The Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee of Brent Council met on Wednesday 4 March 2026 to discuss a range of housing-related issues and receive updates on council services. Key decisions included noting the performance of Brent Housing Management against Tenant Satisfaction Measures, reviewing the Area Tenancy Management Model, and receiving an update on Temporary Accommodation, Homelessness Prevention, and Supported Exempt Accommodation.

Reduction in Operating Hours at Central Middlesex Hospital Urgent Treatment Centre

The committee received a briefing regarding the reduction in operating hours at the Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) located at Central Middlesex Hospital. Concerns were raised by residents and councillors about the potential for the UTC to eventually disappear, leading to a loss of services and potential redevelopment. A representative from London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust explained that the decision was made not for financial savings but to move the resource where the patient demand is, citing that patients from the Brent area were choosing to use the 24-hour facility at Northwick Park. The Trust stated that Central Middlesex Hospital has seen increased investment in other services, including a new community diagnostics centre and endoscopy suite. Questions were also raised about the low response rate to the consultation on the changes, with the Trust explaining that it was an engagement rather than a formal consultation due to the minor nature of the service change, and that the petition against the reduction in hours was received after the changes had been implemented. Councillors expressed a desire for a more comprehensive consultation and for a review of the decision based on more extensive public feedback.

Housing Management: Tenant Satisfaction Measures and Brent Housing Management Performance

The committee received a comprehensive update on the performance of Brent Housing Management (BHM) against Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs). Councillor Fleur Donnelly-Jackson, Lead Cabinet Member for Housing, acknowledged that current performance is not where residents expect or deserve it to be and that this situation is not tenable. An improvement programme has been established, chaired by the Chief Executive, to provide governance and accountability for housing improvements. Resident scrutiny is being strengthened through the Housing Management Advisory Board, chaired by Councillor Bill Martin.

Key areas of focus include:

• Voids: The backlog is reducing, with improvements in turnaround times for both major and minor voids. However, data cleansing has revealed a higher-than-expected void rate, and new build handovers are placing strain on lettings capacity.
• Compliance: While compliance is improving, IT systems supporting this work are still being stabilised. Specific concerns were raised about fire risk assessments in high-risk buildings, with a recommendation made to bring these up to the same standard as gas safety compliance.
• Repairs: Significant improvements have been noted since autumn 2025, attributed to new contracts with Mears (east of the borough) and Wates (west of the borough). However, capacity remains tight, and an ageing housing stock contributes to an increase in repair needs. The distinction between reactive repairs and formal disrepair claims, often involving legal action due to issues like damp and mould, was clarified.
• Complaints: Complaint volumes are rising, reflecting both service issues and increased resident awareness. The report noted that complaints are increasing partly because residents are being encouraged to complain and that rising resident expectations of the complaint process are resulting in more stage two complaints. Councillors expressed concern that these explanations could be seen as dismissive, emphasizing that complaints arise from genuine issues. A review of the complaints handling process is underway.
• Data and Reporting: A common theme throughout the discussion was the significant problem with data and reporting systems. The NEC system is being rebuilt, with True Compliance and Lifespan systems to be integrated. This is an 18-month recovery project aimed at creating a single, reliable source of information for housing management.
• Anti-social Behaviour (ASB): Satisfaction with the landlord's approach to handling ASB remains low at 40.5%, despite a slight increase. A new ASB strategy is being developed, with a focus on better coordination with the community safety team. A recommendation was made to ensure an equal number of community safety officers and neighbourhood managers to improve partnership working.
• Finance: The report highlighted significant financial pressures, including a 22% arrears rate for rent collection compared to a London average of 9.3%, representing a substantial loss of income. The cost of voids is also a concern, with a projected £3.5 million loss for 2025/26.

Area Tenancy Management Model

The committee received an update on the Area Tenancy Management (ATM) model, introduced in June 2024 to address fragmentation, poor handoffs, data weaknesses, and weak resident relationships. Each ATM is now responsible end-to-end for lettings, income, tenancy management, estate presence, early intervention, and safeguarding.

Shanice Lowe, an Area Tenancy Manager, shared a case study illustrating how the combined role benefited a vulnerable resident by providing a single point of contact for multiple issues, including managing rent arrears and coordinating necessary home adaptations. Georgia Gallagher, another ATM, presented a case study on tackling anti-social behaviour in a high-rise block, which involved working with the police and community safety teams to secure closure orders for communal areas and address issues like vandalism and abandoned vehicles.

