Action Plan Value for Money Report of Homelessness and Housing Advice Service

APPENDIX 2

Improvement Plan – Strategic Housing Peer Review

Recommendation / Comment / Actions / Lead officer/s / Complete by / Update / Progress / Priority (H/M/L)
1. Leadership and corporate working
1.1 Acknowledge the risks associated with the large number of strategic priorities. / Review risk appraisal process for priorities including available resources. / Janine Turner. / November 2010. / Commenced and ongoing. Now mainstreamed into current working practices.
Review of Gresham HMR area ongoing.
Strategic risk register currently being developed for HMR sites by TVL. / H
1.2 Consider the regional agenda. / Ensure it is an agenda item at Directors of Regeneration, Heads of Housing, Tees Valley Living Board and explore existing regional groups. / Chris Hawking. / August 2010. / Commenced and ongoing.
Review ongoing of Tees Valley Unlimited structures. / M
1.3 Involve Scrutiny at the development stages of major policies / strategies. / Set up a meeting with Scrutiny Officer to discuss an appropriate process.
Ensure strategies /policies are seen by Scrutiny at an earlier stage of their development.
Set as standing agenda item at team meetings to remind staff of the need to involve Scrutiny at an earlier stage. / Alan Hunter. / March 2010. / Completed.
Meeting held. Forward programme of upcoming strategies/ policies has been developed and shared with Scrutiny for their early consideration.
Now an agenda item on team meetings. / M
1.4 Scrutiny to engage more with the voluntary sector, Registered Social Landlords and younger people in the Scrutiny process. / Discuss the issue further with Scrutiny. / Alan Hunter. / August 2010 /

Commenced and ongoing.

Initial discussion held with Scrutiny Officer and Scrutiny now considering how to move the action forward.

M

1.5 Equality Impact Assessment should be seen by the respective Executive Member. / Ensure EIA is attached to Executive reports where applicable. / Alan Hunter. / January 2010 /

Completed.

EIAs now seen by respective Executive Member.

H

1.6 There is a need to improve the interaction between Strategic Housing and Community Cohesion, resulting in better outcomes. / Set up regular quarterly meetings with the Community Cohesion officer to ensure Strategic Housing is involved in the development of any new Community Cohesion Strategy. Ensure it is consistent with the Housing Strategy. / Lynda Harrington
Michael Quinn. / June 2010. /

Completed. Meetings set up.

Work is currently ongoing with the community, e.g. Gresham Neighbour-

hood Plan consultation and regular meetings are now set up with Community Cohesion officer.

M

1.7 Improve strategic links with Social Care on migration issues and the development of supported housing for socially excluded groups and people with health and social care needs. / Set up regular quarterly meetings with Social Care and ensure standing agenda item. / Janine Turner. / February 2010. /

Completed.

Meetings established and ongoing on a quarterly basis with Housing Services Manager.

1.8 Influence supporting people commissioning for supported housing schemes for socially excluded groups such as homelessness and mental health. / Address through quarterly Supporting People liaison meetings as a standing agenda item. / Lynda Harrington/
Louise Grabham. / June 2010. /

Completed.

Quarterly meetings now established and set agenda item at meetings.

1.9 Consider internal discussions on integrated strategy development similar to that taking place in the region. / Set up a meeting with colleagues from planning, housing, regeneration and transport to discuss the potential further. / Chris Hawking. / September 2010. /

To commence.

2. Service User Focus and Resident Engagement
2.1 Specifically target incidences of Domestic Violence across Middlesbrough. / Map incidences of Domestic Violence in liaison with the police and the voluntary sector. / Sarah Brannen. / April 2010. / Completed.
Mapping exercise now complete. Domestic Violence officer group established. Regular attendance at Safer Middlesbrough Partnership Joint Commissioning Group. / H
2.2 Ensure that the views of residents are clearly identified in the final version of the Housing Strategy. / Include a hyperlink in the Housing Strategy to take readers to resident feedback and views. / Peter Brewer. / April 2010. / Completed.
Hyperlink now set up and a report was placed on the website which outlined the consultation process. / H
2.3 Concern that Strategic Housing does not give enough attention to communicating with/fully understands communities outside of regeneration areas. / Explore good practice examples and ensure Middlesbrough News contains regular housing updates.
Review the Council’s communication Strategy and review minutes of all cluster group meetings to determine key issues. / Alan Hunter. / October 2010. / To commence. / M
2.4 Provide more feedbackfrom consultation at community forums to residents. / Review communication / consultation cycle. Ensure all community meetings are minuted and actions followed up. / Lynda Harrington. / September 2010. / To commence. / M
2.5 Consider more innovative ways of consulting with residents on the Housing Strategy, ensuring involvement in all stages and a two-way feedback mechanism. / Review existing consultation methods ready for the next Housing Strategy review. / Michael Quinn. / August 2010. / To commence / M
2.6 Review Tees Valley BME study (2006) to obtain current thinking. / Review of Tees Valley BME study to be raised with Tees Valley Living at Heads of Housing meeting with a view to updating / renewing the document. / Janine Turner. / September 2010. /

To commence.

