Agenda item

8.1

The Committee received a report of the Challenge for Change Tenants’ Scrutiny Group which examined the grass cutting service delivered by Sheffield Homes (now the Council Housing Service) and the Council’s Parks and Public Realm Service, in relation to the level of customer satisfaction and reviewed whether this met with customers’ expectations.  The report was supported by a presentation which provided details of key areas for investigation, objectives, findings, the customer survey which was undertaken, the budget for the exercise, conclusions and recommendations.

8.2

Attending for this item were Michelle Cook, Challenge for Change Scrutineer, and Tina Gilbert, Performance and Planning Manager. 

8.3

Members made various comments and asked a number of questions in relation to the report and presentation, to which responses were provided as follows:-

·                     Amey was responsible for cutting highway grass with Parks and Public Realm being responsible for the remainder, with support from the Council’s Housing Service on Housing owned land.

·                     The report had been presented to the Sheffield Homes’ Boards and the Executive Director, Communities, had indicated that he would circulate it more widely.

·                     The challengers felt that it would be clearer for tenants if grounds maintenance was based on Housing boundaries as opposed to Community Assembly boundaries.

·                     The relevant managers would report back to the Challenge for Change Tenants’ Scrutiny Group on actions taken as a result of the report.  The managers’ update could be made available to the Committee.

·                     The Challenge for Change Tenants’ Scrutiny Group’s next project was to consider community engagement.

8.4

RESOLVED: That the Committee:-

(a)       thanks Michelle Cook and Tina Gilbert for their contribution to the meeting;

(b)       notes the contents of the report and responses to questions; and

(c)        requests that:

(i)        a copy of the report be presented to the Cabinet Management Team and the Executive Management Team; and

(ii)       the relevant Cabinet Member reports back to the Committee on the Council’s response to the report’s recommendations, with all the scrutineers involved in drafting the original report being invited to attend.