CaH - Service Improvement Plan 2022-25 Outturn Report CaH 16 05 23
Renfrewshire Council · 16 May 2023
Back to Communities and Housing Policy Board — 16 May 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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___________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 16 May 2023 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Services ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Communities and Housing Services - Service Improvement Plan 2022/25 Outturn Report ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 The Communities and Housing Services Service Improvement Plan 2022-25 was approved by the Communities and Housing Policy Board on 7 June 2022. The plan sets out the priorities for the development of the service over a three year period. Since the Service Improvement Plan was developed, Council has approved a new five-year Council Plan. Consequently, minor changes were made to the Service Improvement Plan to align it to the themes in that new Council Plan and these were outlined in the Mid-Year Monitoring Report which was presented to the Communities and Housing Policy Board on 25 October 2022. 1.2 The Service Improvement Plan sets out the actions which will ensure continuous improvement across the service and the performance indicators which ensure the impact can be measured. These reflect the priority themes of the new Council Plan which was approved by Council on 29 September 2022. 1.3 This report contains details of Communities and Housing Services performance and achievements over the period 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023. The main purpose of the report is to provide: details of the key achievements of the service over the period; an update on changes made to the action plan and scorecard to reflect the new Council Plan themes; a progress update on implementing the action plan linked to the 2022-25 Service Improvement Plan; and an assessment of performance in relation to the service scorecard of core performance indicators;
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1.4 During 2022/23, the service has made good progress in delivering positive outcomes for Renfrewshire and its residents. This includes through the actions within the Service Improvement Plan and also other areas of activity which did not form part of the Service Improvement Plan actions which have subsequently arisen during 2022/23. 1.5 This includes the increasing support and participation of the council in dealing with refugee and resettlement programmes. As well as the already established programmes for Syrian and Afghan refugees and Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children, 2022/23 saw the Ukraine crisis develop and also the UK Government moving to a system of full asylum dispersal across the United Kingdom. 1.6 Another developing issue that did not form part of any specific actions when the Service Improvement Plan was approved in June 2022, was the cost-of- living crisis and appropriate actions and indicators within appendix 1 outline any potential impact due to this. 1.7 A new Service Improvement Plan covering the period 2023-26 is also being presented to this meeting of the Communities and Housing Policy Board. This is the first plan for the new Directorate of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure. 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Communities and Housing Policy Board: 2.1 note the content of this report; 2.2 note the progress to date on delivering the actions contained within the Communities and Housing Services - Service Improvement Plan; and 2.3 note the current performance of the service as measured by the scorecard indicators. 3. Background 3.1 The Service Improvement Plan is a comprehensive statement of the outcomes the service aims to achieve, and the actions it will take to achieve these. It fits within the wider planning framework of the Council by taking account of Community Planning themes and Council priorities as set out in the new Council Plan. It enables elected members to have oversight of developments within the service and to consider and develop policy options which reflect customer need and resource availability. 3.2 The service improvement plan also provides a mechanism by which elected members can evaluate the performance of the service. The appendix to the plan contain an action plan and performance indicators against which progress can be measured. This outturn report provides an update on progress against the 2022-25 plan. 3.3 Section 4 of this report provides a note on the approved Council Plan to cover the term of this administration. Section 5 gives details of service activity and
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achievements from April 2022 till the end of March 2023. Section 6 discusses actions delayed or cancelled since the Service Improvement Plan was approved. Section 7 provides a narrative on performance against the scorecard included as appendix 1. _________________________________________________________________ 4. Council Plan - Creating a fairer Renfrewshire built on innovation, wellbeing and opportunity 4.1 Since approval of the Communities and Housing Services - Service Improvement Plan by this Board on 7 June 2022, full Council approved a new Council Plan, which sets out our strategic priorities under five themes – Place, Economy, Fair, Green and Living our Values. It also has a cross-cutting theme reflecting the importance of delivering the best possible start for children in Renfrewshire. 4.2 The direction of the Council over the next five years will be driven by these five key themes: We will encourage kind and connected communities where citizens take pride in the place they live We will support a strong and flexible local economy We want Renfrewshire to be a fair place, where people feel safe, supported and empowered We will work towards a greener future As an organisation, we will be driven by our values, to be fair, helpful, collaborative and value learning. 4.3 In the Service Improvement Plan presented to this Board in June 2022, actions and performance indicators were set out under 4 broad themes, namely Place, People, Sustainability and Living our Values. In order to keep Service Improvement Plans aligned with the Council Plan, actions and performance indicators were re-allocated to the appropriate key theme within the new Council plan (as set out in section 4.2 above) and the full update on all actions and performance indicators is attached as appendix 1 below. ___________________________________________________________________ 5. Service Update and Key Achievements April 2022 to March 2023 Housing Services In early 2022, the Council and its partners were asked to support the establishment of a Welcome Hub at Glasgow Airport with a key aim of supporting people who arrived in Scotland through the Scottish Government’s super sponsor scheme for Ukrainian Displaced Persons (UDP).
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Staff from teams within Communities and Housing Services augmented the council’s existing refugee resettlement team, and this enlarged resettlement team operates to meet the demands for advice, assistance and support from those staying in temporary accommodation, and, to date, the Welcome Hub has supported over 1,000 Ukrainian Displaced Persons UDP. Significant partnership focus has been required to support the high volumes of arrivals experienced, including in relation to housing support, employment support, education and English for speakers of other languages (ESOL). Communities and Housing Services have been instrumental in providing settled accommodation to UDP’s and, to date, a total of 96 social rented properties have been provided to Ukrainian households in Renfrewshire. 66 of these from the Council housing stock and 30 from Registered Social Landlords (RSL’s). In April 2022, the UK Government notified all UK local authorities of their intention to expand asylum dispersal arrangements across the UK, rather than through a number of agreed asylum dispersal areas such as Glasgow. Housing Services, as well as other Council services, have provided assistance and guidance to the UK Government Home Office with their implementation of this approach across Renfrewshire for contingency and settled accommodation. The £100m Housing Led Regeneration and Renewal programme will deliver modern, high quality, energy efficient, affordable Council housing and programmes for each of the 8 areas in phase 1 have been prepared and implementation started, with milestones for demolition, new build and investment in homes being retained. During 2022-23 – o The Housing-led Regeneration and Renewal Programme for Renfrewshire – Year 1 Update report highlighting all activities to date and including detailed timescales for delivery of the Investment Programme, was presented to the Communities and Housing Policy Board in August 2022. o 170 households have been represented at “pop-up” events held in the eight areas during August and September 2022 and further events will be held during the duration of the programme. o In terms of the acquisition of private properties across the eight regeneration areas, 89 have been identified and of those, 63 have already been valued. Agreement has been reached with owners of 31 of these 63 properties and a further 11 of the 32 have now been acquired by the council. All 39 newbuild properties at the Councils newbuild site at Auchengreoch Circle in Johnstone have now been handed over by the contractor and are tenanted. To date, 46 of the 101 newbuild properties within the Tannahill Regeneration area have been handed over by the contractor. Further handovers will take place on a phased basis until this development completes in Summer 2023.
