North Yorkshire Council

4.1.6 The ambition of the HRA Policy Harmonisation Framework was to have all high priority policies harmonised by April 2026, save for the Service Charges Policy, which requires a more in-depth review. However, the Grounds Maintenance Policy Review will roll into Quarter One 2026/27 given the complexity of the work involved and the need for tenant consultation on proposed policy revisions.

4.1.7 Overall this theme remains broadly on track with clear expectations and outcomes on the remaining open actions.

Table 1

Code	Action	Target date	Status	Revised Target
1.1	Establish a Housing Improvement Board to oversee improvements set out int the "C3" Regulatory Judgment Published September 2024, to deliver the expected outcomes of the RSH consumer standards, accountable to the CMT, Scrutiny Committee and the Executive	Feb-25	Complete
1.2	Develop and implement comprehensive Performance Reporting framework including suite of KPIs, reporting frequency, targets/dates for improvement and governance pathway.	Mar-27	On Track
1.3	Develop Housing Data Governance Manual and associated action plan to ensure sustained data quality across key datasets	Mar-27	On Track
1.4	Develop schedule to harmonise policies in all areas of the consumer standards and approve policies in line with schedule	Mar-27	On Track
1.5	Develop and implement the learning and development strategy to meet requirements of the Competence and Conduct Standard and briefing plan for regulatory response	Jul-25	On Track	Apr-26

4.2 Understanding Stock Quality (Table 2)

4.2.1 Actions within this theme of the plan have continued to receive focus in Quarter Three. The cornerstone of our understanding of stock quality is the completion of our stock condition survey programme (Action 2.1). The target of the programme is to have completed detailed HHSRS Stock Condition Surveys (SCS) on 50% of our housing stock by March 2026 and 100% (c.8500 dependent on stock movement) by September 2026.

4.2.2 At the end of Quarter Three the service were able to report that 4527 (53%) on site surveys had been completed, meaning that the 50% target had been achieved ahead of schedule.

4.2.3 However, whilst progress on site surveys has progressed a growing back-office admin burden has arisen due to the manual interventions required to translate stock condition surveys into work orders and undertake the required assessments and communications with tenants post-survey

4.2.4 In December, in house surveyor resource was redirected from completing proactive stock condition surveys to addressing the admin backlog, this successfully brought the number of surveys inputted to 1839, with a target to achieve 3500 by March 2026.

4.2.5 The SCS data will also be used to inform the Stock Investment Plan (Action 2.2) which is scheduled for January 2027.

4.2.6 The Asset Management Strategy (Action 2.3) was agreed on 16^th December 2025, this outlines the position on surveying, validation and compliance and sets out the priorities for Asset Management between now and 2027.

4.2.7 Underpinning each of these actions and critical to the understanding of our stock quality is the implementation of a new asset management system, a single system for the management of all stock data, compliance information and for the management of repairs and maintenance. Phase One (internal repairs) of the project went live on 31^st March 2025 and Phase Two (external repairs, voids, customer launch) went live, ahead of schedule, on 9^th June 2025.

4.2.8 A development plan for the further development and integration of Planon as our full asset management solution has been developed. This includes:

· Configuring Planon to receive stock condition and health and safety compliance data and associated reporting, including Decent Homes reporting.

· Developing Planon to deal with Planned Preventative Maintenance scheduling

· integrating the Planon system with the corporate finance system

· Automating customer communications directly from the system in respect of repairs and maintenance scheduling and appointments.

Table 2

Code	Action	Target date	Status	Revised Target
2.1	Carry out stock condition surveys across entire housing stock: 50% March 2026 100% September 2026	Sep-26	On Track
2.2	Stock investment plan developed from robust stock data	Jan-27	On Track
2.3	Review / produce Asset Management Strategy including setting out policy positions on surveying, validation and compliance and receive assurance on associated procedures	Sep-25	Complete	Dec 25
2.4	Deliver staff training on SCS and HHSRS process	Sep-25	Complete
2.5	Implement new asset management system	Jan-27	On Track

4.2.9 Overall this theme remains broadly on track however it is recognised that most of the actions have long target completion dates and therefore increased short term monitoring is required. The Housing Improvement Board receive detailed monthly updates on the Stock Condition Survey Programme.

4.3 Keeping Homes Safe and Compliant (Table 3)

4.3.1 Progress on this theme has been significant however it should be noted that the scale of the data challenges that the service continues to face had led to several of the actions being re-profiled, once initial work to understand the scope of the challenges had been undertaken.

4.3.2 In terms of establishing a baseline position on safety and compliance with regulatory requirements, Operational Guidance and Management Plans (Action 3.1) have been drafted for the ‘Big 7’ Health and Safety areas (Electrical, Gas, Fire, Asbestos, Lift Safety, Legionella and Damp and Mould). The documents have been circulated to relevant staff and are being used to inform development of the Tier 2 Performance Dashboard which will provide management information to enable better oversight of health and safety compliance.

4.3.3 Electrical safety inspection compliance is one of those areas where our data gap has been more pronounced. The storage, retrieval and extraction of data from electrical inspection certificates (EICR) undertaken by legacy authorities were all problematic meaning that the service were unable to report on compliance in this area with assurance in respect of inspections prior to 2023.

4.3.4 In Quarter Three legislative change meant that Electrical Safety Standards now apply to social housing (Amendment Regulations 2025). The change dictates that all new tenancies must be compliant from November 2025 and existing tenancies by May 2026. This requirement for all new tenancies is being met, as per our Lettable standard, all void properties have a new EICR and all remedial works completed prior to handover of keys to new tenants.

4.3.5 However, regarding existing tenancies, our work programme to achieve 100% coverage was profiled to run to March 2027. Reprofiling this to complete 3759 non-compliant properties and those that expire in 7 months (May 2026) increased the monthly target by 337 to 537.

4.3.6 Work to achieve this target began in Quarter Three, with contractors onboarded and 600 work orders raised in December 2025. Contractors report confidence that the work package can be completed by 30^th April 2026.

4.3.7 Fire Risk Assessments (FRA) is an area where the initial action to address the backlog and outstanding assessments (Action 3.4) is now complete however ongoing monitoring of performance is a priority as the team seek to address all remedial actions and pursue an ongoing programme of assessments and reassessments. FRA performance in Quarter Three stood at 100% for testing and saw a reduction in outstanding remedial actions.

4.3.8 Completion of Water Hygiene (Legionella) assessments (Action 3.5) is another action which was re-profiled in Quarter One. This was due to recognition of capacity constraints within the in-house trade teams once the scale of the outstanding assessments was fully understood. As a result, our external contractor was engaged to carry out the remedial works. However, despite assurance from the contractor, they failed to meet the agreed revised target of 30 Sep 2025.

4.3.9 As a result, a new contractor was appointed and at the end of Quarter Three had been able to achieve 13 of the 14 assessments required. The Service has since been able to report that all required assessments have been completed.

4.3.10 Action 3.6 regarding outstanding Asbestos inspections and remediation was also rescheduled in May 2025. Appointment of a single contractor for all asbestos works brought the programme into focus and therefore Housing Improvement Board took the decision to extend the delivery date for this action to November 2025. At the end of Quarter Three the service were able to report that the action has completed with all asbestos management surveys, removals and annual inspections in place for complex site and blocks of flats with communal spaces.

Table 3

Code	Action	Target date	Status	Revised Target
3.1	Big 7 management plans compiled and implemented	May-25	Complete	Aug-25
3.2	Data Review to confirm accuracy of compliance data complemented by SCS	Jun-25	Complete	Dec-25
3.3	Electrical safety inspections - complete programme to ensure all properties have an EICR within 5 years and report on progress with remediation works in KPIs	Mar-27	On Track	May 26
3.4	Fire risk assessments - complete all outstanding assessments (and reassessments) and report on progress with remediation works in KPIs	Jul-25	Complete
3.5	Water Hygiene - Complete all outstanding assessments, record evidence of assessments and report on progress with remediation works in KPIs	Jul-25	Overdue	Sep-25
3.6	Asbestos - Identify and complete outstanding assessments and report on progress with remediation works in KPIs	Jul-25	Complete	Nov-25
3.8	Training matrix and plan compiled and scheduled for landlord compliance framework	Mar-25	Complete

4.3.11 After the re-profiling activity this theme remains on track for the majority of actions to be complete by May 2026. Ensuring that these activities transfer from action plan to business as usual and that these processes are embedded in service delivery is critical to the success of the Improvement Plan.

