Agenda item

Purpose: To consider the outcome of the audit of the Housing Register and any further work required. 

The Committee considered a report (Agenda Item 5) which detailed the outcome of the audit into the Housing Register.

Councillor Irene Neill advised that the purpose of the item at this stage was to hear the outcome of the audit and to then consider what future scrutiny activity, if any, was required by the Select Committee.

Shannon Coleman-Slaughter informed the Committee that overall the audit found that the controls within the systems and procedures reviewed were satisfactory.  There were some areas of concern and these were being addressed through the action plan.  Follow up work would be undertaken in November 2010 to assess progress with these actions and, if actions were completed by that time, it was hoped that the service would be considered to be well controlled or at the least a satisfactory follow up would be carried out. 

Members noted that many of the actions related to the IT system, Locata, and the operation of this system was queried.  Shannon Coleman-Slaughter advised that the audit found that while required actions were still undertaken, the system could be better utilised by staff and it was not always fully updated. 

Fenja Hill agreed that paper files would be more up to date and this could create an issue when running a report from the system as this did not always have the full detail included.  June Graves acknowledged that Locata had not been fully utilised but added that the system had recently been upgraded.  This made it more user friendly and took into account the fact that the Common Housing Register had been taken back in house and the new initiative to offer choice based lettings.  The introduction of this initiative would create more sustainable tenancies. 

The Locata system was the sole register of information of those seeking housing but did not contain information on available housing. 

Fenja Hill added that the upgrade enabled the production of more informative reports and recorded the progress of each individual going through the system. 

It was hoped that the system could be widened to incorporate individuals seeking shared ownerships and privately rented homes. 

Members were concerned that there was the potential for the more vulnerable people on the register, particularly the elderly, to be disadvantaged by the need to access services, such as choice based lettings, via the website.  Fenja Hill advised that this was an area of particular focus for Officers and individuals who were assessed as being potentially vulnerable were offered additional support.  It was also possible to produce a report to see if those assessed as vulnerable and a high priority for a new home were bidding for places and if not contact would be made and assistance offered. 

Individuals who had been on the register for some time and only gradually accumulated points were contacted annually to assess whether they wished to remain on the list, which was permissible. 

Members queried the level of complaints from residents and asked whether a greater understanding of the processes involved would decrease this.  Fenja Hill advised that while the importance of housing for individual residents was understood there was clearly a need to prioritise those in most need.  This was explained to concerned residents to help manage their expectations.  However if they were not at the top of the list, but had strong reasons to move, they were encouraged to be as flexible as possible with their requirements to increase their chances of getting a home.  June Graves added that additional points were awarded for those in exceptional circumstances.  Emergency accommodation was also available for those who were homeless. 

It was noted that action 5, which related to the need for clients to have their personal details fully and independently verified, had not been agreed.  Fenja Hill advised that this had yet to be agreed as documentation was not always needed in the first instance in certain circumstances.  It was hoped that this would be resolved by the time of the review. 

Fenja Hill offered Members the opportunity to visit the team to observe their work in practice and to contact her if they had any further queries.

Members then discussed further work on this topic and it was felt that further investigation was required.  In terms of timescale it was felt to be appropriate that this work would be returned to by a small working group in September 2010 to assess progress made since the audit, with a report back to the Select Committee at its meeting in October 2010.  This would allow more time for the new Housing Operations Manager (Fenja Hill) to incorporate any new processes etc. 

Councillor Irene Neill volunteered to participate in the work group and Stephen Chard agreed to seek other volunteers.  This would be offered to all Members of the Select Committee in the first instance.   

RESOLVED that:

(1)       The outcome of the audit and the resulting action plan would be noted. 

(2)       A small working group would be formed to assess progress made since the audit and this would be arranged for September 2010.