Agenda item

Report of the Assistant Director – Housing and Revenues

The Assistant Director – Housing and Revenues submitted a report (previously circulated) requesting that consideration be given to the draft Housing Services Tenant Involvement Strategy 2024-2029 (also previously circulated) and agree its onward submission to Cabinet.

The submitted report stated that the Council’s Housing Services had a long history of working with its tenants to help shape their communities and influence decisions about their homes and the services the Council provides; and the Tenants Panel had been consulted on the draft strategy in September 2024, who overall supported the proposed Housing Services Tenant Involvement Strategy 2024-2029.

It was reported that the Regulator of Social Housing’s (RSH) new consumer standards from April 2024 set out their expectations for how social landlords must give tenants a wide range of meaningful opportunities to influence and scrutinise their landlords strategies, policies and services; and reference was made to the requirements of social housing providers in relation to the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard.

It was also reported that the strategy sets out how the Council would involve and empower its tenants, including how engagement activities would be monitored  and reported and how the Council would involve tenants in decisions about the services they provided. Details were provided of the areas covered by the strategy.

Members queried the mechanism for contribution for residents that were not on the Tenants Panel and highlighted the need to improve feedback to residents from estate inspections. The Head of Housing informed Members that a digital Tenants Panel had been established for residents unable to attend in person meetings; and tenants could provide feedback via coffee mornings, events and corporate complaints and comments. Members were informed that You Said We Did was being used to provide feedback to residents following estate inspections.

RESOLVED – That Members of this Scrutiny Committee agree to the onward submission of the Housing Services Tenant Involvement Strategy 2024-2029 to Cabinet.