Council’s pledge to tackle tenants’ priorities unlocks new improvements
New approaches to tackling what tenants have told us are their priorities have been agreed today (Tuesday 27 January), which unlocks funding.
The Council’s housing tenants have told us that tackling anti-social behaviour, preventing damp and mould, and improving communal areas are among their top priorities.
To support them and improve the way we address these priorities, new reports have been co-produced with partners including the Tenant Scrutiny Panel and social landlords across the city. These four new policies have been approved by the Executive Member for Housing, Planning and Safer Communities.
A Neighbourhood Improvement Programme (NIP) has been agreed. By improving areas around council homes, this aims to support ongoing work to reduce anti-social behaviour (ASB).
The NIP projects totalling £402,000 to be approved, include:
- £250,000 for Walmgate proposal priorities
- £40,000 to fund equipment for community use and to repairs arising from estate walkabouts
- £10,000 for The Groves Residents’ Association to inform future NIP funding proposals.
To support ongoing work to tackle ASB and clarify how this will be done, a revised ASB policy has been approved. This updated policy has new sections which include tackling domestic abuse and hate crimes, and new clarification on roles and responsibilities between council and tenants. There’s new guidance on informal and formal remedies and a clearer outline on what happens once a tenant has reported ASB, and which partner organisations might get involved.
While considerable investment in tackling and preventing damp and mould continues to be carried out across Council homes, a formal policy is needed. It was developed through consultation with tenants and has been approved today. The new Damp and Mould Policy will continue the process of proactively identifying, preventing, and addressing damp and mould issues to safeguard tenant health and wellbeing. This meets new legal requirements, including Awaab’s Law, to take timely and effective action on damp and mould.
Alongside these approvals, an updated Tenancy Policy and Strategy has been agreed and sets out what types of tenancy City of York and other registered social landlords in the city will issue alongside related matters, including succession, mutual exchange and joint tenancies.
Cllr Michael Pavlovic, Executive Member for Housing, Planning and Safer Communities at City of York, said:
“Our tenants are at the heart of all we do. Their homes are central to their wellbeing and, working with them, it is our duty to maintain and improve the houses, apartments and bungalows according to our roles and responsibilities.
“This suite of new and clear policies will help council officers and tenants to understand their roles and responsibilities, and the procedures and standards they can expect. Thank you to everyone who has been involved. I look forward to working with the teams as they implement these strategies and policies and see the improvements they will make.”
The Combined Executive Member Decision Session was held on Tuesday 27 January when all four reports were accepted.