Decision

To approve amendments to the Water Hygiene Policy relating to Arun District Council’s council owned housing stock. The policy was originally adopted by the Housing and Wellbeing Committee on 17 June 2025.

The amendments update and clarify the council’s approach to managing water hygiene and legionella risks across its housing stock, including the arrangements for risk assessment, monitoring, control measures, management of void properties, record keeping and follow up actions.

Reasons for the decision

The Water Hygiene Policy for council owned housing stock has been reviewed to ensure that it provides clear arrangements for identifying, assessing, monitoring and controlling water hygiene and legionella risks across the council’s housing portfolio.

The revisions provide further clarity around the management of different property and water system risk profiles. This includes the approach to Legionella Risk Assessments, the use of risk-based assessments within general needs housing, monitoring of communal systems and identified risk areas and the management and escalation of follow up actions.

The amendments also clarify arrangements for void properties and newly acquired properties, Written Schemes of Control, access, emergency response, data and records, resident engagement, contractor management, performance reporting and quality assurance.

The revised policy therefore provides a clearer framework for managing water hygiene risks within the council’s housing stock and for demonstrating compliance with the relevant health and safety and regulatory requirements identified within the policy.

Alternative options considered

Retain the existing policy without amendment: Rejected. This would not incorporate the additional clarification and updates identified through the review, including the council’s approach to risk assessment, monitoring and control of water hygiene risks across its housing stock.

Undertake a complete replacement of the policy: Rejected. The existing policy framework remains appropriate and the required changes can be addressed through amendments to the existing policy.