Agenda and draft minutes

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 16 April 2024 as an accurate record.

The minutes of the previous meeting held on the 16 April 2024 were approved as an accurate record.

Members are invited to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests (DPIs) and other registrable and non-registrable interests they may have in relation to any item(s) of business on today’s agenda.

There were no disclosures of interest made at the meeting.

To receive notice of any business not on the agenda which in the opinion of the Chair, by reason of special circumstances, be considered as a matter of urgency.

The Chair decided to consider three items of urgent business – (i) update on Homelessness Strategy, (ii) ground maintenance, and (iii) Red Clover Gardens allocation process; given their immediate relevance and potential impact on ongoing discussions.

Update on the Homeless Strategy

The Sub-Committee considered an urgent item on the Homelessness Strategy and Transformation update. Susmita Sen, Corporate Director of Housing, and Beatrice Cingtho-Taylor, Director of Housing, Homelessness Prevention & Accommodation, introduced the item, highlighting the risks and consequences of the Council not having a Homelessness Strategy in place.

The Chair invited the Sub-Committee to ask questions. The first question concerned the steps being taken to mitigate the risks associated with not having an up-to-date strategy. The officers responded that the Homelessness Strategy is a statutory document, and efforts were focused on ensuring the strategy's approval by the Council. The officers also mentioned ongoing communication with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, which had offered support. The officers emphasised the importance of cooperation with central government, noting that some grants could be reduced if the statutory requirement for a Homelessness Strategy was not met.

The Sub-Committee sought reassurance that the strategy was not rushed due to statutory deadlines, which could compromise its quality. The officers gave assurance that significant time was devoted to developing the strategy, which included a thorough review of borough-wide needs and full consultation with residents and partner agencies. The Sub-Committee then asked if there was scope within the strategy to adapt to more challenging and ambitious plans. The officers explained that the strategy was designed for regular review, allowing for adjustments to be made based on service performance. The officers also assured that deadlines were arbitrary, and many objectives were expected to be delivered ahead of schedule.

The next question focused on cooperation with partners and reducing the time between referrals from the Council’s partners and the Council's response. The officers reported progress in working with partners, significantly aided by the development of the Homelessness Strategy. They described close collaboration with various partners to improve processes and communication. When further challenged on response times, the officers stated that they aimed to engage with referred individuals within 14 days and had already reduced waiting times from six months to two months. They noted that extended wait times were partly due to a significant backlog of approximately 2,000 cases. However, the officers assured that a walk-in service was available for those who were homeless, offering same-day assistance.

The Sub-Committee then asked about the origins of the backlog and how the strategy would address it. Officers explained that the backlog was primarily due to resource allocation issues. The key to resolving this was deploying appropriate resources effectively, with a focus on prevention to reduce the influx of new cases.

The Sub-Committee asked about occupancy checks, particularly regarding sublet properties and tenants willing to downsize. The officers reported that about 73% of occupancy checks had been completed, identifying households not occupied by the right individuals and those where  ...  view the full minutes text for item 44/24

The Sub-Committee is provided with the Council’s Asset Management Strategy 2024-29 and its accompanying delivery Plan.

The Sub-Committee is asked to review the documents and provide comments that would be feed into and considered by the Cabinet.

The Sub-Committee reviewed a report on pages 3 to 22 of the supplementary agenda, detailing the Asset Management Strategy proposal. Cllr Lynne Hale, Cabinet Member for Homes, introduced the item. It was noted that the Sub-Committee had initially considered the Asset Management Strategy in February. It was also mentioned that the previous strategy, agreed upon in 2019, failed to fully address the long-term investment needs of the portfolio.

The Chair clarified that during the earlier Homes Scrutiny meeting, the Sub-Committee only considered the guiding principles, not the written strategy itself. The Chair also mentioned that the strategy was intended to be reviewed alongside the Regeneration Framework and asked about the timeline for its development. The officers explained that the framework was still being developed and had been delayed due to the stock condition survey. The officers added that they planned to include a new-build approach and expected completion around autumn 2024.

