Agenda item

Marianne Upton, Tenancy Services Manager:

1. presented a new Neighbourhood Management Policy to members as detailed at Appendix A to her report

2. explained that this policy only applied to c.7,800 properties which were owned and managed by City of Lincoln Council and the areas Housing were responsible for throughout the city

3. emphasised that this was a statement of intent, an ‘umbrella’ Policy that signposted a number of specific delivery policies to determine how we provided services

d.    confirmed that following consultation with Lincoln Tenant’s Panel the following comments had been received:

·       LTP had agreed with the policy in principle and understood that it represented an overall umbrella for other policies and procedures.

·       LTP would like to be involved in a piece of work on a separate policy looking at handling noise issues and communal living.

·       The approach in the policy needed to be linked to work being done on ASB procedures. It needed to align with this process and the Allocations process.

·       The panel were happy to work with officers on the policies and procedures that feed directly into this policy, such as grounds maintenance, untidy gardens and communal areas.

5. advised that this policy met the requirements of the Social Housing Regulator, specifically the Consumer Standards: Neighbourhood and Community, Safety and Quality, and Transparency, Influence and Accountability (including the Tenant Satisfaction Measures)

6. reported that these Standards included required outcomes that neighbourhoods and communal areas associated with homes were clean and safe, reinforcing our aims to ensure that neighbourhoods were attractive, clean and safe places to live, work and socialise in

7. highlighted that it was a recommendation of the Housing Ombudsman’s “Spotlight on noise complaints – time to be heard” report that social housing landlords should have a neighbourhood management policy distinct from their ASB policy, and procedures in place for triaging neighbourhood management issues through early intervention and creating an environment that was attractive, clean and safe

8. invited feedback from members on the content of the report/policy.

Mick Barber, Chair of LTP commended officers on a good piece of work and looked forward to further engagement of the Panel in progressing the policy forward.

Members discussed the content of the report in further detail.

Further clarification was requested on the meaning of a proposed policy on noise issues as suggested by LTP.

Mick Barber, Chair of LTP highlighted that noise covered so many different areas and should be examined in greater detail in order that tenant’s quality of life was maintained. For example, it may be the case that noise was considered a nuisance when the cause was people talking louder as they were hard of hearing.

Maranne Upton, Tenancy Services Officer also noted that an Ombudsman report stated that domestic noise should be looked at differently.

Members asked how obnoxious odours should be dealt with.

Marianne Upton explained that it was a matter of managing complaints regarding any high level of consistent smells and how we interacted together in communal spaces.

Members asked whether industrial smells were included in the Neighbourhood Management Policy.

Officers explained that pollution control measures came under the power of Environmental Health Department.

RESOLVED that:

1.    The content of the proposed policy be noted.

2.    Work be undertaken with LTP to review the contents of the proposed policy.