Decision details

Date of Decision:

30^th September 2025

Title:

Amendments to the Damp, Mould & Condensation Policy in line with legislative requirements.

Decision Maker:

(Including Job Title)

Ian Spicer,

Strategic Director for Adult Care, Housing & Public Health

Details of Specific Delegation

or

Delegation contained in the relevant Sub-Scheme of Delegation.

The Strategic Director of Adult Care, Housing

and Public Health has delegated functions, as

set out within the Council’s Constitution,

Appendix 9 - Responsibility for Functions section 4C3.

The Strategic Director of Adult Care, Housing

and Public Health is authorised to discharge

executive functions through the commissioning and provision of social services for adults and public health services for the whole population and delivery of housing for the Borough, including:-

Housing

(a) Business and Commercial Development

(b) Contract and Service Development

(c) Housing and Estates

(d) Housing Options

(e) Housing Strategy and Investment

Page 36 refers.

Also, the minutes of the Cabinet Meeting, 18 September 2023 reflect the following delegation:

‘Resolved:

That Cabinet:

1.    Approved the specific Damp, Mould and Condensation Policy.

2.    Delegated authority to the Assistant Director of Housing, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing, to alter the Policy to bring it into line with forthcoming new legal time limits for social landlords to address damp and mould, if required.’

Minute 57 refers.

Decision:

Approve the changes to the Damp, Mould and Condensation Policy in line with legislative requirements of Awaab’s Law, which comes into force in October 2025.

Amendment - routine 100% damp and mould inspections will no longer be undertaken removing the need to inspect lower levels of damp and mould which will be referred directly to contractors for eradication works.

Reasons for the Decision:

This will enable Technical Officers to prioritise emergency and severe cases. Additionally, if emergency damp and mould is triaged at the initial point of contact, changes in the policy would enable officers to send requests for work straight to relevant contractors.

Details of alternative options considered and rejected:

Option 1- Don’t approve the amendments to the Damp, Mould and Condensation Policy and continue to deliver services in line with the current version approved in 2023. This is not recommended as it wastes the potential of new and improved triaging and digital capabilities.

Option 2- Approve the amendments to the Damp, Mould and Condensation Policy. This is the recommended option.

Conflicts of interest declared by any Cabinet Member consulted by the decision maker which relates to the decision:

None known.

Dispensations Granted:

(If any)

NA

Conflicts of interest declared by the Decision Maker if they sit as a Cabinet appointed representative to an outside body which relates to the decision:

NA

Dispensations Granted:

(If any)

NA

Reports or parts of reports relevant to the decision being taken:

NA