Adur Homes improvement plan 'agreed by regulator'

Adur District Council’s cabinet member for Adur Homes and customer services, Carson Albury (Con, Manor) said the national Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) had agreed with the recovery plan submitted by Adur Homes, after the council referred itself to the regulator for safety compliance issues earlier this year.

The regulator confirmed in May, after investigating Adur Homes, that it had breached health and safety standards set out by the Home Standard, finding asbestos, fire and electrical safety checks had not been adequately carried out in many properties.

Mr Albury told the joint strategic sub-committee that the regulator had seen the improvement plan and agreed with it, stating the progress was ‘heartwarming’ and the council needed to better communicate the progress to Adur Homes’ residents.

He said: “The regulator has seen what the improvement plan is and the regulator has agreed with it, they have agreed the improvement plan – now our next step is to show progress.

“We’re talking about residents and their homes and it’s important they get what they are paying for in their rent.

“I’m really hoping we can show good progress in all the aspects [RSH] are talking about – in the way that it continues now.”

Adur & Worthing Councils’ director for housing and communities, Tina Favier, told the sub-committee a recent report showed Adur Homes, the council’s housing service, was making ‘good progress’ on improving the service and its response to complaints.

She said the empty homes backlog was coming down, and Home Standard compliance and repairs were being addressed, in the face of ‘outdated’ systems, a struggle to recruit and retain staff, and changing housing regulations.

A compliance manager had been appointed, and an assets manager was being recruited, to help with the improvement plan, and a member for complaints from Adur District Council is to be appointed, too, along with two new contractors.

The sub-committee also approved changing the Adur Homes management board to the Adur Homes advisory board, ‘strengthening’ its responsibilities and purpose to advise directly to the joint audit and governance committee on issues with Adur Homes.

According to Mr Albury, there were now 77 local authorities which had referred themselves to the RSH for non-compliance with Homes Standard.