Challenges identified include the initial recruitment and training period for the new roles, the need for technology and infrastructure transformation, and historical data limitations. The model aims to be more proactive and resident-focused, with ATMs conducting regular estate walkabouts and utilizing WhatsApp channels for communication.

Temporary Accommodation, Supported Exempt Accommodation and Homelessness Prevention

This item provided an update on the significant pressures on temporary accommodation (TA) services, with Brent accommodating 2,450 households, 60% of which are in nightly-paid placements. The council faces an projected £4.5 million overspend in 2025/26 due to rising demand and costs. A strategic shift towards long-term leasing with institutional investors is proposed, aiming to save £2.5 million annually and secure 367 units of good-quality accommodation.

Key data presented included:

• Demand: While demand for TA peaked in 2024, exits have increased due to new social housing availability. However, a reduction in social housing supply is expected to lead to a higher net increase in TA households in 2026.
• Length of Stay: The average length of stay in TA for current placements is 648 days (1 year 9 months), with a median of 280 days (9 months). For households that exited TA between 2018 and 2026, the average stay was 606 days, with a median of 96 days.
• Demographics: The report detailed the age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and employment status of lead applicants in TA, highlighting that homelessness disproportionately affects vulnerable residents with protected characteristics.
• Reasons for Homelessness: The most common reasons for households entering TA were the end of Private Rented Sector (PRS) tenancies (36.59%), family exclusions (18.13%), and domestic abuse (13.87%).
• Supported Exempt Accommodation (SEA): The council is reviewing its Housing Related Support Services and is tendering for a design partner to commission new outcome-based contracts. A new supported accommodation scheme with First Wave Housing aims to provide over 300 units by 2028 and achieve cost reductions. Challenges remain in the quality of some non-commissioned SEA, with efforts underway to improve standards and phase out lower-quality providers. A new licensing scheme for supported accommodation is anticipated to provide greater regulatory powers.
• Homelessness Prevention: The service has seen a 30% success rate in preventing or relieving homelessness through early intervention. Partnerships with voluntary sector organisations and other council departments are crucial for providing holistic support.

Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee Work Programme 2025-26

The committee agreed its work programme for the upcoming municipal year, which includes a range of topics such as safeguarding, housing performance, and public health initiatives. An additional item was added to discuss the reduction in operating hours at the Urgent Treatment Centre at Central Middlesex Hospital.

Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee Recommendations Tracker

The committee reviewed the recommendations tracker, noting progress on previous recommendations and suggestions for improvement. Several new recommendations and information requests were made during the meeting, including:

• A recommendation to write to the government regarding accountability for contractors and developers of unsafe and defective buildings.
• A recommendation for a more formalised proactive strategy for repairs, moving beyond reactive measures.
• A recommendation for key housing performance indicators to be benchmarked against other London boroughs.
• A recommendation for the council to write to the government regarding the need for better safeguarding for young people in temporary accommodation, particularly those placed outside the borough.
• A recommendation for the council to investigate the environmental considerations of using AI.
• A recommendation for the community safety team to mirror the number of neighbourhood managers to improve partnership working.
• A recommendation for fire risk assessments in all buildings to be brought up to the same level as gas safety compliance.
• A recommendation for the Area Tenancy Management model to be reviewed for potential adjustments to patch sizes based on learnings from the first year.
• An information request for a breakdown of temporary accommodation data by age groups, ethnicity, and other demographics.
• An information request for details on the methodology used to produce the Youth Justice Service Delivery data.
• An information request for data on smoking and vaping prevalence among young people in Brent.
• An information request for Brent-specific reasons given by social care workers for leaving their roles.
• A recommendation for the Area Tenancy Management model to be reviewed for potential adjustments to patch sizes based on learnings from the first year.
• An information request for a breakdown of temporary accommodation data by age groups, ethnicity, and other demographics.
• An information request for details on the methodology used to produce the Youth Justice Service Delivery data.
• An information request for data on smoking and vaping prevalence among young people in Brent.
• An information request for Brent-specific reasons given by social care workers for leaving their roles.