Residents' Services SC

Minutes RESIDENTS' SERVICES SELECT COMMITTEE 13 June 2024 Meeting held at Committee Room 5 - Civic Centre Committee Members Present: Councillors Wayne Bridges (Chair), Peter Smallwood (Vice -Chair), Darran Davies, Ekta Gohil, Janet Gardner, Kamal Preet Kaur and Sital Punja Officers Present: Nicola Herbert (Head of Waste Services) Dan Kennedy (Corporate Director of Central Services) Liz Penny (Democratic Services Officer) Richard Webb (Director Community Safety & Enforcement) Witnesses Present: Sophie Murray (Lead Manager of the Hillingdon Thames Reach Outreach Team) Laura Lawson (P3 Yiewsley) Nicola Tallon (P3 Yiewsley) Zara Sweet (Operations Manager, P3 Yiewsley) 3. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE (Agenda Item 1) Apologies were received from Councillor Scott Farley with Councillor Sital Punja substituting. 4. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST IN MATTERS COMING BEFORE THIS MEETING (Agenda Item 2) There were no declarations of interest. 5. TO RECEIVE THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETINGS DATED 16 APRIL 2024 AND 9 MAY 2024 (Agenda Item 3) RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meetings dated 16 April 2024 a nd 9 May 2024 be agreed as an accurate record. 6. TO CONFIRM THAT THE ITEMS OF BUSINESS MARKED AS PART I WILL BE CONSIDERED IN PUBLIC AND THOSE MARKED PART II WILL BE CONSIDERED IN PRIVATE (Agenda Item 4) It was confirmed that all item s of business were marked as Part I and would be considered in public. 7. REVIEW OF HOMELESSNESS AND THE CUSTOMER JOURNEY: WITNESS SESSION 3 (Agenda Item 5) Dan Kennedy, Corporate Director of Central Services, introduced the item and i nvited colleagues from P3 and Thames Reach to share their experiences and perspectives on homelessness. Thames Reach Sophie Murray, Lead Manager of the Hillingdon Thames Reach Outreach Team, addressed the Committee Members confirming that Thames Reach w orked closely with Council Housing officers. Ms Murray outlined the team’s work with the Rough Sleeper team within Hillingdon Council, their response to support rough sleepers, and their collaboration with agencies such as ARCH (Addiction, Recovery, Comm unity Hillingdon Service), RAMP ( Refugee Asylum and Migration Policy project) and mental health teams. The challenges faced, including a lack of options for accommodation and the high support needs of many rough sleepers, were highlighted. P3 Zara Stree t (Operations Manager of the Hillingdon Thames Reach Outreach Team) Laura Lawson and Nicola Tallon were in attendance representing P3. Members heard that P3 provided support to young people and families. The Committee was informed that P3 ran four services from the Navigator Centre, including a housing advice service, a floating support service for looked after children and care experienced young people, a well -being project for early intervention prevention, and move -on properties. They also ran a family a dvice service for families with a child aged 5 and under. P3 highlighted their previous work with the Council and their current collaborations with various partners within the Borough. The challenges faced in moving young people on to appropriate accommodation were highlighted. P3 discussed their supported accommodation services, which included four units for 16 to 25 -year-olds who had previously been in care. They highlighted the challenges of moving young people on to appropriate accommodation due to t he limited supply of affordable move-on housing, making it difficult to find suitable accommodation for these individuals. It was noted that everyone involved in providing accommodation was currently facing difficulties. The high cost of private sector r ents and the Council’s struggle t o find private landlords willing to accept homeless individuals were identified as significant issues. The consensus was that all parties were currently stuck with limited resources and options in addressing homelessness. Members sought further clarification regarding the improvements needed in the Housing Department to enhance the experience for both workers and clients. In response, the emphasis was placed on the importance of communication. It was noted that case work changes within the housing department sometimes occurred without the knowledge of partnership workers. The need for a platform where everyone could communicate was highlighted, given the numerous services within the Borough and the housing linked to them. The communication with the robust sleeper pathway was praised, but it was pointed out that some people P3 worked with ended up sleeping rough because their applications with the Council’s Homelessness Prevention Team had found they were not in priority need for housing assistance. Members heard that, when people approached the Housing Department at the Civic Centre, it was extremely challenging for officers due to the high level of homelessness demand presenting to the Council. P3 reported that, when they contacted homelessness prevention officers, they did not always receive a timely response. It was felt that more time and patience should be spent with people, especially those with language barriers, trauma, and PTSD, to help them understand their situat ion better. The hope was expresse d that the risk of rough sleeping could be reduced or at least prevented differently. It was confirmed that P3 had previously provided the Housing Team at the Council with a list of suggestions as to how the service could be improved. In respect of families with young children, Members enquired how a balance could be achieved between building trust with parents while addressing the needs of the young person. Members also sought clarity as to how officers worked with local residents to alleviate concerns a bout housing placements. In response to this, P3 emphasised the importance of communication, regular support visits, and ensuring appropriate accommodation for those transitioning from homelessness. They confirmed that thei r role primarily involved providing advice and guidance rather than directly offering housing. In response to further questions from the Committee it was acknowledged that some homeless people did not want to be helped. In such cases it was important to b e patient, build up trust and pro ceed very slowly. Asylum seekers and immigration cases were often reluctant to engage with services due to concerns regarding their immigration status. With this entrenched cohort of people, Thames Reach sometimes linked up with other charities such as St Mungo’s. In terms of communication, P3 confirmed that they had an excellent relationship with partners such as Thames Reach, and the YMCA but would like to receive a quicker response from the Council. Thames Reach could n ot make referrals to the YMCA but worked closely with P3 and Trinity. Communication with the Council was a lengthy process. Members heard that, following a referral to the Council, P3 continued to work with individuals from start to finish especially if the case was complex. They kept cases open and checked in on a monthly basis to ensure individuals had everything they needed. Thames Reach advised Members that, once a referral had been made to the Council, they continued to assist individuals in maintain ing their tenancies by offering support with finances, mental health, grants etc. Wrap around care was provided until the cases were ready to be closed. It was confirmed that communication between the Council and P3 had been much easier when P3 had been co-located in the Civic Centre. This was no longer the case and all decisions in relation to offers of accommodation now had to be referred to the Head of Service. It was felt that there was sometimes a lack of consistency in information being given by officers. Members enquired whether all partners had access to a central database system. It was reported that Thames Reach had their own database for rough sleepers but could not access Hillingdon’s systems. It was commented by P3 that Hillingdon’s previous case work database was not very user -friendly (the case work system changed on 1 st April). Direct access to a central portal which linked all the records together would be welcomed by P3 but may not work for Thames Reach. P3 suggested that there should be one point of contact at the Counc il to deal with P3 and young people. There were a number of agency staff at present - improved structure and better communication was suggested. Thames Reach did not feel a central database was necessary provided that housing officers answered their requests for information in a timely way. It was reported that monthly catch-up meetings at the Civic Centre would be helpful. In response to further questions from the Committee, it was confirmed that Trinity had low, medium a nd high -level support units. It w as reported that Trinity struggled to purchase stock and the YMCA only had one low support block. Members heard that Thames Reach could refer to P3 and the Council but not to the YMCA. Most of the people Thames Reach worked with were high need, but the vast majority (approximately 90%) were deemed non-priority although they often had alcohol or drug issues. Members sought further clarification regarding the suggestions sent to the Council by P3. It was confirmed that these related to caseload, supervision , holistic approach etc. Many of the suggestions had been taken on board within the current improvement plan for the service. P3’s delivery model had changed to incorporate some of them e.g. floating support and partnership working. Members sought the opinion of P3 regarding the banding systems used by the Council. In response to this, P3 confirmed that they did not use the Locata system. It was recognised that it was a constant battle for staff in lettings to keep abreas t of all the current information. Each case had to be assessed carefully hence time frames were long. In response to further questions, it was reported that many of the housing officers at the Council were good at their jobs but there was a lack of consi stency. The use of agency staff was unsettling for both staff and residents. Young people found it somewhat of a lottery and reported that staff often failed to call them back. P3 confirmed that, when a staff member left the Council, they usually received a bounce back email providing an alternative contact. However, it was felt that partners should be informed of staff changes in advance rather than finding out this way. Councillors suggested that a Venn diagram of staff should be prepared for professional partners and updated regularly. There should be a quality handover of cases when staff members left the Council to ensure continuity. The Corporate Director of Central Services acknowledged that the service needed to continue to improve. An improvement plan incorporating a workforce pl an and recruitment campaign was being actively implemented and he would welcome the opportunity to present the plan and an update to Members at a future meeting of the Select Committee. It was recognised that some agency st aff did an excellent job and where under performance was identified this was being addressed. The Corporate Director of Central Services confirmed that he would spend some time in the contact centre on a regular basis to listen to residents’ experience. He informed Members that the case work system for homeless case work had been changed in April. Demand on the service was relentless with 140 new cases received in the previous week; an increase of approximately 30% on the previous year. Many of those approa ching the Council for help had never been homeless before but had become homeless having been evicted from privately rental properties. Members heard that the infrastructure was in place, but improvements were underway. RESOLVED: That the Residents’ Serv ices Select Committee noted the e vidence heard at the witness session and sought clarification as necessary in the context of its review of Homelessness and the Customer Journey in Hillingdon. 8. GRAFFITI REMOVAL (Agenda Item 6) Nicola Herbert, Head of Waste Services, was in attendance to answer Members’ questions in relation to the Graffiti Removal report in the agenda pack. Members noted that, as set out on page 26 of the agenda pack, in March 2023 27% of graffiti removal works had b een completed in response to an o nline report. Members sought further information in relation to this and enquired whether this was an improvement or a reduction on previous years. It was agreed that the Head of Waste Services would attempt to source the relevant data for comparison purposes. Members enquired how effectively the graffiti service liaised with TfL regarding graffiti on bus shelters. It was confirmed that such reports went directly to TfL in the first instance but on occasion they were escalated to the Council as they had taken too long to process. Members suggested that, in such cases, the Council should look to recover the cost of removal from TfL. The Committee sought further clarification regarding the monitoring of success noting that, in some cases, graffiti was removed but fly posting was not. It was confirmed that contractors were expected to complete such works proactively. In future, examples could be forwarded to the Head of Waste Services. Members welcomed the fact that graffit i was generally removed very quic kly and suggested that other departments could learn from this approach. Noting that graffiti on shop shutters was sometimes missed as they were open during the day, it was suggested that the team could consider completing these works during the evening. The Head of Waste Services advised Members that some businesses were reluctant to close their shutters during business hours and opted to remove the graffiti themselves. Out of hours working would be considered for the future. In response to further questi ons from Councillors, it was confirmed that the Council did not issue fines for the removal of flyposting. Graffiti removal was prioritised over flyposting. The issuing of fines for flyposting offences was challenging as th e person responsible for putting the poster up was liable rather than the business the poster related to. At the request of Members, it was agreed than an information item relating to flyposting would be added to the Select Committee Work Programme. Members were informed that the main focus was on cleaning up the graffiti which had been reported, rather than scoping. In known hotspots such as Ruislip and Hayes, graffiti was often removed proactively before it had been reported. Members sought further c larification regarding the benefits of contracting out the service. They were informed that the contractors had specialist vehicles and were trained in the use of appropriate chemicals to remove different types of graffiti. If the service were to be brough t in house, specially trained sta ff would be needed. Moreover, if contractors were to damage private property, the Council would be risk free. In respect of the contract, which was due to expire in November, the Select Committee was advised that market r esearch would be carried out and the Council would meet with other suppliers prior to renewing the contract. Members referred to the table on page 26 of the agenda pack and sought further clarification regarding the saving of over £50,000 between 2022/23 and 2023/24. It was confirmed that this could be attributed to the reduction from two teams to one team. In response to further questions from Members, it was confirmed that it had not been possible to identify the perpetrators of graffiti therefore no fines had been issued. Councillors suggested that the Council could work with the Police on this or liaise with teachers who could provide further information. It was agreed that the Director of Community Safety and Enforcement would follow up on this after the meeting. Members noted th at the ‘Wet Paint’ signs were not always removed after graffiti removal. The Head of Waste Services agreed to follow this up. Members were informed that land registry searches were rarely necessary to get permission. Larger businesses tended to remove graffiti themselves. RESOLVED That the Select Committee: 1) Noted the arrangements under the current graffiti removal contract; and 2) Supported the continued works under the existing contract arrangements. 9. ASB SERVICE UPDATE (Agenda Item 7) Richard Webb, Director of Community Safety and Enforcement, was in attendance to answer Members’ questions in relation to the Anti -Social Behaviour report included in the agenda pack. Members queried the accuracy of the FPN figures as set out on page 36 of the agenda pack as some of these seemed very low. It was confirmed that the system currently in place was inadequate hence a spreadsheet had been created to record this information. It was recognised that the inform ation presented did not align wit h ward boundaries. The statistics related to the deployment of environmental support officers. Members were informed that most FPNs came from contractors; in order for an FPN to be issued, the incident had to be witnessed f irsthand. ANPR cameras were not generally effective in identifying offenders as the images they generated were not sufficiently detailed. In response to further questions from the Select Committee, it was confirmed that deployment was based on problem ar eas such as high streets, Ruislip Lido and areas around Heathrow. This was updated regularly to meet requirements. Members sought further clarification regarding the issuing of FPNs for fly tipping which did not appear on the list in the report. It was a greed that the Director of Community Safety and Enforcement would explore this further outside of the meeting. Members were advised that, in some instances, ANPR cameras were able to pick up fly tippers. Officers would then try to trace the number plate of the vehicle to identify the offender. Councillors requested further information regarding the increase in anti -social behaviour. It was confirmed that all local authorities were witnessing an increase in anti-social behaviour. Since Covid, people were working from home more regularly and were therefore more likely to notice, and complain about, their neighbours’ behaviour. Moreover, the cost of living was another driver of anti-social behaviour. Members enquired whether the current excel spreadsheet co uld be digitalised to facilitate the breakdown of FPN figures per ward. The Director of Community Safety and Enforcement acknowledged that customer service was inadequate at present. A new case management system was to be introduced which would help to add ress this. It was confirmed that the team had worked with the Police on a number of occasions in relation to ASB hotspots. The Select Committee sought further clarification in respect of actionable vs non - actionable incidents. It was confirmed that it was not always possible for the t eam to take any action due to insufficient location details. Members were informed that the ASB department held regular discussions with other teams, including Housing, to agree who would lead on a piece of work. The teams worked well together across the Council. With regard to the relationship between the Council, the Police and management companies, it was confirmed that ASB got involved when problems were reported. The ASB localities team focused on more complex ASB cas es such as those involving social landlords who were often reluctant to take action. It was hoped that the social housing regulator would assist with this in the future. Councillors suggested that ‘No Ball Games’ signs be erected in car parks for childre n’s safety. No drinking signs were also recommended in high streets to encourage people to move on. It was reported that the Police were unable to take action if said signs were not in situ. It was agreed that the Director of Community Safety and Enforcement would explore this further. With regards to fly tipping, Members observed that contractors would only pick up items that had been reported and left everything else behind. The Director of Community Safety and Enforcement confirmed that this should not be the case and agreed to follow this up with the contractor if examples were provided. With regard to tower blocks and ASB in communal areas, it was acknowledged that this had been a challenge for a number of years. Members commented that short term policies did not appear to be workin g and felt a longer -term strategy was needed. It was confirmed that officers were now being equipped with as much guidance as possible, and information was being collected so officers could fully understand the problems and people involved. It was anticipated that this would assist in tackling the issue in the longer term. Members sought further information regarding the strategy to deal with aggressive begging. It was acknowledged that this was difficult to eradicate – offenders were often of no fixed ab ode and did not pay the fines issued. It was confirmed that the team always followed up on complaints and tried to identify the offenders where possible. The Select Committee heard that aggressive begging had not been inclu ded in the previous PSPO as the Government had been consulting on the matter at the time as part of national legislation. In respect of Members’ Enquiries, Councillors enquired how response times could be improved on. The Director of Community Safety and Enforcement acknowledged that the number of cases was vast, and the current team only comprised 14 people. The capacity required to manage the total caseload was currently being assessed. The result of said assessment was likely to indicate that more staf f were required to deal with the caseload. Alternatively, the service provision would have to be reduced. It was considered that system improvements would make a significant difference. This matter would be reviewed going forward to ensure that reasonable demands were met. Members requested feedback to enable them to keep residents informed. Councillors sought further clarification regarding the procurement process. It was confirmed that contract extensions were a Cabinet Member decision. A wider review o f contracts would be undertaken going forward. Members heard that the current contract was cost neutral to the Council but other options were available. Members reported that Actions Days were welcomed and were working very effectively. Members referre d to page 36 of the agenda pack n oting that 79% of the FPNs appeared to relate to only 3 areas – Eastcote Ruislip (14%), Hayes Town (38%) and South Ruislip (27%). It was felt that the information presented did not provide an accurate picture of what was ac tually happening. Members requested sight of an updated report with accurate data within the next year. It was noted that in -house statistics needed to be separated from those of contractors. Moreover, the figures should include open spaces in addition to high streets. RESOLVED: 1. That the Residents’ Services Select Committee noted the contents of the report and asked questions in order to clarify matters of concern or interest in the Borough; and 2. That the Residents’ Services Select Committee provided comm ent on the draft anti -social behaviour policy for consideration when the policy is finalised for adoption by the Council. 10. FORWARD PLAN (Agenda Item 8) RESOLVED: That the Residents’ Services Select Committee noted the Cabinet Forward Plan. 11. WORK PROGRAMME (Agenda Item 9) Democratic Services advised the Select Committee that a September site visit to Edmonton Recycling Centre was currently being planned. At the request of Members, it was agreed that a site visi t to Uxbridge or Ruislip Lido would be added to the Work Programme. Members also requested an update on fly tipping (including funfairs), and it was agreed that this would be added to the Select Committee Work Programme. RESOLVED: That the Residents’ Services Select Committee considered the Work Programme report and agreed any amendments. The meeting, which commenced at 7.00 pm, closed at 9.18 pm. These are the minutes of the above meeting. For more information on any of the resolutions please contact Liz Penny, Democratic Services Officer on epenny@hillingdon.gov.uk. Circulation of these minutes is to Councillors, officers, the press and members of the public.

