Issue - meetings

Report of Councillor Nigel Barker, Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Strategic Leadership and Finance.

RESOLVED that:

(1)       Cabinet note and agree to the publication of the annual Complaints Performance and Service Improvement Report for Housing.

(2)       the governing body’s response to the report be publicised on the website.

(3)       Cabinet note and agree the publication of the Self Assessment against the Code.

REASONS FOR DECISION - To comply with legislation and the Housing Ombudsman’s regulatory requirements.  To ensure the complaints procedures were working in practice and compliant with the Code.  To ensure complaints were open and transparent to the public in line with legislation.

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED - Not to have a Self Assessment and annual Complaints Performance Service Improvement report, this was rejected as this would not comply with legislation.

This was not a Key Decision and so can be implemented with immediate effect by officers.

Cabinet considered a report which explained that the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 placed a duty on the Housing Ombudsman to monitor compliance with the statutory Complaint Handling Code (the Code), which had come into effect on 1 April 2024.

The report set out that as part of the Code’s statutory requirements, social housing providers were required to develop and publish an annual Complaints Performance and Service Improvement report for housing and Self Assessment against the Code.  Rykneld Homes Limited dealt with tenant complaints on the Council’s behalf under its complaints Policy and Procedures which was in line with the Complaints Handling Code.  As landlord, the Council was ultimately responsible in terms of regulatory oversight and compliance with the Code.

The Complaints Performance and Services Improvement Report for Housing for 2024/25 was attached to the report at Appendix 1.  The Self Assessment against the Code was attached to the report at Appendix 2.

RESOLVED that:

(1)      Cabinet note and agree to the publication of the annual Complaints Performance and Service Improvement Report for Housing.

(2)      the governing body’s response to the report be publicised on the website.

(3)      Cabinet note and agree the publication of the Self Assessment against the Code.

REASONS FOR DECISION - To comply with legislation and the Housing Ombudsman’s regulatory requirements.  To ensure the complaints procedures were working in practice and compliant with the Code.  To ensure complaints were open and transparent to the public in line with legislation.

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED - Not to have a Self Assessment and annual Complaints Performance Service Improvement report, this was rejected as this would not comply with legislation.