Barking and Dagenham Council Rebuilds Tenant Engagement Structures Amidst Regulator Inspection Preparations

Barking and Dagenham Council Rebuilds Tenant Engagement Structures Amidst Regulator Inspection Preparations

Barking and Dagenham Council is undertaking a significant overhaul of its tenant engagement structures as it prepares for a critical inspection by the Regulator of Social Housing. This initiative is part of a broader effort to enhance housing services and address historical shortcomings.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee received an update on the council's progress in rectifying issues related to housing safety, compliance, and tenant involvement. These efforts follow a self-referral to the Regulator of Social Housing in 2022, prompted by an independent review that identified widespread non-compliance with health and safety requirements. Specifically, the Regulator's assessment found a lack of assurance regarding compliance with statutory health and safety requirements for fire, electrical, asbestos, gas, water, and lift safety. This included significant data gaps, such as over one hundred properties lacking a fire risk assessment (FRA) and over a thousand properties with unclear FRA requirements. Electrical safety records were also found to be incomplete for over sixteen thousand domestic properties and two thousand communal areas. For asbestos safety, over a thousand properties with communal areas were not clearly recorded for the survey program. Gas safety records required data validation for almost three thousand individual properties and two thousand communal areas. Furthermore, approximately a quarter of over a hundred communal assets on the lift safety program lacked up-to-date inspections, and the inclusion of over a thousand properties in the water safety compliance program was uncertain.

Councillor Maureen Worby, Cabinet Member for Housing, Adult Social Care and Health, stated that while a full improvement plan is awaiting the regulator's agreement, the council is focused on its readiness for a full inspection anticipated between January and March 2027. This preparation involves comprehensive staff training, external assessments, and the development of new strategies.

John Knight, Director of Housing, outlined the regulatory framework and the council's ongoing work to meet five key standards: safety and quality, tenancy, neighbourhood and community, transparency, influence and accountability, and the rent standard. He highlighted the creation of a new Regulatory Standards Manager post and the development of a Housing Asset Management Strategy and a Tenant Engagement Strategy.

Discussions at the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting also addressed concerns about historical tenant engagement issues and the timeline for the improvement plan. Officers explained that the evolving regulatory landscape necessitates a dynamic approach, with the improvement plan being a live document that will keep growing and evolving. The council submitted its improvement plan to the regulator by the end of September and anticipates initial feedback at their monthly meeting in late October, aiming for an agreed plan by the end of the year. The specific implications of not reaching an agreement were not detailed, but the process suggests iterative revisions.

Councillor Phil Waker raised concerns about the historical inconsistency of tenant engagement structures, advocating for a robust and sustainable system. He also questioned the pace of asset data updates, particularly regarding fire doors. Rebecca Ellsmore, responsible for assets and property, confirmed that the council is 100% compliant with fire risk assessments and has three contractors working on replacing approximately 1,200 fire doors by the end of March 2027. Efforts are also underway to ensure data accuracy through internal checks and external audits.

The council is committed to rebuilding tenant engagement structures, with the Tenant Engagement Strategy due for completion by December. This strategy aims for the vision that Tenants can hold us to account, shape our services, and influence all decisions that affect their services, homes and communities. Key components include rebuilding engagement structures, establishing a Tenant Voice Group, and incorporating tenant feedback into policy amendments, with the expected outcome of genuine co-production of services.

The new Tenant Voice Group is designed to ensure genuine influence and accountability at a high governance level. The Chair of this group will join the Housing Strategy Delivery Board, the highest governance body below the Cabinet for housing strategy delivery. This structure ensures tenant perspectives are considered at the most senior levels. The group will meet regularly to review housing policies and plans and provide feedback based on tenants' experiences. The council's strategy for long-term sustainability involves establishing these new groups, including a Housing Complaints Panel, and making the Tenant Engagement Strategy public after consultation.

The council is working towards a C3 grading from the Regulator of Social Housing. A C3 grading signifies Failings which the landlord's current arrangements are not strong enough to put right and which are significantly affecting service outcomes. While this indicates areas where improvements are still needed, the council expresses confidence in the progress made.

Public reports pack Wednesday 07-Oct-2026 19.00 Overview and Scrutiny Committee