Residents’ Services Select Committee – 18 July 2024 Classification: Public Review of Homelessness and the Customer Journey: Witness Session 4 Committee name Residents’ Services Select Committee Officer reporting Melissa Blower, Housing Project Manager Papers with report Scoping Report HEADLINES This first item on the Committee’s major review is the fourth witness session and Members will hear from representatives from the Citizen’s Advice Bureau, Bell Farm Christian Centre, NHS Social Prescribers and the Hillingdon Domestic Abuse Advocacy Service (HDAAS). RECOMMENDATION: That the Residents’ Services Select Committee notes the evidence heard at the witness session and seeks clarification as necessary in the context of its review of Homelessness and the Customer Journey in Hillingdon. SUPPORTING INFORMATION At its meeting on 16 January 2024, the Residents’ Services Select Committee agreed to undertake a major review of the Council’s Housing Advice and Homelessness Service, with a particular focus on the residents’ journey through the system and customer servi ce. The scoping report for the review was subsequently approved at the Select Committee meeting on 13 February 2024. At this fourth witness session, representatives of key partners ; namely the Citizen’s Advice Bureau, Bell Farm Christian Centre, NHS Social Prescribers – Rachel Bulley and Amal Jama and Hillingdon Domestic Abuse Advocacy Service (HDAAS) – Sonia Stewart will be in attendance to outline their roles and answer any questions that may arise. Citizen’s Advice Bureau For 85 years, the Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB) has been helping people by giving them the knowledge and the confidence they need to find a way forward. Their network of independent charities offers confidential advice online, over the phone, and in person , for free. The service is independent and totally impartial. People across the country can seek advice on a wide variety of matters including those relating to family, work, debt, immigration, health and housing. CAB help millions of people every year. In 2022-23, this included:  42.7 million visits to their website  457,000 people helped face to face (more than double the previous year)  1.8 million people using their phone service  895,000 helped by email or webchat  79,000 witnesses supported through the Witness Service Citizen’s Advice provide support in approximately 1,600 locations across England and Wales with 14,000 volunteers and 8,843 staff. By helping people with t he underlying cause of their Residents’ Services Select Committee – 18 July 2024 Classification: Public problems and making sure they don’t get worse, they save the Government and public services hundreds of millions of pounds every year. Bell Farm Christian Centre Bell Farm Christian Centre is a Christian Church based in the middle of the Bell Farm Estate in West Drayton, Middlesex. Bell Farm Christian Centre provides a number of services and activities for the wider community. The support and services, used by over 3,000 people each year, have encouraged many residents and families to develop personal skills and self-confidence, and learn how to help both themselves and each other. The organisation works with some of the most disadvantaged and marginalised within the community. The Christian Centre currently provides a number of services for the local community . One such service is the Advice, Information and Care Service which provides, information, advice, advocacy and support to members of the local community who have issues concerning: housing, benefits, consumer affairs, debt, hate crime, domestic violence etc. The work includes partnerships with other organisations that are able to provide information, advice and advocacy on specific issues. NHS Social Prescribers Social prescribing is a key component of Universal Personalised Care . It is an approach that connects people to activities, groups, and services in their community to meet the practical, social and emotional needs that affect their health and wellbeing. In social prescribing, local agencies such as local charities, social care and health services refer people to a social prescribing link worker. Social prescribing link workers give people time, focusing on ‘what matters to me?’ to co- produce a simple personalised care and support plan, and support people to take control of their health and wellbeing. Social prescribing link workers also support existing community groups to be accessible and sustainable, and help people to start new groups, working collaboratively with all local partners. Social prescribing is an all-age, whole population approach that works particularly well for people who:  have one or more long term conditions  who need support with low level mental health issues  who are lonely or isolated  who have complex social needs which affect their wellbeing. Hillingdon Domestic Abuse Advocacy Service (HDAAS) - Sonia Stewart HDAAS is an independent and confidential service that works with agencies (such as the police, housing and social care) to offer an independent and confidential service for male and female victims of domestic abuse. HDAAS offers support for all victims of domestic abuse, regardless of the level of risk (IDVA and floating support). The service works to reduce the risk and repeat victimisation, co-ordinates services for individuals to ensure safe outcomes, offers comprehensive risk assessments and safety plan s for adults aged 16+ and their children and provides advice, training and consultancy to partners. Residents’ Services Select Committee – 18 July 2024 Classification: Public Site Visits As part of the review, on Wednesday 22 May 2024, four Members of the Select Committee visited B&Bs in the Borough accompanied by the Counter Fraud Team. On Friday 24 / 31 May 2024 some Members also visited the customer contact centre and the Housing Reception at the Civic Centre to listen to calls and observe proceedings. Terms of Reference The following Terms of Reference were not ed for this review, subject to any changes agreed by the Committee: 1. To gain a thorough understanding of the Council’s Homeless Prevention Service and the resident’s journey through this process. 2. To scrutinise the service delivery and review its effectiveness. 3. To review service users’ feedback to explore the challenges faced by residents accessing the service. 4. To look at other local authorities that may have different models of service delivery for best practice, including research and findings from chari ties, housing bodies, regional bodies and organisations, e.g. GLA. 5. Subject to the Committee’s findings, to make any conclusions, propose practical and deliverable actions, service and policy recommendations to the decision-making Cabinet. How this report benefits Hillingdon residents Select Committees directly engage residents in shaping policy and recommendations from the Committees are presented to Cabinet to consider, and ultimately seek to improve the way the Council provides services to residents. Financial Implications None at this stage. Legal Implications None at this stage. BACKGROUND PAPERS NIL.

Page 1 Residents’ Services Select Committee Review Scoping Report – 2023/2024 A Review of Homeless Prevention & the Customer Journey 1. OBJECTIVES Aim of the review At its meeting on 16 January 2024, the Residents’ Services Select Committee agreed to undertake a major review of the Council’s Housing Advice and Homelessness Service, with a particular focus on the residents’ journey through the system and customer service. This review aims to consider ways in which the customer journey could potentially be improved to better support residents during this process and improve residents’ satisfaction with the way in which they access advice and support, to prevent homelessness. It is advised that the scope of any Select Committee’s review is limited to the customer journey and how residents access the services and how advice is given as the homelessness process is set out in legislation. This will ensure any review can remain focussed. Terms of Reference The following Terms of Reference are suggested for the review, subject to any changes agreed by the Committee: 1. To gain a thorough understanding of the Council’s Homeless Prevention Service and the resident’s journey through this process. 2. To scrutinise the service delivery and review its effectiveness. Page 2 3. To review service users’ feedback to explore the challenges faced by residents accessing the service. 4. To look at other local authorities that may have different models of service delivery for best practice, including research and findings from charities, housing bodies, regional bodies and organisations, e.g. GLA. 5. Subject to the Committee’s findings, to make any conclusions, propose practical and deliverable actions, service and policy recommendations to the decision-making Cabinet. 2. BACKGROUND National Context The quarterly data published by the Department for Levelling Up, Homes and Communities (DLUHC) shows that nationally demand for affordable housing has risen sharply, with homelessness presentations to local authorities a particular pressure. At the end of June 2023, nearly 139,000 families with children were living in temporary accommodation – 7,430 more than at the end of March. 68,070 families with children were living in temporary accommodation (TA) at the end of June, 7,510 in B&Bs ; a 93% increase over one year. Nationally, there were circa 21,000 homeless acceptances in the second quarter of the year, an increase of 19% on a year ago. There has been an 18% increase in the number of households who were homeless and helped by councils as a result of no-fault evictions. London Councils has urged the Government to end the freeze on Local Housing Allowance (LHA) to prevent almost 60,000 Londoners in the private rented sector from becoming homeless over the next six years. Research, which was commissioned by a cross -party group and carried out by Alma Economics, has estimated that an additional 16,500 to 22,000 London households will become homeless by 2030 unless the LHA is raised. London Councils s tated that 22,000 households equate to 58,740 individuals, including 28,000 children. One in seven private renters in London are reliant on LHA to meet their housing costs. The research suggested that restoring LHA to cover at least 30 per cent of local market rents would save the public finances in London more than £100m each year. The majority of these savings would come from reduced pressure on London boroughs’ homelessness services, but also from lower costs to other parts of the public sector such as the NHS and social care. London accounts for more than half (57 per cent) of England’s total number of homeless households in temporary accommodation. In August, London Councils found that almost 170,000 Londoners were homeless and living in temporary accommodation arranged by their local authority. This is equivalent to around one in 50 Londoners overall and one in 23 children in the capital. Page 3 Turbulence in the capital’s private rented sector is a “critical factor” behind the growing numbers of homeless Londoners. Research from the group and partners, published in July 2023, revealed a 41 per cent drop in private rental listings in the capital s ince 2020, while listed rental prices rose by 20 per cent. The Autumn statement 2023 has announced that LHA is to be restored to 30% percentile local market rents for 2024/25 and then held at that level in cash terms. Local Context In Hillingdon we have seen a 27% increase in Homeless Presentations since the same period last year. We are receiving on average 100 new approaches each week for housing advice and support. The main reason for homelessness remains the ending of private rented tenancies with 27% of approaches being for this reason. Households leaving friends or family accommodation represent 24% of all approaches and those requiring a move due to domestic abuse is just under 8%. The Council has also seen a considerable increase this year in households leaving asylum accommodation fol lowing receipt of their status and this represents 10% of all approaches. The increase in presentations coupled with the lack of affordable private rented accommodation has placed considerable pressure on the service with the use of temporary accommodation now at 1,126 which is an increase of 492 since 2022/23. Legislative Context Any homeless decisions must be made in line with the Homeless Reduction Act 2017 and the Housing Act 1996 Part VII amended in 2002. Anyone who is eligible can access advice on how they are able to resolve their situation or where to look for alternative accommodation but to be entitled to a full homeless duty, residents must meet the below five criteria. • Homeless or threatened with homelessness - within 56 days. This can be due to notice being served or because the property is unsafe for the person to continue to reside within. • Eligible – this relates to a person's immigration status, persons without recourse to public funds or those that are not considered habitually resident are not eligible. • Priority need – this can be granted due to a number of reasons; for example, the person may have dependent children, be at risk of domestic abuse or be vulnerable as a result of a health condition or disability. • Not be intentionally homeless – this is when a person has deliberately done something to cause them to lose their home for example caused anti -social behaviour or did not pay the rent when they could afford to do so. Page 4 • Have a Local Connection – the person has resided within the area or have close family living within the area for a prescribed period of time. Continuous Service Improvement The Council has a homeless service improvement programme (Project Neptune) in place that is implementing change and improvement across twelve workstreams. These are: 1. Strategy 2. Leadership 3. Performance 4. People 5. Systems 6. Resources 7. Entice (web & messaging) 8. Engage (accessing the service) 9. Experience (case management) 10. Exit (access to accommodation) 11. Embed (develop learning from the latest trends or demands) 12. Broader Issues Since the project began in July 2023 there have been several changes delivered within the service and work remains ongoing to make the relevant service improvements. One of the ways in which the Council has improved the customer journey is through the reinstatement of the triage function. This means that following submission of an application for housing advice and assistance, residents receive contact within 48 hours from an officer who can advise them on the supporting information they need for their application. This not only means that the Council remains in close contact with the resident but also ensures their case is allocated to a caseworker as soon as possible. Upon the case being allocated the resident is then sent an update on who their caseworker is, along with their caseworker's direct contact details and a link to be able to book an appointment with their caseworker at a mutually agreeable time. Work is currently ongoing to review the website and the information available to residents to ensure that the Council ’s website offers support to those looking for advice, whilst also ensuring that the Council is setting expectations from the first point of contact about the type of support on offer. Work also continues to review our ICT systems to reduce the administrative burden on staff to create further capacity for officers to support residents with their housing situations. We have also developed a fresh training offer for staff new into the service and have been delivering a programme of development for our existing staff to ensure officers Page 5 have the relevant skills and knowledge to support our residents in need of housing advice. Connected work The internal audit progress review report dated 31 January 2024 indicates that limited assurance was given on homeless housing applications and states that: “To avoid duplicating the wider housing transformation project this review focused on the operational management of homeless housing applications. Testing identified weaknesses with the completion of documentation, including insufficient evidence of any segregation of duties with regards to approving decisions. We found no evidence to suggest the applications tested were not eligible for the support they received, however the gaps in the controls may have allowed other fraudulent applications. Demand pressures and ongoing changes within the service also contributed to our findings in relation to the wider governance arrangements within the Service. However, these are being addressed as part of the wider housing transformation project. Internal Audit was also able to see evidence of proactive preventative action being taken to reduce demand on the service. Key performance indicators in relation to these preventative measures are in place to help ensure appropriate action is taken.” Executive Responsibilities The portfolio Cabinet Member responsible is Councillor Eddie Lavery. 3. EVIDENCE & ENQUIRY Potential witnesses (including service users) − Dan Kennedy – Corporate Director of Central Services − Maggie Nelson – Head of Housing Needs − Debby Weller – Head of Strategy & Policy − Melissa Blower – Housing Project Manager − Representatives from other local authorities / housing organisations / charities, e.g. Citizens Advice Bureau, P3, Trinity, Thames Reach and Bell Farm Christian Centre − service users (local residents who have required housing assistance) − social prescribers Lines of Enquiry Lines of enquiry can be expanded as the review progresses or included in relevant witness session reports. However, lines of enquiry may include: Page 6 − establishing how effectively the housing advice service is being delivered. − focus on the end user and how they have found the service in practice. − exploring what support functions are in place and whether these can be improved. − experiences from other local authorities and housing related organisations Potential Witnesses Witnesses will be identified by the Committee in consultation with relevant officers. Surveys, site-visits or other fact-finding events Such opportunities will be identified as the review progresses and could include a site visit to Housing Services Reception or a particular advice surgery. Performance data and future information that may be required To undertake this review the following data sources could be examined and provided: • Anonymous summary details of Members’ Enquiries, Service Requests and Customer complaints or suggestions received relating to residents' housing experiences. • Satisfaction surveys or other feedback methods of eliciting customer feedback on their journey and experience e.g. mystery shopping. • Case studies. • Ombudsman decisions. • Further information may also be identified as the review progresses. 4. REVIEW PLANNING & TIMETABLE Proposed timeframe & milestones for the review: Meeting Date Action Purpose / theme Witnesses / officers attending 16 January 2024 Agree Review Topic Information and analysis Dan Kennedy Melissa Blower Debby Weller Maggie Nelson 13 February 2024 Agree Scoping Report Information and analysis Melissa Blower 13 March 2024 Witness Session 1 Information and analysis Dan Kennedy Melissa Blower Page 7 Maggie Nelson 16 April 2024 Witness Session 2 Information and analysis Dan Kennedy Trinity 13 June 2024 Witness Session 3 Information and analysis Dan Kennedy Hamid Khan (Interim Head of Housing Needs) Thames Reach P3 Written Submissions from service users 18 July 2024 Witness Session 4 Information and analysis Melissa Blower Dan Kennedy Local support services / representatives of local charities (CAB, Bell Farm Christian Centre) IDVAs Social Prescribers Outside the Committee – Survey, networking session, consultation, informal meeting with users, site visit, mystery shopper etc... 24 September 2024 De-brief and emerging findings To discuss key findings and identify potential recommendations 27 November 2024 Approval of draft final report Proposals – agree recommendations and final draft report to Cabinet Resource requirements None. Equalities impact Page 8 The 2010 Equality Act outlines the provisions of the Public Sector Equalities Duty which requires Public Bodies to have due regard to the need to: • eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010. • advance equality of opportunity between people from different groups. • foster good relations between people from different groups. The broad purpose of this duty is to integrate considerations of equality into day -to- day business and keep them under review in decision making, the design of policies and the delivery of services. There are no equality impact issues relating to the matters set out in this report. Background Papers / further reading Housing advice - Hillingdon Council

Residents’ Services Select Committee - 18 July 2024 Classification: Public Review of Homelessness and the Customer Journey: Update from Council Officers on Improvement Activity Committee name Residents’ Services Select Committee Officer reporting Melissa Blower Papers with report Residents’ Services Select Committee – Project Neptune Presentation Ward All HEADLINES In line with the approved Council Plan 2022-2026, Hillingdon Council is continuing to review and modernise services to improve the customer experience for residents. During 2023, in response to rising levels of homelessness presentations , an improvement programme commenced to review the current homelessness and housing advice services, including reviewing the end -to- end pr ocesses on casework management. Following on from this review a series of recommendations were made that have formed a change management programme known internally as Project Neptune. RECOMMENDATIONS That the Committee review and note the ongoing improvement works and the improvement this will have on the resident experience when approaching for housing advice and support. SUPPORTING INFORMATION Background The project is now in the second phase which focuses on 8 key areas of improvement: • Strategies and Policies • Workforce Planning • Supervision, Support & Performance • Customer Journey • Customer Care and Case Management Standards • External Partners and Communications • Housing Commissioning Plan • Data, Technology and Business Intelligence Since the project began in 2023 there have been several changes delivered wit hin the service and work remains ongoing to continue to deliver service improvements. Residents’ Services Select Committee - 18 July 2024 Classification: Public Key successes from the programme to date include:  Reduced the number of homeless families placed into high-cost temporary accommodation since April 2024.  No homeless families currently placed in commercial hotels.  Delivery of 300 additional social rented council homes on track during 2024/25.  Options to increase access to private rented sector accommodation are being reviewed.  Review of Social Housing Allocation Policy completed and proposals to be presented to July Cabinet to seek approval to commence consultation. The proposed changes will make it easier for residents to understand how applications are prioritised.  Introduced a dedicated homeless prevention triage team to ensure needs are effectively assessed and residents are given clear advice about their housing options.  Changes have been made and further work is underway to review the information available to residents to ensure that the Council website offers support for those looking for advice, whilst also ensuring that the Council is setting expectations from the firs t point of contact about the type of support on offer.  We have also developed a fresh training offer for staff new into the service and have been delivering a programme of development for our existing staff to ensure officers have the relevant skills and k nowledge to support our residents in need of housing advice. This includes launching a new performance management and case work review model to support case workers – currently being piloted with staff.  Work also continues to review our ICT systems to red uce the administrative burden on staff to create further capacity for officers to support residents with their housing situations. A new homelessness case work system went live in April 2024 as part of this programme. Executive Responsibilities The portfolio Cabinet Member responsible is Councillor Eddie Lavery. RESIDENT BENEFIT The review will examine the resident’s journey through the homelessness pathway and will make recommendations on how the service can be improved to better meet the needs of residents at risk of homelessness. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS None at this stage. LEGAL IMPLICATIONS None at this stage. Residents’ Services Select Committee - 18 July 2024 Classification: Public BACKGROUND PAPERS Nil.