4.3.12 Delivery of the safety and compliance elements of the Improvement Plan are referenced in the Corporate Risk Register (Appendix B).

4.4 Understanding Tenants and Responding to Diverse Needs (Table 4)

4.4.1 Initial progress on this theme was accelerated as actions where progress was within the gift of the service and were statutory requirements were progressed at pace and items such as complaints self-assessment (Action 4.5), annual reporting (4.4, 4.6) and complaints handling process management (4.7) have been incorporated into business as usual activity. Whilst further work is required to ensure that these improvements have been embedded and continue to be compliant these actions were completed.

4.4.2 A key component in our understanding of tenants is the engagement activity we undertake. In Quarter Three delivery of the Tenant Engagement Strategy was progressed, through support provided to the newly established Tenant Voice Forum and Tenant Scrutiny Panel. The Scrutiny Panel concluded it’s first in depth scrutiny review, presenting findings to the Housing Improvement Board in November 2026.

4.4.3 Where actions remain open in this theme (Actions 4.1, 4.2) there is a slightly longer target date of April 2026, further support and resources are required from colleagues in Corporate Services and from external consultants.

4.4.4 In terms of understanding current tenant data and holding up to date information on those within our households (Action 4.1), a tenant census exercise commenced in December 2025, the purpose being to survey the household composition and protected characteristics of our tenanted homes. The survey is being undertaken by Acuity and is expected to conclude in March 2026.

4.4.5 The information collected in the census exercise will be used to further our understanding of tenants, their needs and how we might shape our services in response (Action 4.2).

4.4.6 Further information regarding fairness and equity of service outcomes will come from the implementation of a new corporate complaints handling system, the new system is now partially rolled out and benefits of the new system and processes should soon be seen.

Table 4

Code	Action	Target date	Status	Revised Target
4.1	Complete project to understand current data and collect consistent information on tenants and keep up to date	Apr-26	On Track
4.2	Demonstrate understanding of tenants needs and fairness and equity of service outcomes (reporting by protected characteristics, tenure, location etc)	Apr-26	At Risk of Delay
4.3	Establish new framework for tenant engagement, including scrutiny opportunities and develop the tenant involvement strategy and how it will be evaluated	Apr-25	Complete
4.4	Produce annual complaints performance and service improvement report	Jun-25	Complete
4.5	Address actions arising from self-assessment with Housing Ombudsman Complaints Handling Code	Sep-24	Complete
4.6	Establish systemic process for learning from complaints handling (will feed through to annual complaints report)	Jun-25	Complete
4.7	Deliver staff training in complaints handling	Apr-25	Complete

4.4.7 Progress against Action 4.2 has switched to at risk of delay, which is concerning as completion will push the service much further towards being able to demonstrate compliance with the Diverse Needs outcome within the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard.

4.4.8 In Quarter Three progress was made on the project to harmonise the tenancy management systems, reducing from the three legacy systems to one incorporating ASB, Domestic Violence and tenancy case management. Integration of that new system with the complaints system and corporate CRM is the desired position, alongside exploration of other potential integrations council wide, to ensure an enhanced understanding of our customers, their diverse needs and equity of outcomes.

4.5 Effective Repairs and Maintenance (Table 5)

4.5.1 The Effective Repairs and Maintenance Theme is one in which the identified actions were completed relatively early in the improvement planning process. The review of current contracts (Action 5.1) was completed in April 2025 and a forward plan agreed with Procurement to ensure future contract reviews are programmed in.

4.5.2 The other action within this theme to develop a revised adaptations policy (Action 5.2) was completed with adoption of the Housing Assistance and Disabled Facilities Grant Policy by Executive in September 2024.

