Agenda item

The Committee gave consideration to the St Leger Homes Doncaster (SLHD) Finance and Performance report for Quarter 4 and addressed the following areas:

Areas Near to Target

·       Complaints - % of Service Failure and Dissatisfaction (24% against a target of 20%)

It was recognised that St Leger Homes Doncaster was seeing more complaints that were justifiable where things could have been addressed quite easily.  It was recognised that it was about delivering the sort of service that anyone would expect to receive.

·       Scheduled Repairs – Promises Kept (99.45% - end of year target of 100%)

It was explained that the last quarter performed well with gas servicing 100% and that amber had been achieved through the impact of 39 scheduled repairs not being completed within the target timeframe.

·       Days Lost Through Sickness per Full Time Equivalent (8.26 days – end of year target of 7.90 days)

It was explained that the top 3 categories for days lost through sickness included 1. Infections and Viruses, 2. Depression, Stress and Anxiety and finally 3. Musculoskeletal.  Members were informed that there was a new health provider in place to give additional support and St Leger had agreed to sign up for the Workplace Wellbeing Charter.

Requiring Improvement

·       Number of Households in Temporary Accommodation  (25 End of year target of 10)

Members were informed that 25 households were in temporary accommodation at the end of Quarter 4 with a 34% significant increase in those presenting as homeless in the last 12 months up to the 31^st March 2017.  It was explained that this had led to a change of how the use of temporary accommodation was targeted and the way information was provided and reported.  It was finally explained that consideration was being provided creating a new model of service delivery through working with RDaSH and Adult Services to support people with complex needs.  It was explained that the Council commissioned specialist services in silos, however, this cohort of people did not always fit into one of those silos. 

·       Rental income – Members were informed that Housing Management Services Teams were being restructured to move more resources onto the frontline to support those who have problems paying rent.  There was a discussion around the issue of welfare reforms with a full rollout happening in October.  It was explained that once universal credit had been fully rolled out there would be £20 million rental income involved that would have previously been received direct from the tenant.

It was explained that every tenant would receive rent straight into their own bank account (apart from with certain exceptions for an interim period) and that there were mechanisms in place to be able to take rent straight out of Universal Credits.  It was explained that where a tenant was in arrears, St Leger would be able to apply to receive the rent direct but as soon as the debt was cleared the rent money would go direct back to the tenant.

Members were informed that the rent reduction of 1% had removed around £23m out of the Housing Revenue Account over the next 4 years and as a result had slashed the planned development programme to build new homes.  It was reported that St Leger Homes Doncaster had built in efficiencies for resources to be built into the front line.  Members were also informed how the Council was changing systems such as by using the council direct debit system and moving to ‘Anyday’ direct debit system so that the money goes into the rent account that same day.  It was stated that post 2020 there had been no decision as to what the rent model would be.

RESOLVED that the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee note the progress of SLHD performance outcomes and the contribution SLHD makes to supporting DMBC strategic priorities.