The Housing Management Panel: East Area of Brighton and Hove Council discussed several key issues, including the Housing Performance Report for Q3 2023/24, the Housing Allocations Policy Review, the Housing Strategy for 2024-29, and the new Engagement Platform. Concerns were raised about maintenance requests, social housing availability, and the impact of student accommodation on housing for residents.

Housing Performance Report Q3 2023/24

Martin Reid presented the Housing Performance Report for Q3 2023/24. Residents expressed concerns about maintenance requests not being logged correctly, leading to repeated jobs. Grant Ritchie explained the reasons for closing maintenance requests and provided information on the frequency of gas and electric checks.

Residents also requested statistics on social housing availability. Martin Reid confirmed that there were 106 properties available at the time of the meeting. Concerns about vandalism and the misuse of CCTV were raised, and Jane Dowdell outlined the procedures for reporting such incidents.

Further discussions included the issue of empty and unallocated properties, with Martin Reid confirming that the authority had enforcement powers to ensure properties were allocated to meet demand. The average backlog for maintenance requests was reported to be around two years, affected by the pandemic. Residents also inquired about the allocation process for new let properties and the average wait time in temporary accommodation, which Martin Reid promised to follow up on.

Housing Allocations Policy Review: Consultation

Luke Harris briefed the panel on the Housing Allocations Policy Review. Councillor Williams inquired if those offered private rental by the authority would remain on the allocations list for social housing, which Luke Harris confirmed. Concerns were raised about access for those not digitally literate, and Harris assured that paper copies of the consultation would be available, with accommodations made for accessibility. The consultation process was set to end on 19 May 2024.

Housing Strategy 2024-29

Steve Moreton presented the Housing Strategy for 2024-29. Residents raised concerns about the impact of off-campus student accommodation on the availability of housing for residents.

Engagement Platform

Anita McGrath introduced the new Engagement Platform. Residents questioned what information would be saved by the authority when using the platform. McGrath confirmed that data saved would depend on the individual consultation and would comply with GDPR regulations¹.