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MINUTES OF THE REPAIRS WORKING GROUP

DATE: Tuesday 1st December 2015 TIME: 11:15 am

Present:

Colin Somerville (CS) / Steph Coles (SCo)
Neil Barks (NB) / Sue Carr (SC)
Chris Marsden (CM) / Kate Nicholls (KN)
Justin O’Brien (J’oB) / Adi Marks (AM)
Councillor Roger Bayliss / Pauline Inett (PI)
Amy Page (Minute taker) / Pam McGowan (PM)
Susan Latham (SL) / Hilary Prime (HP)
Helena Bell (HB) / Andrew Boast (AB)
Jim Marks (JM)
Brian Wills (BW)
ITEM / ACTION/OUTCOMES
1.0 / HQN Value For Money Review Workshop
2.0 / Brian Wills introduced to the group as a first time attendee. Apologies: Jon Coulton Sheila Sharpe, Joyce Gee, George Potter, Val Potter
3.0
3.1 / Minutes of the previous Meeting (03/11/2015)
Item missed- KN stated she felt that the DLO are being privatised. (CS) The gas servicing contract has not been privatised, it has been re-procured. There is a willingness to look at the DLO for tendering gas related work in the future if it would provide value for money to do so. Part of the process is the value for money review currently being carried out by HQN. It should provide a guide to what can or needs to be done.
4.0
/ Actions from previous minutes
Ref 3.1 The call centre have been told that text messages will automatically be sent unless specified not to.
- Highlighted issues with the system; not receiving texts and receiving texts for work at other properties. CM is aware of the situation and is working with the schedulers to sort out the issue.
- CM is to contact the Call Centre again to ensure they are asking tenants for up to date contact details and if they wish to receive text messages.
- Paul from HQN will be spending time with the call centre as part of the review.
-  KN queried whether not having a mobile number may cause call centre staff not to ask about text messages. Landlines can receive texts as voice messages.
Ref 3.2 The two properties at The Biggin and Dysons Close are on the program and will be contacted in due course. The property at Riverway is not on the program; a surveyor from the Planned Investment team will be in contact to assess if the work is required.
Ref 4.3 NB There are currently two people remaining at Queensway house (one is due to move out on 02/12/2015) the remaining tenant will be moved immediately after Christmas. Each tenant will be receiving a Disturbance Payment.
Ref 5.10 The initial report will be sent to NWLDC by the end of December 2015. After review the findings will be shared with the working group.
Ref AOB ii Maintenance officers are looking into this.
Ref AOB iv NB will provide this information at the next meeting. SCo clarified that it is the greater area of Coalville.
Ref AOB v Report any issues regarding roof tile displacement to the Council. The cause whether it is vortex related or not will be dealt with by the council. / CM
5.0
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
5.6
5.7
5.8
5.9
5.10 / Void Lettable Standard Feedback
Staff who monitor how long contractors are working on voids for:
Kier – Neil Barks
IRT/G Purchase – Colin Somerville and Chris Marsden
Contractors who have more than one void property may move between them depending on what work is needed. Part of contract management is to monitor time spent on voids and take action when necessary.
SC reported a property which has been empty since 15 July. CS is aware of long standing void properties, they are being looked into.
There will be a dedicated Maintenance Officer focussing solely on voids. The other Maintenance Officers will be concentrating on responsive repairs.
The Make-Safe process is being assessed and may have both the void supervisor and void maintenance officer attend. The spec up of works required may be done at the same time as making the property safe, aiding the reduction of time the property is empty.
The VLS includes the external parts of the property. If anything has been missed it can be carried out once the property is let, again reducing the time the property is empty.
HP has recently done four tenant inspections and reported the quality of voids has improved. NB – Tenants inspections are eagerly awaited by the staff and supervisors. They keep staff and contractors on their toes.
Carpets may be left in properties if they are in a good, clean and safe state. If the property is fumigated all soft furnishings are removed.
Insulation may not always be checked at void stage if it has been carried out by the Planned Investment team due to the surveyors not having ladders on their vehicles. If responsive repairs are able to get into the loft they may check but it has not been enforced. CS will put insulation into the new standard.
NB The Housing Energy Strategy (which is going to cabinet for approval) includes a minimum of 270mm of insulation. The council has applied for many Eco funded schemes and are seeking to maximise every opportunity. / CS
AOB
i.
ii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii / Any Other Business
The Solid Fuel contract data wasn’t as up to date as originally thought; extra operatives have been needed to carry out the amount of work required. Due to this Sure Group have had to bring operatives from further afield to help out temporarily.
NB. Communications with staff and the unions regarding the procurement and award of the gas contract could have been better and lessons have been learned.
NB. There is at least one of our operatives, and potentially a further two, indicating an interest in working for Sure Group on our gas and solid fuel contracts. There may be many reasons why they may wish to make that move, that are personal to them. From a Council perspective to have local people with a knowledge of the area and our properties working for Sure Group would be a positive aspect of any such staffing moves.
Two non-gas operatives are leaving NWLDC by taking early retirement. NWLDC may see this as an opportunity for apprentices and other staff to take on permanent roles.
KN requested for quarterly meetings with Contract Managers to attend and discuss performance. This was agreed. NB/CS indicated that performance reports could be used by tenants to determine which Contractor Representatives in particular the working group wants to attend each quarter.
Colin Somerville will be leaving NWLDC at the end of December 2015. Neil Barks will become Team Manager for both Responsive Repairs and Planned Investment and will be staying on until the end of March 2016.
Date Of Next Meeting
Tuesday 12th January 2016 10:15 Council Chamber