The Housing Task and Finish Group met on Monday 27 October 2025 to discuss a deep dive review action plan, updates on Stockport Homes attending area committees, and the independent review of Stockport Homes recommendations. The group noted the report on the deep dive review, welcomed the progress of Stockport Homes attending area committees, and discussed the need for greater clarity and accountability in the update on the independent review of Stockport Homes recommendations.

Deep Dive Review Action Plan for Targeted Improvement

The group considered a report detailing a proposed framework for a deep dive initiative aimed at addressing areas of low tenant satisfaction within Stockport Homes' housing stock. The report outlined the focus, areas of investigation, methodology, and data sources for this evidence-led approach. Councillor Mark Roberts, Leader of the Council, chaired the meeting and introduced the item. Councillor Jake Austin, Cabinet Member for Housing and Environment, highlighted that the report was a response to a request from the previous meeting for a review of the methodologies before the deep dives commenced. Mark Linn, Director of Place Management, explained that the report provided further detail on the deep dive proposal, with appendices offering justification for the selected areas.

Councillor Rachel Wise, a Group Leader, suggested incorporating a metric to track the percentage of customers contacted within a specific timeframe, noting that raw numbers for issues like anti-social behaviour and complaints could be difficult to interpret. Councillor Asa Caton, a Group Leader, inquired about the intention to conduct the neighbourhood deep dives sequentially and suggested focusing on processes and systems, using repairs as an example of a process with multiple touchpoints. Councillor James Frizzell, Deputy Group Leader, raised concerns about the wording SHG has control over delivering such improvements actions, particularly in relation to larger plans for areas like Lancashire Hill. He also suggested including heating systems, fuel poverty, and customer profiles in the data collection.

Helen McHale, Chief Executive of Stockport Homes, confirmed that heating systems could be included and that the deep dives would evolve. She also addressed concerns about sequentiality, stating that the deep dives would be conducted in parallel and at varying paces. She acknowledged the point about a single point of contact for repairs when things go wrong and confirmed that customer feedback processes would be examined. Councillor Anna Charles-Jones, a Group Leader, asked if customer feedback on lift downtime, particularly from disabled customers, would be included. Councillor Christine Carrigan, Vice-Chair of the Communities & Transport Scrutiny Committee, reiterated her previous concerns about the focus being on customers rather than Stockport Homes itself and expressed confusion about the intended outcomes of the deep dives.

Councillor Roberts acknowledged the feedback and noted that the deep dives were intended to be specific to allow for detailed learning, with a collated report for scrutiny to identify overarching themes. Mark Linn emphasised that the deep dives were not the end of the improvement process and that learnings would be applied to future work. Councillor Austin confirmed that while the deep dives would focus on management and day-to-day repairs, they would inform discussions on larger investment decisions.

Update on Stockport Homes Attending Area Committees

The group received an update on Stockport Homes' attendance at area committees, as recommended by the Deloitte report. Councillor Roberts welcomed this development, highlighting it as an opportunity for local members to scrutinise Stockport Homes and for the approach to be tailored to the needs of each area committee. Councillor Cate, a Group Leader, shared positive experiences from the Central Area Committee, noting that Stockport Homes had presented significant positive news, such as clearing the backlog of overdue repairs. Councillor Wise echoed these positive sentiments, emphasizing the transparency and accountability provided by Stockport Homes' presence at area committees, which helps build resident confidence.

Councillor Austin, Cabinet Member for Housing and Environment, noted that while Steppenhill Area Committee had only had one visit so far, he was pleased to see the evolution of the approach in other committees, allowing them to shape the agenda based on local priorities. He stressed that the Housing Task and Finish Group exists to examine how these processes are working and to suggest improvements. Councillor Roberts concluded that the approach had been successful in improving scrutiny and connectivity between local members and Stockport Homes. Helen McHale and Mark Linn had no further comments on this item.

Independent Review of Stockport Homes: Update on Recommendations

The group reviewed a report summarising the recommendations from Deloitte's independent review of Stockport Homes and the actions taken in response. Councillor Austin explained that the language used, such as change implemented rather than completed, was deliberate to reflect the ongoing monitoring of these changes. He welcomed comments and questions on the ongoing work. Mark Linn added that the report tracked Deloitte's specific recommendations, including significant governance changes and cultural shifts. Helen McHale stated she would comment after the councillors.

Councillor Asa Caton expressed concern about the vague language in the report, requesting clear accountability for each action and specific deadlines. He suggested that without these, the actions could continue indefinitely. Councillor Jake Austin, as Cabinet Member for Housing and Environment, stated his willingness to be accountable for decisions within his portfolio and agreed to consider adding target dates and responsible individuals to future reports. Councillor Christine Carrigan highlighted specific examples of vague statements in the report, such as conversations ongoing, and requested more detail on who the nominated officers attending Stockport Homes board meetings were, who they would report to, and the expected outcomes. She felt the report did not provide sufficient information.

Councillor Austin acknowledged the feedback regarding the balance between providing enough information and avoiding overload, and agreed to work with officers to enhance the detail in future reports. Helen McHale suggested adding a column to indicate where actions would be scrutinised or taken to council cabinet to provide greater clarity on progress and identify missing elements. She also raised concerns about the long-term future of Stockport Homes' development team without a more meaningful pipeline. Councillor Cate inquired about the feedback loop for Stockport Homes to communicate its strategic needs to the council. Councillor Austin explained that while informal mechanisms exist, the inclusion of council officers on the Stockport Homes board and regular meetings between himself and Stockport Homes officers facilitated a two-way dialogue. Mark Linn clarified that the Deloitte recommendations were directed at both the council and Stockport Homes, requiring collective action. Councillor Carrigan reiterated the need for visibility of Stockport Homes' requests to the council, suggesting a list of council actions needed to support Stockport Homes' strategic planning. Councillor Roberts noted that scrutiny would be the appropriate forum for examining these aspects. Helen McHale added that many actions involved shared responsibility and that the improved reporting could help clarify progress and identify where responsibility lay.

Dates for Future Meetings

The group agreed to schedule future meeting dates outside of the current session to allow members to coordinate their diaries. Councillor Roberts suggested aiming for meetings before Christmas or in early the new year. Charles Yankiah, from Corporate and Support Services, confirmed this approach was acceptable and that communication of dates would be made well in advance. The discussion also touched upon the format of future meetings, with Councillor Roberts expressing a preference for retaining the flexibility of remote meetings due to their accessibility and environmental benefits, while acknowledging the council's current policy on decision-making meetings requiring in-person attendance.