1st May 2009
By Neil Merrick
A local authority has been heavily criticised by inspectors for its haphazard housing service.
Norwich City Council has little idea who receives help through its housing department or whether would-be tenants face difficulty gaining assistance, said the Audit Commission.
The council, whose head of housing was found guilty of gross misconduct three months ago, received zero stars from the commission. Parts of its housing service are poor with ‘uncertain prospects for improvement’.
In a report published on April 23, inspectors said Norwich failed to involve residents in setting housing priorities and did not tailor services to their needs. Mark Elsworth, a senior manager at the commission, said the council ‘cannot be sure that services are flexible enough to meet the needs of all residents’.
Performance management was described as weak following changes in senior staff. The council was also criticised for not collecting all the rent it is owed and ignoring the need for value for money.
The former head of neighbourhood and strategic housing, Kristine Reeves, lost her job in early January after being found guilty of gross misconduct. She and other staff had moved into decommissioned sheltered housing without the knowledge of the council. Last month, Norwich dismissed her appeal.
The council this week pledged to spend £300,000 improving its housing service with the aim of achieving two stars by March 2011.
