The Audit, Governance and Standards Committee of Southwark Council met on 8 September 2025 to discuss a range of topics including fraud prevention, housing repairs and maintenance, and internal audit progress. The committee was also scheduled to hold a governance conversation with Aled Richards, Strategic Director for Environment, Sustainability & Leisure. In addition, they were expected to review their work programme for the year.

Repairs and Maintenance Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on repairs and maintenance, focusing on the Housing Improvement Plan agreed with the Regulator for Social Housing (RSH) following an inspection in August 2024 which resulted in a C3 grading¹. The update was to include progress towards becoming a 'Good Landlord', including plans to strengthen the Repairs Service. The agenda indicated that Southwark Council is investing £250 million over three years to maintain council homes to modern, green, and decent standards. The report to be discussed included progress made by the Planned Maintenance (Major Works), Responsive Repairs, Engineering & Compliance and Building Safety teams.

Specifically, the agenda noted that the committee would discuss improvements to the responsive repairs programme, including:

• Strengthening learning and development
• Improving customer experience and access to services
• Tackling damp and mould
• Embedding a new management structure
• Investing in the Direct Labour Organisation (DLO) through a new workforce strategy
• Improving data insight to drive continuous improvement
• Strengthening financial management

The committee was also scheduled to discuss a refreshed Damp & Mould Plan to ensure compliance with Awaab's Law², including proposals around resident vulnerability data. The agenda noted that fire risk assessment compliance remained high, with 100% of properties having an up-to-date assessment in July 2025, and that the council was continuing to reduce the number of overdue actions through a coordinated, cross-departmental approach.

The committee was also scheduled to discuss progress on the installation of smoke alarms as part of the council's ongoing Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) programme, with a target to complete approximately 2,700 EICRs per month to achieve full compliance by the end of March 2026.

The agenda also noted that the percentage of domestic properties with a compliant gas certificate continued to improve, reaching 99.32% in July 2025.

The agenda indicated that the committee would also discuss the ongoing delivery of the current capital investment programme, with a focus on health, safety, and compliance. This included estate-based planned maintenance schemes at locations such as Chilton Grove, Consort Estate, Honiton Gardens, Wyndham/Comber Estate, Crane House and Surrey Square.

The agenda stated that £30m had been set aside for fire safety and building safety work, including structural surveys, remedial works, and regulatory inspection and renewals of fire doors. It also noted that 30 high-rise blocks had been identified as priorities for the 2025/26 financial year.

The committee was also scheduled to discuss resident engagement in building safety, including the co-creation of a borough-wide Building Safety Resident Engagement Strategy.

The agenda indicated that the committee would also discuss plans to spend c.£15m to improve heating and hot water provision at Dighton Court, Gloucester Grove, Setchell Estate and Wyndham Estates, including extending the provision of low carbon heat from the South East London Combined Heat and Power plant (SELCHP), installing heat meters, improving controls and replacing end of life pipework.

The agenda stated that the Repairs Service would deliver £30m of capital investment in communal and roofing repairs, bringing empty properties back into use and ensuring the homes of vulnerable residents are adapted for their needs.

The committee was also scheduled to discuss a stock condition and engineering asset survey, within a budget of c.£9.1m over a four-year contract period. The survey was to include c.37,000 tenanted homes, external fabric of all buildings, external environments and public realms, Mechanical & Electrical Engineering assets, independent living considerations, and condition photographs of all dwelling components.

The agenda noted that a new 5-year investment plan would be developed, using the data from the stock condition survey as its basis, and that proposals would be discussed with residents to ensure co-design of the new Plan.

Corporate Anti-Fraud Team and Special Investigations Team Half Year Report

The committee was scheduled to discuss the 2025-26 half year report of the Corporate Anti-Fraud Team (CAFT) and the Special Investigations Team (SIT). The report summarised the work of the teams to prevent, detect, and respond to fraud, bribery, and corruption.

The agenda indicated that the committee would discuss corporate anti-fraud investigations, homelessness investigations, housing waiting list investigations, Right to Buy (RTB) investigations, and blue badge investigations.

The agenda noted that the CAFT has been collaborating with other departments to develop robust due diligence procedures to support their service delivery.

The agenda stated that the team undertakes reviews of the housing waiting list and also those homelessness applications which are a cause for concern, such as when suspicious supporting documents have been provided.

The agenda indicated that the council checks the veracity of the sources of funds used for the purchase of properties under the right to buy scheme, and that referrals are raised when the cash element of the purchase exceeds HMRC guidelines.

The agenda noted that the CAFT supports referrals for 'Blue Badge' fraud and misuse as part of an Environment, Sustainability and Leisure (ESL) directorate initiative, which outsources the investigation and prosecution of Blue Badge irregularities to an external contractor, BBFI.

The agenda stated that the SIT falls under the Council's Fraud Prosecution Policy with the remit to investigate 'housing tenancy fraud' in respect of the housing stock owned and managed by the council and other social housing where legislation directs that a local authority has specific responsibility.

The agenda noted that the SIT are based within the Accommodation and Support Business Unit which is situated within the new Housing Needs and Support directorate.

The agenda indicated that the committee would discuss SIT verification work, including applications in respect of succession to tenancy, assignment of tenancy, mutual exchange, name changes, and adding or removing a tenant from a tenancy agreement.

The agenda stated that the key function of the team where fraud is identified is to recover properties subject to illegal occupation and prevent fraudulent applications and tenancy changes.

The agenda noted that enhanced processes for liaison between HIT and Area Housing Management are being introduced in September 2025, and that fraud awareness training for Landlord Services will follow to launch the new processes and provide awareness training to assist in identifying and preventing tenancy fraud for frontline staff and management.

The agenda indicated that the committee would discuss the National Fraud Initiative (NFI), a public body that matches electronic data within and between public and private sector bodies to prevent and detect fraud.

The agenda noted that the CAFT supports several services and departments as part of their due diligence processes, including managing contracts, provision of training and facilitating access to ID Scanners and credit reference agency data.

Internal Audit Progress Report

The committee was scheduled to discuss the Internal Audit Progress Report for September 2025.

Annual Governance Report

The committee was scheduled to discuss the Annual Governance Report for 2024-25.

In Year Review of Work Programme

The committee was scheduled to review their work programme for 2025-26.

Governance Conversation

The committee was scheduled to hold a governance conversation with Aled Richards, Strategic Director Environment, Sustainability & Leisure.

Other Business

The agenda included standard items such as apologies for absence, confirmation of voting members, notification of urgent business, disclosure of interests and dispensations, and approval of the minutes from the meeting held on 14 July 2025. The committee was also scheduled to elect a vice-chair.