Agenda and draft minutes

SWT Tenants Strategic Group
Monday, 26th September, 2022 6.00 pm

Venue: The John Meikle Room - The Deane House. View directions

Contact: Tracey Meadows Email: t.meadows@somersetwestandtaunton.gov.uk 

Webcast: View the webcast

Items
No. Item

60.

Apologies

61.

Welcome from the Chair

62.

Minutes from previous meeting pdf icon PDF 247 KB

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

    Action/outstanding points raised from the last meeting that needed to be carried forward;

     

    ·       Concerns that drop-in sessions were still not available for tenants to discuss concerns. We needed to get this right quickly to get tenants talking to you;

    ·       How many voids were revisited;

    ·       Star satisfaction survey;

     

     

     

     

     

63.

Q1 Performance Report and Finance Report 2022-3 Shari Hallett and Kerry Prisco pdf icon PDF 440 KB

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

    Update on the 2022/23 Housing Performance and Finance Report Quarter 1 April-June 2022

     

    The report provided an update on the housing performance through key performances measures and financial information for the first quarter of 22/23 (April to June 2022)

     

    During discussion of this item the following points/queries were raised

    (summarised)

     

    ·       Concerns with discretionary spends and how we could curtail spending. Stated that SCC could take on some discretionary payments;

    ·       Concerns with void turnaround times in the report, we still needed to improve on the current figures;

    ·       Clarification sought on who signed off void properties to make sure that they were to a lettable standard;

    ·       Clarity sought on whether an Office post inspect a repair once finished? ;

    ·       Concerns with electronic questionnaires sent to tenants. Stated that people talking to people was the answer and soft wear should be secondary to that as a lot of tenants were getting excluded from these surveys;

    ·       Concerns with the satisfaction figures stated in the report, figures not accurate;

    ·       A smiley face option on an iPad would be a better option to not personalise the survey;

     

     

    Recommendations

     

    To note content of the housing scorecard for quarter 1 (April to June 2022). The executive summary of the HRA finance report (2022/23 Housing Revies Account Financial Monitoring as a Quarter 1).

64.

Directorate Report- All Assistant Directors pdf icon PDF 413 KB

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

    The report was to update the Tenants’ Strategic Group on work being undertaken and progress made by the Housing Directorate since the last TSG meeting.

     

    During discussion of these items the following comments/queries were raised;

    (summarised)

     

    ·       Once the briefing note to inform new Members in the new Council what it was to be a stock owning Council and social landlord was available it should to be brought to the STG for a better understanding on how Social Housing works; Agreed that this would be brought back to the group;  

     

     

    Recommendations

     

    The Tenants’ Strategic Group is asked to note this report.

65.

Tenant Satisfaction (TSM) presentation- Sharon Yarde

    This item will be printed separately

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

    The PowerPoint presentation circulated to the group before the meeting detailed what the Tenant Satisfaction Measures covered and why.

     

    Described that the survey was a regulatory requirement from April 2023 and completed every 6 months. 23 questions were asked including the 12 TSM question in areas such as ; Overall service, The home, Neighbourhood (including estate, ASB and Grounds maintenance), repairs and Customer Contact

     

    During discussion of these items the following comments/queries were raised;

    (summarised)

     

    ·       Concerns raised on the survey for tenants that were not computer literate;

    ·       Concerns raised with cold calling to older tenants. Hubs needed to be available for these tenants to contact the Council;

    ·       Concerns raised from tenants that did not live in Taunton felt remote from the survey;

    ·       Concerns raised with the wait times calling Customer Services. A separate number was needed for the repairs line;

     

    Resolved that the report be noted.

     

66.

Any other business

67.

Actions points

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

    ·       Liaise with Jess re: the Walkabout that may not have happened, investigate;

     

    ·       On Estate Walkabouts please can Tenancy Case Managers introduce themselves to tenants and speak to them;

     

    ·       Repairs Action plan to be brought to TSG in January Meeting by new Repairs Manager;

     

    ·       In next Q2 performance Report, drop repairs survey measure;

             

    ·       Confirm how many tenants do not have access to the website;

     

    ·       Add Luke Manning to the next Joint Steering Group Meeting;

     

    ·       James Barrah to provide TSG by e-mail with the LGR Briefing paper that he is doing;

     

    ·       All TSG members to provide examples of where they consider their Tenancy Case Managers have not responded, need to know when and how contacted – ideally call ref or case numbers please;