Issue - meetings

The Portfolio Holder for Council Homes and Landlord Services to submit a report seeking Cabinet approval for the Councils new Tenant and Leaseholder Engagement Framework.

Cabinet APPROVED the Tenant and Leaseholder Engagement Framework.

Michelle Howard, Director for Housing and Communities introduced the report, the purpose of which was seek Cabinet approval for the Councils new Tenant and Leaseholder Engagement Framework.

Mrs. Howard highlighted that the framework would build on the Council’s many years of excellent work.  Tenant engagement was a high priority and a vital aspect of the Council’s role as a landlord (being held to account, working with residents to improve services etc.)  It would ensure focus on continuous improvements, open, inclusive and meaningful engagement and a range of opportunities for the sharing of views, concerns and complaints.

Mrs. Howard advised that the significance and profile of tenant engagement had increased since the introduction of the Charter for Social Housing Residents (the Charter’s 7 core values were detailed at paragraph 4.3 of the report).  The Council had undertaken positive engagement with tenants but there was much work to be done and a refresh and refocus of this area of work was opportune (as detailed at paragraph 5.1 of the report).  The Tenant and Leaseholder Engagement Framework set out a proposed approach for the next five years with a detailed delivery plan to be developed.  Subject to approval, officers would begin to implement the ‘next steps’ detailed at paragraph 8.1 of the report.  The Council would engage with residents directly and through a programme of service improvement groups (repairs and maintenance, communication and neighbourhood management) and group meetings would be held later in the week.  It was important to ensure Members were informed of the progress made and it was proposed to submit an annual update to Cabinet.

Councillor Ronan Browne, Portfolio Holder for Council Homes and Landlord Services commented that this was the beginning of a new journey for the Council in relation to tenant engagement.  Historically, the Council had engaged well with tenants but there had been added pressures and a lack of government focus on this area.  Now prioritised with the help of the Charter for Social Housing Residents, engagement between tenants, officers and Members, facilitated through robust, meaningful discussion and listening to tenants concerns and ideas was vital to progressing in a collective and meaningful way.

The Leader noted the Council’s ‘next steps’, commenting that good work had been undertaken and that he was pleased with the Framework.

Cabinet APPROVED the Tenant and Leaseholder Engagement Framework.

Reason for the recommendation:

The Charter for Social Housing Residents is a significant marker of the expectations and requirements of social landlords to engage with, listen to and be accountable to residents.

Engagement forms a key strand of our responsibilities as a landlord. It is not an optional extra. The Council must also be able to demonstrate to the Regulator of Social Housing, that it is engaging in a meaningful way with our tenants and leaseholders.

The proposed framework provides a mechanism to deliver on a commitment to meaningful engagement. Delivery of the commitments contained within the framework will be via an action plan.