Resident panel meetings 2024
27 November 2024
The Resident Panel focussed on:
Drafting a statement to residents following updates from the Joint Project Director leading on the potential Abri Partnership process. The Panel were informed that both the Octavia and Abri boards unanimously approved the partnership going ahead, and that 100% of Octavia shareholders voting on the process were in favour of a rule change to allow the partnership to go ahead.
Scrutinising the Octavia approach to dealing with Anti-social behaviour and learning how the team successfully reduced its backlog of complaints, reclaimed over £100k from tenancy fraud cases, and is using its insights from resident surveys to provide quick fixes to common issues.
Findings from an evaluation of the Resident Influence Strategy showing that we reached 20% more residents through engagement activities than the previous year and insight from residents was used to develop the methodology for consulting with residents on the Abri partnership.
2 October 2024
The Resident Panel focussed on:
Findings from the summer resident consultation on the potential Abri partnership which showed that over 66% of residents taking part in the consultation were overall positive toward the partnership.
The new Complaints Handling Code and what Octavia is doing to ensure compliance with it. The Customer Experience Improvement Manager highlighted the teams focus on reducing a backlog of complaints, introducing training on complaints handling across the business, and ensuring that Octavia is learning from complaints.
24 April 2024
The Resident Panel focussed on:
Services provided by the Octavia Foundation to help residents struggling with the Cost of Living, as the issue is one of the Resident Panel’s agreed priorities. At the meeting, the Community Programme Manager highlighted the help residents can get with:
- Training and employment
- Money and debt
- Support for older and vulnerable residents
- Working with young people
The Regulator of Social Housing’s consumer standards, how they apply to Octavia’s performance, and actions being taken to ensure compliance with the standards.
Preparations to meet with the leadership at Abri in the spring to discuss the potential partnership process and priorities for consulting residents on the offer during the summer.
24 January 2024
Resident Panel Members focused on:
The new approach to Anti-Social Behaviour being taken by the Tenancy Solutions Team including a more harm centred approach, looking at prioritizing those at most risk and creating a separate approach for Neighbour disputes following a resident scrutiny project in 2021.
Scrutinising the Customer Improvement Plan being developed and implemented by Octavia colleagues and residents and identifying Repairs and Compliance as key areas for improvement following results from the Survey of Tenants and Residents (STAR) in 2023 that showed a rise in dissatisfaction in these areas.
Meeting the new Chief Operating Officer to discuss the progress of potential partnership talks being held between Octavia and Abri, and agree a resident consultation timetable through spring and summer 2024 to ensure all Octavia residents are given the opportunity to make their views known on the proposals.