To agree a Chair for the duration of the Task Group.

The Task Group was asked to elect a Chair for the Task Group.

AGREED

that Councillor Khan be elected Chair of the Watford Community Housing Trust Task Group.

Apologies had been received from Councillor Johnson.

There were no disclosures of interest.

To review the scrutiny proposal put forward by Councillor Asif Khan and discuss the format for future meetings, including

·               Further information considered necessary to carry out the review

·               Questions to be raised with Watford Community Housing Trust

·               How the Task Group wishes to gather the views of residents/tenants

The Committee and Scrutiny Officer explained the documents with which the Task Group members had been supplied. 

The Committee and Scrutiny Officer referred to the Performance Data report, which had been presented to Call-in and Performance Scrutiny Committee in 2009.  She advised that much of the information was now out of date; the Housing Trust intended to update this information to provide performance statistics and benchmarking.  She added that the Councillors’ news sheet had been included and said that the Trust had asked whether the Task Group would like any other information to be forwarded as background information.

The Chair stressed that the group was keen to work with the Trust as it was felt that officers performed well.  He added however, that some local residents had raised specific concerns. 

Further Information considered necessary to carry out the review

Councillor Collett noted that it would be useful to obtain information on how complaints from tenants were dealt with.  She asked whether a form were available for tenants to use in order to feed back on repair work by contractors. 

Councillor Joynes questioned whether there was any form of quality control for work provided. 

The Chair said that it would be wise to ascertain what procedures and policies were in place to aid vulnerable residents such as the very young or the elderly.  He added that the Task Group should also identify what procedures were put in place to remedy problems.

Members commented on individual situations where problems had not been resolved in timely fashion. 

Councillor Connal explained that residents were unsure whom to contact in order to achieve a speedy result; Councillor Joynes considered that timeframes for completion of work should be written into the service level agreement.  

Councillor Collett said that it would be useful to know which tenants had recently requested repair work and what their experience had been.  She added that in the event that tenants had had cause for complaint it would be instructive to know what procedures they had employed to complain, the quality of response and whether the matter had been resolved to the resident’s satisfaction. 

Questions to be raised with Watford Community Housing Trust

The Committee and Scrutiny Officer suggested that the Trust be presented with scenarios and asked what processes would be employed in those cases and what further steps would be taken if residents were not satisfied with results.  She urged that these questions should not be specific residents’ cases.

Councillor Collett noted problems which had occurred in relation to void properties. 

The Task Group agreed that it would be wise to understand the procedure regarding void properties: specifically the process of making the property available for the new occupants. 

The Committee and Scrutiny Officer suggested that questions on void properties could be linked with queries on repairs. 

The Chair said that it would be relevant to know what internal checks and control systems were in place; Councillor Joynes added that it was important that constant reviews were conducted in order  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To agree the date for the next Task Group meeting

It was AGREED that the next meeting would take place after the forthcoming elections.  13^th and 15^th May were suggested.  Members to email Democratic Services to advise which date would be most convenient.