4.5.3 However, other work in this area, which was not included in the plan, has progressed in Quarter 3;

· Implementation of the harmonised Repairs Standard and Lettable Standard.

· Convergence to a single Repairs and Maintenance System.

· Online form developed for tenants to report repairs at their convenience.

· Tenant web pages updated.

· Management reports defined and planned into Planon development plan.

· HRA Business Plan development

4.5.4 It should be highlighted that, as a result of the Stock Condition Survey programme, there has been increased pressure on the Repairs Service. As the number of surveys becoming ‘admin complete’ increased the repair forecast is becoming clearer, and steps are being taken to increase contractor capacity to divert all Priority 4 and Planned repairs to Contractors until repair volume stabilise. In-house trade teams along with specialist contractors will continue to respond to Priority 1- Priority 3 urgent and emergency repairs within SLA.

Table 5

Code	Action	Target date	Status	Revised Target
5.1	Review current contracts and procurement to ensure effective long term planning and identify efficiencies	Apr-25	Complete
5.2	Develop revised adaptations policy and procedure	Sep-24	Complete

4.5.5 Although this theme is marked as complete Housing Improvement Board have taken the decision to retain oversight of this area in recognition that there is further work to develop in this area which will be included in the next iteration of the Improvement Plan.

4.6 Working with Others to Ensure Safe Neighbourhoods. (Table 6)

4.6.1 This theme had seen some early movement with adoption of the Domestic Abuse Policy (Action 6.4) and the Anti-social Behaviour Policy (landlord services) (Action 6.3). Adoption of the latter was also supported by the introduction of new case management software in Quarter One.

Table 6

Code	Action	Target date	Status	Revised Target
6.1	Create register of all HRA communal land.	Sep-26	Not started
6.3	Develop ASB policy capturing reporting mechanisms and timescales for investigation	Apr-25	Complete
6.4	Develop policy and associated training on domestic abuse	Sep-24	Complete

4.6.2 The remaining open action in this theme (Action 6.1) has a longer term target achievement date. However, some initial scoping work has taken place to ascertain what is required to achieve completion and any corporate resources required.

4.7 Allocating Homes Fairly and Managing Tenancies (Table 7)

4.7.1 The final theme in the Housing Improvement Plan includes several large system and policy projects surrounding our allocation and management of tenancies.

4.7.2 Quarter One saw the adoption and implementation of the NYC Tenancy Strategy and the NYC Tenancy Policy, both foundational documents upon which further policy development can stem from. The NYC Tenancy Agreement is one such document, this was subject to review in Quarter Three and has subsequently been revised and agreed in January 2026.

4.7.3 Quarter One also saw the implementation of the harmonised Allocations Policy and move to a single system for Choice Based Letting, this involved the onboarding of all applications from the former Harrogate Borough Council lettings areas and convergence of back-office processes across the Housing Allocations Team. This was a huge achievement for the team and has been embedded in Quarter Three.

4.7.4 Action 7.3 ‘Gain assurance on compliance with the Rent Standard’ was marked as complete in December 2025 with a final report and recommendations due in January 2026. Any remedial work arising from this will be reported to the Housing Improvement Board.

Table 7

Code	Action	Target date	Status	Revised Target
7.1	Develop tenancy strategy and policy including tenancy sustainment and eviction process and reporting	Apr-25	Complete
7.2	Review service charges to ensure clear policy, consistent charges, management in a fair and transparent manner and effective communication to tenants	Mar-26	At risk of delay
7.3	Gain assurance on compliance with the rent standard	May-25	Complete	Nov-25
7.4	Review leaseholder policy and processes to provide consistency across the county, including shared ownership and resident consultation	Jun-26	On Track

4.7.5 The remaining open actions within this theme are the Review of Service Charges (Action 7.2) and the Review of Leaseholder Policy (Action 7.4)

4.7.6 The Review of Service Charges is currently scheduled for completion in March 2026. Work to scope this project has begun and there is recognition that it is a complex piece of work with need for detailed financial, equality and customer considerations alongside significant consultation requirements. It is likely that this action will be rescheduled once the scoping is complete.

