Decision:
RESOLVED:
· that the report be noted and the requested information from officers of RB3 be provided as discussed during the meeting.
· that officers be invited to a future Committee meeting to present a detailed report on the PFI contract expiration preparations.
Minutes:
Fenella Beckman (Director of Housing Strategy) introduced the report, and was accompanied by John Pedretti (General Manager, RB3), Kenneth Gill (Area Manager, Pinnacle) and Hugo Marais (Head of Operations, Rydon). This was followed by questions from the Committee members. The following key points were noted:
5.1. Regenter B3 (RB3) hosted highly attended monthly open surgeries for residents, typically drawing a crowd of 30-35 residents. Additionally, they organised welfare advice surgeries twice a week, which also enjoyed substantial attendance.
5.2. In the contract, there were detailed provisions regarding the required ‘handback’ standard for the properties. This included the Council conducting surveys before the properties were handed back to assess the necessary work required to achieve the handback criteria.
5.3. Resident satisfaction with resident engagement had declined, based on the annual KPIs (Key Performance Indicators). Therefore, officers were looking for different ways to engage with the residents. Due to leaseholder questions taking up more time in the tenant and leaseholder forums in the past, a decision was made to hold separate sessions for each group. 4 annual sessions were held for the tenants and leaseholders where they could share their views on service delivery, community projects and initiatives such as wildflower meadows or community gardens. Officers anticipated having more data by the next quarter, allowing them to discern trends and determine whether residents favoured the new engagement approach.
5.4. The report noted that 58 complaints were not upheld. This was often due to it being the first time RB3 had been notified of a service failure, and a case was only classified as a complaint when a service failure was reported but not satisfactorily resolved. Stage 1 complaints were managed by the service managers, Stage 2 complaints were managed by the area manager and Stage 3 complaints went to the independent adjudicator. The lessons learnt from these complaints were communicated to the staff in weekly team meetings and officers were happy to collate some of those lessons learnt and share it with the Committee.
5.5. It was noted that Brockley PFI had housing stock beyond the Brockley ward, and clarity around that was deemed essential. Officers concurred on the importance of clarity, stating that their website already conveyed this information. They also mentioned that the upcoming quarterly magazine, scheduled for release in the next 3-4 weeks, could serve as a means to communicate this further.
5.6. Officers agreed to share with the Committee the procedure they followed for addressing antisocial behaviour and noise complaints.
5.7. It was discussed that some of the positive information in the report didn’t align with councillors’ direct experiences. For instance, while the report praised the Ermine Road community garden initiative, councillors learned it had been a challenging process. Officers explained that certain projects were initiated by a small group of residents, but broader engagement was necessary to ensure majority support, leading to longer timelines. Nevertheless, officers had recently opted for a shorter consultation period of 7-10 days.
5.8. Officers had faced challenges in recruiting for permanent positions in housing services, but they had recently offered and filled a permanent role, hopefully ensuring a full staff complement moving forward.
5.9. The Committee Chair enquired about the progress with setting-up a tenant and residents’ association (TRA) for Alder and Lilac House on Wickham Road. Officers reported that a TRA meeting was arranged and held on 12 September 2023, attended by only one resident but RB3 officers were committed to increasing engagement. The Committee requested further details about the 2 TRAs being planned, and officers confirmed that the community engagement officer from RB3 would share that with the Committee.
5.10. Monthly rent collections were generally strong, with the exception of significant Universal Credit arrears, which accounted for 54% of the total arrears. Income and welfare officers actively supported residents in arrears to maximise their income and access additional benefits.
5.11. The Committee Chair noted that given the housing stock’s size, RB3 should have fewer cases reaching the Housing Ombudsman. Officers reported that two cases were referred to the Housing Ombudsman last year. The Chair cited a June 2023 Ombudsman case against RB3, which had found severe maladministration by the landlord in handling a resident’s damp and mould complaint, as well as record-keeping. Officers acknowledged that there had been service failure and communication issues in this case but also that they felt some of the points raised by them were overlooked in the report. Nevertheless, they assured the Committee that lessons had been learnt.
5.12. RB3 had a detailed, regularly reviewed damp and mould policy that would be shared with the Committee.
5.13. The report stated that in 2010, RB3 conducted refurbishment works, which included ensuring all properties achieved the required SAP rating. RB3 provided EPC certificates, where necessary, for void properties as this was a statutory requirement. The Chair enquired about the number of leaseholder properties and those in the conservation areas with an EPC rating of C. Officers did not have this information at the meeting but assured the Committee that it would be investigated and shared after the meeting.
RESOLVED:
· that the report be noted and the requested information from officers of RB3 be provided as discussed during the meeting.
· that officers be invited to a future Committee meeting to present a detailed report on the PFI contract expiration preparations.
The Committee voted to suspend standing orders.
Supporting documents: