Issue - meetings
Social Housing Update
Meeting: 26/03/2013 - Audit Committee (Item 6)
6 Social Housing Update PDF 93 KB
To note the report.
Minutes:
Mr Tony Qayum, Corporate Anti-fraud Manager and Paul Thorogood, Interim Service Head for Finance and HR Development presented the report circulated at item 6.4 which provided an update on the work of the social housing team and its successes, to-date, in the recovery of unlawfully let public sector dwellings. Mr Qayum reported that the initiative had been very successful and, due to changes in funding, he suggested that this work could be pursued further in the next year to ensure there was good housing stock management and to highlight areas of weakness. Mr Holme noted also that the antifraud work contained a polity policy incentive element. Councillor Uz–Zaman noted the results reported and advised that he supported the initiative.
In response to Member’s questions, the following information was provided:
Funding for the initiative was £15,000. Eligibility decisions for this funding lay with DCLG and a decision was to be announced shortly. Housing fraud officers had been retained while the Council waited to hear whether this had been achieved.
In addition to Tower Hamlets Homes, registered social landlords (RSL) had also been approached to utilise methods employed through the initiative and the Council was able to offer advice on how RSL's might improve their antifraud systems.
Data matching procedures were used to ensure that housing benefit applications were genuine. Additionally the Council was working jointly with other neighbouring local authorities to create an east London hub for fraud investigation as well as normal methods such as Experion checks, regular data-sharing (for data matching purposes). Court action and termination of right to buy were also used at operational level to prevent tenancy fraud.
RESOLVED:
That the report be noted