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An independent inspection and report has praised
our strategic housing services as "good with promising prospects
for improvement".
The
Audit Commission inspector's
Strategic Housing Service - North Somerset Council report said
our services "exhibit many strengths" and are delivered by staff
who are "skilled, committed and well motivated".
The Commission carried out an inspection into our housing
services in early 2007 awarding them a two-star rating on a scale
from zero to three stars.
Its inspectors identified the following positive aspects within
our various housing services:
- Our easy to access services and service information which is
comprehensive and well-produced
- Our pro-active approach to preventing homelessness
- Our extensive knowledge of the local housing market
- How we work well with neighbouring councils to address current
and future housing need
- Our effective work with private landlords to improve private
sector conditions
They also highlighted the following areas of good practice:
- Our effective help to vulnerable people to improve their homes
and to tackle fuel poverty
- Our specialist work to ensure care leavers have suitable
support and accommodation when they leave care
- Our work with key partners to identify and tackle poorly
managed houses in multiple occupation (HMO)
However, their inspection also highlighted the following areas
of the service as in need of improvement:
- The amount of service standards and involvement of service
users in developing services
- Some of our out-of-date plans and strategies
- The lack of a general landlords' accreditation scheme to
promote better standards in private rented housing
For further information and full details of the report download
the Commission's
Strategic Housing Service - North Somerset Council report or
visit the
Audit
Commission website.
Our Executive Member responsible for Housing, Councillor Ian
Peddlesden said: "I welcome this positive and constructive
assessment of our strategic housing service.
"The report is testament to the dedication of our staff and I
would like to congratulate them and thank them for all their hard
work.
"I am delighted the report recognises so many areas of good
practice.
"However, we acknowledge there are areas the inspectors have
identified for improvement.
"Together with our partners, we are now working to tackle these
areas to ensure we deliver even better services to our local
communities in the future." |