Issue - meetings

To consider the attached report of the Strategic Director (Operations and Commercial).

The Head of Assets and Building Control presented the Housing Stock Compliance report, the 5^th in a series of 6 reports since the housing service reverted to the direct control of Dover District Council from East Kent Housing on 1 October 2020.

The Head of Assets and Building Control advised that in the sixteen information streams the accuracy of the data was now verified. However, lockdown had slowed the progress in resolving outstanding issues in some areas with a number of tenants refusing access to contractors for the purposes of inspection and carrying out compliance remedial works.

Members welcomed the work that had been undertaken and expressed confidence in the verified data that the council held in respect of the housing stock.

The following matters were raised by Members:

·         Electrical Inspection Condition Reports (EICR) – the Head of Assets and Building Control stated that since October 2020, the compliance information for EICR had improved to 100% compliance for communal areas. In respect of domestic EICR the Council was working to improve compliance but there was a backlog of work that had been slowed by lockdown.

·         Fire Risk Assessments (FRA) - it was expected that this would be resolved by the end of June 2021 although work had been slowed by lockdown.

·         Smoke Detectors – the council had not had sufficiently verified information in quarters 2 and 3 to provide verified information but as of January 2021 was able to report a compliance of 49.29%. The Committee was advised that in instances where the Council did not have verified data the information was shown as outstanding even if it was likely to be compliant.

The Chair thanked the Head of Assets and Building Control for the update and the hard work undertaken in respect of this matter.

To consider the attached report of the Strategic Director (Operations and Commercial).

Responsibility: Portfolio Holder for Housing and Health

It was agreed that the contents of the report, which relates to statutory Health & Safety compliance matters associated with managing the housing stock, as well as the actions being taken to verify the accuracy of the compliance data, be approved.