Residents Services Select Committee - Project Neptune Update 18 July 2024 Project Neptune – Phase 2 Project Neptune Phase 2 focuses on 8 keys areas of improvement • Strategies and Policies • Workforce Planning • Supervision, Support & Performance • Customer Journey • Customer Care and Case Management Standards • External Partners and Communications • Housing Commissioning Plan • Data, Technology and Business Intelligence Strategies and Policies  Renewing our Homeless Prevention and Rough Sleeping Strategy and ensuring the changes reflect the new ways of working, based on need. Maximising the opportunities for preventative work and minimise the numbers of residents going into temporary accommodation. Statutory requirement for this strategy.  Independent living & older people's housing strategy – to inform future commissioning / assets plan  Review of all housing policies, plain language, residents first focused.  Review and consultation of the Social Housing Allocation Policy.  Lettings plans in place for specific schemes.  Monitoring and governance arrangements for the Policy documents, tracking the KPI's to ensure the changes are not having any unintentional outcomes as a result of any changes made.  Active monitoring of changes in legislation or caselaw to understand the impact of changes and if our Polices require updating as a result. Workforce Planning  Review of the shape of the service, permanent recruitment plan to commence.  Development of a graduate or equivalent scheme to grow our own staff and ensure reduction in agency staff, succession planning etc..  Establish outbound functions within the service to resource visiting for both friends and family evictions and enhancing our resources to undertake temporary accommodation inspections.  Develop a training programme that has customer experience training at the heart of the service and develop a clear customer charter for the Homeless Prevention Service. Customer Journey  Establish and deliver a clear options pathway and homeless prevention plans based on clear diagnostics / intelligence for each of the four top reasons for homelessness.  Review of methods of contact and failure demand points to improve overall customer satisfaction and engagement.  Customer Feedback channels and routes to improve operational standards and performance.  Review and clarify all methods of incoming contact with residents with a view to understand and predict demand, in addition to prioritising review of contact arrangements for residents. Supervision, Support & Performance  Introduction and embedding of a new performance management and quality assurance framework  Introduction of a new suite of KPI's and Quality Assurance checks to reduce risk of error and delays in data transferring between teams.  Launch of a new Service Plan to ensure clear direction for the service. Staff have been involved in shaping the plan.  Performance management framework that ensures one-to-ones, performance appraisals, transparent KPI's and regular supervision touchpoints / case reviews. Customer Care and Case Management Standards  Design Customer Care Standards for the Service that can be evidenced thorough robust data and insights.  Customer Care training for all staff to focus on manner, tone, articulating processes and relaying information clearly to residents that promotes self-sufficiency and empathy.  Establishing a learning culture in the service where successes and lessons learned are actively talked about / acted on to ensure best practice.  Developing and delivering a staff engagement plan to focus on officer contribution to the service and team building and empowerment.  Continued review of the support for Care Experienced Young People and ensuing the needs of this cohort are met working closely with Children's Services. External Partners and Communications  Creation of a Communications Plan for external partners to ensure they are fully appraised of changes to our process. Create a feedback loop to ensure all voices are heard and that we are all driving home the message of prevention.  Firm contract management meetings to hold all temporary accommodation providers and other service providers to account. Ensure robust standards of accommodation and sanctions for those not complying with regulations.  Landlord engagement events to create a mutual exchange of ideas and improve relationships between the Council and its landlords.  Refresh of Service Level Agreements and Nomination Agreements with RSL's to promote closer working and renewed focus on working jointly to resolve homelessness.  Review of joint working relationships with Adult Social Care & Children's Social Care to create a one Council approach to presenting issues. Housing Commissioning Plan  Acquisitions plan agreed and delivered - 300 additional HRA homes, plus future year requirements  Housing delivery programme in place / delivered, as a key part of the Asset Management Strategy and Asset Board Governance. To include new build programmes, proposals for development of underutilised sites, leasing etc..  Better use of our own stock through programmes to reduce fraud, bring back under occupied properties, encourage move on through cash incentive programmes and create larger properties through our extensions programme.  Maximise the availability of accommodation through targeted lettings that have a chain benefit and result in several moves.  Reduction in temporary accommodation - profiling and accelerating a move- on pathway plan to ensure that we understand the requirements of households in temporary accommodation.  Review of future joint commissioning requirements, working with Children's Services and Adult Social Care.  Establish and maintain a contracts and risk register to monitor performance, mitigate risks etc. Data, Technology and Business Intelligence  Customer profiling and business intelligence - to predict needs, support early intervention and preventative joined up practice and commissioning working with children's services and adult social care/health  Continue to embed Locata case work system, super user training, use of performance dashboards  Developing the integration with our other systems and improvements to allow residents to directly contact their caseworkers via the system.  Review all options for self-service, as part of the digital plan  Introduction and the use of Power BI to enable performance reports for all levels of the organization.  Digital data and technology plan for the service to ensure we have sufficient data sources to be able to accurately forecast demand.  Forecasting and modelling of needs / activity, response and cost, as part of monitoring budget monitoring (to track impacts) Prevention (Case Work Standards) Prevention Standards - Relaunch  Committed to step change in prevention practice  Agreeing case management standards and proactive'regime', Including:  Slicker front of house processes  Enhanced duty management system  Enhanced triage input  Performance management framework and KPIs for case management  Fortnightly case management 1-2-1 meetings with all HPO’s and their line managers  Monthly TL/TM case review meetings to review cases allocated that month, progress made on existing cases and if necessary, address any imbalances, review types of cases coming through triage and identify prevention development opportunities.  Re-establish face to face meetings for all initial appointments  Complex case meetings for staff to attend fortnightly with cases identified through case management 1-2-1 meetings.  6 weekly self-managed HO meetings for discussions on current issues and successes.  A comprehensive induction programme and annual training programme designed to ensure everyone has the tools to do the job Move-On from Temporary Accommodation Move-On from Temporary Accommodation (TA)  Committed to step change in move-on support for residents  Agreement for prioritisation of cases based on financial modelling and cost benefit analysis.  Workstreams to include:  Weekly meeting to commence 13th May to assign weekly targets and track and monitor progress.  Dedicated officers for move-on to work with householdscurrently in TA.  Carry out a review of all households in TA, targeting highest cost placements to understand housing requirements and support people to move on.  Ensure robust approach to offers of accommodation. Ensure all residents only receive one suitable offer of accommodation and that this is an enforceable offer.  Negotiations with our temporary accommodation providers to bring down thecost of TA and negotiating a reduction across the full portfolio, beginning with our most expensive units.  Targeted conversations withproviders of nightly charge accommodation with a view of converting some of the units into AST's or seeking the providers support to secure accommodation for move on into longer term options.  Support to reduce the number of one-bedroom households in temporary accommodation into one-bedroom and shared properties to reduce overallnumbers in TA.  Targeted programme of support to move on all the eligible CareExperienced Young People currently in costly Social Services accommodation into private rented accommodation. Key Successes  Successful launch of our Commissioning Plan. Supporting residents through increased access to accommodation.  Key staffing appointments have been made to provide additional support to officers and strengthen service delivery in key areas.  Migration to our new homeless prevention computer system Locata. Enabling data sharing with our Housing Register system and greater functionality for our residents.  New pathway created to support Care Experienced Young persons with their housing needs.  Introduction of a triage function to urgently assess cases and prioritize those at highest risk of homelessness.  Introduction of a new suite of KPI's to track and monitor case progression.  Dedicated homeless pathways for the top four reasons for approach for more tailored advice and support.

Residents’ Services Select Committee – 18 July 2024 Classification: Public Complaints to the Housing Ombudsman Service by the Council’s ‘Landlord Service’ for 2023/2024. Committee name Residents’ Services Select Committee Officer reporting Rod Smith – Housing Landlord Programme Manager Papers with report Appendix 1 – Housing Complaints Performance & Service Improvement Report – June 2024 Appendix 2 – Online submission to the Housing Ombudsman Service – June 2024 Ward All HEADLINES This item presents the first statutory submission on Complaints to the Housing Ombudsman Service by the Council’s ‘Landlord Service’ for 2023/2024. RECOMMENDATIONS That the Committee: 1. Notes the 2023/24 submission to the Housing Ombudsman Service by the Council’s ‘Landlord Service’ as part of meeting new Regulatory requirements. 2. Notes the recommendation to report to the Residents’ Services Select Committee as part of the governance process on future annual submissions to the Housing Ombudsman Service, effective from 2024/25. SUPPORTING INFORMATION The new proactive regulatory regime for social housing providers came into force from April 2024. Following the tragic fire at Grenfell Tower in 2017 and the death of Awaab Ishak in 2020, the Government has been working with the social housing sector and tenants to strengthen the voice of residents and introduce new legislation to ensure the quality of homes. The Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 forms a new era of regulation for the social housing sector, aiming to give tenants greater powers and improve access to quick and fair solutions to problems. Further information on the full regulatory framework can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/regulator-of-social-housing Key to th e objective of driving up standards has been the development of a set of four new consumer standards. These outcome based standards apply to all social landlords, including the Council. Under the new standards landlords will need to: Residents’ Services Select Committee – 18 July 2024 Classification: Public  ensure tenants are safe in their homes  listen to tenants’ complaints and respond promptly to put things right  be accountable to tenants and treat them with fairness and respect  know more about the condition of every home and the needs of the people who live in them  collect and use data effectively across a range of areas, including repairs The four consumer standards are:  The Safety and Quality Standard which requires landl ords to provide safe and good - quality homes for their tenants, along with good-quality landlord services.  The Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard which requires landlords to be open with tenants and treat them with fairness and respect so t hey can access services, raise concerns when necessary, influence decision making and hold their landlord to account.  The Neighbourhood and Community Standard which requires landlords to engage with other relevant parties so that tenants can live in safe and well -maintained neighbourhoods and feel safe in their homes.  The Tenancy Standard which sets requirements for the f air allocation and letting of homes, as well as requirements for how tenancies are managed by landlords. The Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard makes specific reference to complaints including the following expectations: ‘Registered providers must ensure their approach to handling complaints is simple, accessible and publicised. Registered providers must provide accessible information to tenants about:  how tenants can make a complaint about their registered provider  the registered provider’s complaints policy and complaints handling process  what tenants can do if they are dissatisfied with the outcome of a complaint or how a complaint was handled, and  the type of complaints received and how they have learnt from complaints to con tinuously improve services’. The Code of Practice, which seeks to amplify aspects of the Consumer Standards and how they should be interpreted, goes on to say in relation to complaints that: Addressing complaints fairly, effectively and promptly is essential for registered providers to build trust with tenants. Registered providers should make every effort to ensure that tenants are aware of their complaints process. Tenants should be able to raise a complaint easily and should be listened to by their landlord when they do so. In addressing complaints, registered providers should ensure that they provide regular updates to affected tenants about the progress they have made to resolve the complaint fairly and the next steps they plan to take, with clear timescales. Residents’ Services Select Committee – 18 July 2024 Classification: Public In meeting this outcome, registered providers are expected to consider relevant requirements of other bodies, including those of the Housing Ombudsman and specifically their Complaint Handling Code. Complaints present registered providers with valuable insight into tenants’ experiences of interacting with their landlord. Registered providers should make good use of this learning in order to improve services for tenants, bringing about change at a service or organisational level where appropriate. As part of this learning, registered providers should analyse trends and themes from complaints data. Working alongside the Regulator of Social Housing is the Housing Ombudsman Service. Further information on the Housing Ombudsman Scheme can be found at https://www.housing- ombudsman.org.uk The Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 empowered the Ombudsman to issue a code of practice about the procedures members of the Scheme should have in place for considering complaints. This is mandatory for social housing landlords. This statutory code came into effect from 1st April 2024 alongside the Ombudsman’s duty to monitor compliance. The Code Compliance Framework sets out the requirements placed upon social landlords as part of making its statutory annual submission by 30 th June each year. The Code Compliance Framework can be found at https://www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk/landlords-info/complaint-handling-code/ The annual submission is divided into two main sections which can be summarised as:  Key information about the landlord organisation.  Confirmation that the landlord is compliant with each provision of the Complaint Handling Code. As set out in Appendix 2, there are three elements of the Complaints Handling Code which the Council has recorded as ‘non-compliant’ within its first self-assessment. A summary of these three elements and the timeline for completion is set out below: Code provision and current position Compliant Timeline for compliance Code Provision 3.5 The policy must explain how the landlord will publicise details of the complaints policy, including information about the Ombudsman and this Code. The Council publicises this in a limited way in that our policy and information about the code is on the Council’s website. It was also published in our e -newsletter to residents - May 2024. Officers will be exploring how to publicise our policy more widely through presentation s and newsletters by September 2024. No September 2024 Code Provision 5.6 When a complaint is logged at stage 1 or escalated to stage 2, landlords must set out their understanding of the complaint and the outcomes the resident is seeking. The Code will No August 2024 Residents’ Services Select Committee – 18 July 2024 Classification: Public refer to this as “the complaint definition”. If any aspect of the complaint is unclear, the resident must be asked for clarification. Officers currently acknowledge receipt of all complaints but do not set out our understanding of the complaint. Code Provision 9.8 Landlords must have a standard objective in relation to complaint handling for all relevant employees or third parties that reflects the need to: - have a collaborative and co -operative approach towards resolving complaints, working with colleagues across teams and departments - take collective responsibility for any shortfalls identified through complaints, rather than blaming others - act within the professional standards for engaging with complaints as set by any relevant professional body We have no express references within relevant Job Descriptions. No December 2024 As part of compliance in scrutiny and oversight, landlords are required to:  Produce an annual complaints performance and service improvement report fo r submission to the governing body;  Produce a response from the governing body; and  Publish both of these documents on their website. Moving forward, to better align the Council’s approach to this area of compliance associated with governance, the Landlord Service pro poses to report into the Residents’ Service Select Committee ahead of the annual submission date of 30 th June each year. Complaints handling within the Landlord Service will continue to form part of the wider annual corporate complaints report which is submitted each autum n to Corporate Resources & Infrastructure Select Committee. The 2023/24 submission to the Housing Ombudsman Service has been published on the Council’s website in line with the regulatory requirement. PERFORMANCE DATA The Council’s first statutory submission to the Housing Ombudsman can be found at Appendices 1 and 2. This includes a written report and an on-line submission. RESIDENT BENEFIT In line with key objectives set out in the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard, the Residents’ Services Select Committee – 18 July 2024 Classification: Public annual complaint performance and service improvement report to the Housing Ombudsman is evidence of the Council’s compliance with the Complaint Handling Code and this specific consumer standard. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS None. LEGAL IMPLICATIONS None. BACKGROUND PAPERS NIL. APPENDICES Appendix 1 – Housing Complaints Performance & Service Improvement Report – June 2024 Appendix 2 – Online submission to the Housing Ombudsman Service – June 2024

Housing Complaints Performance and Service Improvement Report June 2024 Appendix 1 Page | 1 Contents Page 1. Introduction 2 2. Summary of Self-Assessment against Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code as last revised 17 April 2024 2 3. Analysis of Complaint Handling Performance 1st April 2023 to 31st March 2024 4 4. Findings of non-compliance with the Code 1st April 2023 to 31st March 2024 4 5. Learning from Complaints and Service Improvement linked to complaints management 5 Appendix A Hillingdon Council Self-Assessment Form: Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code – Completed June 2024 Appendix 1 Page | 2 1. Introduction Hillingdon Council is required to comply with the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code and to demonstrate compliance on at least an annual basis. This document is our annual complaints performance and service improvement report, which forms part of our Annual Submission to the Housing Ombudsman. The report includes: • Our latest self-assessment of compliance against the requirements of the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code. • An analysis of complaint handling performance in the year from 1st April 2023 to 31st March 2024. • Findings of non-compliance with the Code by the Ombudsman between April 2023 and 2024. • Learning from Complaints and Service improvements. The annual complaints performance and service improvement report is reported annually to a Senior Officer level Landlord Board, Corporate Management Team, the two Cabinet Leads with responsibility for Housing, and Residents’ Services Select Committee. The report is shared for feedback with our Tenant Complaints Special Interest Group and is published on the council's website at Complaints - Hillingdon Council. Information from the report is also shared more widely with tenants. Moving forward, from the next submission year 2025/26, the dates of these meetings will be aligned to maximise the potential for review and examination prior to final submission to the Housing Ombudsman Service. 2. Summary of Self-Assessment against Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code as last revised 17 April 2024 A completed self-assessment form is included at appendix A. Section1: Definition of a complaint - Compliant In general terms a complaint can be considered as: “an expression of dissatisfaction, however made, about the standard of service, actions or lack of action by the council, its own staff, or those acting on its behalf, affecting an individual or group of individuals.” Section 2: Exclusions - Compliant ● although a complaint can be submitted against Council policy, please be aware that Council policy cannot be overturned through the complaint process as this can only be done through the statutory decision-making procedure; ● we will not deal with issues through the complaint procedure where a claim has been made in a court such as a disrepair claim; and Appendix 1 Page | 3 ● issues relating to employment or application for employment with the Council cannot be addressed through the complaint procedure. Section 3: Accessibility and Awareness - Compliant Complaints can be made quickly and easily 24 hours a day, seven days a week via our website at www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints. If an adjustment is needed complainants are asked to call the complaint team. Section 4: Complaint Handling Staff - Compliant All staff within the team are experienced and fully trained to deal with complaints and any adjustments that are required. In addition, they have been provided with additional training by a member of staff from the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman on 16 May 2024. Section 5: The Complaint Handling Process - Compliant The complaint procedure that applies to the Housing Ombudsman Service is the Corporate complaints procedure which was revised on 1 April 2024 to fully align with the Complaint Handling Codes by the Housing Ombudsman Service and the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. Our procedure: ● allows managers to address issues of unsatisfactory service and seek improvements in service delivery; ● ensures that customers are treated fairly and consistently; ● ensures that a proper and adequate investigation takes place before any action is taken; ● requests for reasonable adjustments will be considered in line with the Equality Act 2010 and appropriate training is provided for staff; and ● safeguards the integrity and good reputation of the Council. Section 6: Complaints Stages - Compliant As a result of the Complaint Handling Codes, we now have a Service Request step and 2 formal complaint stages, after which the complainant can apply to the Ombudsman. Section 7: Putting things right - Compliant Where we have identified injustice or hardship suffered, we will always try to put the complainant back to the position they would have enjoyed before the situation went wrong. Types of redress include: ● an apology; ● providing the service that should have been received at first; ● taking action or making a decision that should have been done before; ● reconsidering an incorrect decision; ● improving procedures so that similar problems do not occur again; and Appendix 1 Page | 4 ● if after an investigation by Council staff or the Ombudsman, it is concluded that as a result of maladministration there is no practical action that would provide a full and appropriate remedy or if the complainant has sustained loss or suffering, financial compensation may be the most appropriate approach. Section 8: Self-assessment reporting and compliance - Compliant Our self-assessment will be published on the complaint page www.hillingdon.gov.uk Section 9: Scrutiny & Oversight: continuous learning and improvement – one area of non-compliance regarding specific wording within relevant job description. Full compliance to be achieved by December 2024. The Member Responsible for Complaints (MRC) will be a role performed by the Corporate Resources & Infrastructure Select Committee. 