Sue Hanlon, Interim Director of Housing – Estates & Improvement, gave a presentation outlining the consultation process, key principles of the strategy, key statistics, aims for the next five years, and key year one actions for delivering the strategy.

The first question from the Sub-Committee concerned the progress, prioritisation of stock, findings, and actions from the stock condition survey. The officers reported a 52% completion rate by the end of June and expected to reach 60% by the end of September 2024. The officers explained that they categorised homes into houses, flats, sheltered accommodations, and general needs accommodations and analysed completion percentages for each type.

The officers assured that there were no major concerns about specific stock and used the Health and Safety Rating System for immediate concerns. Then, the Sub-Committee further challenged how the survey ensured that the hardest-to-evaluate properties were not left until the end. The officers explained that initially they focused on easier stock but redirected efforts in February to more challenging properties like flats and maisonettes.

The next question considered the differences between the previous and proposed strategies. The officers explained that both focused on similar areas due to regulatory and statutory requirements. However, the new strategy emphasised more integrated working and alignment with the regeneration framework. It also fostered a culture of cooperation across various housing departments.

When asked how the strategy met the Borough's current needs, officers explained that it was an overarching document, and assured that they were constantly testing assumptions using data, including the stock condition survey, to identify needs and implications more accurately.

A question about a table on page 7 of the supplementary agenda pack and how to interpret the numbers was asked by the Sub-Committee. The officers explained that it outlined the number of checks needed for each action. Compliance areas required regular safety checks, linked to the strategy's pillar of "safe & compliant homes," with a goal of 100% compliance.

Subsequently, the Sub-Committee asked a question on incorporating good practice into the strategy. The officers responded that they worked with other providers and local authorities, considering political changes and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 45/24

The Sub-Committee is provided with a report detailing the Housing Resident Engagement Strategy 2024 to 2029. The report details the factors driving the need for a Housing Resident Engagement Strategy for the Council’s housing tenants and leaseholders and the methodology of its co-development with our residents. In this context, and for the purposes of the strategy, tenants include other occupiers of social housing such as licensees and shared owners.

The Sub-Committee is asked to review the documents and provide comments that would be feed into and considered by the Cabinet.

The Sub-Committee reviewed a report on pages 23 to 93 of the supplementary agenda, detailing the Resident Engagement Strategy 2024-29. Councillor Lynne Hale, Cabinet Member for Homes, introduced the report, highlighting its objectives and strategic aims. It was emphasised that the strategy was co-designed with residents and staff, with the assistance of the Tenants Participation Advisory Service. Mary Larbie, Director of Housing Management, highlighted that the strategy was aligned with the Exit Strategy and underscored the importance of developing the Customer Assurance Panel.

The Chair opened the floor for the Sub-Committee to ask questions. The first question addressed capturing informal feedback during day-to-day activities and how the Council would ensure a culture that systematically captured such feedback. The officers responded that this cultural change was embedded in all Council actions. The officers also highlighted the importance of the NEC system for analysing data and tracking work more effectively. The officers stressed the need for a proactive workforce capable of escalating issues when necessary and emphasised the importance of empowering staff, especially regarding service level agreements, to challenge each other.

The Sub-Committee further questioned how informal feedback from residents was captured. The officers explained that this could be achieved through internal surveys, mystery shopping activities, and scrutiny services, where experts evaluate the service provided. They stressed the importance of officers being aware of other areas and sharing information across teams.

The Sub-Committee then inquired about monitoring whether officers were picking up and returning residents' calls. The officers explained that they recorded some calls and monitored phone activity by team. They assured that they continuously reviewed the service and were committed to better meeting residents' needs. The Sub-Committee also asked about linking phones with Microsoft Teams. The officers responded that they had a relatively new system that accurately monitored calls, particularly abandonments, and that teams were configured around this system. The officers added that they constantly monitored industry practices and considered necessary changes.

