Agenda item

Lincoln Tenants Panel Matters

Minutes:

Mick Barber, Chair of Lincoln Tenants Panel, updated members on the Panel’s involvement in the following areas:

  • LTP were currently working with tenancy services, fire safety assurance, maintenance, business management and resident involvement on a variety of projects.
  • Within tenancy services LTP were working with Vicky Wilson, Voids Team Leader to relaunch the void inspections and had agreed to inspect 10% of void properties, with the first inspections commencing 8th August. They had also participated in estate inspections during July.
  • Members were working with Lara Trickett from Business Management reviewing complaints and had agreed to increase the percentage of complaints reviewed on a quarterly basis. The first review meeting was in August and Lara would circulate feedback to officers with recommendations.
  • Members attended a consultation and a fire safety exercise at Trent View Flats together with Councillor Nannestad, Councillor Longbottom, officers from City of Lincoln Council and Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue. The aim of the consultation exercise was to provide residents and tenants with an opportunity to ask questions and/or raise any concerns they may have had with regards to the fire exercise drill.
  • Members were also working with the Resident Involvement Manager on the Resident Involvement Strategy action plan to award it star rating.
  • LTP were working closely with Phil Longhorn, Interim Maintenance Manager on the schedule of repairs project. We were attending monthly meetings to review performance focusing on creating a marketing programme to deliver a consistent message and information to tenants on the benefits of the schedule of repairs project.
  • In addition to this, LTP had been holding monthly meetings, located at City Hall and through teams. At the meeting in June, Portfolio for Quality Housing, Councillor Nannestad attended and presented his annual report and in July, Jo Crookes, Customer Service Manager gave an overview of the service and updated LTP on the processes in place surrounding vulnerable tenants, repairs, and call times. Followed by, Caroline Hannah, Rough Sleeping Programme Manager, who gave an overview of the service and allocations policy.
  • All LTP members agreed to attend a 1-2-1 review with Donna Lyons – Resident Involvement Manager and Caroline Coyle Fox, Vice Chair of LTP.
  • Mike Asher, Debbie Rousseau, and Mandy Harley attended the “Opportunities for Empowerment” two-day residential course at Trafford Hall.
  • In May , Donna Lyons, Resident Involvement Manager, applied to join a government led initiative - The Social Housing Quality Resident Panel. The aim of the initiative was to bring together social housing residents from across the country so they could directly share their views with the government and ministers on government’s approach to driving up the quality of social housing. Confirmation had been received last week that Donna had successfully been selected to join the panel.
  • In addition to the Housing Social Quality Resident Panel, Mike Asher was currently working with Housing Ombudsmen Service and had joined as a resident panel member. The panel provided opportunities for residents to be involved in the development of the Housing Ombudsmen Service as well as giving direct feedback on experience of using this service.