Purpose

Approval of the implementation of a new
housing compliance staffing structure and compliance management
software.

Decision

ROTHERHAM METROPOLITAN BOROUGH COUNCIL

 

RECORD OF OFFICER EXECUTIVE DECISION

 

Date of Decision:

7th December
2023
 

Title:

Housing Property Services
Compliance Resources

Decision Maker:
(Including Job
Title)

James Clark, Assistant Director
of Housing.
 
 

Details of Specific Cabinet
Delegation
or Delegation contained in the
relevant Sub-Scheme of Delegation.
 

SECTION 4C: OFFICER DELEGATION SCHEME (EXECUTIVE
FUNCTIONS)

Strategic Directors will be required to maintain a
sub-scheme of delegation for their directorate and publish such
sub-schemes following the Annual Meeting of the Council.

 

Sub-scheme of delegation. Strategic Director of
Adult Care, Housing and Public Health.
 

The Strategic Director of Adult Care, Housing and
Public Health is authorised1 to discharge executive functions2
through the commissioning and provision of social services for
adults and public health services for the whole population and
delivery of housing for the Borough, including:-

 

Housing

(a) Business and Commercial Development

(b) Contract and Service Development

(c) Housing and Estates

(d) Housing Options

(e) Housing Strategy and Investment

 

The Strategic Director has chosen to delegate a
number of functions to groups of officers. Where the same group of
officers receive a number of separate delegations, in order to save
space within the sub-delegation scheme, those groups of officers
have been given a title. The following table sets out the title of
each group of officers and lists the officers within each
group.

 

Human Resources functions delegated:

Subject to the next following bullet points, the
following HR functions are delegated to Strategic and Assistant
Directors:

· Establishment of
posts

· Changes to
establishment/restructuring
 

Decision:

The
Assistant Director of Housing approves the establishment of a new housing compliance
staffing structure and compliance management software.
 

Reasons for the
Decision:

The Council has a duty to
ensure residents can live safely in their homes. All landlords need
to make sure they meet legal and regulatory requirements for
property standards. The key areas of focus are fire, gas,
electrical and water safety, lifts, asbestos, damp and mould
hazards and carbon monoxide. Other areas of risk include radon gas,
trees, play areas, repairs, structural (e.g. RAAC) and
neighbourhood centres.
Non-compliance in any of these
areas carries a significant potential risk to our tenants,
residents, members and staff. It is therefore imperative that
appropriate controls and measures are in place to provide assurance
that the risks are managed appropriately.
A compliance staffing structure
and software management system are required in order to provide
assurance that we are meeting our statutory
requirements.

Details of alternative
options considered and rejected:

Option 1: Continue to manage with
existing resource (not recommended). The Council could continue to
manage the service with existing resource. This is not recommended
because it does not provide sufficient assurance in relation to
compliance as highlighted in section 2.1.
Option 2: This option would provide a
dedicated compliance staffing team only to oversee property
compliance (not recommended). This is not recommended as the
compliance management software is required in addition to staffing
as set out in 2.2.5. 
Option
3: This option would provide a compliance
management software system only (not recommended). The dedicated
staffing team is required to provide sufficient oversight and
assurance in relation to compliance.
 
Option 4: This option would provide a
dedicated compliance staffing team and compliance management
software (recommended option) This is the preferred option
to ensure there are robust systems, processes and oversight to
provide assurance on housing property compliance.

Conflicts of interest
declared by any Cabinet Member consulted by the decision maker
which relates to the decision:

None known.

Dispensations
Granted:
(If any)

N/A
 

Reports or parts of
reports considered

N/A

 
I
certify that this is a true record of the executive decision to
approve the establishment of Housing Property
Services Compliance Resources
 
Signed by the Decision Maker  
 

Dated:         
7th December 2023
 
Name:         
Ian Spicer                                  
Job
Title:    Strategic Director