The next question from the Sub-Committee focused on the accessibility of engagement work, particularly for the 'silent voice' mentioned in the report, young people, and people with disabilities, including learning disabilities. The officers responded that they actively sought to identify groups from whom they did not hear enough and tailored their approach accordingly, using activities like surveys or door-knocking. These approaches were evaluated for future use. Regarding engagement with young people, the officers explained that they worked closely on digital access and monitored good practice examples nationwide. For residents with disabilities, some community centres were equipped with loops, and a three-year tenancy audit programme helped identify and address gaps.

The Sub-Committee then asked about trust and the profile of survey responses not reflecting Croydon's ethnic diversity, and findings related to engaging global majority residents. The officers stressed the importance of understanding barriers and were committed to addressing them. They highlighted that targeted engagement allowed the Council to hear a broader range of voices. The officers acknowledged that some residents distrusted the Council and were reluctant to engage. They emphasised  ...  view the full minutes text for item 46/24

The Sub-Committee is provided with summarised information from the latest Financial Performance Monitoring report (Period 10), with a view to considering whether it is reassured about the delivery of the 2023-24 General Fund, Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and the Capital Programme.

The Sub-Committee is provided with a report detailing the Key Performance Indicators monitored in the Directorate.

The report was introduced by Orlagh Guarnori, Head of Strategic Finance, who presented the key highlights. It was explained that the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budget was forecasting a £12 million overspend due to an increase in demand for responsive repairs. This overspend was expected to remain at a similar level by year-end. The officers explained that to balance this budget, they would need to use HRA reserves. Similarly, the capital budget currently faced a potential overspend of around £10 million, which would also necessitate using reserves. However, the officers noted that they were working on mitigating and minimising the capital overspend.

The first question from the Sub-Committee concerned the projected savings and a forecasted savings slippage of £1.1 million for this year, and whether it would be absorbed into future savings targets, along with any associated risks. The officers explained that it was expected to carry the savings forward and attempt to achieve them in the next financial year.

The next question from the Sub-Committee asked if the officers anticipated anything that could adversely affect the end-of-year position. The officers assured that they had tried to account for all factors and did not anticipate any additional issues.

The Sub-Committee then inquired about a mentioned revenue gain of up to £4.5 million from claims for homeless people living in temporary accommodation, and where the money would be allocated. The officers responded that it would be allocated to the general fund.

Next, the Sub-Committee asked when the full list of KPIs would be completed.

The officers explained that the directorate monitored hundreds of measures, but not all would be relevant for the Sub-Committee. The officers assured that they were aiming to share the preliminary list of KPIs in September 2024.

The Sub-Committee also questioned the high vacancy rate and what was being done to recruit and retain staff. The officers responded that there was a significant need for a substantial recruitment programme. It was also mentioned that many posts were vacant due to the ongoing restructures. However, in some teams, such as housing needs, extensive recruitment had taken place in recent months, with permanent staff joining the Council. The officers highlighted that they had been working closely with Human Resources to better promote job offers.

Lastly, the Sub-Committee asked if any substantive changes to the budget development process were anticipated. The officers explained that for the HRA, the budget setting process would be different next year due to more advanced information from the stock condition survey, asset management strategy, and restructuring efforts. For the general fund, the budget setting process had already started and was more informed about costs and other drivers compared to last year, although the process would remain largely similar.

Conclusions

Following its discussion of this item, the Sub-Committee reached the following conclusions:

-          The Sub-Committee noted with concern that, with less than a year remaining before the Exit Strategy, a clear set of KPIs has yet to be established, making monitoring more difficult and trend analysis challenging.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 47/24

To consider any additions, amendments or changes to the agreed work programme for the Sub-Committee in 2024/25.

The Sub-Committee noted the report.