Agenda item - Housing Management Performance Report Quarter 2 2015/16

Report of Acting Executive Director for Environment, Development & Housing (copy attached).

(1)       That the report which was submitted to the Area Panels in November & December be noted, along with the comments of the Committee.  

60.1    The Committee considered a report of the Acting Executive Director of Environment Development & Housing which covered the second quarter of the financial year 2015/16.  The report was presented by the The Head of Income, Involvement & Improvement.

60.2   Councillor Atkinson congratulated the housing team on the good set of results.  He thought it was an excellent report. 

60.3   Councillor Mears agreed the report was an improvement but noted that the target for rent collection was now lower than in 2012.  Councillor Mears referred to paragraph 3.3 which listed local authorities Brighton & Hove were benchmarked against.  She asked how often this list was reviewed. The Head of Income, Involvement & Improvement explained that the rent collection target needed to be achievable.  Benchmarking was reviewed periodically.

 60.4  Councillor Deane commented that it was a good report which reflected the hard work of officers. She noted that one of the few areas where the figure was lower than the last period was customer satisfaction.  She hoped that would be put right quickly. 

60.5   Councillor Gibson noted the improved performance.  He referred to paragraph 3.3 and noted that 10 of the local authorities listed were London boroughs.  He felt that London was a special case and questioned why they were included in the benchmarking list. He thought that councils should be compared by stock size.  The Head of Income, Involvement & Improvement explained that Brighton & Hove took advice from Cipfa regarding the criteria. However it would be possible to look at stock size.

60.6    The Chair thanked officers for the report and was pleased to see the report back from the Area Panels in paragraph 5 – Community Engagement and Consultation.  

60.7    RESOLVED:-

(1)      That the report which was submitted to the Area Panels in November & December be noted, along with the comments of the Committee.