Agenda item

- report of Community Services Manager

In accordance with Minute No. 185 of the Cabinet Member for Housing and Environmental Services meeting held on 14^th March, 2005, the Panel considered a report of the Community Services Manager on the “Key Choices” Choice-Based Letting Service.  A power point presentation was given as follows:-

 

§                     The Background – White Paper on the Future of Housing, Government Pilot and findings.  The Government required all authorities to be operating such a scheme by 2010.

 

§                     ALMO Excellence Plan – the scheme had been identified as a pre-requisite in defining excellence in housing management by ALMOs by the Audit Commission

 

§                     Strategic Links – Regional Humberside Strategy for Yorkshire and Humberside (2003), Rotherham’s Community Strategy, the Corporate Plan, the Housing Strategy and the Shadow Supporting People Strategy

 

§                     What is “Key Choices”?

            Rotherham’s new approach to lettings

            Simpler, faster more transparent method

            More choice for the customer

            Puts the customer in control

            Better place to live, learn and work

 

§                     Consultation Process and feedback, both customer and staff

 

§                     Fair and Equal Access

 

§                     Implementation Plan

 

§                     Training Plan

 

§                     Key Choices Letting Policy

            Amends the Allocation Scheme

            Simpler way of accessing accommodation

            50/50 approach       Priority = Need

                                                General = Waiting time

            Scope for specialist properties not to be advertised – adapted, 4 bed,

            Sheltered, Extra Care Housing

            Priority Band               Homelessness (time limited)

                                                Medical Need – Adapted

                                                Homes subject to repair

                                                Statutory overcrowded

                                                Awarded in exceptional circumstances

 

            General Band              Waiting time

 

§                     Key Choices Procedures

            Void Process – Termination

            Advertising

            Marketing and receiving requests

            Support for Vulnerable People

            Selection Process

            Verification Process

            Offer – refusal/acceptance

            Sign Up

            Waiting time guide and letting results

 

§                     Choice Based Lettings Process Week One

            4 weeks termination notice received

            Exit interview conducted the same day

            Appointment made for pre-inspection

            Pre-inspection sheet completed

            Digital photograph taken of property

            Neighbourhood Champion completes property advert section

            Include local lettings criteria, amenities, furnished, decent home etc.

            E-mail photograph and advert to keychoices@rotherham.gov.uk

            Deadline for information Friday 4.00 p.m.

 

§                     Choice Based Lettings Week Two/Three

            Week Two –

            Advertisement produced

            Mailing list produced

 

            Week Three -

            Tuesday mailing lists posted

            Tuesday 4.00 p.m. – previous week’s adverts removed

            Wednesday 10.30 a.m. – new adverts displayed

            Property requests commence for 7 days

 

§                     Choice Based Lettings Week Three/Four

            Week Three –

            Wednesday 10.30 a.m. – 7 day advertising cycle starts

 

            Week Four –

            Tuesday 4.00 p.m. – property advertising cycle closes

            Shortlist compiled and sent to relevant office

            Application details verified, rent and recharges checked etc.

            If eligible make offer and arrange viewing

 

§                     Choice Based Lettings Process Week Four

            Property accepted – sign up to be arranged

            Keys should be received from the previous tenant on the following Monday

            Keys to void repair – Health and Safety checks

            Property refused or withdrawn, offer to next eligible applicant on shortlist

            If no requests received, re-advertise as Direct Home on a 1^st come 1^st        served basis

            Send letter details to Housing Options Team to compile feedback information

 

§                     Property Request

            In person or telephone the:-

            Local Neighbourhood Office

            Norfolk House ask for the Housing Options Teams

            At the “Key Choices” Property Shop due to open in the Spring, 2005

            RBT Connect (telephone only)

            By e-mail to keychoices@rotherham.gov.uk

            By e-mail using the online property request form

            SMS Text

            Digital TV

 

§                     Support for Vulnerable People

            Resettlement Officer – prevention and support

            Allowing a representative to make requests for the customer (permission from the applicant)

            Mailing lists in all formats to customers and support agencies

            Alerting customers to vacancies

            Home visits

            Accompanied viewing with carers or support workers

            Monitoring non-participation

            Awareness raising – hard to reach groups and support agencies

 

§                     On-going Evaluation

 

§                     Conclusion for “Key Choices” Lettings

            Embraces choice, simplicity and flexibility

            Greater sustainability of communities

            Increase choice and housing options

            Customer empowerment

            Improves image and market perception

 

§                     Property Shop Concept

            Show cases all properties available

            Hub of the promotion of Council dwellings

            Encourage and attract customer access

            Waiting list increases

            One-stop specialist letting service.

