2021

HBM0539A - Stand By Duty Officer for out of hours housing repairs service

A local authority is reviewing it’s out of hours housing repairs service and is keen to hear from other member authorities in terms of:-

1. Do you have a stand by duty officer?
2. What are the main responsibilities for this role and does this include any other corporate out of hours activities?
3. Can you provide salary information for this role?
4. Please share any other information regarding this role/ service which you think would be useful.

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?HBM0539 – Future Social Housing Provision – 200821

A member authority is seeking to increase the local provision of social housing

It is assessing the best structure and funding options to achieve this

Please can you answer the following:

• What is your current social housing waiting list?
• How much has it increased since the start of the pandemic?
• How do you anticipate it to change in the future?
• What plans have you to increase local social housing provision?
• How will any planned increases be funded?
• What barriers are there to building new units?
• Do you have land allocated for development where the developers have stalled or cannot progress?

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HBM0538 - Home charging facilities for council vehicles - 06092021

A Member Authority is currently looking at providing home charging facilities for council vehicles and are seeking details on what other authorities have in place. Specifically,  the Member Authority would like to know the following:-

• Is your authority providing home charging facilities for council vehicles?
• If so, how are these being installed?
• Do you charge for installation?
• Does the council reimburse for the cost of energy?
• What process is in place for maintenance and house moves etc?

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HBM0536 - Drone surveying - 060921

A Member Authority are seeking information regarding drone surveying. In particular the Member Authority would like to know if other authorities do drone surveys, and if so, what is the charge for carrying out the survey.

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HBM0535 - Stores stock items costs - 260721

A Member Authority are conducting an efficiency review into the Stores services. The Member Authority are seeking information regarding what additional costs other authorities  place on top of their base Stores stock items cost?

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HBM0534 – Building services rest periods for operatives post standby call outs

This authority is looking at the rest period provided to building services operatives, in particular they are keen to hear from other member authorities regarding what extent of rest period is provided to operatives at the start of the working day, if they have been attending calls on standby on week nights or throughout the weekend?

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HBM0533 - Lettable standards - 150621

A Member Authority is currently reviewing their Lettable Standard and is interested in what standards other authorities have in place and they would be grateful if you could share your standards.

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HBM0532 - Gas safety - 150621

A member authority is interested in finding out what other housing providers do, from a housing management perspective to properties where gas is capped, or a tenant doesn’t have credit on their meter so a safety check can’t take place.

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HBM0531 - Policies for repairs and renewals - 100621

A member authority is seeking information regarding what policies other councils have in place for repairs/renewal. Specifically, the member authority would like to know the following:-

• What (if any) is your policy for repair/renewal of Electric showers owned and installed by a previous tenant? (not installed part of planned works or adaptation requirements)
• What (if any) is your policy for repair and maintenance of Rear Garden paths?
• What (if any) is your policy for repair and maintenance of Storm Doors attached to outbuildings owned and installed by a previous tenant?
• What (if any) is your policy for renewal of kitchen unit doors, if no longer under warranty and/or current style is no longer available/discontinued?

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HBM0530 - Schemes to provide power tools to Housing and Building Maintenance operatives

This authority would like to ask other member local authorities in the Housing and Building Maintenance Sectors if they have a scheme to provide power tools to their operatives? If so would they be willing to provide details of their scheme?

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HBM0529 - Local plans and green agenda policies for new housing - 140521

A member authority is seeking information regarding Local Plans and would like to know if there are authorities that have a Local Plan Green Agenda that stipulates that all new build housing must be environmentally friendly, and have solar panels, ground heat pumps etc. If so, please can you supply details.
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HBM0528 - Disinfection of voids and asbestos surveys - 100521

A member authority is seeking information regards voids. In particular, they would like to know the following:-

• Does your authority carry out water disinfection during void works? Or do you have a flush regime? Please can you provide further information?
• Are asbestos surveys requested for all voids?
• Is the type of survey dependent on the type of work?
• For authorities that are doing less of these is this a result of existing data and knowledge of asbestos in stock.

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HBM0527 - Gauging tenant satisfaction - 280421

A Member Authority is seeking information regarding what other authorities have in place to gauge tenant satisfaction. Specifically, they would like to know the following:-

1. How do you gauge satisfaction with how a complaint is handled/resolved?
2. What process do you use and what question/s do you ask of the tenant?

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HBM0525 - Housing disrepair claims - 260521

A Member Authority is seeking information regarding housing disrepair claims.

The Member Authority would specifically like to know how other housing providers are defending disrepair claims and does your authority have in place a process/policy? If so are you happy to share the details?

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HBM0524 - Internet of things and Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions for building/ housing services

This local authority is looking at how they could potentially utilise the “internet of things” and other artificial intelligence solutions to help their Council tenants as well as other residents within for example elderly extra care housing and sheltered housing accommodation. They are interested in the possibilities of connecting products with IT solutions such as Amazon’s “Alexa” to control appliances/ switch them off if left on, check the health conditions of residents remotely and provide other safety measures etc.

They are keen to hear from member authorities who have explored this or something similar and would therefore be happy to share information on any developments made including those with large IT operators of AI solutions.

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HBM0521 - Stores Management Systems – 090321

As part of an ongoing stores review, a member authority is seeking to understand what systems and tools colleagues within other local authorities use to help with stock control and its various processes including software systems, links with job costing, the use of handheld devices, smartphones and scanners etc.

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HBM0517 - Supply, delivery and replace or repair of tools - 190221

A member authority’s Repairs and Maintenance team (DLO) are looking at the options to issue team members with a full tool kit (Power Tools predominantly), and cease paying the tooling allowance. 

Ideally, the member authority would like to tender for both the tools and a suitable company or organisation to take ownership of the whole system i.e. purchase, delivery, repair or replace the tools on their behalf. The member authority seeking information on the following:-

1. Has your council adopted a similar arrangement?
2. What are the benefits?
3. What have been the challenges?

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HBM0515 – In-house DLO back-office systems 280121

A member authority is looking to establish information regarding In-house DLO back-office systems.

The member authority is particularly interested in the following

1. Are you providing an in-house/arm's length construction service to deliver repairs and maintenance service?
2. Are you providing an in-house/arm's length construction service to deliver minor/major works, planned maintenance and housing standards work?
3. If yes are you providing this for both Housing and Public Buildings or only one of these areas of work?
4. Is your service a trading account with a break-even or surplus return or have you the control of the budget allocated by the council
5. What companies provide your back-office computer systems as a DLO and what version/module(s) are you on?
6. Is your back-office system an externally managed service or maintained by your in-house IT department?
7. Have you received feedback on the reliability of the systems, general use quality and development opportunities?

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HBM0513 - Void Energy Management – 220121

This APSE member local authority is currently seeking to change its void energy management supplier (current contract recently terminated by SSE)  to ensure energy supplies are restored as quickly as possible when properties become void. It is looking to reduce energy spend during the void periods and if possible, ensure tenants move into their new property with either a lower-priced energy supplier or the cheapest energy supplier. Any feedback would be appreciated from other Authorities that can suggest good service providers in this area including any ethical, renewable/green, municipal/public sector suppliers.

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HBM0512 - Out of hours repairs service - 190121

A member authority is currently reviewing their out of hours repairs service and is seeking information regarding what other authorities have in place. In particular, the member authority would like to know the following:-

• Do you have a standby rate?
• What are the rates of pay per call out?
• How many hours of pay per call out?
• What is the out of hours operatives shift pattern e.g. 7 days a week or split shifts?
• What is the structure for who and what qualifies as an emergency call out?

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