Issue - meetings

Report attached.

Members considered a report which sought to provide the Sub-Committee with an update on the provision of responsive repairs and carrying out gas safety checks to Council owned and managed housing stock. Following on from the initial report from July 2019.

With regards to responsive repairs the current contract with Breyer expired in March 2019 and approval was obtained to extend the contract for a further two years until March 2021 to enable re-procurement.

Through a more active contract management approach, focussing on the partnering approach which was originally envisaged for the contract, the Council had been able to see continued improvement in the repairs service.

The repairs completed right first time had continued to exceed target and demonstrated the commitment to improving the customer experience.

During the Covid=19 period the service moved to an essential repairs service only, ensuring all emergency health & safety works were completed and essential services were maintained to all residents

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The contractors implemented all of the relevant safe working and PPE requirements and worked with residents to ensure the safety of  tenants and the operatives was maintained throughout the lockdown period. Where residents expressed concerns, the service either worked with them to undertake works in a manner in which they were comfortable or rescheduled the works.

In relation to gas servicing the Council’s contractors K&T and Stonegrove had continued to perform at high levels and the service had introduced some more proactive approaches to engaging with residents to help obtain access to properties.

Due to the health & safety nature of gas servicing the service continued to deliver the full programme throughout the lockdown period. K&T implemented the full safe working protocols going over and above to ensure residents safety.

The service was able to maintain extremely high levels of compliance and had very few residents who expressed reluctance for operatives to enter their homes to undertake the service.

Where residents were concerned the service worked with them, explaining exactly what would take place, the cleaning regimes, the social distancing regimes and the timescales involved and took into account any special concerns/request they had.

In response to a question relating to compliance policies, officers advised that the policies were currently going through the governance procedure and once completed would be placed on the website so residents and Members could view them.

The Sub-Committee noted the contents of the report.