landlord responsibilities in terms of investigation and response to assist customers understanding and expectations of the service, as well as information about how complaints relating to contractors will be managed.

·         Information relating to the Housing Ombudsman is included to be available from the outset, ensuring compliance with the Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code.

·         Specific details explaining the communications that a customer will be able to expect from the service and process, along with examples of the types of remedies that could be expected and how Housing, Neighbourhood and Building Services would manage these outcomes to demonstrate ongoing learning from complaints.

·         Information about how the process will be monitored and reviewed to ensure constant improvement as well as offering the assurance of ongoing compliance in relation to all relevant guidance and legislation.

Purpose of Report

The purpose of the report is to update members of the Council's Housing Services processes for managing Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) and to approve the ASB policy

To seek approval to implement a new policy for dealing with ASB.  It covers all incidents:

·         Involving our local authority homes owned by PCC and our tenants or members of their household.

·         That occur within a neighbourhood in which we manage properties and the ASB involves PCC residents, or

·         That take place at our 'workplace' affecting or caused by tenants and leaseholders in Portsmouth and Havant, taking into account the wider strategic picture.

RECOMMENDATIONS

That the Cabinet Member for Housing and Tackling Homelessness approves the new ASB Policy (Appendix A - ASB Policy) and asks Housing, Neighbourhood and Building Services to implement the new policy with immediate effect.

Purpose of Report

The report outlines the approach taken by the Estates Service team within the Housing, Neighbourhood and Building Services Directorate, and considers how this meets the requirements introduced by the Social Housing Regulation Act 2023 and the proposed Neighbourhood and Community Standard due to come into effect from April 2024.