Agenda item

One public question had been received, with a written response published on the website:

1. Question from Ian Mason, Tenant Representative to the Chair of the Cabinet Housing Committee

Following recent reports in the local press, could I request clarification of the plans for the Housing Offices in the Hester's Way Resource Centre?

Response from Councillor Julian Tooke, Chair of the Cabinet Housing Committee

Thank you for the question. 

As you are aware Hesters Way is currently used as office space by some of our housing staff.  However, it is not operated in a way which provides the most effective accessibility for our tenants and is not open to the public.   

Therefore, we are currently reviewing the provision with a view to developing a model which provides enhanced access to our services.  At this stage we are considering options such as a surgery/drop in based model, where staff will be available directly within local communities.  This approach would remove the need for tenants to travel to central locations and ensure that our tenants are at the centre of what we do.   

As a council and landlord, we must remember that we need to be where people need us to be, even if that is not always where is most convenient for us and this will be at the forefront of the new model. 

Once we have a more detailed proposal, we will consult tenants and leaseholders.

Supplementary Question

He was made aware that this story had been in local newspapers, and many tenants had asked him about it. His two primary concerns are the Skills Hub, which runs in the building, and the fact that Hester’s Way is rated as in the top 20% of areas of deprivation in the country within the indices of deprivation report released annually. He highlighted that he has always been a great advocate for the Skills Hub, which do fantastic work helping tenants have access to training and helping them into employment. He is reassured from the answer that there is a similar idea that the services should be accessible in that community, and it is important that there is a presence there. There is a huge amount of social housing in the area and many vulnerable tenants who need tobe able to access the service.

Prior to the pandemic, CBH used to have a smallreception office downstairs in the Hester's Way Resource Centre, where people could goanytime during the working week to address issues. It was well used and he had felt it was a bad idea at the time that it was being closed rather than reopened. Recently he has been introduced to the new intercom system and know that staff are very good at coming down to people but is far from convinced that 80% of residents actually know it is there. Not sure that the 20% that do are comfortable about shouting their business down a microphone in a public lobby. Asks that when considering the future of the site, the council make sure they retain a presence in the community and make those services accessible to the people that need them.

Director of Governance, Housing and Communities Response

It is currently the intention to retain the Skills Hub at Hester’s Way and the council are currently negotiating the terms. As pointed out, the Hester’s Way office is not particularly accessible to tenants. Whilst there is an intercom system there, it is not somewhere people can pop in and have a conversation and actually really be engaged. So, the idea behind this is absolutely not about taking anything away, it is about making things better and more accessible. We are looking to have more locations and there will definitely be one in the locality. Although it might not be within the Resource Centre, it is not going to be far away. The council are currently looking at venues and there will be more locations where people can go. This is about making it more accessible, having staff there that are actually available for tenants to come in and see rather than having to come into an office and press a button and hope that someone comes and answers it. It isn't about taking anything away; it is actually about making improvements.