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The draft of the Housing Asset Management Strategy has been developed and is being reviewed. We are awaiting the outcome of the Scottish Government’s EESH2 review to allow the new standard to be reflected in the Strategy. The strategy will update future investment need, compliance and data requirements to ensure the Council meets and maintains recent and future standards. It will tie in with the Local Housing Strategy and the Local Development Plan, to help ensure Housing assets are contributing to the Council’s wider aims. Fuel poverty and climate change legislation will play a primary role in the revised strategy, resulting in identifying additional investment towards energy efficiency and the decarbonisation of housing heating and hot water. Housing Services continues to support delivery of the Local Housing Strategy and Strategic Housing Investment Plan. The New Build Housing Zero Carbon Innovation Project with John Gilbert Architects and the University of Strathclyde was completed - The purpose of this project was to evolve a theoretically net zero carbon standard newbuild housing specification for future Council developments and was led by a team from the University of Strathclyde. This project is a finalist in the Municipal Journal Awards 2023 – the only project across the whole of Renfrewshire Council to reach this stage. Renfrewshire Council was awarded up to £1,657,500 for qualifying projects under the Scottish Government’s Energy Efficient Scotland Area Based Schemes (EES: ABS) programme for 2022/23. This includes over £1.1M for the Renfrewshire Council Mixed Tenure Blocks External Wall Insulation project. The large value contracts for major works including Retrofit Design, Retrofit Works and- Voids/Tenanted works are now in place. The Voids/ Tenanted contract will ensure the Council’s housing stock is maintained to the required regulatory standards and that properties are maintained and refurbished within an agreed timescale to ensure targets are met, particularly in relation to the reletting of void properties. We delivered year 4 of the Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan, using a housing first approach and reducing the use of temporary furnished accommodation to permanent housing with appropriate wrap around support. 2022 saw the launch of the new holistic support service ‘MYLA’ (My Life Ahead) - The project is now fully operational, and supports any household in Renfrewshire, regardless of tenure, whose life is being affected by alcohol/drugs, and build on the concept that in order to have good health, you need to have a good, settled home. Implementation of the enhanced budget in estate management has commenced and progress has been made and work continuing with colleagues re new initiatives in Voids and NET resource contributing to enhanced estate management. Develop and implement the new Tenant Participation Strategy. As well as supporting existing tenant participation mechanisms, the new strategy will review how we can best support tenant participation, including embracing digital technology, to help us reach groups who have not been previously involved.
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An enhanced Sheltered Housing and Health & Wellbeing service has been introduced - This will enable us to provide our Health & Wellbeing service across a broader range of locations. The new “More Homes” officer is now in place, and they will help bring private properties across Renfrewshire, which are currently unoccupied, back in to use. Communities and Public Protection The service led on property checks for “Homes for Ukraine” private and Super Sponsorship schemes - In Renfrewshire, 69 hosts applied through the Homes for Ukraine programme, a further 224 expressions of interests were received through the Super Sponsor route and to date there have been 11 new Offers of Accommodation received under the latest version of the Scottish Government super sponsor scheme. Hosting arrangements where sponsors engaged in the process require to be checked for suitability, including property checks, and disclosure checks, and this work was completed by officers from our Environmental Health team with assistance on a voluntary basis from other suitable officers from a range of services. The Communities and Public Protection Review has been completed with new structure, posts and shifts being implemented from 1 September 2022. This has included new starts, shift re-alignments and amended working patterns. The completed review is beginning to show benefits including greater enforcement and more staff available. Aligning priorities and communities need through the Community Safety partnership Hub has also complimented the early intervention approached. Recruitment is still underway to bring staff levels back up following release of staff. This process has also given existing staff members the opportunity to apply for new roles across the full service. The service worked closely with Legal Services to introduce a Short-Term Lets Licensing Scheme which is now operational. Communities and Public Protection continued to drive Water Safety in Renfrewshire, including the provision of new Public Rescue Equipment at sites across Renfrewshire and a safety video launched in June 2022. We continued to promote Water Safety Awareness sessions within our Education Establishments including basic Water Safety First Aid and continue to form part of the Water Safety Scotland National Group. Renfrewshire Council and partners carry out a number of functions in relation to water safety including, erecting and maintaining lift belts and erecting of water safety signage, in and around key water areas to promote safety including Renfrewshire Council Parks that have ponds. The Environmental Taskforce has been fully operational since December 2022 with new processes and procedures put in place. There are positive results so far with over 30 Fixed Penalty Notices issued. The new approach also featured on BBC television programme “The One Show”; highlighting the dynamic work being done in Renfrewshire including the use of our new CCTV equipment. A comprehensive description of the work already achieved by the Environmental Taskforce was reported to the March 2023 Communities and Housing Policy Board within the “Building Communities, Greenspaces, Parks & Play Areas and Villages Investment Fund Update” report (Agenda item 3).
