Agenda item

To consider the report of the Interim Director of Property Services (East Kent Housing).

The Interim Director of Property Services (East Kent Housing) presented the Compliance Report for East Kent Housing to the Committee.

The Compliance Report covered both communal blocks and domestic properties and reported the following levels of compliance as at the end of December:

Communal

·         Gas – 100.00%

·         Asbestos – 80.75% (+49.20% since 04/09/19)

·         EICRs – 35.29% (+6.14% since 04/09/19)

·         Passenger Lifts – 100.00%

·         Fire Risk Assessments – 100.00%

·         Fire Alarms – 100.00% (+4.42% since 04/09/19)

·         Legionella Risk Assessments – 92.00% (-8.00% since 04/09/19)

·         Emergency Lighting – 100.00% (+1.69% since 04/09/19)

Members were advised that communal gas heating and hot water systems were reported as 100% compliant.

The outstanding Fire Risk Assessment works (High and Substantial Risks) were expected to be completed by the contractor end of March 2020. A programme for the lower priority risks would be produced by the end of March 2020.

In respect of Legionella Risk Assessments, these had been completed for Sunny Corner and Normal Tailyour House and once the final reports had been received, they would be changed to show compliance at 100.00% again.

Domestic

·         Gas (LGSRs) – 100.00%

·         Asbestos – 29.94% (+0.77% since 04/09/19)

·         EICRs – 11.77%

·         Smoke Detectors – 88.75% (-0.02% since 04/09/19)

Members were advised that the decision of the Council to change from a 10 year to 5-year inspection cycle had resulted in changed performance figures for EICRs. The previous figures cited had been based on a 10-year inspection cycle. A revised timescale for full compliance would be developed with the contractor in January 2020.

The contractor had advised that it would need 9 – 12 months to undertake the required asbestos management surveys for domestic properties.

Members questioned whether the gap analysis for smoke detectors could be completed any sooner due to the seriousness of the issue and they were advised that this could be looked into but that there would be a cost associated with doing so as it would require a separate programme of works. It was noted by Members that there was no completion schedule for the works currently listed in the report.

Environmental Improvement Programme

Members were advised that the Environmental Improvement Programme (EIP) was for projects that provided a benefit for tenants through improving safety, accessibility, or the general appearance of an area. Projects could be proposed by any tenant or leaseholder, EKH staff, Involved Residents, Council staff, councillors, the local police and other agencies. The Environmental Improvement Programme Budget had been underspent for 2017-18 and 2018-19 and that no budget provision had been made for 2019-20 or 2020-21 due to the focus on ensuring compliance in other areas.

Members expressed concern that some of the project examples cited could be part of the maintenance programme (such as upgrading a communal bin store) and that the budget was not being used for the purposes that it was intended. There was also concerns raised over whether the works provided value for money and were compliant with all safety standards.

In response to questions over the historic underspend, the Interim Director of Property Services advised that as projects were driven by residents, in the absence of proposals there would be no projects undertaken.

RESOLVED:   (a)     That the Interim Director of Property Services (East Kent Housing) be requested to provide an explanation as to the difference between the Environmental Improvement Programme and the regular maintenance programme.

(b)     That the Interim Director of Property Services (East Kent Housing) be requested to confirm that there was no Environmental Improvement Programme budget for 2020-21.