Agenda item

To provide a verbal update on voids management and delivery.

That the verbal update be noted.

The Service Manager Housing Assets reported that a request had been made by the Chair of the Committee for regular update reports on void management and delivery to be provided at all future meetings.  Following consultation with the Chair, he proposed that future reports focus on the following areas: -

• The number of properties terminated resulting in new void properties
• Number of void allocations
• Reasons for the void property
• Type of void properties
• Identify those properties in high demand and low demand
• How many void properties are general need and how many are sheltered

The Service Manager Housing Assets reported on the key activities undertaken, as detailed within the action plan, previously presented to the Committee.  He advised that the contract framework had been re-tendered, and he had recently met with the newly commissioned contractors.  Work had commenced on the stock condition surveys which would inform future works and a training co-ordinator post had been procured to provide detailed trainings to inspectors and surveyors over the next 12 months.  

The next steps, as outlined in the action plan, would include continued engagement with the Welsh Government through grant funding with the Council having been successful in obtaining £207,000 of grant funding towards void properties last year.  A further bid would be submitted later in the year.  

Finally, consideration had been given to the prioritisation of voids and where resources should be allocated.  A panel had been established which would meet to consider which void properties should be classed as urgent.  The report being presented to the Committee at the next meeting would capture all the information previously outlined, provide information on the current positions, what was the allocation numbers and what were the next steps against the current action plan. 

Councillor Rosetta Dolphin asked that the update report provided to the Committee at the next meeting be in written format.  She also raised concerns around voids being allocated to tenants prior to works being completed on the properties and the long waiting times being experienced by tenants.  The Service Manager Housing Assets confirmed that the update report which would be presented at the next meeting would be in written format.  In relation to the allocations process, he advised that concerns had been raised around this at the recent Member workshop and, as a result, changes had been made to the allocation process to ensure that the allocation began when the property was becoming available.

Following a suggestion from Councillor David Evans, the Service Manager Housing Assets agreed to provide information on the previous months data on allocation figures and number of voids in the report being presented to the next meeting.  He also said that Members should see the backlog of voids reduce following the increase in the number of contractors and reported that each contractor was allocated 5 properties each within the last week and progress on works would continue to be tracked. 

Councillor Glyn Banks echoed the comments previously made by Members.  He said that he had previously requested a regular update report for the Committee on void properties but had been told that it would not be possible.  He said that he had similar concerns to other Members around the number of void properties but felt that positive improvements were being made.  The Service Manager Housing Assets responded that it had been important that officers were given the time and opportunity to work through the actions as outlined in the action plan, previously presented to the Committee, in order for improvements to the number of void properties to be made and fuller update reports to be made to the Committee.  

Following a question from Councillor Dennis Hutchinson, The Service Manager Housing Assets agreed to provide information on the budget for bringing voids back into use in the report being presented to the next meeting.  He clarified that when speaking of available resources, he had been referring to staff resources.

Councillor Dale Selvester said that following the end of the Covid pandemic, this could not be used as a reason for void properties going forward.  He welcomed the increase in Team Leaders and said that, with the actions taken, he hoped to see void properties brought back into use at a quicker pace.  The Service Manager Housing Assets said that the Covid pandemic had had a significant impact on the increase in the number of void properties and whilst there was an improvement on the position there remained legacy issues which continued to be addressed.

The Chief Executive advised that the Covid pandemic had not ended and that during the pandemic work on void properties had slowed considerably across all Local Authorities but had not stopped completely across Flintshire.  He said that he was confident that the actions taken by the Service Manager Housing Assets and his team would lead to significant improvements and hoped that the update gave Member’s confidence in the work being taken forward. 

            The Cabinet Member for Housing & Regeneration said that all Members shared the frustration on the number of void properties and that this issue was currently being faced by all Local Authorities.  Whilst he agreed in some vain with the comments made by Councillor Selvester, he said that the reductions in the number of trade operatives accessing a property during the Covid pandemic had had a negative effect on the number of void properties.  He gave an assurance that reducing the number of void properties was a priority and whilst he appreciated Members wanting regular update reports, he did not want any resources diverted from dealing with the issue spent on writing reports.  He said that the update from the Service Manager Housing Assets had been appropriate, and he was confident that Members would see a reduction in the number of voids over the next few months.   

Councillor David Evans moved that the verbal update be noted and this was seconded by Councillor Tina Claydon.  

RESOLVED:

That the verbal update be noted.