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Work was undertaken with Legal Services to establish and review what Litter Control Areas remain in place. Following this review it has been determined that the introduction of the Environmental Taskforce should drive the response at this time rather than a further investment in Litter Control Areas. Delivery of the Greenspace, Parks, Play Parks and Villages Investment Fund, including the new funding provisions being added. Renfrewshire Council has supported 90 community projects since October 2018 which have met the criteria for this fund. Further projects continue to be developed within communities with the following potential applicants currently active and expected to apply or have only recently applied: o Langbank Swingpark Regeneration Group – Outdoor Gym o Kilbarchan Lilias Day Committee – Lilias Day Funding o Inchinnan Development Trust – re-siting tools container nearer Teucheen Woods The voluntary professional dog walking scheme in Renfrewshire is ready to go and scheduled to be launched in April 2023 as part of the Big Spring Clean. Completion and decommissioning of Covid-19 Community Testing model including Paisley Local Test Site, Renfrew Local Test Site and the Renfrewshire Asymptomatic Test Sites. The service continued to catch up on Food Law interventions under the Food Law Code of Practice - A further resource calculation review is underway as Food Standards Scotland attempt to achieve consistency across all Scottish LA’s. It is anticipated that work in both Food and Health and Safety will increase as the cost of living crisis escalates. It is anticipated that there will be an increase in enforcement work as businesses make cuts in some areas and fraudulent activity increases. Continued to work with partners on national Serious Organised Crime and CONTEST (Prevent) agendas and all statutory “PREVENT” duties were met with regards to Counter Terrorism. The annual assurance statement will be in the form of a survey this year incorporating the Prevent self-assessment toolkit. The return for this will be June 2023. Areas identified as red, and amber will form part of the action plan that the Renfrewshire Community Protection PREVENT steering group will take forward. The Scottish Government are working on new Prevent Guidance that will be implemented into practice during 2023. This also includes new Home Office training on the delivery of PMAP. Notice Check Share training will also be available for more bespoke services including Police Scotland CT awareness training. The K Division SOC (Serious Organised Crime) intervention meeting has now been re-established which will continue to support the Serious and organised crime agenda alongside Police Scotland. Partnership working with Police Scotland to deliver 2 Quad Bikes to tackle anti-social behaviour in communities.
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Work undertaken by Trading Standards has included o supporting Operation CECE, which is a UK-wide joint initiative between Trading Standards services and HMRC. Intelligence is sent to local Trading Standards services, who then take action to remove the illicit product; disrupting the market and preventing fraud. In its first year, Operation CECE is estimated to have prevented £8.75 in detriment for every £1 of resource spent on it. o The Team have completed a programme of visits to every petrol station in Renfrewshire to ensure the accuracy of liquid fuel measuring instruments (petrol pumps) as costs for fuel remain high. Work led by the Team to undertake checks on the weight of pre-packed foodstuffs has also gained national attention in the press. o Trading Standards and Community Safety supported Operation MOONBEAM which is a national partnership initiative between Police Scotland and relevant partners, designed to keep communities safe up to and including Bonfire Night. Trading Standards licence fireworks suppliers and undertake checks to ensure compliance with storage requirements. A report detailing progress with year 1 of the Community Learning and Development (CLD) Strategy was presented to the Communities and Housing Policy board in October 2022, covering the following areas - o Digital Inclusion–ensuring everyone has the opportunity to participate & benefit from digital technology o Universal Provision - ensuring no-one is left behind promoting and providing opportunities for all o Targeted Provision– targeting specialist resource & support towards those most vulnerable or with restricted capacity. o Community Capacity/ Connecting Communities- working with individuals, families and groups that have capacity to develop, deliver and maintain the services and facilities they want locally. The Civil Contingencies Service continues to support training and awareness raising to update Council procedures in relation to Council Incident Officer training and development, to support robust arrangements for continued delivery of essential services in the event of high-level risks such as a widespread power outage and in relation to Counter Terrorism and Serious Organised Crime particularly Cybercrime. The Civil Contingencies Service continued to support all services across the council to support robust arrangements for continued delivery of essential services in the event of high-level risks and in the winter of 2022/23, this included supporting the council to ensure winter preparedness.
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6. Areas where actions have been delayed or cancelled 6.1 The only action where there has been no progress has been in relation to the new duties which may form a future Housing Bill following the Scottish Government’s ‘Prevention of Homelessness Duties’ consultation. The Scottish Government have now advised that this new duty will not be introduced until October 2023 and this action will be progressed once there is confirmation of any new duties being introduced. 7. Progress against performance measures 7.1 Communities and Housing Services has 24 performance indicators in its current scorecard. Of these, 15 are reported quarterly and 9 are reported annually. In addition to these, there are also three ‘data only’ indicators who do not have targets. 7.2 The following performance indicators have shown improvement over the last 12 months: o Average time from household presenting themselves as homeless to completion of duty. The figure in 2022/23 was 21.74 weeks, an improvement from 22.25 weeks in 2021/22. o Percentage of rent loss due to voids. This decreased from 2% in 2021/22 to 1.86% in 2022/23. o Average length of time taken to relet properties in the last year (days). The figure in 2022/23 was 60.59 days compared to 66 days in 2021/22. 7.3 The following performance indicators have met or exceeded target in the last 12 months. Target exceeded: o Rent collected as percentage of total rent due in the reporting year. Performance in 2022/23 was 100%, exceeding the target of 98%. o Number of visits to known fly-tipping hotspots by the dedicated Environmental Taskforce to clear waste and try to catch offenders. Despite the task force only beginning operations in December 2022, the number of visits would have been on track to exceed target had it been operational for the full year. o The Green Spaces and Community Project will aim to work closely with schools during visits across the school year. Performance exceeded the target of 60 visits per year with 63 visits made in 2022/23.
