Agenda item

To consider the attached report recommending operational changes at the Broadway Housing Office, that will ensure best use of resources and delivery of a customer centric service.

The Housing Revenue Account Service Director, D Fenton presented a report on operational changes to the Broadway Housing Office.

She advised that operational changes were being requested following a review of the Housing Management Services and feedback from tenants, to ensure that the best use of resources and delivery of a customer centric service were being delivered.

The Committee were advised that following the Civic Office refurbishment, the Income Recovery Team would reposition itself alongside the Estate and Land Team at Debden Broadway and that the Broadway Office would be reinvented as a drop-in hub on Mondays and Tuesdays alongside the cash office.This would enable both a cash office and the opportunity for residents to engage with a range of services such as the Rehousing Team, Housing Benefit, Council Tax, Citizens Advice Bureau, Peabody Trust and potentially provide digital upskilling by Digital Buddies.  This would enable the Council to continue to support the High Street, offer a cash collection service which was popular amongst residents and offer a wider range of services on the two days the office is open to the public and allow housing officers the flexibility to have an active presence on the estates, when office was closed to the public for the remainder of the week.

Councillor D Wixley raised a number of issues that this report had raised, which included the removal of the notice board in the window of the office; the reduction in  opening days and whether this would effect the opening hours; what area of the district did the office cover; and whether Ward Councillors could be invited to and meet the Housing Officers. The Housing Revenue Account Service Director advised that the removal of the notice board had been completed in consultation with Loughton Town Council and an alternative position in the community had been offered. In regards to the opening days and hours, the amount of residents attending the offices were around 13 per day with the majority  collecting recycling bags, housing officers time could be put to better use, out in the community.  In addition to ward members attending the office, the Housing Revenue Account Service Director advised that housing officers could also take members to look at the social housing and improvement projects.

The Customer Service Director, R Pavey advised that there were no plans to withdraw the cash desk at this office although the Council continued to review different ways to collect payments.

Councillor S Rackham asked how officers would engage with the residents going forward. The Housing Revenue Account Service Director advised that officers would be have more meetings, knocking on doors, completing tenancy and estate audits and visiting tenants with arrears directly rather via the telephone for a more holistic approach.

Councillor J H Whitehouse asked whether tenancy satisfaction survey could be brought to future meetings, so that members could have a chance to view the feedback; and whether the complaints received regarding repairs service, which had now transferred to Qualis, could be scrutinised by this Committee. The Housing Revenue Account Service Director advised that the tenant satisfaction survey were only completed every three years and she was not aware that it had previously been submitted to this Committee. The Chief Operating Officer, N Dawe advised that the repairs issues, formed part of the Service Level Agreement between the Council and Qualis and he would ensure a report would come forward in due course.

Councillor R Brookes enquired what percentage of tenants had replied to the tenants satisfaction survey; what reasons were given for tenants using cash as a method of payment; and whether the Tenants Panel had approved this decision The Housing Revenue Account Service Director advised that the Tenants Panel had been consulted and were broadly in favour. In regards to cash payments, the Service Manager Customer Service advised that the reasons given were payments by carers, people not having bank accounts or other methods of payment. 

The Communities & Wellbeing Service Director advised that 9% of tenant had responded to the survey which translated into 565 responses out of the 6346 Council tenants.

Councillor S Murray comments that officers should collaborate with the St John’s on the Broadway hub to prevent any doubling up on services as this also provides community services. The Housing Revenue Account Service Director advised that the relevant officer had the contact details of the St John’s hub and officers would contact them.

The Committee were broadly supportive of operational changes.

            RESOLVED:

            That the Committee was supportive of;

1.             the Broadway Satellite Office being retained to enable customers to access the Council’s cash desk;

2.             the reduction in the hours that the Broadway Housing advice counter was open from 5 days a week to 2 days a week; and

3.             the Broadway Housing Office be repurposed, by bringing together a range of internal and external partners to provide a range of services on the days that the office was open.