Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration.

This report provides the second annual report of the 2016-2021 Stockport Homes Delivery Plan. The Delivery Plan and the annual outcomes report ensures that there is continuous improvement in the services to tenants and the delivery of decent, modern homes that meet the needs and aspirations of the communities in Stockport.

The Delivery Plan sets out what Stockport Homes will deliver during the period 2016-2021; how it and the Council will work together and how tenants, the Council and other stakeholders can measure the success of Stockport Homes in achieving its objectives. The document is an appendix to the Management Agreement between Stockport Homes and the Council and sets all the outputs of Stockport Homes, the key performance requirement of the services and includes the performance standards expected.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to comment on and note the report.

Officer contact: Gill Bennett on 0161 474 3823 or by email on gill.bennett@stockporthomes.org

The Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration and a representative of the Chief Executive of Stockport Homes submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing the second annual report to the scrutiny committee in relation to Stockport Homes’ performance against its 2016-2021 Delivery Plan.

The Cabinet Member for Communities & Housing (Councillor Sheila Bailey) also attended the meeting to respond to councillors’ questions.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         The digital inclusion sessions were welcomed and it was commented that a number of residents had reported that the sessions also provided an opportunity for socially isolated elderly residents to get out of the house and meet other people.

·         It was stated that the ‘Stockport SoRT-IT’ campaign which aimed to resolve community issues at a community level through a flexible restorative justice approach had been wound up in April.  The Council was offering an interim referral process until a new system was put in place.

·         The introduction of Positive Engagement Officers was having a significant impact in dealing with those people who lead chaotic lifestyles, or who may not realise the offence they were causing to other residents.

·         A discussion took place in relation to the availability of advice and support from Stockport Homes following the closure of local housing offices and the concentration of facilities in the new Cornerstone building.  In response it was stated that for many people it was easier to get to the town centre than it was to the old area based housing officers.  In addition, the vast majority of contact was over the telephone where location was not an important factor, and that housing officers spent a significant amount of time out in the localities and held surgeries to ensure that residents were able to raise issues in person.

·         Work was ongoing to ensure that complaints were dealt with effectively.  A member commented that councillors were receiving an increasing number of complaints from residents which should not have escalated to the point that they had.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.