Agenda item

Report from the Strategic Director of Adult Care, Housing and Public Health.

Recommendations

That Cabinet:

1.    Approve the Housing Services Repairs and Maintenance Policy (Appendix 1).

2.    Approve the increase in decoration allowance from £25 to £50 per room, up to a maximum of £350 per property, as proposed in the Housing Services Repairs and Maintenance Policy (Appendix 1).

3.    Note the ongoing work to scope the future repairs and maintenance delivery model for Rotherham and agrees to receive a further update on this work in 2025.

4.    Approve the Housing Services Gas and Carbon Monoxide Safety Policy (Appendix 2).

5.    Approve the Housing Services Electrical Safety Policy (Appendix 3).

6.    Delegate authority to the Strategic Director for Adult Care, Housing and Public Health, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing, to make amendments to the following housing policies in line with operational, regulatory and legislative demands:

·       Housing Services Repairs and Maintenance Policy

·       Housing Services Gas and Carbon Monoxide Safety Policy

·       Housing Services Electrical Safety Policy

·       Housing Services Fire Safety Policy

·       Damp, Mould and Condensation Policy as it relates to housing assets.

Consideration was given to the report which presented the Housing Repairs and Maintenance Policy, attached to the report at Appendix 1. The revised Housing Repairs and Maintenance Policy set out the Council’s approach to delivering a responsive repairs and maintenance service which met the needs of tenants and leaseholders, and enabled the Council to meet its statutory, regulatory, and contractual obligations.

The Housing Services Electrical Safety Policy, attached at Appendix 3, and the Gas and Carbon Monoxide (CO) Policy, attached at Appendix 2,  set out the Council’s approach to managing its responsibilities for gas safety, electrical safety, smoke alarms and CO alarms in housing assets in line with legislation and best practice.

The introduction of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act, 2023, prompted the Council, and social housing landlords nationally, to examine all aspects of housing service activity. This self-assessment enabled the Council to gauge how well it was meeting the expectations of the Regulator’s consumer standards, to identify gaps in delivery, and focus on areas for improvement.  Increasing the number of published policies was identified as an area of improvement.

The Council currently awarded £25 per room to tenants following damage to tenants’ décor. The Council had not revised its approach to Decoration Allowance, and the sums awarded to tenants, since 2005. Inflation since 2005 meant that the decoration allowance should be increased. Cabinet was asked to approve a new allocation of £50 per room, which compared favourably with neighbouring social housing landlords. A limit of £350 per property was also proposed.

Following consideration by Scrutiny, it was confirmed that a change to the proposed Policy had been suggested and accepted by the Cabinet Member. The report, at paragraph 2.18, stated that the sums in relation to the Decoration Allowance would be reviewed every three years under the delegations proposed in Recommendation 6. Following Scrutiny, it had been agreed that the sums awarded for the Decorating Allowance be increased in line with the corporate Fees and Charges annually.

The report was considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board (OSMB), who advised that the recommendations be supported. Councillor Steele explained the process behind the new proposal and thanked Cabinet for their support on that matter. Discussions at Improving Places and OSMB had included replacing fences and concerns around appointment times. However it was felt that no further changes to the Policy were required.

Resolved:

That Cabinet:

1. Approve the Housing Services Repairs and Maintenance Policy (Appendix 1).

2. Approve the increase in decoration allowance from £25 to £50 per room, up to a maximum of £350 per property, as proposed in the Housing Services Repairs and Maintenance Policy (Appendix 1).

3. Note the ongoing work to scope the future repairs and maintenance delivery model for Rotherham and agrees to receive a further update on this work in 2025.

4. Approve the Housing Services Gas and Carbon Monoxide Safety Policy (Appendix 2).

5. Approve the Housing Services Electrical Safety Policy (Appendix 3).

6. Delegate authority to the Strategic Director for Adult Care, Housing and Public Health, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing, to make amendments to the following housing policies in line with operational, regulatory and legislative demands:

·       Housing Services Repairs and Maintenance Policy

·       Housing Services Gas and Carbon Monoxide Safety Policy

·       Housing Services Electrical Safety Policy

·       Housing Services Fire Safety Policy Damp, Mould and Condensation Policy as it relates to housing assets.

7. That Cabinet supports the proposal that the sums awarded for the Decorating Allowance be increased in line with the corporate Fees and Charges annually.