Newham Council’s Cabinet has expressed its support for the Council’s Housing Service Improvement Plan today (17 June).
The plan was developed in response to the Regulator of Social Housing review of the service published in October last year. This gave the council’s housing service a C4 rating, the lowest rating possible.
Since then, the council has reviewed the service and developed a Housing Service Improvement Plan, Improving your Homes, published last month.
The Plan focuses on improving the services council tenant and leasing holders receive across four key themes: Safety and Quality, Neighbourhood and Communities, Transparency and Resident Access, and Ways of Working (dealing with the cross-cutting and systematic root causes of the poor rating).
Councillor Blossom Young, Cabinet member for Council Housing Improvements, said: “We know that housing forms the bedrock of people’s lives and has an enormous impact on a range of other life outcomes.
“So, we need to get this right. Since the publication of this judgement, we have launched this ambitious improvement plan which is starting to see results in addressing the significant failings the Regulator identified.
“Work to address failings identified by the Regulator, and by resident feedback, has accelerated over recent months and I am pleased that we have seen significant progress in key areas.
“This includes tackling the repairs backlog, electrical safety checks and improving our knowledge about the condition of the Council’s housing stock. All of this will help to improve home standards going forward.
“With new leadership appointments made, external assurance partnerships in place, and an increased focus on getting the best outcomes for our residents, I am confident that we are turning a corner and are on the right track to deliver safe and secure Council homes for, and with, residents.”
The Regulator of Social Housing report can be viewed here.
The Cabinet Report can be viewed here.
