Agenda item

Report of the Executive Director, Growth, Planning and Housing

9.1     Having declared a prejudicial interest, Councillor Angela Harvey left the room      during the consideration of the item.

9.2     Barbara Brownlee, Executive Director of Growth, Planning and Housing, summarised the background to the proposals to return the housing management functions outsourced to CWH to the Council’s direct control.  She reported that discussions had been held with the CWH board who had indicated a willingness to work with the Council to terminate the management agreement by 1^st April 2019.  She explained that should Cabinet approve the proposals, not everything would be completed by this date.

9.3     Councillor Andrew Smith, Cabinet Member for Housing and Customer Services, referred to residents’ dissatisfaction with the service provided by CWH and performance since last summer. This had resulted in an independent review of CWH being commissioned by the Leader and Councillor Robathan in March 2018.  He stated that CWH had developed a management culture that was not delivering what the Council expected and did not align with the Council’s resident led approach to the management of the housing service.  He believed that bringing the housing management function back in-house will address this.  He recognised that there were some talented officers at CWH as well as innovation which the Council wants to retain.  He stated that all residents would be consulted on reshaping the service and how services could improve. 

          RESOLVED:

          That Cabinet agreed:

1.       Urgent steps be taken to return the housing management function outsourced to CWH to the Council’s direct control, as follows:         

(i)              The Council will seek a mutual agreement with CWH to terminate the management agreement with effect from 1st April 2019; and

        (ii)      In case that mutual agreement cannot be reached then the                Council will give unilateral notice to CWH to terminate the                        management agreement with effect from as soon as possible                     after 1st April 2019.

          (iii)      The Council will continue to engage with its tenants and leaseholders on the future provision of housing management services and how these services can improve.

          (iv)     In line with (iii) above, the Council will undertake a review of the housing service provision and consult on a potential revised structure for the service with the aim of embedding a new culture centred on high performance and excellent customer service.  This will be in consultation with all relevant parties. 

          (v)      Authority is delegated to the Executive Director, Growth, Planning and Housing to take all steps and to execute all documents required to achieve the above outcomes and in order to ensure the smooth transition of the transfer of housing services back in-house. 

          (vi)     Authority is delegated to the Executive Director, Growth, Planning and Housing to agree in respect of any contract to which CWH is a party and which the Executive Director considers could be of assistance to the council in delivery of the housing management services and performance of its relevant function, that such contact is novated to the council or held on trust for the benefit of the council and that any such novation or trust may be executed on behalf of the council by the Director of Law.

          Reasons for Decision 

CWH has experienced serious and ongoing service problems in a number of key areas particularly repairs and maintenance, the contact centre and responses to complaints and other queries from residents and Councillors.

It is in the best interests of tenants and leaseholders and in line with feedback from tenants and residents’ groups for the Council to seek a mutual agreement with CWH to terminate the management agreement with effect from 1st April 2019 and transfer housing services back in-house.