Venue: Council Chamber, Town Hall, Katharine Street, Croydon CR0 1NX
Contact: Klaudia Petecka Email: klaudia.petecka@croydon.gov.uk
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Minutes of the Previous Meeting To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 28 October 2024 as an accurate record.
Minutes: The minutes of the previous meeting held on the 28 October 2024 were approved as an accurate record. |
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Disclosures of Interest Members and co-opted Members of the Council are reminded that, in accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct and the statutory provisions of the Localism Act 2011, they are required to consider in advance of each meeting whether they have a disclosable pecuniary interest (DPI), some other registrable interest (ORI) or a non-registrable interest (NRI) in relation to any matter on the agenda. If advice is needed, Members should contact the Monitoring Officer in good time before the meeting.
If any Member or co-opted Member of the Council identifies a DPI or ORI which they have not already registered on the Council’s register of interests or which requires updating, they must urgently complete the disclosure form which can be obtained from Democratic Services at any time, copies of which will be available at the meeting for return to the Monitoring Officer.
Members and co-opted Members are required in general to disclose any relevant DPIs, ORIs or NRIs at the meeting.
- Where the matter relates to a DPI they may not participate in any discussion or vote on the matter and must not stay in the room unless granted a dispensation.
- Where the matter directly relates to the financial interest or wellbeing of an ORI they may not vote on the matter unless granted a dispensation.
- Where a Member or co-opted Member has an NRI which directly relates to or affects their or a relevant person’s financial interest or wellbeing, whether they can participate in any discussion or vote on the matter or stay in the room depends on the detailed rules in paragraphs 7 to 9 of Appendix B of the Members’ Code of Conduct.
The Chair will invite Members to make their disclosure of interests orally at the meeting and they will also be recorded in the minutes.
Minutes: There were no disclosures of interest made at the meeting. |
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Urgent Business (if any) 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. Minutes: There was no urgent business for the consideration of the Homes Sub-Committee at this meeting. |
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Update on Key Performance Indicators The Sub-Committee is asked to consider the performance of the Council’s Housing Service through Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Additional documents: Minutes: The Sub-Committee reviewed a report on pages 19 to 30 of the agenda providing an update on the Key Performance Indicators. Cllr Lynne Hale, Cabinet Member for Homes, introduced the item.
The first question from the Sub-Committee addressed the repair contact centre, with a particular focus on why satisfaction measures remained low. The officers explained that a designated team leader was responsible for quality control, listening to calls to identify areas for improvement. It was further clarified that the low satisfaction score was more reflective of how the system functioned than the operatives’ behaviour.
The Sub-Committee’s next question considered the recent increase in complaints escalated to Stage 2. The officers reported that they had a backlog of complaints which led to an increased number of escalations. The officers emphasised that they were working diligently to address these issues but anticipated that the number of complaints would remain elevated until fundamental changes were made to the directorate’s operations. An improvement plan was in place, although it would take time before its impact became evident.
The Sub-Committee then asked at what point contracts could be assessed based on routine performance rather than clearing the backlog of outstanding work. The officers indicated that, given the current pressures, it would take at least another year, if not two, before this shift could occur. The officers noted that Croydon Council’s situation broadly reflected the wider sector, with many local authorities facing overspends on repairs and struggling to manage ongoing backlogs. Contributing factors included underinvestment in planned works, which meant the Council was relying heavily on reactive repairs. The officers stressed that once planned maintenance programmes, informed by the stock condition survey, were fully implemented, it would have a substantial positive effect.
The Sub-Committee inquired further about how contracts would be effectively evaluated, given that a significant portion of the contract term might be taken up by dealing with these inherited pressures. The officers responded that the contracts were monitored on a monthly basis, supported by clear improvement programmes, ensuring that performance was regularly reviewed.
Moving on to rent collection and recovery, the officers explained that a considerable amount of targeted work was in place to support residents. This included outreach to help maximise benefit entitlements and the use of the Household Support Fund. Regarding the reletting of properties, the Sub-Committee queried ongoing delays. The officers clarified that these delays were often related to complications with energy or gas meters, sometimes coupled with outstanding debts. Collaborative work with utility companies had helped to reduce this issue, and the officers expected further improvements in turnaround times. When asked whether more realistic targets might boost staff morale, the officers emphasised that setting ambitious targets was deliberate, as other organisations had managed to achieve similar goals. The officers also clarified that capacity constraints were ... view the full minutes text for item 72/24 |
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Update on the Housing Revenue Account and Housing General Fund The report provides the Scrutiny Homes Sub-Committee an overview of the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and General Fund (GF) forecast outturn 2024-25 as at Period 5 (August). Additional documents: Minutes: The Sub-Committee reviewed a report on pages 31 to 62 of the agenda, providing an update on the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and Housing General Fund. Cllr Lynne Hale, Cabinet Member for Homes, introduced the item, explaining that financial performance was being impacted by pressures in both responsive repairs and temporary accommodation. Cllr Hale noted that steps had been taken to mitigate these pressures as far as possible.
