Housing inspection

Improving the housing service – how you can help

Medway Council is determined to deliver the best possible housing service to residents and is committed to putting customers at the heart of everything it does.

It doesn’t always get everything right but it does aim to keep getting better. Sometimes it does that by introducing new services and ways of working. At other times, it improves by listening to suggestions from residents.

While the council is always keen to hear what local people think of its services, it is also inspected by outside organisations. One of these is the Audit Commission (www.audit-commission.gov.uk/housing/index.asp?CategoryID=english^1628) an independent body that makes sure that people are receiving good quality, value for money services and that public money is spent properly.

The council welcomed the commission's inspectors who inspected Medway Council’s housing service in January 2008. In the report (www.audit-commission.gov.uk/reports/BVIR.asp?CategoryID), published on 5 June 2008, they looked at how the council is planning and building new homes for people in need. They also assessed how it helps people who need housing advice or who may become homeless in Medway. In this inspection, they did not look at how the council manages its rented accommodation.

The council has pledged improvements after the Audit Commission identified shortcomings in its strategic housing service.

The commission rated the council as "poor" in strategic terms, after examining issues such as monitoring diversity, planning policies and impact assessments. The report does not relate to the authority’s actual housing stock, which is of good quality, meeting Decent Homes standards.

Chief Executive Neil Davies and the council’s cabinet have already made significant organisational changes and have stated their determination to address all the commission’s recommendations.

There have been significant staffing changes and a new management team, headed by assistant director Deborah Upton, is now in place to lead the strategic housing service, together with a new portfolio holder.

The council has produced a comprehensive improvement plan, which identifies areas to be strengthened. It is already working towards the listed targets.

A number of these has already been achieved:

• £20 million of investment has been secured for affordable housing in Medway;
• the council has met government targets for 2010 for reducing the number of homeless people living in temporary accommodation;
• reception facilities for housing customers have been improved by the move to the Chatham Contact Point.

Under the council's pledges for the future, it will:

• spend £2 million over the next three years bringing 230 private homes for vulnerable people up to the Decent Homes standard;
• reduce fuel poverty for 4,000 households;
• spend more than £500,000 bringing empty homes back into use;
• hold advice surgeries in neighbourhood locations;
• introduce a loan scheme for owners who want to bring their homes up to the decent homes standard.

The Audit Commission is the independent body responsible for ensuring public money is spent economically, efficiently and effectively. Overall, it rates Medway Council as a good and improving authority.

In the meantime, the council is keener than ever to hear what you think of the way it provides and delivers these housing services. This inspection provided a chance to improve them by listening to what other people say and Medway Council is determined to make the most of the opportunity.

If you would like to get in touch and give your views, please use the contact details below.

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