Medway Council Receives ‘Good’ Rating in Social Housing Inspection

Medway Council has been awarded a “good” rating by the government’s social housing inspector. The two-day inspection, conducted in early September, assessed the council’s approach to maintaining and providing social housing for its tenants. The council is the first local authority in the south-east of England to have its portfolio of 3,000 social homes reviewed by the government. This inspection follows the Grenfell Tower disaster, which led to the establishment of the Social Housing Act 2023. Councillor Louwella Prenter, the council’s portfolio holder for housing, described the outcome as a “moment of pride,” asserting that it “shows the council look after and listen to their tenants’ needs.” The council’s evaluation covered the safety and quality of its housing, the standard and effectiveness of tenancies for residents, and the efficiency of its property utilization. The assessment also examined the council’s transparency and openness to tenant feedback, as well as its effectiveness in managing neighbourhood issues such as anti-social behaviour, domestic violence, and the security of communal spaces. The report commended the authority for its timely completion of repairs, effective use of its housing stock, and its ability to identify areas for improvement, along with having plans in place to address them. While the C2 rating places Medway Council one step below the highest possible rating of C1, the report also identified areas for improvement. These included the “reporting and oversight of remedial actions” and deficiencies in the information the council maintains regarding the condition of its homes. The report further noted that “8% of Medway’s homes are failing to meet the decent homes standard.” Ms Prenter stated: “We are pleased the inspectors recognised the work currently under way to make improvements to the service and we are committed to delivering these as soon as possible.”