The Housing Scrutiny Commission of Leicester City Council met on Tuesday 17 March 2026 to discuss a range of housing-related matters. Key topics included concerns raised about the council's complaints handling and procedural compliance, an update on who is allocated social housing, and progress on house building and acquisition programmes. The commission also reviewed the effectiveness of the Housing Pop-up Offices and considered the council's work programme.

Concerns Over Complaints Handling and Procedural Compliance

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to addressing concerns raised by Mr. Raja regarding potential systemic governance risks within the Housing department. These concerns focused on complaints handling, procedural compliance, and oversight transparency. The report pack indicated that the Regulator of Social Housing had previously identified gaps in transparency, influence, and accountability, including issues with complaints handling timescales. Mr. Raja's statement highlighted a move of the corporate complaints function under the Housing Division and questioned the independence of complaint investigations, the robustness of escalation safeguards, and the scrutiny of complaint performance data. Specific questions were scheduled to be raised regarding the percentage of Stage One complaints acknowledged within published timeframes, the safeguards for residents escalating complaints, and the policy governing the council's use of external data sources in leasehold or enforcement matters. The report pack also detailed the need for enhanced complaints handling and formalised reporting on learning from complaints, as identified by the Regulator in August 2025.

Who Gets Social Housing: Housing Register and Lettings Data

The commission was scheduled to receive an update on the 'headline' Housing Register and Lettings data for the period of 1st October 2024 to 30th September 2025. The report, titled Who Gets Social Housing October 1st 2024 – September 31st 2025 who-gets-social-housing-issue-1-2025-26-housing-scrutiny-final.pdf, provided an overview of the number of households on the Housing Register, which remained relatively unchanged from the previous year. It detailed the proportions of applicants in different banding priorities and the primary reasons for joining the register, with overcrowding remaining the most significant factor. The report also analysed housing demand versus housing need, considering factors such as the type, size, and location of accommodation required. Specific attention was given to waiting times for general needs properties, wheelchair-accessible accommodation, and ground-floor properties, with data presented for different applicant bands. The report also included information on lettings achieved through Housing Associations and direct allocations, as well as waiting times by ward.

House Building and Acquisitions Update

An update on the council's house building and acquisitions programmes was scheduled for discussion, as detailed in the House Building and Acquisitions HSC March 26 house-building-and-acquisitions-hsc-march-26.pdf report. This report outlined progress on various new build and major refurbishment schemes, including Hospital Close, Saffron Velodrome, Lanesborough Road and Austin Rise, Forest Lodge Education Centre (FLEC), and Southfields Newry. It also provided details on the redevelopment of the Stocking Farm site. The report was expected to cover the funding for these new build schemes, noting the reliance on Retained Right to Buy Receipts (RTBR) and borrowing, and the potential impact of the Social and Affordable Homes Programme 2026 to 2036 (SAHP). The ongoing acquisition programme and its funding routes, including Homes England grants and Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF) grant, were also to be reviewed. The report was set to detail the temporary accommodation project and other affordable housing delivery routes, such as schemes delivered by registered providers and planning gain affordable housing.

Housing Pop-up Office Update

The commission was to receive an update on the Housing Pop up update Jan 2026 HSC housing-pop-up-update-jan-2026-hsc.pdf report, which provided a review of the Housing Pop-up Offices. The report detailed the operation of these offices, which offer face-to-face support for tenants and residents. Data on attendance, types of enquiries, and geographical reach were presented, along with feedback from tenants, staff, and the Tenants Scrutiny Panel. The report highlighted that word of mouth was the most common way tenants heard about the sessions and that tenancy management was the most frequent type of enquiry. The feedback indicated a high level of satisfaction with the sessions, with many tenants valuing the direct contact with council officers. Recommendations were scheduled to be considered regarding making the pop-up offices a permanent service, adjusting their timings, and increasing promotion.

Work Programme

The commission was also scheduled to consider its work programme, as outlined in the HSC work programme 2025-26 hsc-work-programme-2025-26.pdf document. This item typically involves reviewing past activities and identifying future topics for scrutiny to ensure the commission's work aligns with council priorities and addresses emerging issues.

The meeting also included standard procedural items such as the welcome and apologies for absence, declarations of interest, and the minutes of the previous meeting. A verbal update from the Tenants Scrutiny Panel was also anticipated.