3. Analysis of Complaint Handling Performance 1st April 2023 to 31st March 2024 Our annual reporting cycle for complaints includes a corporate complaints report to the Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee in the Autumn. From the 2024/25 reporting cycle an earlier report related specifically to housing services will be considered by Residents’ Services Select Committee in advance of the annual June submission date for the Housing Ombudsman. In line with other housing providers complaints, a high proportion of complaints are focused on housing repairs. Reports in this area track data monthly and are actively reviewed and monitored by Landlord Board. Between April 2023 and March 2024, a total of 133 complaints regarding housing repairs were received, 101 stage 1 and 32 stage 2 complaints. There were 47 complaints regarding repairs upheld and 28 partially upheld. There were 22 complaints that were mainly about damp and mould. In the first two months of 2024/25 there have been 86 complaints, 75 stage 1 and 11 stage 2. This is an average of 43 housing repairs complaints per month compared to an average of 11 in 2023/24. This follows changes made to our Corporate Complaints Policy and Procedure (see below). In the first two months of this year, 12 complaints have been upheld and a further 29 partially upheld. There have been 9 complaints that are mainly about damp and mould. 4. Findings of non-compliance with the Code 1st April 2023 to 31st March 2024 In one case (202210650) the Ombudsman expressed concern at the number of Stages that were contained within the Corporate complaints procedure, our application of escalation to the Ombudsman from Stage 1 and that in a few cases we had incorrectly signposted complainants to the wrong Ombudsman. The Council’s Appendix 1 Page | 5 Corporate complaints procedure has been revised and now meets both Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code. 5. Learning from Complaints and Service improvements linked to complaints management Continuous improvement is seen as a cornerstone of how we operate at Hillingdon Council and learning from complaints is a central part of this. The receipt of any complaint provides Hillingdon with valuable feedback, an opportunity to learn from what has happened, to make adjustments so that it does not happen again and by doing so improve the service we provide our residents. To this end, we have paid for a bespoke training course on investigating complaints, the processes to follow, appropriate redress to offer but also mechanisms they use to identify issues and make recommendations for change/service improvement. Officers found this course extremely helpful. The Council has invested in new software for complaint handling. Since July 2023, we have been using a new complaint portal to process and manage complaints. The new portal has provided us with the opportunity to better understand feedback we are receiving from our residents through the “Report It” data we receive, complaints, compliments and Members Enquiries. This will enable improved a nalysis to better understand the specific issues that residents are raising through these mediums and identify trends whi ch in turn will help us to address systemic problems at an early stage, without the need to escalate to the formal complaint stages or to Members. It is envisaged that this analysis could be used to identify gaps in staff knowledge, skills or processes and then develop training programs that could be tailored to meet a specific need. Going forward, a Customer Experience Contact report covering both service request and complaint analysis will be developed, with the aim of identifying issues before they escalate into complaints and by doing so reduce the burden on our resources and a culture where service improvement is seen as the norm. Our Corporate Complaint Handling Policy and Procedure has also been updated. The adoption of the same Complaint Handling Code by both the Housing Ombudsman and the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has been helpful in providing a consistent basis for housing and corporate complaint handling. There are now only 2 stages to the process and there are no longer ‘informal complaints’, just complaints and service requests. This has resulted in an increase in complaints activity providing richer feedback to inform service improvement. The Housing Management Service has comprehensively reviewed its approach to learning from complaints and earlier this year rolled out a revised approach to monitoring complaints and evidencing learning outcomes. Relevant service managers and the complaints manager have been involved in developing and implementing the approach. The stated objective of the approach is ‘to enhance the council’s approach to handling an d monitoring complaints in a fair and transparen t manner, ensuring continuous improvement through identified learning outcomes’. The process covers extracting data from our new system, GOSS; organising this into a structured spreadsheet and filtering to share with relevant service managers. An online learning Appendix 1 Page | 6 log form has been created for service managers to complete to capture learning outcomes identified and any changes to services, policies or procedures identified as a result. Collectively housing managers and Landlord Board collate and review the Learning Outcome forms and identify common themes and areas for improvement. These are then prioritised and necessary changes to services, policies and procedures are implemented. The effectiveness of changes is monitored and reported on. This structured approach ensures that complaint handling is systematic, with clear steps for extracting, filtering, and sharing data. By requiring service managers to complete the Complaints Learning Outcome form, the process ensures that each complaint is thoroughly reviewed and leads to actionable improvements. Continuous monitoring and reporting uphold transparency and demonstrate the council’s commitment to service excellence. The Repairs and Voids Team keep a learning log from complaints and quarterly meetings are held to review and track changes to processes and procedures. There is a commitment to continuous learning and several changes have been made and embedded into service provision. Appendix 1 Appendix A: Hillingdon Council Self-Assessment Form: Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code – Completed June 2024 Section 1: Definition of a complaint Code provision Code requirement Comply: Yes / No Evidence Commentary / explanation 1.2 A complaint must be defined as: ‘an expression of dissatisfaction, however made, about the standard of service, actions or lack of action by the landlord, its own staff, or those acting on its behalf, affecting a resident or group of residents.’ Yes The Corporate Complaints Procedure can be downloaded from this page Complaints - Hillingdon Council This definition is included in Section 1. This precise wording is used in Hillingdon Council’s Corporate Complaints Policy and Procedure . 1.3 A resident does not have to use the word ‘complaint’ for it to be treated as such. Whenever a resident expresses dissatisfaction landlords must give them the choice to make complaint. A complaint that is submitted via a third party or representative must be handled in line with the landlord’s complaints policy. Yes Presentations were delivered virtually to all staff involved in the handling of complaints that the word “complaint” did not need to be used for us to progress by way of a complaint but where dissatisfaction is expressed it needs to be brought to the attention of the complaint team for advice. 1.4 Landlords must recognise the difference between a service request and a complaint. This must be set out in their complaints policy. A service request is a request from a resident to the landlord requiring action to be taken to put something right. Service requests are not Yes The definition of a Service Request has been included in the Council’s Corporate complaints procedure. They are logged, monitored and processed in the same way as complaints and Officers in the complaints team have oversight on whether a complaint has been The Council makes a distinction between a service request and a complaint. Appendix 1 Page | 1 complaints, but must be recorded, monitored and reviewed regularly. responded to or not. We keep records of Service Requests submitted and their outcome. 1.5 A complaint must be raised when the resident expresses dissatisfaction with the response to their service request, even if the handling of the service request remains ongoing. Landlords must not stop their efforts to address the service request if the resident complains. Yes This is part of the Council’s Corporate complaints procedure which can be accessed at www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints 1.6 An expression of dissatisfaction with services made through a survey is not defined as a complaint, though wherever possible, the person completing the survey should be made aware of how they can pursue a complaint if they wish to. Where landlords ask for wider feedback about their services, they also must provide details of how residents can complain. Yes We will generally advise someone responding to a survey where and how they can submit a complaint. The Council recognises that survey responses may contain a ‘complaint’. We ensure that appropriate signposting to the complaints service takes place, and we raise awareness of how to complain while conducting surveys. Appendix 1 Page | 2 Section 2: Exclusions Code provision Code requirement Comply: Yes / No Evidence Commentary / explanation 2.1 Landlords must accept a complaint unless there is a valid reason not to do so. If landlords decide not to accept a complaint, they must be able to evidence their reasoning. Each complaint must be considered on its own merits Yes This is included in the Council’s Corporate complaints procedure in which we set out what complaints we can and cannot progress and this is also set out on the complaint web page: www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints The Policy and Procedure includes the following text: “If we consider that a complainant is unreasonable or unreasonably persistent, we will refer the matter to a senior manager, who will consider whether further investigation of the complaint will be carried out.” 2.2 A complaints policy must set out the circumstances in which a matter will not be considered as a complaint or escalated, and these circumstances must be fair and reasonable to residents. Acceptable exclusions include: • The issue giving rise to the complaint occurred over twelve months ago. • Legal proceedings have started. This is defined as details of the claim, such as the Claim Form and Particulars of Claim, having been filed at court. • Matters that have previously been considered under the complaints policy. Yes This is included in the Corporate complaints procedure and contained within the complaint page: www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints The Complaints Policy includes the following text: “We will not deal with issues through the complaint procedure where a claim has been made in a court such as a disrepair claim” Appendix 1 Page | 3 2.3 Landlords must accept complaints referred to them within 12 months of the issue occurring or the resident becoming aware of the issue, unless they are excluded on other grounds. Landlords must consider whether to apply discretion to accept complaints made outside this time limit where there are good reasons to do so. Yes This is contained within the Corporate complaints procedure It states within our policy that “Anyone who uses our services and is dissatisfied with the standard of service we have provided or our lack of action. The Council will also accept complaints by an advocate on behalf of a resident, with appropriate consent. However, any complaint should be made within 12 months of the issue/incident complained of.” 2.4 If a landlord decides not to accept a complaint, an explanation must be provided to the resident setting out the reasons why the matter is not suitable for the complaints process and the right to take that decision to the Ombudsman. If the Ombudsman does not agree that the exclusion has been fairly applied, the Ombudsman may tell the landlord to take on the complaint. Yes Included within the Corporate complaint's procedure In practice a letter is sent if a complaint is not accepted and the policy states “If we do not intend to progress your complaint, we will inform you of this in writing, tell you why we will do this and give you the contact details of the Ombudsman to whom you may escalate your complaint to for independent review.” 2.5 Landlords must not take a blanket approach to excluding complaints; they must consider the individual circumstances of each complaint. Yes Each complaint received is considered on its own merit Appendix 1 Page | 4 Appendix 1 Page | 5 Section 3: Accessibility and Awareness Code provision Code requirement Comply: Yes / No Evidence Commentary / explanation 3.1 Landlords must make it easy for residents to complain by providing different channels through which they can make a complaint. Landlords must consider their duties under the Equality Act 2010 and anticipate the needs and reasonable adjustments of residents who may need to access the complaints process. Yes This is set out within the Corporate complaints procedure Complaints can be made in person, by telephone, in writing, via our website or email. In addition, the policy document also states that “If you need an adjustment to be made, please call the complaint team.” 3.2 Residents must be able to raise their complaints in any way and with any member of staff. All staff must be aware of the complaints process and be able to pass details of the complaint to the appropriate person within the landlord. Yes Information is available on Complaints and our handling of it is available on the Staff portal, setting out what they need to do and who to contact Handling council complaints (sharepoint.com) 3.3 High volumes of complaints must not be seen as a negative, as they can be indicative of a well-publicised and accessible complaints process. Low complaint volumes are potentially a sign that residents are unable to complain. Yes Since the introduction of the new Complaint Handling code and the removal of Informal complaint stage, volumes of formal complaints have risen significantly. 3.4 Landlords must make their complaint policy available in a clear and accessible format for all residents. This will detail the two-stage process, what will happen at each stage, and the timeframes for Yes Published on our website and it sets out the 2 Stage Corporate complaints procedure – www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints Appendix 1 Page | 6 responding. The policy must also be published on the landlord’s website. 3.5 The policy must explain how the landlord will publicise details of the complaints policy, including information about the Ombudsman and this Code. Yes The Corporate complaints policy is published on our website and recently advertised in our E- newsletter in May 2024. The policy contains information about both Ombudsman and the Codes are published on our web page. 3.6 Landlords must give residents the opportunity to have a representative deal with their complaint on their behalf, and to be represented or accompanied at any meeting with the landlord. Yes Corporate complaints procedure sets this out The policy states that “The Council will also accept complaints by an advocate on behalf of a resident, with appropriate consent.” 3.7 Landlords must provide residents with information on their right to access the Ombudsman service and how the individual can engage with the Ombudsman about their complaint. Yes Included within the Corporate complaint's procedure Appendix 1 Page | 7 Section 4: Complaint Handling Staff Code provision Code requirement Comply: Yes / No Evidence Commentary / explanation 4.1 Landlords must have a person or team assigned to take responsibility for complaint handling, including liaison with the Ombudsman and ensuring complaints are reported to the governing body (or equivalent). This Code will refer to that person or team as the ‘complaints officer’. This role may be in addition to other duties. Yes There is a dedicated Complaint and Members Enquiry Team process all complaints and the annual complaint report is put before the Finance and Corporate Services Select Committee for scrutiny. We have a corporate complaint handling team and a complaint manager responsible for processing complaints and providing advice and guidance to staff. An annual complaint report is provided for the Finance and Corporate Services Select Committee. The report contains information about complaints, compliments and Members Enquiries submitted. From 2024/25 scrutiny will also be provided prior to the annual submission to the Housing Ombudsman Service by Residents Services Select Committee which has a clear focus on the Landlord Service. 4.2 The complaints officer must have access to staff at all levels to facilitate the prompt resolution of complaints. They must also have the authority and autonomy to act to resolve disputes promptly and fairly. Yes A centralised complaint team is responsible for engaging with staff at all levels and where there are issues, they have access to senior managers for support and resolution. We have a Corporate complaint handling team that is responsible for processing complaints, providing advice and guidance, delivering training sessions for officers across the Council and in attending management Appendix 1 Page | 8 meetings to provide information and advice on the handling of complaints. 4.3 Landlords are expected to prioritise complaint handling and a culture of learning from complaints. All relevant staff must be suitably trained in the importance of complaint handling. It is important that complaints are seen as a core service and must be resourced to handle complaints effectively Yes A centralised complaint team is in place, where staff have been trained to process complaints, with most staff having worked in the team for over 8 years. The complaint portal has categories to capture learning, and this is reported on in the annual complaint report, which can be accessed at www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints Section 5: The Complaint Handling Process Code provision Code requirement Comply: Yes / No Evidence Commentary / explanation 5.1 Landlords must have a single policy in place for dealing with complaints covered by this Code. Residents must not be treated differently if they complain. Yes Corporate complaints procedure is the policy that we use, and it can be accessed at www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints 5.2 The early and local resolution of issues between landlords and residents is key to effective complaint handling. It is not appropriate to have extra named stages (such as ‘stage 0’ or ‘informal complaint’) as this causes unnecessary confusion. Yes The Council’s Corporate complaint procedure complies with the requirements set out in the Complaint Handling Codes namely a 2 Stage complaint process. Appendix 1 Page | 9 5.3 A process with more than two stages is not acceptable under any circumstances as this will make the complaint process unduly long and delay access to the Ombudsman. Yes The Council’s Corporate complaint procedure sets out our 2 Stage complaint process. 5.4 Where a landlord’s complaint response is handled by a third party (e.g. a contractor or independent adjudicator) at any stage, it must form part of the two stage complaints process set out in this Code. Residents must not be expected to go through two complaints processes. Yes The Corporate complaint procedure states that we will progress by way of a complaint expressions of dissatisfaction in relation to “or those acting on its behalf” through our own procedure. 5.5 Landlords are responsible for ensuring that any third parties handle complaints in line with the Code. Yes We will process in accordance with the Corporate complaints procedure. 5.6 When a complaint is logged at Stage 1 or escalated to Stage 2, landlords must set out their understanding of the complaint and the outcomes the resident is seeking. The Code will refer to this as “the complaint definition”. If any aspect of the complaint is unclear, the resident must be asked for clarification. Yes Within the acknowledgment we send to a complainant We will acknowledge receipt within 5 working days and inform the complainant of the reference number, who will be investigating, when they can expect a response to be sent to them, etc. If anything is unclear, we will always ask for clarification before beginning the investigation. 5.7 When a complaint is acknowledged at either stage, landlords must be clear which aspects of the complaint they are, and are not, responsible for and clarify any areas where this is not clear. Yes This will be set out in the acknowledgment We will acknowledge receipt within 5 working days and inform the complainant of the reference number, who will be investigating, when they can expect a response to be sent to them, etc. If anything is Appendix 1 Page | 10 unclear, we will always ask for clarification before beginning the investigation. 5.8 At each stage of the complaints process, complaint handlers must: 1. deal with complaints on their merits, act independently, and have an open mind; 2. give the resident a fair chance to set out their position; 3. take measures to address any actual or perceived conflict of interest; and 4. consider all relevant information and evidence carefully. Yes This is set out within the policy statement in the Corporate complaints procedure 5.9 Where a response to a complaint will fall outside the timescales set out in this Code, the landlord must agree with the resident suitable intervals for keeping them informed about their complaint. Yes In our letter of acknowledgment, we will advise complainants the date we aim to respond by and if this is not going to be met, we will always contact them again to advise them if more time is needed. 