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Target achieved: o Contact to be made with all Sponsors in the Homes for Ukraine programme within 5 working days of cases being passed to Renfrewshire Council. o Visits to be made to every property/household that want to continue as a sponsor with process being followed through to completion. o Percentage of staff training undertaken in relation to qualifications. o Private Water Supplies - 100% of type A supplies risk assessed and sampled 7.4 The following Performance indicators are showing as areas which are below target. o Average number of work days lost per full time equivalent FTE) employee (Target 8.5 days) – the figure for 2022/23 was 15.73 days. For 2021/22 the figure was 11.53 days. o Average length of time taken to re-let properties in the last year (in days) (Target 53 days) – The figure for 2022/23 was 60.59 days, compared to 66 days in 2021/22. Whilst not achieving target, performance has continued to improve in this area, and continues to be an area of high priority within the Service/Department. o Percentage of homes meeting the EESSH 2020 standard (Target 95%) – This figure was 85.07% for 2022/23 compared to 78.4% for 2021/22, whilst below target, performance has improved. Ongoing difficulties within the construction industry have caused some delays in works being completed. Landlords have until December 2025 to comply with EESSH1. o Percentage of Council housing stock which meets the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (Target 100%) – This was 68.3% for 2022/23, an improvement from the 2021/22 figure of 57%. In 2021/22 two new elements were included in the calculation of this PI for the first time and since then compliance with 5 yearly EICR checks and the new smoke and heat detector standard are included in the calculation of SHQS compliance. The council’s programme of EICR checks and smoke detector upgrades has been significantly affected by difficulties facing the construction industry. Work is ongoing to achieve full compliance with EICR and detectors, including a programme of forced access visits. EESSH failures are also part of the SHQS score which also impacts the overall SHQS pass rate. Landlords have until December2025 to comply with EESSH1. o Total Percentage of frontline (stage 1) complaints responded to within 5 days (Target 95%) - 1097 frontline complaints were received in 2022/23, with 646 answered within timescale (59% answered within timescale, compared to 61% answered within timescale in 2021/22)
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o Total Percentage of investigation (stage 2) complaints responded to within 20 days (Target 95%) - 32 Investigation complaints were received in 2022/23, with 25 answered within timescale. (78% answered within timescale, compared to 81% answered within timescale in 2021/22) Implications of the Report 1. Financial – The Service Improvement Plan highlights resourcing pressures arising from increasing demand for services and the current financial environment. 2. HR & Organisational Development – The Service Improvement Plan also highlights workforce development and wellbeing considerations. 3. Community/Council Planning – The report details a range of activities which reflect Council and Community Planning themes and a direct link to the delivery of the Council Plan. 4. Legal – none. 5. Property/Assets – none. 6. Information Technology – Service developments relating to information technology are key enablers of service improvement and modernisation and support service-level and corporate objectives. 7. Equality & Human Rights – The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 8. Health & Safety – none. 9. Procurement – none. 10. Risk – Risks related to the delivery and management of services are regularly monitored and included in Renfrewshire Council’s Corporate and Strategic Risk Registers. 11. Privacy Impact – none. 12. COSLA Policy Position – none. 13. Climate Change – Actions and indicators within the SIP covers the ‘green’ theme of Renfrewshire’s Council Plan which highlights activities across the Council to tackle climate change. ___________________________________________________________________
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List of Background Papers: Communities and Housing Policy Board; 7 June 2022 - Communities and Housing Services - Service Improvement Plan 2022-23 to 2024/25 and Service Delivery Plan 2021-22 Outturn Report – Agenda item 4 Communities and Housing Policy Board; 25 October 2022 - Communities and Housing Services - Service Improvement Plan 2022/22 Mid-Year Monitoring Report– Agenda item 12 ___________________________________________________________________
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1 Appendix 1 - Actions and Performance Indicators ACTION Status Cancelled Delayed In Progress Completed PERFROMANCE INDICATOR Status Alert Warning OK Unknown Data Only PLACE ‐ We will encourage kind and connected communities where citizens take pride in the place they live What will we do? What difference will we make? Who is leading this? When will we do this by? % Progress at 31 March 2023 Update on Progress Status Icon Implement enhanced budget in estate management – including review of existing Common Maintenance Programme This will deliver enhanced state management practice and improve the common areas within our housing estate. Housing Services Manager March 2023 100% Progress made and work continuing with colleagues re new initiatives in Voids and NET resource contributing to enhanced estate management.
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2 Review the various local letting initiatives across Renfrewshire. Ensure that letting initiatives are fit for purpose, delivering best value, and good outcomes for our customers. Housing Regeneration and Development Manager March 2023 70% Preparatory work has been undertaken, along with discussions with the service teams. The officer leading on this work left the service of the Council and the new officer, appointed in May 2023, will complete this review. Implement revised Housing Asset Management Strategy The revised Housing Asset Management Strategy will update future investment need, compliance and data requirements to ensure the Council meets and maintains recent and future standards. It will tie in with the Local Housing Strategy and the Local Development Plan, to help ensure Housing assets are contributing to the Council’s wider aims. Fuel poverty and climate change legislation will play a primary role in the revised strategy, resulting in identifying additional investment towards energy efficiency and the decarbonisation of housing heating and hot water. Housing Asset and Investment Manager March 2023 75% The draft of the Housing Asset Management Strategy has been completed. The Scottish Government are currently carrying out a review of the EESH2 standard and the outcome of this will inform the finalised strategy and allow the new standard to be reflected in the Strategy. Carry out review of the current factoring service and potential use with regeneration areas. To ensure we have robust arrangements in place to protect investment particularly within regeneration areas. Housing Asset and Investment Manager March 2023 100% Continue to register and review annually factored properties in line with Scottish Government and Housing regulator requirements. Developing factoring arrangements for shared equity owners in Ferguslie Park new build development in 23/24.
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3 Complete the developments at Auchengreoch Road (handovers of the 39 new homes will take place in summer 2022) and Ferguslie Park (handovers of the 101 new homes will commence summer/autumn 2022 with full completion expected early 2023). On completion we will have completed over 315 new build homes since 2019 All Council newbuild developments include a mix of property sizes and types and all ground floor accommodation is level and step-free to meet mobility needs. Housing Regeneration and Development Manager March 2023 75% All 39 newbuild properties at the Councils newbuild site at Auchengreoch Circle in Johnstone have now been handed over by the contractor and are tenanted. This development has provided a mix of 1 and 2 bed cottage flats and 2, 3 and 4 bedroom homes. The five lower cottage flats within this development were designed to be wheelchair accessible, with electrical controls at accessible heights and showers with “wet floors” in bathrooms. Further to this, all two-storey houses in this development have ground floor spaces capable of later conversion to shower-rooms and locations for future through-floor lifts if future adaptations are required. All properties have been let through the Councils Common housing allocations policy. To date, 46 of the 101 newbuild properties within the Tannahill Regeneration area have been handed over by the contractor. Tenants requiring rehousing from the properties to be demolished in the Tannahill area have all been offered housing advice and where they have wanted to remain within the area, offers of suitable alternative accommodation that meets their needs has been offered. Further handovers will take place on a phased basis until this development completes in Summer 2023.
