Regulatory judgement improvement plan

Regulatory standard

Area of weakness

Strategies and policies are not easily accessible

Intended outcome(s)

All tenants, including those with specific needs, can access key information and services.

Improved tenant understanding of services and processes.

Lead

Simon Chrisp (Housing Asset Manager)

Martin Poulter (Business Performance and Customer Services Manager)

Target completion

Strategies and policies to be uploaded to website once completed and signed off by end of July 2026 (revised target)

Identify those that require easy read version and draft/develop versions - July 2026 (revised target)

Develop a range of videos to assist tenants with repairs they are responsible for - soft launch end of September 2025.

Step targets (where possible)

None

Short/medium/long term plans

Short Term

All strategies and policies completed and on website by end of July 2026 (revised)

Medium Term

Introduce easy read versions of policies and strategies from July 2026 (revised).

Long Term:

Deliver on programme of reviewing all policies and strategies.

Organisational risks

Potential impact on customers if we do not achieve intended outcome

1. Exclusion of vulnerable groups from important communications.
2. Reduced ability to access or benefit from services.

Current position

A Policy Review and Approval Framework was agreed by Strategic Housing Board in July 2025, and all strategies and policies are now included within a formal review timetable overseen by the Risk and Governance Officer. Updated strategies and policies are uploaded to the website when they receive formal approval.

Drafts of the Resident Influence Strategy and a new Building Safety Policy have completed consultation and are currently progressing through the governance process. Both are expected to receive final Cabinet approval in July 2026.

To support clearer resident information, eight new repair videos covering repairs that are the tenant's responsibility have been launched on YouTube and are now accessible via the Council's website.

Capacity to produce Easy Read materials has been confirmed within the Customer and Support Services Team. All three Service Redesign Analysts are now trained and licensed to support this work. A prioritised Easy Read programme will be agreed at Housing Leadership Team on 5 May 2026, with an initial set of "How to Access Services" guides planned for publication following sign‑off by Your Voice Counts and the relevant services. These include Reporting a Repair in Your Home, Housing Complaints and Right to Buy.

In response to feedback from the Customer EDI Group, clearer and more accessible one‑page summaries have been developed for all housing policies and strategies. Initial examples received positive feedback for format and readability. Final versions have been approved by service leads and have been published on the website. Alongside this, a wider review of housing website content and accessibility is progressing under the oversight of the Service Redesign Team, with completion expected during 2026/27, ensuring a consistent and accessible approach across Housing Services.

RAG

Evidence

Links strategies and policies on website

Links to videos on website

Links to easy read versions on website

Availability of copies of documents in different formats (hard copies, different languages and so on)

Summary version of key housing strategies and policies