 

Discussion ensued on the presentation with the following points raised/clarified:-

 

§                     The Property Shop would be based at 20 Moorgate Street, Rotherham.

§                     3 officers had been recruited to the Team and had been in post since November, 2004.  The Team would be working with all Neighbourhood staff.

§                     Neighbourhood staff would identify clients who may have had anti-social behaviour issues and as a consequence would have to have a package of measures.  It would have to be demonstrated that they would add to the community and not continue in anti-social behaviour activities.  Such cases would be the subject to a rigorous risk assessment and multi-agency approach before they got access to accommodation.

§                     The concept of neighbourhood management was working in the community and picking up on local issues and feeding them into the Local Lettings Policy at the same time as not deliberately barring certain people including those that were very vulnerable in society.

§                     There was a range of support services to engage with those people that did not necessarily come into Rotherham or had issues with IT.  There was already a wealth of information that would help in the application forms and would be used to engage with those individuals and agencies.  A weekly trawl would be conducted of all the information and newsletters sent to the various agencies to help engage with the customers themselves. 

§                     With regard to inspection of properties, registered social landlords and private landlords worked on the same basis as the Council.  Private landlords would only be those that were members of the Council’s Accredited Scheme.  No properties would be accepted if they were not from accredited private landlords.

§                     Within the weekly cycles, properties would be identified that had been let to clients with a waiting list application date of X so that others would know the application dates for that type of property and area.

§                     Lettings would be made on a weekly basis and allocated in date order.  For people with an acute need there were 2 types of accommodation that could be accessed.  One was Direct Homes where there was no waiting list and would be advertised on a 1^st come 1^st served basis.  If someone expressed an interest for that unit of accommodation that person would get it.  For those that were on the waiting list, the advertisement would go out and expressions of interest sought and received up to the Tuesday night.  Short listing would take place on the Wednesday and sent back out to the Area Office on the same day or the Thursday.  The Area Office would be in immediate touch with people with the earliest date of application first with an offer made.  Feedback would be sent in the form of a letter to unsuccessful individuals as to why they had not been successful.

§                     Some difficulties were expected initially until members of the public got used to the new system. 

§                     The overall level of asylum seekers and refugees in the Borough was reducing and would continue to do so under the new NASS contract arrangements that were taking place this year.  Once an applicant had been granted indefinite leave to remain in the country their housing needs were dealt with either through homeless (they are not allowed to be included on the Authority’s homeless register until they had a positive decision) or a very proactive approach through personal housing planning which looked at all the options open to the individual including private rented accommodation or Housing Associations.

§                     If a person refused a property after they had submitted an expression of interest they had to give good reason as to why.  If a homeless person was made 2 offers of accommodation and both refused with no valid reason then the homeless application would be cancelled as the Authority would have discharged their duty to them.

§                     There was a lot of work taking place in relation to sheltered accommodation but there was a need to move towards a more assessed process which  would unable it to be more effectively targeted at people that actually needed that type of accommodation.  To access extra care sheltered accommodation would be via a multi-agency approach to ensure the resources were utilised and maximised to the fullest.

§                     Legally the Authority had to consider anybody that was in housing need.  Individuals moved out of the Borough for employment issues and elderly people that needed to come back to be near their support networks.  Their reasons for returning would be looked at and assessed very critically e.g. why were they coming back, what support did they need, would their support networks give them the support they said.  Where there was a demonstrated need was quite often an issue for direct access accommodation rather than accommodation where there was a waiting list.

 

The Community Services Manager was thanked for her informative presentation.

 

Resolved:-  That the report be noted.