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4 There was a delay to the handover of homes in Tannahill due to a delay with the enabling works for the new substation which is powering the site. Commence feasibility work - Flood Risk Assessments at Gallowhill ahead of proposed new build project. The proposed new build project at Gallowhill could result in a total of up to 60 new council homes being built. Housing Regeneration and Development Manager March 2023 100% Gallowhill Flood Risk Assessments complete and will allow consideration for further site appraisals and will lead to detailed discussions for finalised designs. Assess the use of Litter Control Areas across Renfrewshire Officers will be assessing if the use of the Litter Control Areas under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 is the best way to achieve compliance in certain areas of Renfrewshire. Communities and Regulatory Manager March 2023 100% Work has been undertaken with Legal Services to establish and review what Litter Control Areas remain in place. Following this review it has been determined that the introduction of the Environmental Taskforce should drive the response at this time rather than a further investment in Litter Control Areas. This will be revisited in 2024 (resources permitting) to identify sites and land ownership. Establish & implement a process to ensure all Regulated private water supplies are identified, sampled & risk assessed to meet regulatory requirements This will help ensure private water supplies are safe to use and meet all relevant legislation. Communities and Regulatory Manager March 2023 100% Programme to identify and engage with supply owners has been completed and the sampling/risk assessment programme is ongoing with all confirmed Regulated Supplies having been sampled and risk assessed during the financial year.
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5 Establish the new Environmental taskforce This will help tackle issues including targeting fly tipping hot-spots (reactive and proactive), and it will tie in with Renfrewshire projects such as Team Up to Clean Up and liaise with national organisations such as the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to support and assist in delivering Scotland wide projects within Renfrewshire. Community Development Manager March 2023 100% Taskforce fully operational since December 2022 with new processes and procedures put in place. Positive results so far with over 30 Fixed Penalty Notices issued. The new approach also featured on ‘The One Show; highlighting the dynamic work being done in Renfrewshire including the use of our new CCTV equipment. Status Icon Performance Indicator Frequency 2021/22 Target 2021/22 Value 2022/23 Target Q1 2022/23 Value Q2 2022/23 Value Q3 2022/23 Value Q4 2022/23 Value 2022/23 Value Explanation of Performance Private Water Supplies – 100% of type A supplies risk assessed and sampled Annual 100% 100% 100% N/A N/A N/A N/A 100% All confirmed Regulated supplies (formerly known as Type A Supplies) have been visited during the calendar year to undertake water sampling and risk assessment of the supply. Number of visits to known fly-tipping hotspots by the dedicated Environmental Quarterly New indicator New indicator 1,040 visits N/A N/A 106 453 559 The Environmental Taskforce commenced employment and were fully trained to deliver services from 1 December 2022, so
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6 Taskforce to clear waste and try to catch offenders there is no data for quarter 1 or quarter 2. Hotspot locations change with the seasons, cameras further impact activity when deployed to detect/deter instances. The Green Spaces and Community Project will aim to work closely with schools during visits across the school year (20 visits per term). Annual – measured across school terms New indicator New indicator 60 visits N/A N/A 15 38 63 Visits exceeded expectations for the second half of the year. The Youth Team are poised to resurrect their work in schools to pre-Covid levels from September 2023 which will impact positively on service delivery.
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7 ECONOMY ‐ We will support a strong and flexible local economy What will we do? What difference will we make? Who is leading this? When will we do this by? % Progress at 31 March 2023 Update on Progress Status Icon Continue to work with stakeholders to understand the impacts of EU withdrawal and ensure safety of products in Renfrewshire This work will continue and will increase over the coming years as import/exports pick up following Covid-19 but also when the EU withdrawal is implemented fully. Officers continue to liaise with Glasgow Airport and other partners e.g. Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) to understand challenges and funding available, Communities and Regulatory Manager March 2023 100% Work continues to identify unknown importers – particularly in and around Hillington Industrial Estate, which has a high density of ‘clicks’ based (online) businesses. This will now be considered ‘business as usual’. Work centred around importations at Glasgow Airport is currently unclear as the Retained EU Law Bill is in preparation for third reading stage at the time of this update. Complete the review of animal licence conditions across all licences To modernise and ensure relevant to new licensing requirements Communities and Regulatory Manager March 2023 50% Work on this progressing however, due to other work demands, has not been completed and this action is to be carried forward to the 2023/24 SIP. Deliver The Business Regulation Service Plan over the next 18 months The Business Regulation Service Plan details the work to be undertaken by the service, setting out objectives, the resources required and approach to quality assurance in the format and detail required by Food Standards Scotland. Communities and Regulatory Manager October 2023 100% A further resource calculation review is underway as Food Standards Scotland attempt to achieve consistency across all Scottish LA’s. It is anticipated that work in both Food and Health and Safety will increase as the cost of living crisis escalates. It is anticipated that there will be an
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8 The Plan this year also sets out the resource required to undertake a catch-up programme of food law inspections following the period during the COVID-19 pandemic when proactive routine inspections were restricted in line with guidance at that time from Food Standards Scotland. increase in enforcement work as businesses make cuts in some areas and fraudulent activity increases. Status Icon Performance Indicator Frequency 2021/22 Target 2021/22 Value 2022/23 Target Q1 2022/23 Value Q2 2022/23 Value Q3 2022/23 Value Q4 2022/23 Value 2022/23 Value Explanation of Performance Percentage of businesses brought into compliance with applicable legislation within 30 days Quarterly 100% 100% 100% 100% N/A N/A N/A N/A This indicator is a legacy of the Coronavirus controls on businesses which have now been fully lifted. Matters relating to risk assessment for Coronavirus are now encompassed in a business’s ‘day to day’ health and safety risk assessments and are not routinely monitored.
