Agenda item

To receive a report of the Service Director (Resident And Neighbourhood).

Members were shown a presentation which is attached to these minutes.

Officers explained this was a new strategy which Cabinet would be asked to approve which set out how the Council would engage with residents, tenants and leaseholders in Council homes and how it wanted them to be involved in influencing, shaping and scrutinising its services, policies and performance. Resident involvement was a key theme in the standards set by the social housing regulator; while this was currently under review, it was likely to be replaced by similar standards in a new consumer standard.

The strategy set out the Council’s vision for resident engagement as well as its commitment towards that in order to develop more partnership working and improved communications. There was already an effective working relationship with the Residents Panel and the Council wanted to increase wider participation so residents could better shape services. There was also a role for residents to provide feedback on performance, and a key theme was about keeping them updated about housing issues they were raising.

Around a year ago, residents had been surveyed about their priorities which included repairs, estate management and grounds maintenance, better communication about planned maintenance and repairs, and more information about events being held for residents in Council homes. The Residents Panel had provided helpful feedback which was included in the draft strategy; this included an annual review rather than one every three years. There was a key role for the Panel which the strategy would make clearer. The Panel had scrutinised estate management last year with clear feedback that was similar to what tenants had said when surveyed; these two pieces of feedback would be taken on board before the draft strategy (including making some of the wording clearer) was finalised.

Members raised the following points:

-        It was asked how residents would provide feedback. Officers said the new Tenant Satisfaction Measures survey we are now required to run annually would go out to a random sample of 3,000 tenants who would be asked to provide details of issues of concern and their levels of satisfaction. If approved, the strategy would be promoted via the Residents Panel, on the Council’s website and the Community Edit newsletter amongst others.

-        A member felt that although the strategy sought to improve communication, the approach taken seemed one-way (residents feeding back to the Council) whereas it could be a vehicle for better two-way communication including, for example, engaging with issues that might cause residents concern such as net zero policies in order that they were more likely to embrace them. Officers said two-way communication would be made clearer in the strategy and with regard to net zero, there would be more community days taking place. 

-        Responding to a query about community days, officers said there had been 4 in the last year. These had included waste cage events where arrangements were made to remove refuse and bulky waste; fire brigade, police and Morgan Sindall representatives had been in attendance to provide advice to residents as well as Residents Panel members. There had been litter picks and formal action was taken as a result of evidence found in fly-tipping; and housing staff had checked progress on some repairs. Planning is taking place for a series of events this year and this information would be shared with councillors.

-        A member asked about tenants being supported to make neighbourhood improvement bids and asked who would lead on that and how, noting this information did not seem readily available on the website. Officers explained the bids were run through the Neighbourhoods Team; residents could approach their neighbourhood officer and make suggestions about how the small annual budget could be used, eg for benches, cycle storage etc. There was information in the tenants’ handbook which the Residents Panel was currently reviewing. Information was on the website but could be clearer and would be reviewed in order to boost more knowledge about neighbourhood improvement bids which neighbourhood officers promoted when they met with residents. The Community Edit newsletter came out three times a year and always included information about the bids.    

-        A member commented that the report referenced ‘estate management’ as a priority of residents whereas it meant something different in some areas; she felt it would be helpful to refer to it as ‘estates management’ in a housing context.

-        A member asked about the annual review would work in practice. Officers said the strategy would evolve so it was appropriate for it to be reviewed annually at least on an initial basis; feedback from residents and councillors would be taken on board, and it was intended it would come back to Cabinet Housing Panel (CHP) when it was due for review in a year. The input of the Residents Panel would form part of that review.

-        There was a query about how to involve harder to reach individuals. Officers acknowledged this was a challenge, noting the variance in people’s ability to commit and acknowledged the commitment of Residents Panel members. There was also a virtual panel with whom information could be shared in order to obtain feedback. Officers were working with the Residents Panel on an annual work programme and this might generate interest from other residents interested in specific issues. This was a work in progress which would continue to evolve. It had recently been agreed that the Residents Panel would have a Facebook group which they would publicise with support from the Communications team in order to promote their work with the Council; they had also started having a presence at some Council events.   

-         A member asked whether there would be a separate leaseholder consultation. Officers noted there are currently over 1,500 leaseholders and were considering how to enhance engagement.      

-        Members commended the strategy and reflected positively on the fact that representatives of the Residents Panel were in attendance.              

RESOLVED

(unanimous):

a)    Members considered and noted the strategy; and

b)    Recommended approval of the Resident Involvement strategy to Cabinet.