The first question from the Sub-Committee addressed how the Housing directorate intended to achieve cost reduction and underspending, given several unaccounted-for pressures. The officers reported that the HRA budget was forecast to overspend by approximately £8m, largely due to responsive repairs. The officers also highlighted that the Capital Programme was predicted to underspend, mainly because of an overestimation of the cost of works at Regina Road. Moving forward, the officers planned to reprofile the budget to more accurately reflect anticipated expenditure.
The next question considered the likelihood of the overspend growing and the measures in place to mitigate this risk. The officers explained that the £8m overspend forecast was based on current activity levels. The officers provided reassurance that they were monitoring these pressures closely and identifying potential underspending elsewhere within the budget to offset the overspend. The officers also emphasised that, because the Council faced strict regulatory timelines for addressing damp and mould, and had made a strategic decision to invest more in clearing the disrepairs backlog, the current budget had not been increased sufficiently to cover these additional costs.
The Sub-Committee then asked whether the directorate was on track to meet its existing savings targets. The officers confirmed that the savings listed in the report had been achieved.
Turning to the issue of demand management and the decision to reduce reliance on commercial hotels, the officers explained that a commercial hotel placement could cost the Council around £153 per night. By contrast, more expensive-than-average temporary accommodation might cost around £86 per night, potentially saving around £67 per night in comparison. Commercial hotels would therefore only be used as a last resort. To further lower costs, the officers were exploring alternative options, such as incorporating Sycamore House into the temporary accommodation portfolio and working closely with developers. The officers also emphasised early intervention, including financial assistance to help residents maximise their benefit entitlements and support with deposit payments, thus reducing the likelihood that they would require temporary accommodation in the first place. The officers were equally focused on helping current temporary accommodation residents secure settled housing.
The Sub-Committee asked about the number of people placed in temporary accommodation each month. The officers reported that around 100 new placements were made each month, while 50 people exited temporary accommodation, resulting in a net increase of 50 placements per month. Asked about historical trends, the officers noted that ... view the full minutes text for item 73/24 |
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Review of Homelessness Transformation The Homes Scrutiny is provided with an opportunity to consider the Review of Homelessness Transformation to scrutinise the progress made with delivering the Homelessness Strategy one year on. Additional documents:
Minutes: The Sub-Committee reviewed a report on pages 63 to 120 of the agenda, providing a review of the Homelessness Transformation. Cllr Lynne Hale, Cabinet Member for Homes, introduced the item.
The first question from the Sub-Committee concerned high sickness absence levels and steps to reduce them. The officers indicated that the issue was partly cultural, stemming from changing expectations, particularly the move to more face-to-face contact with customers post-pandemic. Many staff felt apprehensive about in-person appointments, contributing to increased sickness rates. The officers reported that they were focusing on enhanced engagement, well-being support, and more robust management of these concerns.
The Sub-Committee enquired about how the pandemic affected in-person meetings. The officers confirmed that, during COVID-19, the service operated almost entirely by telephone, making it more challenging to reintroduce face-to-face appointments. The officers emphasised that a cultural shift was needed to support this transition.
The Sub-Committee next asked about the difficulty in filling vacant posts. The officers explained that they had just concluded a two-week intensive recruitment drive for roles below the Head of Service level. Stable leadership was a priority to ensure that teams could be managed effectively. The officers added that the aim was to recruit permanent staff rather than relying on interims, although some interim appointments were necessary to maintain service stability. Croydon’s overall package was benchmarked against other authorities, and early signs showed a more positive perception of Croydon as an employer. Additionally, emphasis was placed on robust recruitment processes, including skills assessments.
A question was raised about why the restructure occurred before certain key posts were filled. The officers responded that, given their professional experience, the previous structure did not adequately support a prevention-based approach. Despite incomplete data on homelessness figures at the time, the officers believed that waiting for more accurate numbers would have delayed much-needed change. Although some senior roles were filled on an interim basis, a dedicated backlog team was established to alleviate pressures until permanent appointments could be made.
The Sub-Committee asked whether homelessness staff were engaging in broader Council initiatives such as ‘tea talks’. The officers stated they could not track specific attendance but continued to encourage staff to participate in corporate well-being events.
The Sub-Committee then inquired about the delivery and retention of training aimed at improving customer care and bridging knowledge gaps. The officers confirmed that the training would mostly be in-person, designed to foster cultural change by bringing people together. It would be delivered by external organisations with proven expertise. In addition to that, to facilitate improvement, the directorate was holding regular team meetings and divisional leadership events every two months.
The Sub-Committee asked how partnership working had improved. The officers highlighted one-to-one engagements and regular meetings with organisations ... view the full minutes text for item 74/24 |
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Work Programme 2024-2025 To consider any additions, amendments or changes to the agreed work programme for the Sub-Committee in 2024-2025. Additional documents: Minutes: The Sub-Committee noted the Work Programme 2024-25. |