5.10 Landlords must make reasonable adjustments for residents where appropriate under the Equality Act 2010. Landlords must keep a record of any reasonable adjustments agreed, as well as a record of any disabilities a resident has disclosed. Any agreed reasonable adjustments must be kept under active review. Yes From April 2024 we keep a log of any reasonable adjustments requested which is held on Sharepoint 5.11 Landlords must not refuse to escalate a complaint through all stages of the complaints procedure unless it has valid Yes Set out in the Corporate complaints procedure Appendix 1 Page | 11 reasons to do so. Landlords must clearly set out these reasons, and they must comply with the provisions set out in section 2 of this Code. 5.12 A full record must be kept of the complaint, and the outcomes at each stage. This must include the original complaint and the date received, all correspondence with the resident, correspondence with other parties, and any relevant supporting documentation such as reports or surveys. Yes All complaint data is stored on our complaint portal called GOSS including pictures, surveys, reports, etc 5.13 Landlords must have processes in place to ensure a complaint can be remedied at any stage of its complaints process. Landlords must ensure appropriate remedies can be provided at any stage of the complaints process without the need for escalation. Yes Our aim is to resolve a complaint, where we can, either at a Service Request or formal complaint stages. This is set out in the Corporate complaint procedure 5.14 Landlords must have policies and procedures in place for managing unacceptable behaviour from residents and/or their representatives. Landlords must be able to evidence reasons for putting any restrictions in place and must keep restrictions under regular review. Yes We have our “Unreasonable or Unreasonably Persistent complainant” policy which can be accessed at www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints Where restrictions are put in place this information is held on the Council’s Restricted Persons Register 5.15 Any restrictions placed on contact due to unacceptable behaviour must be proportionate and demonstrate regard for the provisions of the Equality Act 2010. Yes We are required to follow the “Unreasonable or Unreasonably Persistent Complainants” Policy This is set out in the ‘Unreasonable or Unreasonably Persistent Complainants Policy” and where someone is placed on the Restricted Persons Register (RPR), they are Appendix 1 Page | 12 informed of the reason, how long they are on the RPR, how they can appeal it, etc. The Corporate Complaints Policy and Procedure review process will include consideration of specific reference to the Equality Act 2010. Appendix 1 Page | 13 Section 6: Complaints Stages Stage 1 Code provision Code requirement Comply: Yes / No Evidence Commentary / explanation 6.1 Landlords must have processes in place to consider which complaints can be responded to as early as possible, and which require further investigation. Landlords must consider factors such as the complexity of the complaint and whether the resident is vulnerable or at risk. Most stage 1 complaints can be resolved promptly, and an explanation, apology or resolution provided to the resident. Yes Corporate complaints procedure sets this out This is set out in the Council’s Corporate Complaints Procedure 6.2 Complaints must be acknowledged, defined and logged at stage 1 of the complaint's procedure within five working days of the complaint being received. Yes Corporate complaints procedure sets this out 6.3 Landlords must issue a full response to stage 1 complaints within 10 working days of the complaint being acknowledged. Yes Corporate complaints procedure sets this out 6.4 Landlords must decide whether an extension to this timescale is needed when considering the complexity of the complaint and then inform the resident of the expected timescale for response. Any extension must be no more than 10 working days without good reason, and the Yes Corporate complaints procedure sets this out Appendix 1 Page | 14 reason(s) must be clearly explained to the resident. 6.5 When an organisation informs a resident about an extension to these timescales, they must be provided with the contact details of the Ombudsman. Yes Staff in the complaint handling team ensure that an extension communication provides the Housing Ombudsman contact details. 6.6 A complaint response must be provided to the resident when the answer to the complaint is known, not when the outstanding actions required to address the issue are completed. Outstanding actions must still be tracked and actioned promptly with appropriate updates provided to the resident. Yes The complaint response will set out the actions we have taken or if they are due to be taken, when that will happen. Services have in place procedures to follow up on outstanding actions 6.7 Landlords must address all points raised in the complaint definition and provide clear reasons for any decisions, referencing the relevant policy, law and good practice where appropriate. Yes This is set out in the Corporate complaints procedure 6.8 Where residents raise additional complaints during the investigation, these must be incorporated into the stage 1 response if they are related, and the stage 1 response has not been issued. Where the stage 1 response has been issued, the new issues are unrelated to the issues already being investigated or it would unreasonably delay the response, the new issues must be logged as a new complaint. Yes Where additional issues are raised after a complaint has been submitted, we will always add these in and ensure that it is responded to within the original response and if more time is needed to do this, we will inform a complainant of this. If new issues are raised after a response has been sent, we will treat as a new complaint. Appendix 1 Page | 15 6.9 Landlords must confirm the following in writing to the resident at the completion of stage 1 in clear, plain language: a. the complaint stage; b. the complaint definition; c. the decision on the complaint; d. the reasons for any decisions made; e. the details of any remedy offered to put things right; f. details of any outstanding actions; and g. details of how to escalate the matter to stage 2 if the individual is not satisfied with the response. Yes This is included in the response that we send. Stage 2 Code provision Code requirement Comply: Yes / No Evidence Commentary / explanation 6.10 If all or part of the complaint is not resolved to the resident’s satisfaction at stage 1, it must be progressed to stage 2 of the landlord’s procedure. Stage 2 is the landlord’s final response. Yes This is set out in the Corporate complaints procedure 6.11 Requests for stage 2 must be acknowledged, defined and logged at stage 2 of the complaint's procedure within five working days of the escalation request being received. Yes This is set out in the Corporate complaints procedure 6.12 Residents must not be required to explain their reasons for requesting a stage 2 consideration. Landlords are expected to make reasonable efforts to understand why a resident remains unhappy as part of its stage 2 response. Yes This is set out in the Corporate complaints procedure We will always ask a complainant for clarification otherwise the response that is sent at Stage 2 will mirror that sent at Stage 1, if we do not Appendix 1 Page | 16 know what they are dissatisfied with. 6.13 The person considering the complaint at stage 2 must not be the same person that considered the complaint at stage 1. Yes This is set out in the Corporate complaints procedure 6.14 Landlords must issue a final response to the stage 2 within 20 working days of the complaint being acknowledged. Yes This is set out in the Corporate complaints procedure 6.15 Landlords must decide whether an extension to this timescale is needed when considering the complexity of the complaint and then inform the resident of the expected timescale for response. Any extension must be no more than 20 working days without good reason, and the reason(s) must be clearly explained to the resident. Yes This is set out in the Corporate complaints procedure 6.16 When an organisation informs a resident about an extension to these timescales, they must be provided with the contact details of the Ombudsman. Yes Staff in the complaint handling team ensure that an extension communication provides the Housing Ombudsman contact details 6.17 A complaint response must be provided to the resident when the answer to the complaint is known, not when the outstanding actions required to address the issue are completed. Outstanding actions must still be tracked and actioned promptly with appropriate updates provided to the resident. Yes The complaint response will set out the actions we have taken or if they are due to be taken, when that will happen. Services have in place procedures to follow up on outstanding actions 6.18 Landlords must address all points raised in the complaint definition and provide clear reasons for any decisions, referencing the relevant policy, law and good practice where appropriate. Yes This is included in the response that we send. Appendix 1 Page | 17 6.19 Landlords must confirm the following in writing to the resident at the completion of stage 2 in clear, plain language: a. the complaint stage; b. the complaint definition; c. the decision on the complaint; d. the reasons for any decisions made; e. the details of any remedy offered to put things right; f. details of any outstanding actions; and g. details of how to escalate the matter to the Ombudsman Service if the individual remains dissatisfied. Yes The letters that we send at each stage of the process sets out our findings, the decision, the remedy (where appropriate) and to whom a complainant can request escalation to including the Ombudsman at the final stage. 6.20 Stage 2 is the landlord’s final response and must involve all suitable staff members needed to issue such a response. Yes The Investigating officer will collate information from all relevant staff before issuing our final response Section 7: Putting things right Code provision Code requirement Comply: Yes / No Evidence Commentary / explanation 7.1 Where something has gone wrong a landlord must acknowledge this and set out the actions it has already taken, or intends to take, to put things right. These can include: • Apologising; • Acknowledging where things have gone wrong; Yes This is included in the response that we send Appendix 1 Page | 18 • Providing an explanation, assistance or reasons; • Taking action if there has been delay; • Reconsidering or changing a decision; • Amending a record or adding a correction or addendum; • Providing a financial remedy; • Changing policies, procedures or practices. 7.2 Any remedy offered must reflect the impact on the resident as a result of any fault identified. Yes This is included in the response that we send 7.3 The remedy offer must clearly set out what will happen and by when, in agreement with the resident where appropriate. Any remedy proposed must be followed through to completion. Yes This is included in the response that we send 7.4 Landlords must take account of the guidance issued by the Ombudsman when deciding on appropriate remedies. Yes The Complaint Handling Codes are available and key staff have received additional training from an officer in the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. Appendix 1 Page | 19 Section 8: Self-assessment, reporting and compliance Code provision Code requirement Comply: Yes / No Evidence Commentary / explanation 8.1 Landlords must produce an annual complaints performance and service improvement report for scrutiny and challenge, which must include: a. the annual self-assessment against this Code to ensure their complaint handling policy remains in line with its requirements. b. a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the landlord’s complaint handling performance. This must also include a summary of the types of complaints the landlord has refused to accept; c. any findings of non-compliance with this Code by the Ombudsman; d. the service improvements made as a result of the learning from complaints; e. any annual report about the landlord’s performance from the Ombudsman; and f. any other relevant reports or publications produced by the Ombudsman in relation to the work of the landlord. Yes An annual complaint report is provided for the Corporate Resources & Infrastructure Select Committee 8.2 The annual complaints performance and service improvement report must be reported to the landlord’s governing body Yes This is reported to the Corporate Resources & Infrastructure Select Committee. The report is published From 2024/25 a separate report will be provided to the Residents’ Services Select Appendix 1 Page | 20 (or equivalent) and published on the on the section of its website relating to complaints. The governing body’s response to the report must be published alongside this. on the following website: London Borough of Hillingdon - Browse meetings - CABINET Committee ahead of the annual submission to the Housing Ombudsman Service. 8.3 Landlords must also carry out a self- assessment following a significant restructure, merger and/or change in procedures. Yes A submission is required to Cabinet where any changes are made to the Corporate complaints procedure. We will undertake self-assessments when required. 8.4 Landlords may be asked to review and update the self-assessment following an Ombudsman investigation. Yes As a result of decisions made by the Ombudsman, senior managers are made aware of the decision and actions are monitored to ensure that they are completed. Changes made are then noted and the self- assessment is then changed/added to as a result when next reviewed. 8.5 If a landlord is unable to comply with the Code due to exceptional circumstances, such as a cyber incident, they must inform the Ombudsman, provide information to residents who may be affected, and publish this on their website Landlords must provide a timescale for returning to compliance with the Code. Yes This has not happened, but is noted. Appendix 1 Page | 21 Section 9: Scrutiny & oversight: continuous learning and improvement Code provision Code requirement Comply: Yes / No Evidence Commentary / explanation 9.1 Landlords must look beyond the circumstances of the individual complaint and consider whether service improvements can be made as a result of any learning from the complaint. Yes Set out in the Corporate complaints procedure Once a complaint has been responded to, officers will identify any learning and set out what has gone wrong and what is being done to put this right. 9.2 A positive complaint handling culture is integral to the effectiveness with which landlords resolve disputes. Landlords must use complaints as a source of intelligence to identify issues and introduce positive changes in service delivery. Yes Set out in the Corporate complaints procedure Customer Experience Contact report covering both service request and complaint analysis will be developed, with the aim of identifying issues before they escalate into complaints and by doing so reduce the burden on our resources and a culture where service improvement is seen as the norm. 9.3 Accountability and transparency are also integral to a positive complaint handling culture. Landlords must report back on wider learning and improvements from complaints to stakeholders, such as residents’ panels, staff and relevant committees. Yes New complaint portal Our new complaint portal has been introduced in July 2023 and enables much more flexible and comprehensive reporting. This will increase the extent to which the council is able to learn from complaints, share the learning and institute improvements 9.4 Landlords must appoint a suitably senior lead person as accountable for their complaint handling. This person must Yes There is a dedicated complaint manager at a senior level that produces the annual complaint Quarterly and annual corporate reports show themes and what action was Appendix 1 Page | 22 assess any themes or trends to identify potential systemic issues, serious risks, or policies and procedures that require revision. report for the Select committee. This has been enhanced by the new role covered by the Corporate Resources & Infrastructure Select Committee, which will act as the Member Responsible for Complaints. taken to address them. A new IT based system for complaints handling has been installed which will enable much more flexible and comprehensive reporting. This will increase the extent to which the council is able to learn from complaints, share the learning and implement improvements 9.5 In addition to this a member of the governing body (or equivalent) must be appointed to have lead responsibility for complaints to support a positive complaint handling culture. This person is referred to as the Member Responsible for Complaints (‘the MRC’). Yes Corporate Resources & Infrastructure Select Committee, which will act as the Member Responsible for Complaints From 2024/25 this will be added to by a timelier report into Residents’ Services Select Committee ahead of the submission to the Housing Ombudsman Service 9.6 The MRC will be responsible for ensuring the governing body receives regular information on complaints that provides insight on the landlord’s complaint handling performance. This person must have access to suitable information and staff to perform this role and report on their findings. Yes The intention is to provide the Corporate Resources & Infrastructure Select Committee, with regular updates but this has not yet been determined. 9.7 As a minimum, the MRC and the governing body (or equivalent) must receive: a. regular updates on the volume, categories and outcomes of complaints, alongside complaint handling performance; Yes This is before Cabinet on 27 June for formal approval The Business Manager for complaints provides quarterly and annual reports. Appendix 1 Page | 23 b. regular reviews of issues and trends arising from complaint handling; c. regular updates on the outcomes of the Ombudsman’s investigations and progress made in complying with orders related to severe maladministration findings; and d. annual complaints performance and service improvement report. 9.8 Landlords must have a standard objective in relation to complaint handling for all relevant employees or third parties that reflects the need to: a. have a collaborative and co- operative approach towards resolving complaints, working with colleagues across teams and departments; b. take collective responsibility for any shortfalls identified through complaints, rather than blaming others; and c. act within the professional standards for engaging with complaints as set by any relevant professional body. No The central team responsible for handling complaints, the Appeals and Complaints Team and the Homeless Prevention Team dedicated to handling complaints, all have obj ectives in relation to the handling of complaints . However, this is not the case for all staff that deal with complaints across the Council, and this is something that we will need to work on . However, the Council’s Corporate complaints procedure sets out that: “The Council is committed to putting people at the centre of everything we do and aims to provide the best possible service to residents. However, sometimes things can go wrong and if you are not happy with the service you have received from the Council then please tell us so that we can, where possible, sort out the problem. Full compliance to be achieved by Dec 2024 Appendix 1 Page | 24 We will carry out enquiries fairly, deal with your complaint as quickly and effectively as we can while maintaining confidentiality and keeping you informed of progress. We want to reassure you that the service you get will not be affected if you raise con cerns or make a complaint. The policy and procedure: ● allows managers to address issues of unsatisfactory service and seek improvements in service delivery; ● ensures that customers are treated fairly and consistently; ● ensures that a proper and adequate investigation takes place before any action is taken; ● requests for reasonable adjustments will be considered in line with the Equality Act 2010 and appropriate training is provided for staff; and ● safeguards the integrity and good reputation of the Council.” Appendix 1 Page | 25 Governance Effective from: 28 June 2024 Review Date: June 2025 Report Owner: Dan Kennedy, Corporate Director – Central Services Report Author: Ian Anderson, Business Manager – Complaints and Enquiries Approved by: Landlord Board and Corporate Management Team Housing Leads Version Number: 1.01 Appendix 1

Appendix 2 – Online submission to the Housing Ombudsman Service – June 2024 Contact email address IAnderson@Hillingdon.Gov.UK Name of organisation LBH Size of organisation (number of units) 10,130 Name of the form submitter Ian Anderson Submitter's job title Business Manager, Complaints and Enquiries Please confirm the reason for your submission. Annual submission in line with the statutory Code The date you submit this form 28/06/2024 Does the landlord have a website? Yes Link to the complaint self-assessment on landlord's website. www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints Link to Annual Complaints Performance and Service Improvement Report from landlord's website. www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints Link to landlord's governing body's response to the self-assessment from landlord's website. www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints Link to the landlord's complaints policy from landlord's website. www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints Has the Complaint Handling Code 2024 and the self -assessment process helped your organisation to promote a positive complaint handling culture? Yes Please share any learning or changes you have made to promote a positive complaint handling culture. Continuous improvement is seen as a cornerstone of how we operate at Hillingdon Council and learning from complaints is a central part of this. The receipt of any complaint provides Hillingdon with valuable feedback, an opportunity to learn from what has happened, to make adjustments so that it does not happen again and by doing so improve the service we provide our residents The Council has invested in new software for complaint handling. Since July 2023, we have been using a new complaint portal to process and manage complaints. The new portal has provided us with the opportunity to better understand feedba ck we are receiving from our residents through the “Report It” data we receive, complaints, compliments and Members Enquiries. Our Corporate Complaint Handling Policy and Procedure has also been updated. The adoption of the same Complaint Handling Code by both the Housing Ombudsman and the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has been helpful in providing a consistent basis for housing and corporate complaint handling. There are now only 2 stages to the process and there are no longer ‘informal compla ints’, just complaints and service requests. This has resulted in an increase in complaints activity providing richer feedback to inform service improvement. The Housing Management Service has comprehensively reviewed its approach to learning from complain ts and earlier this year rolled out a revised approach to monitoring complaints and evidencing learning outcomes. Relevant service managers and the complaints manager have been involved in developing and implementing the approach. The stated objective of t he approach is ‘to enhance the council’s approach to handling and monitoring complaints in a fair and transparent manner, ensuring continuous improvement through identified learning outcomes’ Comments from our Anti -social behaviour and Domestic Abuse Team - The team keep a spreadsheet to record all complaints, outcomes, learning points and changes made to improve service delivery. Satisfaction Surveys are carried out at case ASB/DA closure to continuously monitor service delivery and identify areas for impr ovement Comments from our Rent Collection Team - Case Ref: 0558-7830-2926-7424 – As a team we discussed this unusual case scenario to ensure we undertook the best measures to improve our best practise of managing difficult rent arrears case as a direct response to the learning points from this complaint. We agreed as a team that we would create a folder labelled complaints in our shared drive as way of learning from these exceptional cases. We agreed as a team to review cases at Team Meetings once a month. The new Complaint Handling Code forms part of our monthly team meetings to support an improved service. Has the Complaint Handling Code 2024 helped your organisation to promote fairness through consistency in complaint handling? Yes Please share any learning or changes you have made to ensure consistency in complaint handling. The complaint handling code 2024 has helped and supported service delivery teams to better understand how to promote consistency in complaint handling and provided an opportunity for continuous learning, improvement in delivery of our service to customers and avoidance of repeating scenarios leading to complaints. The Code has enabled us to clearly relay information on complaint handling to our teams and empowered the officers to iden tify when it is appropriate to divert residents to the complaint service and when we can effectively intervene and resolve an issue as a service request. Including officers in information gathering and reviewing responses before submission has ensured that responses are accurate. We have made some changes as a result of complaint handling code 2024. We learnt that the first warning letters we send out should only be sent in the post and not hand delivered as this is the start of our pre-action protocol. This change came about as a result of residents complaining they were not aware they were in arrears and our first letter gave them the opportunity to tackle this. Knocking on the door was not helpful, so we implemented this to prevent further complaints of similar nature coming through. Complaint Handling also forms part of our Team Agenda every month as way of learning from residents’ complaints, to ensure we do not receive similar complaints of the same nature again. A clear structure has been established to investigate and respond to Complaints at Stage 1 and 2. This includes ensuring that Stage 2 investigations are overseen by a different Manager to the one responding to the Stage 1. Code Provision 1.2 A complaint must be defined as: ‘An expression of dissatisfaction, however made, about the standard of service, actions or lack of action by the landlord, its own staff, or those acting on its behalf, affecting a resident or group of residents.’ Complied Code Provision 1.3 A resident does not have to use the word ‘complaint’ for it to be treated as such. Whenever a resident expresses dissatisfaction landlords must give them the choice to make a complaint. A complaint that is submitted via a third party or representative must be handled in line with the landlord’s complaints policy. Complied Code Provision 1.4 Landlords must recognise the difference between a service request and a complaint. This must be set out in their complaints policy. A service request is a request from a resident to the landlord requiring action to be taken to put something right. Service requests are not complaints, but must be recorded, monitored and reviewed regularly. Complied Code Provision 1.5 A complaint must be raised when the resident expresses dissatisfaction with the response to their service request, even if the handling of the service request remains ongoing. Landlords must not stop their efforts to address the service request if the resident complains. Complied Code Provision 1.6 An expression of dissatisfaction with servic es made through a survey is not defined as a complaint, though wherever possible, the person completing the survey should be made aware of how they can pursue a complaint if they wish to. Where landlords ask for wider feedback about their services, they also must provide details of how residents can complain. Complied If you have answered 'not complied' to any of the above provisions, please set out the reason(s), when the landlord intends to comply and details of any alternative approaches that have been p ut in place to meet the intentions of the provision. If you have complied with all provisions, please write 'none' Not applicable Code Provision 2.1 Landlords must accept a complaint unless there is a valid reason not to do so. If landlords decide not to accept a complaint they must be able to evidence their reasoning. Each complaint must be considered on its own merits. Complied Code Provision 2.2 A complaints policy must set out the circumstances in which a matter will not be considered as a complaint or escalated, and these circumstances must be fair and reasonable to residents. Acceptable exclusions include: - the issue giving rise to the complaint occurred over 12 months ago - legal proceedings have started - this is defined as details of the claim, such as the Claim Form and Particulars of Claim, having been filed at court - matters that have previously been considered under the complaints policy Complied Code Provision 2.3 Landlords must accept complaints referred to them within 12 months of the issue occurring or the resident becoming aware of the issue, unless they are excluded on other grounds. Landlords must consider whether to apply discretio n to accept complaints made outside this time limit where there are good reasons to do so. Complied Code Provision 2.4 If a landlord decides not to accept a complaint, an explanation must be provided to the resident setting out the reasons why the matter i s not suitable for the complaints process and the right to take that decision to the Ombudsman. If the Ombudsman does not agree that the exclusion has been fairly applied, the Ombudsman may tell the landlord to take on the complaint. Complied Code Provision 2.5 Landlords must not take a blanket approach to excluding complaints; they must consider the individual circumstances of each complaint. Complied If you have answered 'not complied' to any of the above provisions, please set out the reason(s), when the landlord intends to comply and details of any alternative approaches that have been put in place to meet the intentions of the provision. If you have complied with all provisions, please write 'none' Not applicable Code Provision 3.1 Landlords must make it easy for residents to complain by providing different channels through which they can make a complaint. Landlords must consider their duties under the Equality Act 2010 and anticipate the needs and reasonable adjustments of residents who may need to acc ess the complaints process. Complied Code Provision 3.2 Residents must be able to raise their complaints in any way and with any member of staff. All staff must be aware of the complaints process and be able to pass details of the complaint to the appropriate person within the landlord. Complied Code Provision 3.3 High volumes of complaints must not be seen as a negative, as they can be indicative of a well - publicised and accessible complaints process. Low complaint volumes are potentially a sign that residents are unable to complain. Complied Code Provision 3.4 Landlords must make their complaint policy available in a clear and accessible format for all residents. This will detail the 2-stage process, what will happen at each stage, and the timeframes for responding. The policy must also be published on the landlord’s website. Complied Code Provision 3.5 The policy must explain how the landlord will publicise details of the complaints policy, including information about the Ombudsman and this Code. Not complied Code Provision 3.6 Landlords must give residents the opportunity to have a representative deal with their complaint on their behalf, and to be represented or accompanied at any meeting with the landlord. Complied Code Provision 3.7 Landlords must provide residents with information on their right to access the Ombudsman Service and how the individual can engage with the Ombudsman about their complaint. Complied If you have answered 'not complied' to any of the above provisions, please set out the reason(s), when the landlord intends to comply and details of any alternative approaches that have been put in place to meet the intentions of the provision. If you have complied with all provisions, please write 'none' Questions 33, Code Provision 3.5 . We publicise this in a limited way in that our policy and information about the code is on our website. It was also published in our e-news letter to residents - May 2024. We will be exploring how to publicise our policy more widely through presentations and newsletters by September 2024. Code Provision 4.1 Landlords must have a person or team assigned to take responsibility for complaint handling, including liaising with the Ombudsman and ensuring complaints are reported to the governing body (or equivalent). This Code will refer to that person or team as the complaints officer. This role may be in addition to other duties. Complied Code Provision 4.2 The complaints officer must have access to staff at all levels to facilitate the prompt resolution of complaints. They must also have the authority and autonomy to act to resolve disputes promptly and fairly. Complied Code Provision 4.3 Landlords are expected to prioritise complaint handling and a culture of learning from complaints. All relevant staff must b e suitably trained in the importance of complaint handling. It is important that complaints are seen as a core service and must be resourced to handle complaints effectively. Complied If you have answered 'not complied' to any of the above provisions, please set out the reason(s), when the landlord intends to comply and details of any alternative approaches that have been put in place to meet the intentions of the provision. If you have complied with all provisions, please write 'none' Not applicable Code Provision 5.1 Landlords must have a single policy in place for dealing with complaints covered by this Code. Residents must not be treated differently if they complain. Complied Code Provision 5.2 The early and local resolution of issues between landlords and residents is key to effective complaint handling. It is not appropriate to have extra named stages (such as ‘stage 0’ or ‘informal complaint’) as this causes unnecessary confusion. Complied Code Provision 5.3 A process with more than 2 stages is no t acceptable under any circumstances as this will make the complaint process unduly long and delay access to the Ombudsman. Complied Code Provision 5.4 Where a landlord’s complaint response is handled by a third party (such as a contractor or independent adjudicator) at any stage, it must form part of the 2 -stage complaints process set out in the Code. Residents must not be expected to go through 2 complaints processes. Complied Code Provision 5.5 Landlords are responsible for ensuring that any third parties handle complaints in line with the Code. Complied Code Provision 5.6 When a complaint is logged at stage 1 or escalated to stage 2, landlords must set out their understanding of the complaint and the outcomes the resident is seeking. The Code will refer to this as “the complaint definition”. If any aspect of the complaint is unclear, the resident must be asked for clarification. Not complied Code Provision 5.7 When a complaint is acknowledged at either stage, landlords must be clear which aspects of the complaint they are, and are not, responsible for and clarify any areas where this is not clear. Complied Code Provision 5.8 At each stage of the complaints process, complaint handlers must: a) deal with complaints on their merits, act independently, and have an open mind b) give the resident a fair chance to set out their position c) take measures to address any actual or perceived conflict of interest d) consider all relevant information and evidence carefully. Complied Code Provision 5.9 Where a response to a complaint will fall outside the timescales set out in this Code the landlord must agree with the resident suitable intervals for keeping them informed about their complaint. Complied Code Provision 5.10 Landlords must make reasonable adjustments fo r residents where appropriate under the Equality Act 2010. Landlords must keep a record of any reasonable adjustments agreed, as well as a record of any disabilities a resident has disclosed. Any agreed reasonable adjustments must be kept under active review. Complied Code Provision 5.11 Landlords must not refuse to escalate a complaint through all stages of the complaints procedure unless it has valid reasons to do so. Landlords must clearly set out these reasons, and they must comply with the provisions set out in section 2 of the Code. Complied Code Provision 5.12 A full record must be kept of the complaint, and the outcomes at each stage. This must include the original complaint and the date received, all correspondence with the resident, correspondence with other parties, and any relevant supporting documentation such as reports or surveys. Complied Code Provision 5.13 Landlords must have processes in place to ensure that a complaint can be remedied at any stage of its complaints process. Landlords must ensure that appropriate remedies can be provided at any stage of the complaints process without the need for escalation. Complied Code Provision 5.14 Landlords must have policies and procedures in place for managing unacceptable behaviour from residents and/or their representatives. Landlords must be able to evidence reasons for putting any restrictions in place and must keep restrictions under regular review. Complied Code Provision 5.15 Any restrictions placed on contact due to unacceptable behaviour must be proportionate and demonstrate regard for the provisions of the Equality Act 2010. Complied If you have answered 'not complied' to any of the above provisions, please set out the reason(s), when the landlord intends to comply and details of any alternative approaches that have been put in place to meet the intentions of the provision. If you have complied with all provisions, please write 'none' Question 46 - Code Provision 5.6 - We currently acknowledge receipt of all complaints but we do not set out our understanding of the complaint. This is something that we will have in place by the end of August 2024. Code Provision 6.1 Landlords must have processes in place to consider which complaints can be responded to as early as possible, and which require further investigation. Landlords must consider factors such as the complexity of the complaint and whether the resident is vulnerable or at risk. Most stage 1 complaints can be resolved promptly, and an explanation, apology or resolution provided to the resident. Complied Code Provision 6.2 Complaints must be acknowledged, defined and logged at stage 1 of the complaints procedure within 5 working days of the complaint being received. Complied Code Provision 6.3 Landlords must issue a full response to stage 1 complaints within 10 working days of the complaint being acknowledged. Complied Code Provision 6.4 Landlords must decide whether an extension to this timescale is needed when considering the complexity of the complaint and then inform the resident of the expected timescale for response. Any extension must be no more than 10 working days without good reason, and the reason(s) must be clearly explained to the resident. Complied Code Provision 6.5 When an organisation informs a resident about an extension to these timescales, they must be provided with the contact details of the Ombudsman. Complied Code Provision 6.6 A complaint response must be provided to the resident when the answer to the complaint is known, not when the outsta nding actions required to address the issue are completed. Outstanding actions must still be tracked and actioned promptly with appropriate updates provided to the resident. Complied Code Provision 6.7 Landlords must address all points raised in the complaint definition and provide clear reasons for any decisions, referencing the relevant policy, law and good practice where appropriate. Complied Code Provision 6.8 Where residents raise additional complaints during the investigation, these must be incorporated into the stage 1 response if they are related and the stage 1 response has not been issued. Where the stage 1 response has been issued, and the new issues are unrelated to the issues already being investigated or it would unreasonably delay the response, the new issues must be logged as a new complaint. Complied Code Provision 6.9 Landlords must confirm the following in writing to the resident at the completion of stage 1 in clear, plain language: a) the complaint stage b) the complaint definition c) the decision on the complaint d) the reasons for any decisions made e) the details of any remedy offered to put things right f) details of any outstanding actions g) details of how to escalate the matter to stage 2 if the individual is not satisfied with the response Complied Code Provision 6.10 If all or part of the complaint is not resolved to the resident’s satisfaction at stage 1, it must be progressed to stage 2 of the landlord’s procedure. Stage 2 is the landlord’s final response. Complied Code Provision 6.11 Requests for stage 2 must be acknowledged, defined and logged at stage 2 of the complaints procedure within 5 working days of the escalation request being received. Complied Code Provision 6.12 Residents must not be required to explain their reasons for requesting a stage 2 consideration. Landlords are expected to make reasonable efforts to understand why a resident remains unhappy as part of its stage 2 response. Complied Code Provision 6.13 The person considering the complaint at stage 2 must not be the same person that considered the complaint at stage 1. Complied Code Provision 6.14 Landlords must issue a final response to the stage 2 within 20 working days of the complaint being acknowledged. Complied Code Provision 6.15 Landlords must decide whet her an extension to this timescale is needed when considering the complexity of the complaint and then inform the resident of the expected timescale for response. Any extension must be no more than 20 working days without good reason, and the reason(s) mus t be clearly explained to the resident. Complied Code Provision 6.16 When an organisation informs a resident about an extension to these timescales, they must be provided with the contact details of the Ombudsman. Complied Code Provision 6.17 A complaint response must be provided to the resident when the answer to the complaint is known, not when the outstanding actions required to address the issue are completed. Outstanding actions must still be tracked and actioned promptly with appropriate updates provided to the resident. Complied Code Provision 6.18 Landlords must address all points raised in the complaint definition and provide clear reasons for any decisions, referencing the relevant policy, law and good practice where appropriate. Complied Code Provision 6.19 Landlords must confirm the following in writing to the resident at the completion of stage 2 in clear, plain language: a) the complaint stage b) the complaint definition c) the decision on the complaint d) the reasons for any decisions made e) the details of any remedy offered to put things right f) details of any outstanding actions g) details of how to escalate the matter to the Ombudsman Service if the individual remains dissatisfied Complied Code Provision 6.20 Stage 2 is the landlord’s final response and must involve all suitable staff members needed to issue such a response. Complied If you have answered 'not complied' to any of the above provisions, please set out the reason(s), when the landlord intends to comply and details of any al ternative approaches that have been put in place to meet the intentions of the provision. If you have complied with all provisions, please write 'none' Not applicable Code Provision 7.1 Where something has gone wrong, a landlord must acknowledge this and set out the actions it has already taken, or intends to take, to put things right. These can include: - apologising - acknowledging where things have gone wrong - providing an explanation, assistance or reasons - taking action if there has been delay - reconsidering or changing a decision - amending a record or adding a correction or addendum - providing a financial remedy - changing policies, procedures or practices Complied Code Provision 7.2 Any remedy offered must reflect the impact on the resident as a result of any fault identified. Complied Code Provision 7.3 The remedy offer must clearly set out what will happen and by when, in agreement with the resident where appropriate. Any remedy proposed must be followed through to completion. Complied Code Provision 7.4 Landlords must take account of the guidance issued by the Ombudsman when deciding on appropriate remedies. Complied If you have answered 'not complied' to any of the above provisions, please set out the reason(s), when the landlord intends to comply and details of any alternative approaches that have been put in place to meet the intentions of the provision. If you have complied with all provisions, please write 'none' Not applicable Code Provision 8.1 Landlords must produce an Annual Complai nts Performance and Service Improvement Report for scrutiny and challenge, which must include: a) the annual self-assessment against this Code to ensure their complaint handling policy remains in line with its requirements b) a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the landlord’s complaint handling performance - this must also include a summary of the types of complaints the landlord has refused to accept c) any findings of non-compliance with this Code by the Ombudsman d) the service improvements made as a result of the learning from complaints e) any annual report about the landlord’s performance from the Ombudsman f) any other relevant reports or publications produced by the Ombudsman in relation to the work of the landlord Complied Code Provision 8.2 The Annual Complaints Performance and Service Improvement Report must be reported to the landlord’s governing body (or equivalent) and published on the on the section of its website relating to complaints. The governing body’s response to the report must be published alongside this. Complied Code Provision 8.3 Landlords must also carry out a self -assessment following a significant restructure, merger and/or change in procedures. Complied Code Provision 8.4 Landlords may be asked to review and update the sel f-assessment following an Ombudsman investigation. Complied Code Provision 8.5 If a landlord is unable to comply with the Code due to exceptional circumstances, such as a cyber incident, they must inform the Ombudsman, provide information to residents who may be affected, and publish this on their website. Landlords must provide a timescale for returning to compliance with the Code. Complied If you have answered 'not complied' to any of the above provisions, please set out the reason(s), when the landlord intends to comply and details of any alternative approaches that have been put in place to meet the intentions of the provision. If you have complied with all provisions, please write 'none' Not applicable Code Provision 9.1 Landlords must look beyond the circumstances of the individual complaint and consider whether service improvements can be made as a result of any learning from the complaint. Complied Code Provision 9.2 A positive complaint handling culture is integral to the effectiveness with which la ndlords resolve disputes. Landlords must use complaints as a source of intelligence to identify issues and introduce positive changes in service delivery. Complied Code Provision 9.3 Accountability and transparency are also integral to a positive complaint handling culture. Landlords must report back on wider learning and improvements from complaints to stakeholders, such as resident panels, staff, and relevant committees. Complied Code Provision 9.4 Landlords must appoint a suitably senior lead person as accountable for their complaint handling. This person must assess any themes or trends to identify potential systemic issues, serious risks, or policies and procedures that require revision. Complied Code Provision 9.5 In addition to Code provision 9.4, a member of the governing body (or equivalent) must be appointed to have lead responsibility for complaints to support a positive complaint handling culture. This person is referred to as the Member Responsible for Complaints (MRC). Complied Code Provision 9.6 The MRC will be responsible for ensuring the governing body receives regular information on complaints that provides insight on the landlord’s complaint handling performance. This person must have access to suitable information and staff to perform this role and report on their findings. Complied Code Provision 9.7 As a minimum, the MRC and the governing body (or equivalent) must receive: a) regular updates on the volume, categories and outcomes of complaints, alongside complaint handling performance b) regular reviews of issues and trends arising from complaint handling c) regular updates on the outcomes of the Ombudsman’s investigations and progress made in complying with orders related to severe maladministration findings d) the annual complaints performance and service improvement report Complied Code Provision 9.8 Landlords must have a standard objective in relation to complaint handling for all relevant employees or third parties that reflects the need to: - have a collaborative and co -operative ap proach towards resolving complaints, working with colleagues across teams and departments - take collective responsibility for any shortfalls identified through complaints, rather than blaming others - act within the professional standards for engaging with complaints as set by any relevant professional body Not complied If you have answered 'not complied' to any of the above provisions, please set out the reason(s), when the landlord intends to comply and details of any alternative approaches that have been put in place to meet the intentions of the provision. If you have complied with all provisions, please write 'none' Question 96 - Code 9.8 - We are aiming for full compliance by the end of December 2024.

