South Holland District Council continues to make significant progress in tenant engagement and delivering high-quality services, as highlighted in its Provider Improvement Plan update.
The Regulator of Social Housing expects Councils to meet the outcomes of Consumer Standards, designed to ensure social landlords provide high-quality services and maintain homes to a high standard.
South Holland District Council was inspected in July last year when the council was awarded the second highest grading of C2, but recognised there was room for improvement. The Council is working with the regulator to achieve a C1 grading.
As part of that, the Council formed a Provider Improvement Plan, covering a wide-ranging transformation programme to boost tenant engagement, enhance services and ensure tenants live in safe, well-maintained homes.
In the latest update to Cabinet, the Council has made measurable progress against the plan.
The Council has prioritised tenant engagement, ensuring tenant participation is central to the service’s improvement journey.
In March, the first Tenant Influence Panel was established, followed by the first meeting in May. The Panel help shape policies and plans, providing a vital scrutiny function ahead of decision making by the Council.
Tenants have recently helped to shape a new Anti-Social Behaviour and Hate Crime Policy as well as a Damp Condensation and Mould Policy to support the council in addressing issues and maintaining a good standard homes for all.
Housing repair roadshow events have taken place to gather feedback directly from tenants and to improve the way repairs services are delivered.
The Council also launched a Tenant Talk Facebook group to enhance communication with tenants, providing updates on a whole range of housing matters and opportunities to get involved in engagement events.
Other engagement events have included an opportunity to meet managers from the service, the creation of a Tenants Forum which give tenants an opportunity to find out more about other council services, a focus group to feedback on how the service records and rectifies complaints, and a reding group to support accessibility with information the council provides to tenants