4.7.7 Action 7.4, the Review of Leaseholder Policy is included within the HRA Policy Framework and is currently on track to be completed by June 2026.

4.8 Housing Improvement Strategy

4.8.1 The Housing Improvement Strategy (2025-30) was agreed by the Executive Member for Culture Arts and Housing on 9^th July 2025. The Strategy sets out the key strategic objectives for the council’s improvement journey:

a) Ensure the problems identified in the regulatory judgement are addressed as well as the underlying causes and learning is captured in revised governance, policies and reporting.

b) Our culture reflects a high performing organisation and continuous improvement.

c) Work is prioritised appropriately, and risks are well managed

d) Systems and Data are effective to support service delivery, reporting and oversight.

e) All properties have an up-to-date stock condition survey.

f) The repairs service delivers repairs in line with targets set

g) Homes are safe and compliant meeting all Landlord requirements evidenced by robust and well-maintained data

h) Complaints are well managed, and processes meet the expectations of the Housing Ombudsman complaints handling code and consumer standards.

i) Resident views are heard and acted upon.

j) A communication approach which delivers clear, consistent and timely communications with tenants, leaseholders and other stakeholders.

4.8.2 The Improvement Strategy also sets out the staged approach to improvement:

Stage One: Stabilisation, planning and high priority actions started (May 2024 – June 2025)

Stage Two: Adjustment and track record of delivering against plan (June 2025 – March 2027)

Stage Three: Embedding and assurance that actions have been effective, longer term actions completing. (March 2027 – June 2028)

Stage Four: Continuous Improvement (June 2028 onwards)

4.8.3 Quarter Three saw the strategy move further into Stage Two and completion of more of the actions initially identified as high priority. The key outcomes for Stage Two are to build up a track record of delivering against the planned actions and to make any adjustments necessary.

4.8.4 Further work is required to build a strategy monitoring tool, ensuring that the service can, on an ongoing basis be held to account on delivery of the Improvement Strategy and its embeddedness.

4.8.5 A key tool for assessing delivery of the strategy is the Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs) report. North Yorkshire Council assess tenant satisfaction on a quarterly basis via a telephone survey. The Quarter Three report is attached at Appendix C. The report shows that overall satisfaction with housing services provided by North Yorkshire Council saw an increase in Q3 2025/26, after a fall in Q2, the overall satisfaction is back at its highest recorded satisfaction as first seen in Q1. This is very encouraging, and the analysis of the comments about the overall service is generally positive about the Council. Five measures have satisfaction above 75%: Well maintained home, Safe home, Satisfaction with Repairs in the last 12 months, Kept Informed and Treated Fairly and with Respect. Two measures were below 60% satisfaction, 36% are satisfied with the handling of complaints. (up from 33% in Q1) and 56% satisfaction with the approach to anti-social behaviour. Further work to analyse the TSM data is being undertaken to further understand trends and underlying causes of dissatisfaction.

4.8.6 During Quarter Three, at the request of the Housing Improvement Board, Savill’s were asked to conduct a Consumer Standards Review. The purpose of the review was to assess the Council’s compliance position against all of the Consumer Standards and our progress made to date in addressing the areas of non-compliance noted in the Regulatory Judgement. The review found that North Yorkshire Council has made significant progress since becoming a new unitary council and integrating three legacy housing services and that the service now has solid foundations, including restructuring, team development, and early operational improvements. The review also highlighted several areas for improvement and makes key recommendations to the Council to ensure grading recovery is achieved.

5.0 NEXT STEPS

5.1 Work to deliver the agreed actions within the Improvement Plan continues into Quarter Four. Key deliverables will be the further development of the asset management system to hold key compliance data and critically the information required to demonstrate compliance with the Decent Homes Standard. Further systems review will be undertaken aiming to deliver a single tenancy management solution, whilst work to harmonise tenancy policies progresses in consultation with tenants and Elected Members.