Residents’ Services Select Committee – 18 July 2024 Classification: Public SPORTS FACILITIES, ENGAGEMENT AND INCLUSIVITY Committee name Residents’ Services Select Committee Officer reporting Priscilla Simpson, Sport and Physical Activity Team Manager Papers with report None Ward All HEADLINES This report provides an overview of the sports facilities available throughout the Borough with a focus on engagement and inclusivity. RECOMMENDATIONS That the Residents’ Services Select Committee: 1. Notes the content of the report and asks any clarification questions as necessary. SUPPORTING INFORMATION PUBLIC HEALTH July 2024 The Public Health team and its partners in the Council and NHS are creating opportunities for children, young people, families, older residents, to enjoy participating in the many local physical activities available to them across the Borough. This is through our GLL leisure centres, parks, open spaces, clubs, and community facilities. We aim to create something for everyone. The Council has also invested in opportunities to be more active. The Sport and Physical activity team (SaPAT) have co-ordinated recent investments and set up delivery plans to improve access and support more residents to be active. Specifically, these include: - Parks Tennis: working with the Lawn Tennis Association since 2019 , the council was successful in bringing in a grant of £228k in 2023 and 2024 for the renovation of P ark Tennis at 5 sites, including new gate access systems at all 10 sites. Most of the courts had not been upgraded or renovated in over 10 years. To support the engagement of more residents to play tennis, the SaPAT have also set up a partnership with the National Tennis Association to offer a range of exciting new programmes for residents of all ages across the Borough to get involved in tennis. This started in the spring of 2024 and includes Free Parks Tennis; Tennis for Free (every Saturday morning at Cavendish Rec) and opportunities for residents to become tennis activators. Tracking data monitors court hours booked and play monthly. Residents’ Services Select Committee – 18 July 2024 Classification: Public - Cricket: with the support of the England and Wales Cricket Board , in 2022 the Council installed two new non-turf cricket pitches for Junior Cricket at Grassy Meadows and Cowley Rec. The local cricket clubs have been utilising these new facilities and free play is also available. - Cycling: the SaPAT set up Hillingdon’s first Accessible Cycling hub in September 2023 at Pield Heath School providing specialist bicycles for residents with disabilities and people living with dementia to learn and enjoy cycling in a secure environment. Cu rrently up to 10 people living with dementia use the specialist bikes on the dedicated track. - Running: the SaPAT successfully set up Hillingdon ’s first Park Run at Stockley Park in 2023; from the outset has been a hugely successful mass participation eve nt every Saturday. - GLL/Better ‘Healthwise programme’ (Exercise on Referral Scheme): working with GLL we aim to increase the number of GP referrals into the 12 -week physical activity programme to help residents gain benefit from instructor led exercise for their health conditions (including diabetes T2; cardiovascular issues, mobility issues). This will be promoted through the Integrated Neighbourhood Teams that are currently being set up. OTHER PROGRAMMES DELIVERED BY THE SPORT AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY TEAM CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE London Youth Games: 23 sports trials and training for athletes aged between 11 – 17 competing against other London Boroughs. It is estimated th at 500 young residents go through the trials, training and competitions utilising GL L facilities at Botwell and Hillingdon Sport and Leisure Complex (HSLC). At the 2024 finals held in late June 2024, Hillingdon entered a total of 23 events across the competition year and came 15th out of the 33 London Boroughs and 4th out of the West London boroughs. Hillingdon was placed 1st across London for being the most improved Borough for the whole calendar year. Youth Disability Sport : multi-sport provision offered for free to provide activities designed to improve coordination, strength, balance and fitness for children aged 6 -12 living with disabilities including autism. Weekly sessions are held at Botwell leisure centre and HSLC with up to 16 young people attending. Mini Marathon: up to 36 residents aged between 11 – 17 represent the Borough at the London Mini Marathon (3 miles of the actual marathon route) each year. The athletics track at HSLC is used for trails. Play Day: To celebrate the national Play Day annual event which encourages children under the age of 8 and families to play (structured and unstructured), a free day event is held at the Athletics track at HSLC each year (7th August) where partners and services providers have stalls, games, physical activity opportunities for children to enjoy. Up to 2000 residents attend each year. Residents’ Services Select Committee – 18 July 2024 Classification: Public ADULTS Walks Our led walks take place Monday to Sunday across the Borough and are a great way to meet people and explore Hillingdon's beautiful green spaces. There are 22 graded walks to choose across the Borough. Cricket Community cricket sessions for 4 -11-year-olds run at Grassy Meadows and Cowley Recreation Ground during the summer months. Tennis With 10 sites to choose from across the Borough, courts can be booked for £5 per hour. Some sites have a coaching programme and at 3 sites a newly introduced initiative called Free Park Tennis on the weekends where residents can access equipment, facilities and coaching for free for 1 hour. Outdoor Fitness Programme These are fun, free, fitness classes in local park held at Barra Hall and Harefield. These Our Parks classes are delivered by fully qualified and registered coaches and designed to cater for all ages and abilities so they can Turn Up and Tone Up! Park Run A free regular 5k course where residents can turn up to run, jog or walk every Saturday morning at 9am at Stockley Country Park. This is an adult event but children as young as 14 can run if accompanied by an adult or infants can be pushed in buggies. It's run by local voluntee rs to set up and encourage as many residents as possible to take part. Couch To 5K Held twice a year, Couch to 5K is an 8-week running plan for absolute beginners and helps residents to gradually work up towards running 5 kilometres. This is led by runni ng coaches and volunteers who guide the group into feeling more confident to run/jog in their local area. Up to 25 residents attend the programme and many end up joining the weekly Park Run. Men’s Walking Football + Women’s Walking Football A free programme for men aged 50+ and women aged between 25 - 70 utilising HSLC facility. These sessions are led by a qualified instructor and encourage residents to move actively and have fun at the same time. OLDER RESIDENTS Seated exercise classes – weekly class es for residents aged 65+ to improve strength, coordination, balance and CV health, a variety of exercises are achieved in a seated environment. 300 residents attend across 11 library-based sessions. Strength and Balance : a prevention programme to suppor t the reduction of falls in Hillingdon has been set up as part of the wider HHCP priority on Falls and Frailty. The programme includes education workshops on Falls Prevention and a Slips, Trips and Falls self -assessment tool as well as a community-based OTAGO strength and Balance programme which meets the NICE guidelines on falls reductions. To date 300 residents have attended falls workshops and there Residents’ Services Select Committee – 18 July 2024 Classification: Public are an average of 197 residents attending strength and balance classes weekly. Classes are delivered in community-based locations including libraries and community centres. Residents can self-refer, and the programme also accepts referrals from social care, GPs, Physios, social prescribers and Age UK. There is also a targeted programme offered in sheltere d housing and Extra Care. Dances – Monthly Tea dances (Christchurch Hall, Uxbridge and Winston Churchill Hall) and Desi dance (held at Bowtell Leisure Centre) are provided free of charge for residents aged 65+. Around 150 residents attend monthly. Dementia Friendly Swimming and Tennis for 50+ residents - Free sessions that are specially for residents living with dementia and their carers. The swimming session are held at HSLC pool and adaptive tennis is delivered at Uxbridge Tennis Club. Up to 20 residents attend weekly. RESIDENT BENEFIT Sports facilities are available across the Borough to enhance the lives of residents. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS N/A LEGAL IMPLICATIONS N/A BACKGROUND PAPERS Nil.

Residents’ Services Select Committee – 18 July 2024 Classification: Public RESIDENTS’ SERVICES SELECT COMMITTEE - CABINET FORWARD PLAN Committee name Residents’ Services Select Committee Officer reporting Liz Penny, Democratic Services Officer Papers with report Appendix A – Latest Forward Plan Ward As shown on the Forward Plan HEADLINES To monitor the Cabinet’s latest Forward Plan which sets out key decisions and other decisions to be taken by the Cabinet collectively and Cabinet Members individually over the coming year. The report sets out the actions available to the Committee. RECOMMENDATION That the Residents’ Services Select Committee notes the Cabinet Forward Plan. SUPPORTING INFORMATION The Cabinet Forward Plan is published monthly, usually around the first or second week of each month. It is a rolling document giving the required public notice of future key decisions to be taken. Should a later edition of the Forward Plan be published after this agenda has been circulated, Democratic Services will update the Committee on any new items or changes at the meeting. As part of its Terms of Reference, each Select Committee should consider the Forward Plan and, if it deems necessary, comment as appropriate to the decision -maker on the items listed which relate to services within its remit. For reference, the Forward Plan helpfully details which Select Committee’s remit covers the relevant future decision item listed. The Select Committee’s monitoring role of the Forward Plan can be undertaken in a variety of ways, including both pre-decision and post-decision scrutiny of the items listed. The provision of advance information on future items listed (potentially also draft reports) to the Committee in advance will often depend upon a variety of factors including timing or feasibility, and ultimately any such request would rest with the relevant Cabinet Member to decide. However, the 2019 Protocol on Overview & Scrutiny and Cabinet Relations (part of the Hillingdon Constitution) does provide guidance to Cabinet Members to:  Actively support the provision of relevant Council information and other requests from the Committee as part of their work programme;  Where feasible, provide opportunities for committees to provide their input on forthcoming executive reports as set out in the Forward Plan to enable wider pre -decision scrutiny (in addition to those statutorily required to come before committees , i.e. policy framework documents – see para. below). As mentioned above, there is both a constitutional and statutory requirement for Select Committees to provide comments on the Cabinet’s draft budget and policy framework proposals after publication. These are automatically scheduled in advance to multi-year work programmes. Residents’ Services Select Committee – 18 July 2024 Classification: Public Therefore, in general, the Committee may consider the following actions on specific items listed on the Forward Plan: Committee action When How 1 To provide specific comments to be included in a future Cabinet or Cabinet Member report on matters within its remit. As part of its pre-decision scrutiny role, this would be where the Committee wishes to provide its influence and views on a particular matter within the formal report to the Cabinet or Cabinet Member before the decision is made. This would usually be where the Committee has previously considered a draft report or the topic in detail, or where it considers it has sufficient information already to provide relevant comments to the decision-maker. These would go within the standard section in every Cabinet or Cabinet Member report called “Select Committee comments”. The Cabinet or Cabinet Member would then consider these as part of any decision they make. 2 To request further information on future reports listed under its remit. As part of its pre-decision scrutiny role, this would be where the Committee wishes to discover more about a matter within its remit that is listed on the Forward Plan. Whilst such advance information can be requested from officers, the Committee should note that information may or may not be available in advance due to various factors, including timescales or the status of the drafting of the report itself and the formulation of final recommendation(s). Ultimately, the provision of any information in advance would be a matter for the Cabinet Member to decide. This would be considered at a subsequent Select Committee meeting. Alternatively, information could be circulated outside the meeting if reporting timescales require this. Upon the provision of any information, the Select Committee may then decide to provide specific comments (as per 1 above). 3 To request the Cabinet Member considers providing a draft of the report, if feasible, for the Select Committee to consider prior to it being considered formally for decision. As part of its pre-decision scrutiny role, this would be where the Committee wishes to provide an early steer or help shape a future report to Cabinet, e.g., on a policy matter. Whilst not the default position, Select Committees do occasionally receive draft versions of Cabinet reports prior to their formal consideration. The provision of such draft reports in advance may depend upon different factors, e.g., the timings required for that decision. Ultimately any request to see a draft report early would need the approval of the relevant Cabinet Member. Democratic Services would contact the relevant Cabinet Member and Officer upon any such request. If agreed, the draft report would be considered at a subsequent Select Committee meeting to provide views and feedback to officers before they finalise it for the Cabinet or Cabinet Member. An opportunity to provide specific comments (as per 1 above) is also possible. 4 To identify a forthcoming report that may merit a post- decision review at a later Select Committee meeting As part of its post-decision scrutiny and broader reviewing role, this would be where the Select Committee may wish to monitor the implementation of a certain Cabinet or Cabinet Member decision listed/taken at a later stage, i.e., to review its effectiveness after a period of 6 months. The Committee should note that this is different to the use of the post-decision scrutiny ‘call-in’ power which seeks to ask the Cabinet or Cabinet Member to formally re-consider a decision up to 5 working days after the decision notice has been issued. This is undertaken via the new Scrutiny Call-in App members of the relevant Select Committee. The Committee would add the matter to its multi-year work programme after a suitable time has elapsed upon the decision expected to be made by the Cabinet or Cabinet Member. Relevant service areas may be best to advise on the most appropriate time to review the matter once the decision is made. Residents’ Services Select Committee – 18 July 2024 Classification: Public BACKGROUND PAPERS  Protocol on Overview & Scrutiny and Cabinet relations adopted by Council 12 September 2019  Scrutiny Call-in App

Ref Scheduled Upcoming Decisions Further details Ward(s) Final decision by Full Council Cabinet Member(s) Responsible Relevant Select Committee Directorate / Lead Officer Consultation related to the decision NEW ITEM Public or Private (with reason) 223a Public Space Protection Order - Taxis around Heathrow Airport Cabinet will consider proposing updates to its Public Space Protection Orders to introduce a Taxi exclusion zone in residential streets around Heathrow Airport to mitigate associated public nuisances caused to residents. Subject to the outcome of statutory consultation, Cabinet will make a final decision on the PSPO at a subsequent meeting. Heathrow Villages Cllr Eddie Lavery - Residents' Services Residents' Services P - Richard Webb / Stephanie Waterford Statutory consultation NEW ITEM Public 139a Housing Allocation Policy - Consultation Draft Cabinet will consider for public consultation an updated Housing Allocation Policy which sets out how social housing is allocated to those on the housing register. All Cllr Eddie Lavery - Residents' Services Residents' Services C - Debbie Weller Public consultation Public 189 Cowley House, Uxbridge Following consultation with residents, Cabinet will consider the decant and disposal of Cowley House, 181 Cowley High Road Uxbridge UB8 2AJ. Cowley House is a small general needs housing block and a listed building. Cabinet will be advised that it is not viable to bring the property up to the new Landlord Compliance standards, hence the recommendation to dispose of the property. Uxbridge Cllr Jonathan Bianco - Property, Highways & Transport / Cllr Eddie Lavery - Residents' Services Residents' Services P - Julie Markwell Private (3) 205 Support services contracts for the Single Homelessness Accommodation Programme Cabinet will consider the award of support services contracts for the Single Homelessness Accommodation Programme (SHAP). SHAP is a £200 million nationwide fund to deliver up to 2400 homes and support services for people sleeping rough or at risk of sleeping rough. The Council is in receipt of external funding for SHAP and an aspect of this programme will be the procurement of services within this, to support this endeavour. N/A Cllr Eddie Lavery - Residents' Services Residents' Services CS / R - Maggie Nelson / Sally Offin Private (3) SI Public Preview of matters to be considered in private A report to Cabinet to provide maximum transparency to residents on the private and confidential matters to be considered later in Part 2 of the Cabinet meeting and agenda. TBC All Cabinet Members All C - Democratic Services Public SI Reports from Select Committees Reports, findings and recommendations for consideration by the Cabinet, when referred from the appropriate Committee. All All All C - Democratic Services TBC Public 194 Tenancy Strategy and Policy Following consultation, the Cabinet Member will consider the Council's Tenancy Strategy and Policy which provides guidance to registered social housing providers and sets out the approach to allocating and managing social housing tenancies, respectively. All Cllr Eddie Lavery - Residents' Services Residents' Services P - Debbie Weller Public SI = Standard Item each month/regularly Council Directorate/Service Areas: AS = Adult Services & Health P = Place C = Central Services R = Resources CS= Children's Services D = Digital & Intelligence Cabinet meeting - Thursday 25 July 2024 (report deadline 8 July) Cabinet Member Decisions expected - July 2024 1 Ref Scheduled Upcoming Decisions Further details Ward(s) Final decision by Full Council Cabinet Member(s) Responsible Relevant Select Committee Directorate / Lead Officer Consultation related to the decision NEW ITEM Public or Private (with reason) SI = Standard Item each month/regularly Council Directorate/Service Areas: AS = Adult Services & Health P = Place C = Central Services R = Resources CS= Children's Services D = Digital & Intelligence 193 Private Sector Placement Policy The Cabinet Member will consider approving an updated policy on placing tenants in temporary accommodation and private rented accommodation. All Cllr Eddie Lavery - Residents' Services Residents' Services P - Debbie Weller Public SI Standard Items taken each month by the Cabinet Member Cabinet Members make a number of non-key decisions each month on standard items - details of these are listed at the end of the Forward Plan. Various All C - Democratic Services Various Public SI Standard Items taken each month by the Cabinet Member Cabinet Members make a number of non-key decisions each month on standard items - details of these are listed at the end of the Forward Plan. Various All TBC C - Democratic Services Various Public 186 Draft Uxbridge Town Centre Vision As part of reviewing the Local Plan, the Council has been looking at the future challenges and opportunities that face Uxbridge, the Borough’s largest and only metropolitan town centre. Cabinet will