The Housing Select Committee was scheduled to review the council's landlord performance, consider proposed budget savings, discuss minor amendments to the Housing Allocation Policy, and plan its work programme for the coming year.

Housing Services Landlord Performance

The Housing Select Committee was scheduled to review a report outlining the council's performance as a social housing landlord for the 2024/25 financial year. The report includes:

• Performance data on the Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs) for 2024/25. These measures cover areas such as customer relations, compliance with safety standards, repairs, and overall tenant satisfaction.
• An overview of the Housing Directorate's improvement journey following a regulatory notice issued by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) in March 2024.
• An assessment of the council's compliance with the Consumer Standards for Social Housing.

The report notes that the council's housing stock comprises 13,500 tenanted properties and approximately 5,300 leasehold properties. As of 30 September 2023, these properties were managed by Lewisham Homes, an arms-length management organisation (ALMO), before the council took back management on 1 October 2023. The report also mentions 1,225 tenanted and 594 leasehold properties managed under a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) ending in June 2027, as well as a small number of properties managed by Tenant Management Organisations (TMOs).

The report highlights key performance areas, including:

• Customer Relations: Low performance in responding to Stage 1 complaints on time (34%), attributed to operational factors and system updates.
• Compliance: High performance in safety checks, with nearly 100% compliance for gas safety, asbestos management, and Legionella risk assessments.
• Repairs and Non-Decent Homes: 69% of non-emergency repairs completed on time, with a significant improvement in emergency repairs (92%). A decrease in the number of non-decent homes from 24% to 17.4%.
• Customer Satisfaction: Increased satisfaction with repair completion times and fair treatment, but low satisfaction with complaints handling (26%).

The report also details the Housing Transformation Programme, established to address key concerns and improve service delivery. Key areas of focus include reducing non-decent homes, managing work in progress (WIP), and addressing overdue fire remedial actions.

Budget Savings 2025/26 and 2026/27

The Housing Select Committee was scheduled to review draft proposals for budget reductions for the period 2025/26 – 2026/27. These initiatives are needed to address a £30 million budget shortfall identified in setting the Council's 2025/26 budget. The report outlines £29.250 million of general fund savings and £4.784 million of Housing Revenue Account (HRA) savings that have been identified.

The report notes that the £30 million savings target is based on assumptions set out in the Council's Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) and does not allow for any substantive change in government funding.

The report includes a draft of the budget reductions report for Mayor and Cabinet, along with appendices detailing previously agreed savings, new savings proposals, a budget equalities impact assessment, and proformas within the remit of the Housing Select Committee.

Some of the savings proposals that were scheduled for discussion include:

• HSG-0000: Temporary Accommodation Cost Reduction
• CR-0022: Reduced subsidy loss from supported exempt accommodation
• HRA-0000: Legal Costs – Court Representation
• HRA-0001: Repairs Service Re-alignment
• HRA-0003: Rechargeable Costs Policy

Housing Allocation Policy - Minor Amendments

The Housing Select Committee was scheduled to review and comment on minor amendments to the Housing Allocation Policy ahead of its approval by the Executive Director of Housing. These amendments are part of a policy refresh to ensure the policy remains current, effective, and responsive to emerging needs.

Key amendments include:

• Introduction of auto-bidding: A process by which the Locata software automatically places bids on suitable properties on behalf of eligible applicants.
• Amendments to Section 3.1.7: Removal of text stating that there is no right to review decisions made by the Emergency Housing Panel, and removal of specific descriptions regarding the structure and membership of the panel.
• Clarification of Priority awarded by Emergency Housing Panel: Stating that this priority is available exclusively to applicants under Part 6 of the Housing Act 1996.
• Removal of mentions of the Safer-London scheme: As the scheme has ended.
• Reinstatement of two rehousing reasons under Band 3: Welfare Housing for Older People and To give or receive care in the borough.
• Amendment to section 3.1.4 Processing your application: Providing clearer explanations of the two-stage verification process for housing applications.
• Clarification in section 3.3 How do we decide which application takes priority?: Explaining how a change in an applicant's circumstances may result in a change to their banding.
• Addition of link to Homelessness Code of Guidance - Chapter 7: Replacing static explanatory text with a direct link to the statutory guidance.
• Amendment of Discretionary succession to Discretionary tenancy: To reflect current policy.
• Removal of the five-year local connection link for UK Armed Forces Veterans: In line with new national regulations.

Select Committee Work Programme

The Housing Select Committee was scheduled to discuss and agree on priorities for the 2025-26 municipal year and to agree on a work programme for submission to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Potential items for the work programme include:

• Evictions and possession proceedings
• Anti-social behaviour
• Renters Rights Bill
• Regulatory change, including the implementation of Awaab's Law
• Private Rented Sector performance report
• Housing Allocation Policy
• Housing Retrofit Strategy
• Resident Engagement Strategy
• Transformation of repairs service
• Stock condition survey
• Private Rented Sector - Landlord licensing
• Annual statutory housing ombudsman reports
• Housing Assistance Policy
• Temporary Accommodation supply and pressures
• Building for Lewisham Programme update
• Regenter B3's annual report
• Housing provider updates
• Housing Revenue Account rent setting report
• Stock condition update

The Committee was also scheduled to consider opportunities for additional informal information gathering sessions, public engagement, and visits.