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9 FAIR ‐ We want Renfrewshire to be a fair place, where people feel safe, supported and empowered What will we do? What difference will we make? Who is leading this? When will we do this by? % Progress at 31 March 2023 Update on Progress Status Icon Develop and implement a new Tenant Participation Strategy. The new strategy will review how we can best support tenant participation, including embracing digital technology, to help us reach groups who have not been previously involved. Housing Regeneration and Development Manager December 2022 100% Strategy approved. Establish the Welcome Hub at Glasgow airport for Ukrainian refugees Ensuring a warm and safe welcome for refugees from Ukraine Homeless and Housing Support Services Manager March 2023 100% Welcome Hub established and working well. Support the Council’s response to the Scottish Governments ‘super sponsor’ scheme for Ukrainian refugees and the UK Government’s “Homes for Ukraine” scheme. Safely resettle Ukrainian refugees within Renfrewshire Communities and Regulatory Manager March 2023 100% This work is demand led and has been completed with those hosts who have engaged with Officers involved in the inspection and Enhanced Disclosure processes, both of which are required under the Homes for Ukraine and the new Offers of Accommodation scheme.
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10 Support the resettlement of refugees in to settled accommodation. Safely resettle refugees within Renfrewshire Homeless and Housing Support Services Manager March 2023 100% Team established, processes in place, and refugees being resettled. Develop and promote the work of the Advocacy Team to support tenants within the private rented sector This will help ensure that tenants in the private rented sector have access to support and assistance available. Communities and Regulatory Manager March 2023 100% Officers involved with this include Homeless and Housing Options officers as well as an Enforcement Officer. The team have achieved successes with supporting tenants and improving their living conditions. Deliver the key outputs from the 4th year of Renfrewshire’s Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan (RRTP) The RRTP details how those who are homeless will be provided with settled accommodation more quickly; spend reduced time in temporary accommodation and have more access to up-scaled support. Homeless and Housing Support Services Manager March 2023 100% All RRTP initiatives have been implemented as far as funding allowed. Enhance our Sheltered Housing and Health & Wellbeing service We will broaden the range of support and wellbeing initiatives provided for sheltered housing tenants, as well as rolling this out to older tenants living in amenity housing. We will also offer access to health and wellbeing initiatives to homeless applicants and housing support service users. Homeless and Housing Support Services Manager March 2023 75% New posts established in March. Full benefits will be delivered from 2023/24.
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11 Launch new holistic support service ‘MYLA’ (My Life Ahead) This service, provided in partnership with Turning Point Scotland, with funding from Alcohol & Drug Commission Programme Board supports people who are experiencing challenges in their life related to alcohol or drugs, and require assistance to ensure they have settled housing. Homeless and Housing Support Services Manager March 2023 100% MyLA fully operational. Deliver the key actions for 2022/23 outlined within the Community Learning and Development Strategy for 2021– 24 across the three key priority areas Young People, Adults and Families, and Building Communities The plan of activities and action set out in this strategy, is an ambitious plan of action over the next three years till 2024 that will deliver real opportunities for individuals, families and communities across Renfrewshire to develop capacity, shape community aspirations and develop and maintain the services and facilities they want locally Communities Development Manager March 2023 75% Service review is complete with only 1 vacancy left to fill. Service continues to develop maximising the use of resources to meet the outcomes within the CLD strategy. New IT equipment has been sourced to enhance community learning opportunities across the service which is well used. Deliver the Antisocial Behaviour Strategy and provide an annual update on progress to the Communities and Housing Policy Board We will tackle and will respond to antisocial behaviour in Renfrewshire through a partnership and evidence led early intervention approach. Communities and Regulatory Manager March 2023 100% The ASB strategy has been implemented and an action plan has been created to establish areas for further development on an ongoing basis. A working group is currently being formed to progress new ASB procedures across communities and housing services and RSLs which will underpin the Strategy. Work is also ongoing from the Scottish Government in conjunction with the Scottish Community Safety Network (SCSN) to look at the landscape of ASB across Scotland and how to
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12 improve the outcomes for all. We have contributed to this research and await published findings. Implement the Housing Management Services - Operational Activity Plan 2022/23. Under the following priorities; Recovery and resilience Rent Collection Managing Tenancy Changes Estate and Tenancy Management The plan outlines the intended actions for 2022/23 to deliver continuous improvement and contribution to key operational activities locally and also details ongoing actions that contribute to improving outcomes and conditions for Council Tenants. Housing Services Manager March 2023 100% Good outcomes from operational activity have been demonstrated by improvement in key performance areas: Rent collection and Managing Tenancy Changes both showing improvement compared to the previous year. Status Icon Performance Indicator Frequency 2021/22 Target 2021/22 Value 2022/23 Target Q1 2022/23 Value Q2 2022/23 Value Q3 2022/23 Value Q4 2022/23 Value 2022/23 Value Explanation of Performance Average time from household presenting themselves as homeless to completion of duty (number of weeks) Quarterly 26 22.25 24 20.34 21.53 22.55 22.28 21.74 Please note both are estimated figures as the official figures have yet to be confirmed by the Scottish Government. The overall performance continues to improve despite the significant national and local housing / homelessness pressures. Performance with this indicator continues to be better
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13 than the national average, though it may be challenging to keep to this level in 2023/24. Percentage of adults who agree that Renfrewshire is a safe place to live. Annual 86% 75% 85% N/A N/A N/A N/A 75% The most recent figure for this indicator comes from the Public Services Panel survey carried out in December 2020. Percentage of adults who agree with the statement “I am satisfied with my neighbourhood as a place to live”. Annual 85% 82% 85% N/A N/A N/A N/A 82% The most recent figure for this indicator comes from the Public Services Panel survey carried out in December 2020. Contact to be made with all Sponsors in the Homes for Ukraine programme (Private and Super Sponsors) within 5 working days of cases being passed to Renfrewshire Council Quarterly N/A New Indicator 95% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% Process in place where all new applicants are provided with information about the steps requiring to be taken and that an officer will contact them to arrange a property inspection. Visits to be made to every property/household that want to Quarterly N/A New indicator 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% All applicants who engage in the process are contacted and arrangements made to visit to inspect the property and undertake
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14 continue as a sponsor with process being followed through to completion (acceptance or rejection) identity confirmation of all over 16 occupants which allows the application to progress. Gross rent arrears (all tenants) as at 31 March each year as a percentage of rent due for the reporting year. Quarterly 8% 8% 7.5% 8.58% 10.7% 10.04% 9.28% 9.28% This indicator combines both current tenant and former tenant rent arrears. Current Tenant rent arrears are now on an improving trend, however, former tenant arrears are increasing as we hold more debt in order to pursue recovery. Rent collection is a high priority with a supportive and early contact approach with tenants – to maximise opportunities to help those experiencing financial issues. Evictions remain the last resort. Rent collected as percentage of total rent due in the reporting year. Quarterly 98% 98.2% 98% 97.07% 96.4% 98.2% 100% 100% Overall rent collection has improved whilst continuing to support tenants experiencing financial challenges/ Percentage of rent loss due to voids Quarterly 1.6% 2% 1.8% 1.95% 1.95% 1.93% 1.86% 1.86% Improving re-let performance is reflected in the reduced percentage of rent due lost through properties
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15 being empty in the last year. This is a priority area for the service. Average length of time taken to re-let properties in the last year (in days) Quarterly 60 days 66 days 53 63 60.53 51 49.37 60.59 Whilst not achieving target, performance has continued to improve in this area. It remains an area of high priority for further improvement and continued focus within the Service.
