Performance Management Information - Board Report 24th May 2007(Text only summary)

This report provides information on performance in key areas of the service for the year ended 31st March 2007.

Rent Collection and Arrears
Empty Properties
Repairs
Right to Buy and Mortgages
Neighbour Nuisance
Formal Complaints
Personnel

Rent Collection and Arrears

• We collected 98.6% of the rent due, exceeding the target of 97.6%
• 690 tenants (4.9%) have more than 7 weeks of (gross) rent arrears.The target is 4.2%
• Arrears of current tenants as a proportion of the rent roll is 1.85% against a target of 1.8%
• The increase in arrears since week 1 as a % of rent due in the period is 0.8% against a target of 0.5%
• 203 tenants (1.4% owe over 13 weeks rent (net of housing benefit and excluding those owing less than £250). The target is 1.3%

In relation to rent arrears the following actions were taken:

• 2014 notices seeking possession have been served during the year.  This represents 27.6% of tenants against a target of 25%.
• 431 arrears cases were entered into Court.
• 64 Possession orders were granted.
• 391 evictions were applied for
• 94 evictions were carried out.

Performance for the year on rent collection has been excellent especially given the upheaval caused by the introduction of a new Housing Benefit IT system by the Council mid year.  Firm and fair application of our arrears policy allied to good dialogue and partnership working with the Council's Revenues and Benefits has helped us to overcome the mid year difficulties.  The Housing Benefit difficulties are the main reason for the increase in the number of notices seeking possession's served.  The increase in tenants with more than 7 weeks (gross) rent arrears is due to the fact that water charge arrears cannot be separated out from rent in the calculation of this Performance Indicator.

Back to top

Empty Properties

1.4% of rent was lost with dwellings becoming empty, the target of 1.6% being exceeded.

The average time to relet properties is 37.5 days. Although the long term target of 35 days has not been achieved, there was gradual progress towards it throughout the year with performance in the last quarter only failing by 1 day.

152 properties (1.1% of stock) are empty and available for letting.  The target of 1.3% was exceeded and the number of void properties at year-end was the lowest in over 25 years.

Back to top

Repairs

Performance on the majority of repairs Performance Indicators has been good especially given the reduction in repairs expenditure and the uncertainty caused by the repairs market testing process which included a significant reduction in staffing levels.

At the beginning of the year we re-categorised urgent repairs to bring local categorisation in line with national Right to Repair categories.  We also decentralised our central heating and electrical teams.  Both these affected performance although by the fourth quarter we were very nearly hitting our target.

• 93.5% of urgent repairs were completed within Government time limits, against a target of 97.5%.
• 95% of repairs were completed within priority timescales, this exceeded the target of 93.5%.

The average time to complete non-urgent responsive repairs was 10.9 days, just falling short of the target of 10 days. Our performance on this indicator has improved this year but we need to make further progress.

An appointment was made and kept for 74% of repairs for which access was required, exceeding the 75% target.  There has been significant improvement in the % of jobs for which an appointment was made and kept.  However we must strive to improve this further to keep pace with the best performance and customer expectation.

Overall, 93% of tenants are satisfied or very satisfied with the repairs service, this exceeds the target of 90%.  Overall satisfaction with the service is at its highest level.

Back to top

Right to Buy and Mortgages

• 100% of Right to Buy applications were admitted or rejected within Government timescales.
• Right to Buy acknowledgement notices were served in an average of 17.6 days. The target is 17.5 days.
• 100% of Right to Buy offer prices were despatched within Government timescales.
• Right to Buy offer notices were served within an average of 29.3 days for houses (target 30 days) and 59 days for flats (target 57 days).
• Arrears as a % of the total outstanding mortgage balance stands at 2.1%, against a target of 1.85%.

Government timescales for Right to Buy notices continue to be met in 100% of cases.  The tighter local timescales set are currently just falling short of the new local targets as regards acknowledgements, but we have had a record number of applicants in February (131 houses & 45 flats) and March (104 houses & 27 flats).  It is an achievement in itself to reach the 100% government timescales.  The local timescale for the issue of offer notices on houses is phenomenal due to the number of applications.  Flat sales continue to grow in number too.

Mortgage arrears have increased as there is a greater percentage of difficult cases in relation to overall mortgage numbers remaining in the portfolio.  The arrears reduction target has not been achieved, however, some of these matters will be resolved in the very near future.  Although there has been an increase in the level of service charge arrears, major works arrears continue to be reduced above the target, which in view of the amounts involved, represents a considerable achievement on the part of the collection team.

Back to top

Neighbour Nuisance

1050 reports of neighbour nuisance were made as follows:

• North - 468
• South - 205
• Pennines - 156
• Middleton - 139
• Heywood - 82

In 1296 cases action has been taken, as follows:

• Warnings/Acceptable Behaviour Contact - 236
• Notice Seeking Possession - 28
• Possession - 7
• Anti Social Behavoiur Order -22
• Injunction - 18
• Other Court Action - 5
• Mediation - 2
• Referrals to other agencies - 81
• Other action by Legal Services and Enforcement Team (e.g., visits etc) - 184
• Action by Area Office - 713

Back to top

Formal Complaints

 

• 92.9% were responded to within the 15 working days target, against a target of 97%.
• The average time to investigate and respond to complaints is 8 working days against a target of 7 working days.

The 3rd and 4th quarter nett figures exceeded the target of 97%, which has improved the cumulative figures to 92.9%.

Back to top

Personnel

• 13.5% of new starters were from Asian Communities.  Slightly under target due to lower levels of recruitment.
• 8.4% of employees are from ethnic minority communities, against a target of 11.5%. Compared to 2005/06 there has been an overall reduction of 4 BME employees.  Again lower levels of recruitment affected this Performance Indicator.
• 4.6% of employees consider themselves to be disabled, exceeding the target of 4.0%.
• 4.3% of working days are lost to sickness, against a target of 4.0%. Whilst the overall percentage levels have not changed there are more employees with a full attendance record.  In 2005/06 there were 173 employees; this has increased to 198 employees in 2006/07.
• An average of 4.9 days are lost to short-term sickness per employee, exceeding the target of 5 working days.   Constant monitoring and reviewing of procedures have helped in ensuring that short term absence has reduced to less than 5 days.
• Long term absence stands at 5.8 days per employee and is 0.8 days under target. Long term absence has been prevalent across all 3 divisions. In previous years only the Technical Division has been affected by long term absence.  Long term absence has improved from January 2007, with a significant reduction in March 2007.
• 44% of the top 5% of earners are women, against a target of 50%. The top 5% of posts graded POSc4 and above.  There is nearly an equal number of males and females within these posts.
• 4.0% of the top 5% of earners are from BME communities. The ending of fixed term contracts for 3 BME employees has had an impact on this Performance Indicator.

Back to top

Back to How we are performing