consider commencing full public and stakeholder engagement on a proposed draft new masterplan / vision for Uxbridge, which be the basis for a consensus on the future redevelopment and prosperity of the town. Uxbridge / all wards Cllr Eddie Lavery - Residents' Services Residents' Services C - Julia Johnson Public engagement and also select committee Public SI Public Preview of matters to be considered in private A report to Cabinet to provide maximum transparency to residents on the private and confidential matters to be considered later in Part 2 of the Cabinet meeting and agenda. TBC All Cabinet Members All C - Democratic Services Public SI Reports from Select Committees Reports, findings and recommendations for consideration by the Cabinet, when referred from the appropriate Committee. All All TBC C - Democratic Services TBC Public SI Standard Items taken each month by the Cabinet Member Cabinet Members make a number of non-key decisions each month on standard items - details of these are listed at the end of the Forward Plan. Various All TBC C - Democratic Services Various Public SI Strategic Climate Action Plan Hillingdon Council passed a Climate Change Declaration at its full Council meeting on 16 January 2020 which set out the ambition to become carbon neutral across the Council’s services by 2030. The review of the Strategy will provide an update on progress and refine the actions necessary to deliver the carbon neutral target alongside wider climate change aspirations. All Cllr Eddie Lavery - Residents' Services Residents' Services P - Jo Allen Public Consultation / Residents' Services Select Committee Public Cabinet meeting - Thursday 10 October 2024 (report deadline 23 September) AUGUST 2024 - NO CABINET MEETING Cabinet meeting - Thursday 12 September 2024 (report deadline 23 August) Cabinet Member Decisions expected - September 2024 2 Ref Scheduled Upcoming Decisions Further details Ward(s) Final decision by Full Council Cabinet Member(s) Responsible Relevant Select Committee Directorate / Lead Officer Consultation related to the decision NEW ITEM Public or Private (with reason) SI = Standard Item each month/regularly Council Directorate/Service Areas: AS = Adult Services & Health P = Place C = Central Services R = Resources CS= Children's Services D = Digital & Intelligence SI Public Preview of matters to be considered in private A report to Cabinet to provide maximum transparency to residents on the private and confidential matters to be considered later in Part 2 of the Cabinet meeting and agenda. TBC All Cabinet Members All C - Democratic Services Public SI Standard Items taken each month by the Cabinet Member Cabinet Members make a number of non-key decisions each month on standard items - details of these are listed at the end of the Forward Plan. Various All TBC C - Democratic Services Various Public 223b Public Space Protection Order - Taxis around Heathrow Airport Following statutory consultation, Cabinet will consider the outcome and whether to update the Council's Public Space Protection Orders to introduce a Taxi exclusion zone in residential streets around Heathrow Airport to mitigate associated public nuisances caused to residents. Heathrow Villages Cllr Eddie Lavery - Residents' Services Residents' Services P - Richard Webb Statutory consultation NEW ITEM Public 139b Housing Allocation Policy Following public consultation, Cabinet will consider approval of the Housing Allocation Policy, whcih sets out the Council's policy on how social housing is allocated to those on the housing register. All Cllr Eddie Lavery - Residents' Services Residents' Services P - Debbie Weller Public consultation Public SI Public Preview of matters to be considered in private A report to Cabinet to provide maximum transparency to residents on the private and confidential matters to be considered later in Part 2 of the Cabinet meeting and agenda. TBC All Cabinet Members All C - Democratic Services Public SI Reports from Select Committees Reports, findings and recommendations for consideration by the Cabinet, when referred from the appropriate Committee. All All TBC C - Democratic Services TBC Public SI Standard Items taken each month by the Cabinet Member Cabinet Members make a number of non-key decisions each month on standard items - details of these are listed at the end of the Forward Plan. Various All TBC C - Democratic Services Various Public SI Infrastructure Funding Statement Cabinet will receive an annual report setting out the Council's Infrastructure Funding Statement, a document it is required to publish which also monitors spending on section 106 (developer contribution) monies along with the Community Infrastructure levy over the past year. All Cllr Eddie Lavery - Residents' Services Residents' Services P - Andrew Tebbutt Residents' Services Select Committee Public Cabinet Member Decisions expected - October 2024 Cabinet meeting - Thursday 12 December 2024 (report deadline 25 November) Cabinet meeting - Thursday 7 November 2024 (report deadline 21 October) Cabinet Member Decisions expected - November 2024 3 Ref Scheduled Upcoming Decisions Further details Ward(s) Final decision by Full Council Cabinet Member(s) Responsible Relevant Select Committee Directorate / Lead Officer Consultation related to the decision NEW ITEM Public or Private (with reason) SI = Standard Item each month/regularly Council Directorate/Service Areas: AS = Adult Services & Health P = Place C = Central Services R = Resources CS= Children's Services D = Digital & Intelligence SI The Council's Budget - Medium Term Financial Forecast 2025/26 - 2029/30 (BUDGET FRAMEWORK) This report will set out the Medium Term Financial Forecast (MTFF), which includes the draft General Fund reserve budget and capital programme for 2025/26 for consultation, along with indicative projections for the following four years. This will also include the HRA rents for consideration. All Proposed Full Council adoption - 20 February 2025 Cllr Martin Goddard - Finance All R - Andy Evans Public consultation through the Select Committee process and statutory consultation with businesses & ratepayers Public SI Public Preview of matters to be considered in private A report to Cabinet to provide maximum transparency to residents on the private and confidential matters to be considered later in Part 2 of the Cabinet meeting and agenda. TBC All Cabinet Members All C - Democratic Services Public SI Reports from Select Committees Reports, findings and recommendations for consideration by the Cabinet, when referred from the appropriate Committee. All All TBC C - Democratic Services TBC Public SI Public Preview of matters to be considered in private A report to Cabinet to provide maximum transparency to residents on the private and confidential matters to be considered later in Part 2 of the Cabinet meeting and agenda. TBC All Cabinet Members All C - Democratic Services Public SI Reports from Select Committees Reports, findings and recommendations for consideration by the Cabinet, when referred from the appropriate Committee. All All TBC C - Democratic Services TBC Public SI Standard Items taken each month by the Cabinet Member Cabinet Members make a number of non-key decisions each month on standard items - details of these are listed at the end of the Forward Plan. Various All TBC C - Democratic Services Various Public SI The Council's Budget - Medium Term Financial Forecast 2025/26 - 2029/30 (BUDGET FRAMEWORK) Following consultation, this report will set out the Medium Term Financial Forecast (MTFF), which includes the draft General Fund reserve budget and capital programme for 2025/26 for consultation, along with indicative projections for the following four years. This will also include the HRA rents for consideration. All Proposed Full Council adoption - 20 February 2025 Cllr Ian Edwards - Leader of the Council / Cllr Martin Goddard - Finance All R - Andy Evans Public consultation through the Select Committee process and statutory consultation with businesses & ratepayers Public SI Public Preview of matters to be considered in private A report to Cabinet to provide maximum transparency to residents on the private and confidential matters to be considered later in Part 2 of the Cabinet meeting and agenda. TBC All Cabinet Members All CS - Democratic Services Public SI Reports from Select Committees Reports, findings and recommendations for consideration by the Cabinet, when referred from the appropriate Committee. All All TBC CS - Democratic Services TBC Public Cabinet meeting - Thursday 13 February 2025 (report deadline 27 January 2025) Cabinet Member Decisions expected - February 2025 Cabinet meeting - Thursday 9 January 2025 (report deadline 9 December 2024) Cabinet Member Decisions expected - January 2025 4 Ref Scheduled Upcoming Decisions Further details Ward(s) Final decision by Full Council Cabinet Member(s) Responsible Relevant Select Committee Directorate / Lead Officer Consultation related to the decision NEW ITEM Public or Private (with reason) SI = Standard Item each month/regularly Council Directorate/Service Areas: AS = Adult Services & Health P = Place C = Central Services R = Resources CS= Children's Services D = Digital & Intelligence SI Standard Items taken each month by the Cabinet Member Cabinet Members make a number of non-key decisions each month on standard items - details of these are listed at the end of the Forward Plan. Various All TBC CS - Democratic Services Various Public SI Public Preview of matters to be considered in private A report to Cabinet to provide maximum transparency to residents on the private and confidential matters to be considered later in Part 2 of the Cabinet meeting and agenda. TBC All Cabinet Members All CS - Democratic Services Public SI Reports from Select Committees Reports, findings and recommendations for consideration by the Cabinet, when referred from the appropriate Committee. All All TBC CS - Democratic Services TBC Public SI Standard Items taken each month by the Cabinet Member Cabinet Members make a number of non-key decisions each month on standard items - details of these are listed at the end of the Forward Plan. Various All TBC CS - Democratic Services Various Public SI Public Preview of matters to be considered in private A report to Cabinet to provide maximum transparency to residents on the private and confidential matters to be considered later in Part 2 of the Cabinet meeting and agenda. TBC All Cabinet Members All C - Democratic Services Public SI Reports from Select Committees Reports, findings and recommendations for consideration by the Cabinet, when referred from the appropriate Committee. Various All TBC C - Democratic Services Various Public SI Standard Items taken each month by the Cabinet Member Cabinet Members make a number of decisions each month on standard items - details of these standard items are listed at the end of the Forward Plan. Various All TBC C - Democratic Services Various Public SI Reports from Select Committees Reports, findings and recommendations for consideration by the Cabinet, when referred from the appropriate Committee. Various All TBC C - Democratic Services Various Public SI Public Preview of matters to be considered in private A report to Cabinet to provide maximum transparency to residents on the private and confidential matters to be considered later in Part 2 of the Cabinet meeting and agenda. TBC All Cabinet Members All C - Democratic Services Public SI Standard Items taken each month by the Cabinet Member Cabinet Members make a number of decisions each month on standard items - details of these standard items are listed at the end of the Forward Plan. Various All TBC C - Democratic Services Various Public CABINET MEMBER DECISIONS: Standard Items (SI) that may be considered each month Cabinet meeting - Thursday 13 March 2025 (report deadline 24 February) Cabinet Member Decisions expected - March 2025 Cabinet meeting - Thursday 10 April 2025 (report deadline 24 March) Cabinet Member Decisions expected - April 2025 Cabinet meeting - Thursday 22 May 2025 (report deadline 2 May) Cabinet Member Decisions expected - May 2025 5 Ref Scheduled Upcoming Decisions Further details Ward(s) Final decision by Full Council Cabinet Member(s) Responsible Relevant Select Committee Directorate / Lead Officer Consultation related to the decision NEW ITEM Public or Private (with reason) SI = Standard Item each month/regularly Council Directorate/Service Areas: AS = Adult Services & Health P = Place C = Central Services R = Resources CS= Children's Services D = Digital & Intelligence SI Urgent Cabinet-level decisions & interim decision-making (including emergency decisions) The Leader of the Council has the necessary authority to make decisions that would otherwise be reserved to the Cabinet, in the absence of a Cabinet meeting or in urgent circumstances. Any such decisions will be published in the usual way and reported to a subsequent Cabinet meeting for ratification. The Leader may also take emergency decisions without notice, in particular in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, which will be ratified at a later Cabinet meeting. Various Cllr Ian Edwards - Leader of the Council TBC C - Democratic Services TBC Public / Private SI Release of Capital Funds The release of all capital monies requires formal Member approval, unless otherwise determined either by the Cabinet or the Leader. Batches of monthly reports (as well as occasional individual reports) to determine the release of capital for any schemes already agreed in the capital budget and previously approved by Cabinet or Cabinet Members TBC Cllr Martin Goddard - Finance (in conjunction with relevant Cabinet Member) All - TBC by decision made various Corporate Finance Public but some Private (1,2,3) SI Petitions about matters under the control of the Cabinet Cabinet Members will consider a number of petitions received by local residents and organisations and decide on future action. These will be arranged as Petition Hearings. TBC All TBC C - Democratic Services Public SI To approve compensation payments To approve compensation payments in relation to any complaint to the Council in excess of £1000. n/a All TBC R - Iain Watters Private (1,2,3) SI Acceptance of Tenders To accept quotations, tenders, contract extensions and contract variations valued between £50k and £500k in their Portfolio Area where funding is previously included in Council budgets. n/a Cllr Ian Edwards - Leader of the Council OR Cllr Martin Goddard - Finance / in conjunction with relevant Cabinet Member TBC various Private (3) SI All Delegated Decisions by Cabinet to Cabinet Members, including tender and property decisions Where previously delegated by Cabinet, to make any necessary decisions, accept tenders, bids and authorise property decisions / transactions in accordance with the Procurement and Contract Standing Orders. TBC All TBC various Public / Private (1,2,3) SI Chrysalis Programme of Environmental Improvements The Cabinet Member will be asked to consider the approval of projects. Various Cllr Eddie Lavery - Residents' Services Residents' Services P - Neil O'Connor Public 6 Ref Scheduled Upcoming Decisions Further details Ward(s) Final decision by Full Council Cabinet Member(s) Responsible Relevant Select Committee Directorate / Lead Officer Consultation related to the decision NEW ITEM Public or Private (with reason) SI = Standard Item each month/regularly Council Directorate/Service Areas: AS = Adult Services & Health P = Place C = Central Services R = Resources CS= Children's Services D = Digital & Intelligence SI External funding bids To authorise the making of bids for external funding where there is no requirement for a financial commitment from the Council. n/a All TBC various Public SI Response to key consultations that may impact upon the Borough A standard item to capture any emerging consultations from Government, the GLA or other public bodies and institutions that will impact upon the Borough. Where the deadline to respond cannot be met by the date of the Cabinet meeting, the Constitution allows the Cabinet Member to sign-off the response. TBC All TBC various Public The Cabinet's Forward Plan is an official document by the London Borough of Hillingdon, UK 7

Residents’ Services Select Committee – 18 July 2024 Classification: Public RESIDENTS’ SERVICES SELECT COMMITTEE - WORK PROGRAMME Committee name Residents’ Services Select Committee Officer reporting Liz Penny, Democratic Services Officer Papers with report Appendix A – Work Programme Ward All HEADLINES To enable the Committee to note future meeting dates and to forward plan its work for the current municipal year. RECOMMENDATIONS That the Residents’ Services Select Committee considers the Work Programme report and agrees any amendments. SUPPORTING INFORMATION 1. The Committee's meetings will start at 7pm and the witnesses attending each of the meetings may include representatives from external organisations, some of whom travel from outside of the Borough. Forthcoming meeting dates are as follows: Meeting Date Room 13 June 2024 CR5 18 July 2024 CR6 24 September 2024 CR6 27 November 2024 CR5 14 January 2025 CR5 19 February 2025 CR5 13 March 2025 CR5 22 April 2025 CR5 Site Visits Members of the Residents’ Services Select Committee have undertaken a number of site visits in recent months to include the CCTV room in the Civic Centre, Harlington Road Depot, Heathrow Imported Food Offic e, Hillingdon Fire Station , Botwell Leisure Centre and B reakspear Crematorium. Implications on related Council policies The role of the Select Committees is to make recommendations on service changes and improvements to the Cabinet, who are responsible for the Council’s policy and direction. How this report benefits Hillingdon residents Residents’ Services Select Committee – 18 July 2024 Classification: Public Select Committees directly engage residents in shaping po licy and recommendations and the Committees seek to improve the way the Council provides services to residents. Financial Implications None at this stage. Legal Implications None at this stage. BACKGROUND PAPERS Nil.

MULTI-YEAR WORK PROGRAMME 2022 - 2026 2024/25 May June July September November January February March April No meeting 13 18 24 27 14 19 13 22 Review: Homeless Prevention and the Customer Journey Topic selection / scoping stage Witness / evidence / consultation stage Witness Session Witness Session Findings, conclusions and recommendations Findings Final review report agreement Final report Target Cabinet reporting Regular service & performance monitoring Infrastructure Funding Statement Update (previously CIL Expenditure Monitoring - Annual Report & S106) each November X Mid-year budget / budget planning report Strategic Climate Action Plan: Annual Update (Note to move to November annually to align with Cabinet reporting in October) X Cabinet's Budget Proposals For Next Financial Year X Cabinet Forward Plan Monthly Monitoring X X X X X X X X Annual Complaints Submission to the Housing Ombudsman Service (Rod Smith/Debbie W) X One-off information items ASB Service Update (with updated FPN figures) X X Graffiti Removal X Sports - facilities, engagement & inclusivity X Animal Welfare X Consultation on Uxbridge Master Plan X Housing Allocation Policy Consultation Draft X Heathrow Expansion & Local Community Update X X Abandoned Vehicles X Regeneration of Town Centres X Success of Chrysalis Project X Trading Standards - Tackling Underage Drinking / sale of alcohol to underage residents X Licensing of Fun Fairs and enforcement measures available for flyposting X Community Payback Scheme - structure of the Scheme X Noise Team - current set up and success of enforcement measures X Sport for Young People - how does the Council encourage participation in deprived areas X Crime & Disorder - Statutory Scrutiny (themed) Safer Hillingdon Partnership Development Safer Hillingdon Partnership Performance X X Past review delivery Review of Alley Gating X Internal use only Date deadline confirmed to report authors Report deadline Agenda publication date Committee Site Visits (dates tbc) CCTV Control Room, Civic Centre (25 July 2022) Botwell Leisure Centre (27 February 2024) Harlington Road Depot (28 September 2022) Weed Killing Contractor (6 June 2023) Heathrow Airport (Imported Food Office) (4 October 2022) Noise Team Hillingdon Fire Station (7 December 2022) Graffiti Removal Breakspear Crematorium (25 January 2023) Harefield and Yiewsley Civic Amenity Sites Traffic wardens / Abandoned Vehicles * Canal Visit - 1 November 2023 The Battle of Britain Bunker (26 July 2023 at 6pm) Building Control Planning Enforcement HS2 Site Visit Dogs Trust Edmonton Recycling Centre (September?) Custody Suite - Polar Park, Heathrow Uxbridge / Ruislip Lido Residents' Services Select Committee