5.2 Throughout the next quarter the findings of the Consumer Standards Review need to be acted upon. The Housing Improvement Board will meet on 26^th February 2026 to discuss the recommendations and a response to them. Housing and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Committee will be updated on these discussions verbally.

6.0 CONTRIBUTION TO COUNCIL PRIORITIES

6.1 The Housing Improvement Strategy directly supports North Yorkshire Council’s strategic ambition to deliver “good quality, affordable and sustainable housing that meets the needs of our communities,” as outlined in the Council Plan 2025–2029 and the Housing Strategy 2024–2029. By establishing a clear roadmap for improvement and vision for continuous review of the service post compliance this contributes to the Council’s vision of being an “exemplar social landlord” and aligns with the Housing Strategy’s key themes of “Our People, Our Places, and Our Homes.”

7.0 FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

7.1 The Council has demonstrated its commitment to achieving compliance with the Consumer Standards and approved a new HRA Investment Plan in February 2024 that made sufficient financial provision to ensure compliance going forward. Activity identified to meet our regulatory requirements is considered in the HRA Budget setting process and reviewed on a regular basis.

8.0 LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

8.1 The new Consumer Standards for providers of Social Housing came into effect on 1 April 2024. The council, as a Registered Provider, is compelled to comply with the standards and to deliver against the objectives and be subject to inspection by the Regulator at their request. 

8.2 The Regulator has set out its ‘co-regulatory approach’ whereby registered providers are encouraged to be open and honest about failings against the expected standards and work with the RSH on improvement plans.  

8.3 Transparency and reporting around our progress on delivering those actions set out in our Improvement Plan and on the delivery of the Housing Improvement Strategy are critical to that compliance.

9.0 EQUALITIES IMPLICATIONS

9.1 The Equality Impact Assessments undertaken led to the conclusion that the impact of the Housing Improvement Plan and Housing Improvement Strategy will be positive. The key drivers of the strategy are to improve the services provided to tenants and leaseholders and to promote equity and accessibility in service delivery.  

10.0 PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

10.1 The service performance information is detailed in the body of this report and Appendix A.

10.2 The service, supported by the Strategy and Performance Team has made more improvements in the quality and timeliness of performance reporting during Quarter 3. Whilst there are still improvements to be made, including the introduction of a Tier 2 Performance Dashboard, the information now available to report and use in management of our stock and tenancies is hugely valuable.

10.3 Performance will continue to be monitored monthly by the Extended Management Team and reported to Housing Improvement Board on a monthly basis and Tenants and Elected Members on a quarterly basis.

10.4 Performance information is also shared with the Regulator of Social Housing on a monthly basis.

11.0 RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS  

11.1 There are risk management implications which are registered on the corporate risk register and detailed throughout the body of the report. 

11.2 There are financial risks associated with non-compliance with the Consumer Standards including the ability of the RSH to issue unlimited fines and to enforce stock transfer. 

11.3 Non-compliance with the Consumer Standards puts the health and safety of our tenants and our properties at risk.  

12.0 CONCLUSIONS

12.1 This report provides an update on the progress made in delivering the Housing Improvement Strategy and Improvement Plan in Quarter Three 2025/26.

12.2 The report details notable progress in areas of the programme, particularly in system implementation and in policy and operational process development.

12.3 The report also details where actions have been rescheduled and what the next steps will be in review and delivery of the programme.

13.0

13.1

13.2

RECOMMENDATION(S)

That the Housing and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Committee note the progress made on delivery of the actions detailed within this report, alongside the supplementary information provided in the appendices.

That any areas for concern or where further information is required are highlighted.

Nic Harne

Corporate Director – Community Development

County Hall

Northallerton

17 February 2026

Report Author – Vicky Young, Service Improvement Manager

Presenter of Report – Andrew Rowe – Assistant Director (Housing)

BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS: Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023

APPENDICES:

Appendix A - Landlord Services Tier One Performance Dashboard Quarter 3

Appendix B - Extract from Corporate Risk Register

Appendix C – Tenant Satisfaction Measures – Quarter 3

Appendix D – HRA Policy Review update

Note: Members are invited to contact the author in advance of the meeting with any detailed queries or questions.