Issue - meetings

(a)       That the Committee support the Temporary Accommodation Improvement Plan, as attached at Appendix 2 of the report; and

(b)       That the Committee receive an update report in due course, on the progress being made to complete the Temporary Accommodation Improvement Plan.

The Housing & Prevention Senior Manager introduced a report to confirm the outcome of a recent Audit of the management of temporary accommodation within Flintshire.  The audit had highlighted a number of areas for improvement and was categorised as a Red Audit Report.

            A number of areas for improvement and operational challenges associated with the management of the Temporary Accommodation portfolio were identified by the Service Manager who had requested an audit to test the service before focussing on service growth plans.  The audit presented an invaluable opportunity for an independent assessment of the service and an opportunity to identify areas of focus for service improvement.

            A detailed Service Improvement Plan to compliment the Audit Response and pick up on all the actions required to deliver on the Audit recommendations would see a stronger focus placed on the core principles of housing management that were needed to turn the service around and offer assurance that it was run effectively.  

            The Chairman thanked the Housing & Prevention Senior Manager for the detailed report and welcomed the Service Improvement Plan. 

            Councillor Helen Brown suggested that an additional recommendation be added to that shown in the report, that the Committee receive a further update report in due course and that this be added to the Committee’s Forward Work Programme.  She also asked whether a Task and Finish Group made up on Members of the Committee and a representative of the Tenants Associations be established to review progress of the Improvement Plan.  The Overview & Scrutiny Facilitator explained that due to the Local Government Elections being held in May 2022, it would not be appropriate at the current time to set up a Task and Finish Group.  If the Committee supported the suggestion that it receives an update report later in the year, the Committee could consider at this time whether the establishment of a Task and Finish Group was still needed.  The Housing & Prevention Senior Manager also added that future reports would include an update on service user involvement.   

            Councillor Kevin Rush expressed concern around the lack of IT support and asked for an update on the number of Void properties across Flintshire.  The Housing & Prevention Senior Manager advised that assurance had been given that there would be capacity within the IT service to provide the necessary support going forward.  The Benefits Manager reported that there were currently 217 Void properties across Flintshire.  These continued to be monitored regularly and she explained that there was a great deal of information provided on why a property was Void.  

The recommendation as outlined in the report, together with the suggestion that the Committee receive an update report in due course, was moved by Councillor David Wisinger and seconded by Councillor Kevin Rush. 

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the Committee support the Temporary Accommodation Improvement Plan, as attached at Appendix 2 of the report; and

(b)       That the Committee receive an update report in due course, on the progress being made to complete the Temporary Accommodation Improvement Plan.