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16 GREENER ‐ We will work towards a greener future What will we do? What difference will we make? Who is leading this? When will we do this by? % Progress at 31 March 2023 Update on Progress Status Icon Deliver the Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing post-2020 (EESSH2) milestones EESSH2 aims to improve the energy efficiency of social housing in Scotland. This will help reduce fuel poverty and ensure warm, high quality, affordable, low carbon homes and a housing sector that helps to establish a successful low carbon economy across Scotland. Housing Asset and Investment Manager March 2023 100% Contractor now on site to deliver energy efficiency works. Scottish Government review of EESH2 is now underway to strengthen and realign the standard with the target for net zero heat in houses from 2040. The outcome of this process will determine the council’s strategy to meet EESH2 or any other standard which may emerge from the review. Ensure the large value contracts for major works including Retrofit Design, Retrofit Works &- Voids/Tenanted works are in place. These contracts will ensure we continue to improve the energy efficiency and overall condition of our tenants homes. Housing Asset and Investment Manager March 2023 100% Each of these 3 large value contracts were approved by the Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board have been awarded. Contractors have mobilised and works are underway. Progress the Regeneration and Renewal programme in eight Regeneration Areas, including – Establish and begin to implement a programme for each area, with milestones for Over the next 10 years, the £100m Housing Led Regeneration and Renewal programme will deliver modern, high quality, energy efficient, affordable Council housing that will not only significantly enhance the Council’s housing stock but will also contribute to Housing Regeneration and Development Manager March 2023 100% Work across the 8 regeneration areas continues as detailed within the timeline approved by Policy Board. Programme for each area prepared and implementation started, with milestones for demolition, new build and investment in homes being retained. In terms of acquisition of private properties across the eight regeneration areas, 89
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17 demolition, new build and investment in homes being retained Set up Neighbourhood Renewal Groups for the Regeneration Areas so that all stakeholders can contribute to the housing-led regeneration the wider transformation of Renfrewshire as a place, and will be central to the economic and social recovery of Renfrewshire. have been identified and of those, 63 have already been valued. Agreement has been reached with owners of 31 of these 63 properties and 11 of the 32 have now been acquired by the council. Efforts to negotiate the further acquisition of the remaining private properties will continue on an ongoing basis. Complete our New Build Housing Zero Carbon Innovation Project with John Gilbert Architects and the University of Strathclyde This will see us develop a standard specification for our new build houses to deliver net zero carbon homes by 2030, taking into account the whole lifecycle of the buildings including embodied carbon in construction, tenants’ use and recycling at demolition Housing Regeneration and Development Manager March 2023 100% The purpose of this project was to evolve a theoretically net zero carbon standard newbuild housing specification for future Council developments and was led by a team from the University of Strathclyde. Project completed (and a finalist in the Municipal Journal Awards 2023).
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18 Status Icon Performance Indicator Frequency 2021/22 Target 2021/22 Value 2022/23 Target Q1 2022/23 Value Q2 2022/23 Value Q3 2022/23 Value Q4 2022/23 Value 2022/23 Value Explanation of performance Air Quality - Annual average PM10 value across all continuous monitoring sites Annual 18ug/m3 10.2ug/m3 18ug/m3 N/A N/A N/A N/A Not available Due to the statutory reporting process this annual value will not be available until June 2023 and an update will be provided at this time. However, preliminary data indicates the average value will be significantly below the target. Air Quality - average nitrogen dioxide value of monitoring sites, within AQMA(s) exceeding limits Annual 41ug/m3 <40ug/m3 40ug/m3 N/A N/A N/A N/A Not available Due to the statutory reporting process this annual value will not be available until June 2023 and an update will be provided at this time. However, preliminary data indicates the average value will be significantly below the target. Percentage of Council housing stock which meets the Scottish Housing Quality Standard Annual 100% 57% 100% N/A N/A N/A N/A 68.31% In 2021/22 two new elements were included in the calculation of this PI for the first time and since then compliance with 5 yearly EICR checks and the new smoke and heat detector standard are included in the calculation of SHQS compliance. The council’s programme of EICR checks and smoke detector upgrades has been significantly affected by difficulties
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19 facing the construction industry. Work is ongoing to achieve full compliance with EICR and detectors, including a programme of forced access visits. EESSH failures are also part of the SHQS score which also impacts the overall SHQS pass rate. Landlords have until December2025 to comply with EESSH1. Percentage of homes meeting the EESSH 2020 standard Annual 95% 78.4% 95% N/A N/A N/A N/A 85.07% Whilst below target, performance has improved. Ongoing difficulties within the construction industry have caused some delays in works being completed. Landlords have until December 2025 to comply with EESSH1. Percentage of reactive repairs carried out in the last year completed right first time Annual 93% 85% 93% Not Available Not Available Not Available Not Available Not Available In April 2022, the Council adopted Work Hub system for repairs reporting. There have been technical issues with this system and as such the service is unable to provide performance information on repairs timescales. Work is progressing to address these issues.
