The Housing Scrutiny Commission was scheduled to discuss updates on the Provider Improvement Plan, the council's response to Awaab's Law, and the overall health and safety performance across the council's housing stock. The meeting was also set to review the commission's work programme.

Provider Improvement Plan Update Report

A report was scheduled to be presented detailing the progress made on Leicester City Council's Housing Division's Provider Improvement Plan (PiP). This plan was developed following a routine inspection by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) in May 2025, which resulted in a C3 consumer grading. The division is currently in the provider engagement phase with the RSH, involving regular meetings to discuss progress against the PiP. The PiP contains 26 actions aimed at achieving compliance with consumer standards, covering areas such as stock quality, repairs and maintenance, health and safety, anti-social behaviour, mutual exchanges, and transparency. The report was expected to provide an update on the RAG rating of these actions, with five actions reported as fully complete as of December 2025.

Hazards in Housing - Summary Report in relation to LCC's Response to Awaab's Law

The commission was scheduled to receive a report outlining the requirements of Awaab's Law and the division's arrangements for compliance. Phase 1 of Awaab's Law, which came into effect on 27 October 2025, mandates that social landlords address emergency hazards and damp and mould hazards presenting a significant risk of harm within specified timeframes. Phase 2, due in October 2026, will extend to other hazards, and Phase 3 in 2027 will cover all Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) hazards. The report was expected to detail the challenges faced by the division in meeting these requirements, particularly concerning resource allocation and the implementation of an ICT solution for works orders. A phased approach to compliance had been adopted, with specific response times for emergency hazards, significant damp and mould hazards, and technical inspections.

Health and Safety in LCC Properties Report

This report was intended to provide a comprehensive overview of health and safety arrangements and operational performance across the council's housing stock. It was scheduled to detail the council's compliance with key legislation, including the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the Fire Safety Act 2021, and various specific regulations related to gas safety, electrical safety, asbestos, fire safety, water hygiene, and passenger lift safety. The report was expected to present Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for each area, highlighting current performance against targets. For gas safety, the target was 100% compliance for Annual Gas Safety Checks (AGSC), with current performance at 99.70%. For electrical safety, the target was 99% of properties with a valid and in-date Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) by December 2028, with current performance at 34%. The report was also to cover the management of asbestos in communal areas, fire safety measures in different risk categories of buildings, water hygiene compliance, and passenger lift safety.

Work Programme

The commission was scheduled to review its work programme for the upcoming period. The report was expected to list items that had been completed, were in progress, or were planned for future meetings. This included updates on income collection, stock condition, fire safety, private rented sector strategy, housing regulatory inspections, and the 'Who Gets Social Housing' report. The work programme also indicated that the commission would consider suggestions for additional items to be included in its future agenda.