The Executive Member for Housing, Partnerships and the Local Plan, Councillor Stephen Conway, approved the Housing Landlord Service Lift Safety Policy. This policy establishes a framework for managing lifting equipment risks within council-managed homes to ensure tenant safety.

Housing Landlord Service Lift Safety Policy

Councillor Stephen Conway, the Leader of the Council and Executive Councillor for Housing, Partnerships and the Local Plan, approved the new Housing Landlord Service Lift Safety Policy. This policy was developed in response to a Compliance Health Check by Pennington Choices in September 2023, which identified the absence of a dedicated lift safety policy. The new policy aims to establish a comprehensive framework for managing lifting equipment risks, clearly defining roles, responsibilities, and governance structures to ensure the safety of tenants, staff, contractors, and visitors in council-managed homes.

The policy will be supported by a Lifting Equipment Safety Management Plan (LESMP), which will detail operational procedures for monitoring, risk management, and emergency protocols. This ensures Wokingham Borough Council meets its statutory obligations under legislation such as the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, and the Lifting Operation and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER). The policy covers various types of lifting equipment, including passenger lifts, platform lifts, stair lifts, through-the-floor lifts, lifting baths, and ceiling hoists, across approximately 3,000 residential properties managed by the council.

The approval of this policy does not introduce new budgetary requirements, as existing budgets for lift safety operations remain unchanged. The policy has undergone consultation with various internal teams, including the Asset Management and Compliance Team, Repairs and Maintenance Consultative Panel, Legal Services, and the Housing Leadership Team. An Equality Impact Assessment was also conducted, concluding that a full assessment was not required as the policy is expected to have a neutral or positive impact on all equality groups by enhancing safety and accessibility. The policy will be reviewed every three years or sooner if legislative or regulatory changes occur.