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20 Percentage of Overall Repairs Completed Within Target Quarterly 95% 93.6% 95% Not Available Not Available Not Available Not Available Not Available In April 2022, the Council adopted Work Hub system for repairs reporting. There have been technical issues with this system and as such the service is unable to provide performance information on repairs timescales. Work is progressing to address these issues. Average length of time taken to complete non- emergency repairs (days) Quarterly 15 days 14 days 15 days Not Available Not Available Not Available Not Available Not Available In April 2022, the Council adopted Work Hub system for repairs reporting. There have been technical issues with this system and as such the service is unable to provide performance information on repairs timescales. Work is progressing to address these issues.
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21 Living our Values ‐ As an organisation, we will be driven by our values, to be fair, helpful, collaborative and value learning What will we do? What difference will we make? Who is leading this? When will we do this by? % Progress at 31 March 2023 Update on Progress Status Icon Expand the Housing Asset and Investment team’s resources to ensure capacity for the additional works programmed for the coming years. This will ensure the successful delivery of the over £250m in capital investment in housing over the next 5 years (with significant ramping up in years 2 and 3). Housing Asset and Investment Manager March 2023 100% New staffing structure developed and recruitment of first posts underway. Recruitment to full capacity will continue over 2023/24. Deliver any new duties which may form a future Housing Bill following the Scottish Government’s PREVENTION OF HOMELESSNESS DUTIES consultation. Changes to existing homelessness legislation may include measures to ensure homelessness is prevented at an earlier stage, including a proposal to extend the duty to take reasonable steps to prevent homelessness up to six months before, to maximise the housing options available to people and to prescribe what reasonable steps may include. Homeless and Housing Support Services Manager March 2023 10% Scottish Government have now advised that this new duty will not be introduced until Oct 2023. Briefing provided to Community Planning Partners. N/A Finalise service review and restructure of the Community Protection team The new structure will respond to the changing needs of service users as well as providing opportunities for career development for staff within these teams. Communities and Regulatory Manager March 2023 100% The completed review is beginning to show benefits including greater enforcement and more staff available. Aligning priorities and communities need through the Community Safety partnership Hub has also complimented the early intervention approached. Recruitment
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22 is still underway to bring staff levels back up following release of staff. This process has also given existing staff members the opportunity to apply for new roles across the full service. Implement the voluntary professional dog walking scheme in Renfrewshire As part of the voluntary initiative the scheme will set minimum standards for the businesses so dog owners feel their pets are safe and in reliable hands. Communities and Regulatory Manager March 2023 95% The scheme is ready to go and scheduled to be launched in April 2023 as part of the Big Spring Clean. Work with partners on national Serious Organised Crime and CONTEST (Prevent) agendas This will ensure a joined up, co-ordinated approach to dealing with serious organised crime and threats of terrorism. Resilience & Deployment Manager March 2023 70% The annual assurance statement will be in the form of a survey this year incorporating the Prevent self-assessment toolkit. The return for this will be May 2023. Areas identified as red, and amber will form part of the action plan that the Renfrewshire Community Protection PREVENT steering group will take forward. The Scottish Government are working on new Prevent Guidance that will be implemented into practice during 2023. This also includes new Home Office training on the delivery of PMAP. Notice Check Share training will also be available for more bespoke services including Police Scotland CT awareness training. The K Division SOC intervention meeting has now been re-established which will continue to support the Serious and organised crime agenda alongside Police Scotland.
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23 Status Icon Performance Indicator Frequency 2021/22 Target 2021/22 Value 2022/23 Target Q1 2022/23 Value Q2 2022/23 Value Q3 2022/23 Value Q4 2022/23 Value 2022/23 Value Explanation of performance Training – Percentage of staff training undertaken in relation to qualifications Quarterly 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% Staff training is provided on a structured basis when needs are identified to ensure that they have the correct skills and qualifications to undertake their duties. There are currently two FTE staff undertaking training to qualify as Environmental Health Officers (and also one UWS student being supported in undertaking the same professional training). Total Percentage of frontline (stage 1) complaints responded to within 5 days Quarterly 95% 61% 95% 53% 63% 64% 55% 59% 1097 frontline complaints were received in 2022/23, with 646 answered within timescale. Total Percentage of investigation (stage 2) complaints responded to within 20 days Quarterly 95% 81% 95% 67% 91% 67% 75% 78% 32 Investigation complaints were received in 2022/23, with 25 answered within timescale.
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24 DATA ONLY INDICATORS Status Icon Performance Indicator Frequency 2021/22 Value Q1 2022/23 Value Q2 2022/23 Value Q3 2022/23 Value Q4 2022/23 Value 2022/23 Value Explanation of performance Enhanced Enforcement of Private Rented Sector - no. of investigations Quarterly 43 10 13 15 24 62 These numbers are driven by private rented tenants contacting the Service when raising concerns with the quality of their rental property. Overall numbers are likely to have increased due to increasing awareness through the Advocacy and Enforcement initiative which brings Housing and Environmental Health to work closely together on improving standards with the Private Rented Sector. Enhanced Enforcement of Private Rented Sector - no. of reports to First Tier Tribunal Quarterly 5 1 0 0 2 3 Case referrals to the First Tier Tribunal are low as Officer work with landlords to ensure they undertake repairs promptly; only those who do not respond/take action quickly being reported to the First Tier Tribunal. Average number of work days lost per full time equivalent (FTE) employee. (cumulative) Quarterly 8.5 11.53 8.5 3.55 4.4 3.88 3.90 15.73 The service is proactively managing each absence to ensure all available support and assistance is provided to staff who are currently off due to sickness absence.
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25 Enhanced Enforcement of Private Rented Sector - no. of RPNs issued Quarterly 453 93 83 45 47 268 RPNs are issued where landlords are unregistered, or have let their registrations expire and when contacted, fail to make a valid application for registration. Numbers are variable year on year but reflect an ongoing failure across significant numbers, even after Officers have contacted landlords to advise of their legal duty to apply for registration.