Decision details

7.1      The Committee received an overview of the standards and delivery of improvements in the housing service, in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, from Neil Wightman, (Director of Housing).

7.2      The Committee discussed issues including significant reductions in repairs during the pandemic, communications with tenant residents, dealing with anti-social behaviour; and engagement relating to tenancy fraud. The Committee heard that major works had had to stop as residents were on site due to Covid-19 restrictions and that a larger number of people were claiming Universal Credit Benefit.

7.3      The Committee further discussed the work of a scrutiny task group committee in 2018 which had examined City West Homes (CWH), the corporate culture and staff turnover at CWH and resourcing within the Council to deal with tenancy fraud. Neil Wightman advised the Committee that the City Council was sufficiently resourced and David Hughes observed that the Fraud Team worked closely with the Housing team.