Completed Reviews

Play Areas

Between March and August 2023 the panel looked at play areas on EastendHomes estates. This included a desktop review and also a site visit on the St George's and Glamis estates to view some of the play areas. The panel conducted a small survey on the usage of play areas to get feedback to support their review.

The outcome was seven recommendations:

  • To ensure Estate Boards regularly discuss the Environmental Works budget and share decisions with local residents
  • To consider existing provision before providing new or upgraded play areas
  • To ensure new play areas cater for all genders
  • To ensure that the design brief for play areas is up to date, reflects local need and has clear community consultation commitments
  • Promote the reporting of Anti-social behaviour around play areas
  • Remind residents of the age limit for using play areas, closing times, and reinforce that they are non-smoking
  • Promote the findings of the review in the Newsletters and on the website 

Estate Services

In early 2023 the panel completed a short review of the Estate Services team. They looked at performance data, service standards, and had the opportunity to ask questions of staff.

The review resulted in five recommendations:

  • To report back to the caretakers that their works was valued by the panel and that residents found them helpful and a positive influence in the neighbourhood.
  • The panel would welcome more stories about the caretakers in the Newsletters, particularly about their back stories and what keeps them motivated.
  • EEH to consider whether deep cleans should form part of the cyclical programme to maintain standards.
  • Publicise the dates for cyclical cleaning such as guttering and drains, and at the same time promote the need for residents to help keep their negihbourhoods clean and tidy.
  • The panel were keen to be involved in the next Estate Services survey, and for their recommendations to be publicised in the newsletter and website.

Parking Enforcement

The panel looked at how parking control is enforced on EEH estates. This included meeting with our enforcement contractor to understand how they carry out their work and the information which is shared with EastendHomes. Their conclusions were:

  • Improvement of parking control signs and to ensure noticeboards contained information on parking
  • When garages are advertised to identify their location
  • Consider if visitor parking could be extended in areas of low demand
  • The Controlled Estate Parking Scheme guide would be reviewed with input from the panel.

Fire Safety

The panel has been reviewing how EastendHomes manages fire safety in its buildings. This included looking through a Fire Risk Assessment which had been completed for a block; interviewing key members of staff; and discussing issues through their own experiences.

The panel have come up with a number of findings and recommendations:

  • Ensure fire safety is discussed when new tenants are signed up, with a focus on the resident's responsibilities
  • The fire safety leaflet to be updated and simplified with "Do's" and "Don'ts"
  • Emphasise the conduct and behaviour of residents is important to minimise the risk of fires, including causing obstructions in communal areas
  • To remind residents that it is important that they report incidents that they deem may cause a fire hazard
  • Ensure contractors adhere to health & safety requirements by not leaving behind building materials and avoiding smoking near hazardous materials
  • EastendHomes should carefully consider any recommendations coming out of the Grenfell Inquiry.

The panel also found that EastendHomes had dealt well with two recent fires, which included a good turn-out from staff to support the communities affected.

The findings of the review were reported in the Winter 2018 edition of our resident newsletter - see a copy of the article here.

Complaints

The Panel has reviewed how EastendHomes manages formal complaints which are received from residents and other service users, looking at the strengths of the service and in what areas things could be done better or more consistently. 

This Panel has reported on their activity on this review through articles in the resident newsletters for Spring 2017, Summer 2017 and Winter 2017. 

From their initial investigations, questions, and mystery shopping, the Panel compiled a Review summary which listed their findings and proposed actions.

Snapshot of Complaint Review table

(click image to expand).

In response to the Panel's review, EastendHomes has worked with the Scrutiny Panel to develop an Action Plan to address the matters identified. An example of this action plan from November 2017 can be seen by clicking here. [pdf] 36KB

Aids and Adaptations

The Panel completed a brief case study review looking at how EastendHomes manages the adaptation of properties - particularly in adapting a property to be let.

This included carrying out an interview with a tenant who had moved into an adapted property and their experience(s).

The panel found that it had been a broadly positive experience and that the tenant was on the whole very happy with their new flat. The scrutiny reminded that EastendHomes should always share good practice between offices and with other housing providers.

Three recommendations for how EastendHomes could improve the process were made:

  • Amend Viewing Letter for adapted properties to include a reminder that the applicant should discuss involving Occupational Health with the EEH Lettings Team. 
  • Where an applicant accepts a property, and it is likely that an Occupational Therapy assessment will be required to assist them with living in their new home, the Housing Officer should refer back to the EEH Lettings Team who have good experience of assisting tenants in these circumstances. The Lettings Team will make a follow-up call to the new tenant.
  • When developing new homes at the Lifetime Homes Standard, EEH should seek wherever possible to locate the drainage gullies in bathrooms to make it easier to install a wet room at a later date.