/ M
2.7 Ensure complaints procedure recognises advocacy role of councillors whilst ensuring it does not prejudice the relationship with residents. / Review processes with corporate colleagues to ensure the advocacy role of councillors is recognised. / Sarah Brannen. / October 2010. / To commence. / M
2.8 RSLs should actively pursue greater customer insight to further enhance service standards. / Liaise with RSL partners via the Housing Forum. / Janine Turner / July 2010. / Commenced and ongoing.
Initial discussion has taken place at the December Housing Forum. / M
2.9 Consider more than just vulnerable people when looking at the housing needs of older people. / Update the Older People’s Housing Strategy action plan to look at a wider vision for older people and review the Strategy with the Older Person’s Partnership Board. / Michael Quinn. / November 2010. / To commence.
However, introductory meeting with the Older Persons’ Partnership Board held 2.9.09. / M
3. Achieving Effective and Sustainable Outcomes
3.1 Consider the impact of the economic downturn on people and their needs in respect of repossessions. / Review court process and develop ways of increasing attendance at re-possession hearings.
Seek additional debt advice services to relieve pressure on current services.
Ensure homelessness staff are trained on debt advice to appropriately refer.
Develop a loans scheme for those at risk of re-possession and those with serious rent arrears. / Sarah Brannen. / March 2010. / Completed.
Marketing strategy developed to advertise court scheme.
Working Neighbourhood Fund resources targeted at debt advice services. Loans scheme brief developed and service to be procured October 2009.
C.A.B. officer will be working 2 days per week from Home Choice offices as from 1.12.09. Mortgage Rescue Scheme has been implemented. / H
3.2 More effective engagement with private landlords to ensure a more rounded approach to housing, share the load across partners and build capacity for the Council. / Establish a separate forum for private landlords to better engage with them as major service providers. / Sarah Wilson. / September 2010. / Completed.
First meeting held in August and next one set for November 2009. A Tees Valley wide meeting will also be held in November and will be bi-annual thereafter. / H
3.3. Consider how RSL partners can assist the Council to deliver more. / Agenda at Housing Forum and Initiate discussion on opportunities. / Janine Turner. / July 2010. / To commence. / M
3.4 Review the approach to Affordable Housing delivery including clear policy on s106 agreements and better articulation of affordable housing within context of balanced communities. / Prepare Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Document which will incorporate S.106 requirements for affordable housing and incorporate updated commentary in Housing Strategy review. / Paul Clarke
Michael Quinn. / November
2010. / To commence. / M
3.5 Review Housing Forum membership to consider the role of voluntary and community sectors. / Agenda item at Housing Forum meeting for discussion amongst Forum members. / Alan Hunter. / October 2010. / Commenced. Initial discussion has taken place at the December Housing Forum. / M
3.6 Consider a sub-regional approach to Lifetime Homes. / Scope potential to incorporate into sub-regional housing strategy at Housing Strategy Managers and Heads of Housing. / Janine Turner / December 2010. / To commence.
Delivery is difficult in the current climate as reliant on good practice as opposed to regulation. / M
3.7 Too much emphasis on uncertain new build resources to deliver supported housing – little reference to conversions; challenge RSLs to deliver. / Work with Social Care, Supporting People and RSLs to promote conversions in addition to new build in current climate. / Michael Quinn. / September 2010. / To commence. / M
3.8 Some concerns about the link between Strategic Housing and Children’s Services and a need to have a better joined-up approach. / Regular strategic liaison meetings to be established to encourage a more joined up approach.
Attend the LSP Economic Well Being sub group bi monthly.
Develop a joint approach with Children’s Services to produce a Child Poverty Strategy / Janine Turner
Lesley Spaven. / September 2010. / Completed.
Quarterly meetings now established.
Completed and ongoing.
Ongoing. / M
4. People, Performance and Resource Management
4.1 Review current short term contracts and seek to develop longer term contracts with providers. / Scope the potential for longer term contracts, for example rent bond guarantee scheme, sanctuary and mediation with Procurement Service. / Alan Hunter
Sarah Brannen. / September 2010. / Commenced and ongoing.
Initial review of contracts commenced. / H
4.2 Consider the need for more consistent project management methodology across the Strategic Housing Service. / Strategic Housing Services manager to review approaches and include, where necessary, in individual training and development plans for key officers. / Janine Turner. / March 2009. /

Completed.

Identified in individual training and development plans for key project officers. Key officers now booked in to complete corporate 2 day course on project management.

4.3 Develop training objective around EIAs as part of individual appraisals. / All regular report authors to be trained on EIAs. / Janine Turner. / January 2010. /

Completed.

4.4 Communication must be excellent whilst dealing with risk and uncertainty around regeneration schemes. / Review existing partnership communications structures. / Andrew Carr. / October 2010. /

To commence.

4.5 Staff should be involved further in terms of what they think can be done to make best use of resources and improve performance. / Develop an employee opinion survey or staff suggestion scheme. / Janine Turner. / December 2010. / To commence. /