To consider the following draft policies prepared in relation to the maintenance and operation of the Council’s retained housing stock:

• Housing Asset Management Plan

• Asbestos Management Policy (Housing Stock)

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

(a)    adopts the Housing Asset Management Plan and the Asbestos Management Policy for its housing stock and authorises their direct and immediate implementation, subject to call in; and

(b)    authorises the Corporate Director (Operations and Delivery) to make future updates or amendments to the Policies, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder responsible for Housing.

Cabinet considered a report of the Housing and Planning Portfolio Holder (A.5), which submitted the following draft policies prepared in relation to the maintenance and operation of the Council’s retained housing stock:

·      Housing Asset Management Plan

·      Asbestos Management Policy (Housing Stock)

Members recalled that in response to the Regulator for Social Housing having its powers enhanced under the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, new Consumer Standards and Tenant Satisfaction Measures had been introduced and which had taken effect on 1 April 2024. 

It was felt that the adoption of this Management Plan and Policy would therefore assist the compliance with the legal and regulatory standards for performance.

Cabinet was informed that the Housing Asset Management Plan had been developed to provide a framework to enable the safe, efficient, and effective management of Council owned homes and related buildings and facilities. 

To assist the Council to better understand its housing stock, the Development and Building Team had access to various software.  Lifespan (asset management) and Oneserve were housing specific data management platforms that held all of the Council’s compliance and stock data including the issuing of, and monitoring of, workflows.  The use of Safety Culture (iAuditor), as an inspection tool, enabled the creation of templates to assist with the recording of the relevant information required when all types of site inspections were undertaken.  This captured information also fed into responsive and planned maintenance works including the management of disrepair complaints.     

This plan also strongly supported one of the six themes contained in the Council’s Corporate Plan and Vision 2024-2028 namely ‘Pride in our Area and Services to Residents’, with a continuing commitment to providing decent Council housing that everyone deserved.

Members were made aware that the Asbestos Management Policy set out the actions taken within the housing stock to manage Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs) in accordance with The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR), and best practice guidance.

In order to set in place clear plans and policies to inform future maintenance and management activities and such policy framework to evidence compliance with regulatory standards:-

It was moved by Councillor Baker, seconded by Councillor Smith and:-

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

(a)     adopts the Housing Asset Management Plan and the Asbestos Management Policy for its housing stock and authorises their direct and immediate implementation, subject to call in; and

(b)     authorises the Corporate Director (Operations and Delivery) to make future updates or amendments to the Policies, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder responsible for Housing.