Agenda item

Presentation by Paul Woollam from Acis Group Ltd regarding provision of housing within West Lindsey and working in partnership with West Lindsey District Council.

The Committee welcomed Mr Paul Woollam, Director for Customer Excellence, and Ms Hina Patel, Head of Customer Operations, of Acis Group Ltd. Mr Woollam explained to Members that as he had been provided with their questions in advance of the meeting, he would answer these and any other queries Members wished to raise.

Mr Woollam explained that Acis Group Ltd were keen to continue developing the working partnership with West Lindsey District Council and that the approval of housing schemes in Japan Road and Wilson Street would significantly further this working relationship. He stated that Acis Group Ltd had been a respondent in the recent housing consultation and that the focus was to work together on a localised basis.

Members enquired about the housing options at either end of the age spectrum in relation to accessible housing for young professionals and also for older people. It was explained that for young professionals the rents charged by Acis Group Ltd were competitive and set within the Government guidance but it was acknowledged that there could be ways for WLDC and Acis Group Ltd to look at the allocation of housing to make it easier for them to access. With regards to housing for older people, Mr Woollam explained there were several new developments in progress including the recently approved Wilson Street and Japan Road plans as well as a provision for over 55’s accommodation in Saxilby. He added that there were sites around the District where Acis had bungalows for older people but that demand for site-based management schemes, such as warden supervised accommodation, was limited within West Lindsey. It was highlighted that there were other initiatives in place, working with community groups and with be-friending services.

Ms Hina Patel addressed the Committee to explain that the focus for Acis Group Ltd was not just bricks and mortar but that they tried to focus on the individuals accessing their housing. She advised that where necessary, Acis would refer individuals to third party support agencies but that each tenant had a tenancy support service available to them in the first 10 weeks of their tenancy. This would be used to identify any additional needs of the tenant and to resolve any initial issues with the tenancy before matters escalated. She explained that Acis had linked with Gainsborough College to provide opportunities for students to work on the houses, gain skills and lead to employment and there were also neighbourhood support schemes in place.

In response to a question about eviction rates, Ms Patel explained that the Group worked very closely with individuals at risk of eviction and that it was only ever the last option. She stated that evictions were usually as a result of rent arrears with an average debt of £2500 per tenancy.

A Member of Committee enquired about the upkeep of Acis Group Ltd properties and emphasised how important it was for properties to be kept in a good state of repair. Mr Woollam explained there was a rolling programme of maintenance and repair with priority work being allocated according to need rather than location. Ms Patel also explained that the repairs service was again being provided by Acis Group Ltd after a period of using external providers and that although there had been challenges previously these had been resolved. She stated there was an average turnaround of 20 to 25 days for a property to be re-let once it had been vacated but for those properties that may require more extensive work, this was aimed to be completed within five to 12 weeks. Members of Committee agreed on the importance of asset management and there was discussion about alternative options to maximise opportunities for successful lettings.

Members had raised concerns about the move to universal credits for residents across the District and both Mr Woollam and Ms Patel assured Members that there were provisions in place to account for difficulties their tenants might face. There had been structured communication to all tenants and training provided to staff. It was explained that the business plan had been re-worked in anticipation of possible rent arrears and the company had moved to any time direct debits to allow tenants to pay on flexible dates. A Member of Committee provided all present with a reference to the difficulties faced by other areas where the move to universal credits had left recipients struggling for weeks with limited or no support. It was requested that the Acis Group Ltd learn from the experiences elsewhere and supported their tenants to avoid the same difficulties arising in West Lindsey. The concerns around universal credits were acknowledged and further assurance was given about preparations to minimise the impact on residents and also to ensure inter-agency working to support all those affected by the changes.

There was further discussion around ways of involving tenants to help create a sense of community and also opportunities for development for the Acis Group Ltd. Members were keen for Acis to be involved in helping to regenerate areas of the District by providing high quality rental opportunities and well maintained properties. As discussions drew to a close, Mr Woollam reminded Members of the invitation for them to meet Mr Greg Bacon, CEO of Acis Group Ltd, at an afternoon event on 28 February 2018. He reiterated that all Councillors were welcome and there would be further opportunity to discuss any comments or suggestions at that event.

The Chairman thanked both Mr Woollam and Ms Patel for their time and detailed answers. He wished them and Acis Group Ltd well for future projects.