Transparency in Action: Tenant Voice Panel Meeting Minutes Released

Agenda Item

Discussion Notes

Actions

Responsible Person

Target Date

Welcome and introductions

MG started the meeting and introduced Dacorum BC staff present

MM – Late, with apologies.

All members were given time to introduce themselves

N/A

Item 1 - Minutes and Actions Review

Vice chair KAH – discussion over Item 1 on the agenda.

Confirmed completion of previous actions - updated terms of reference, improved communication processes with TVP members, including reminders and distribution lists, and progressing the forward plan (our engagement plan).

Actions still in progress - areas like damp and mould engagement and digital improvements

MG commented on Housing Open Day and the approach with posters in supported schemes and other buildings in Dacorum.

SD to include Support Officers in process to inform.

MG – documents with members for review and comment

KAH and MM – Timing implementation and inform residents when repairs are scheduled, general awareness

Safety to be covered by badges presented when attending repairs.

Meeting documents to be made available as physical copies - (printouts to be provided at reception)

MG for HOD and events

RD for TVP meetings

10/09/2026

Share forward plan with Tenant Voice Panel members

MG

02/07/2026 (completed)

Plan of distribution ahead of Housing Open Day

MG

03/07/2026 (completed)

Tenant Voice Panel feedback to be provided to Cardo by Strategy, Quality and Assurance Team:

MG

09/07/2026

Item 2 - Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs) Results 2025/26

AT provided an update on the TSMs.

The TSMs framework consists of 12 performance measures covering repairs, complaints handling, and compliance/safety responsibilities introduced by the Government.

Key highlights:

• Compliance performance remains at 100%, including gas servicing, lift maintenance, and other statutory safety requirements.
• Improvements have been made to complaint handling and response times.
• Levels of reported anti-social behaviour (ASB) are currently low.
• Significant progress has been achieved in repairs performance, supported by improvement work undertaken with Cardo.
• Performance against the Decent Homes Standard continues to improve, with a reducing number of non-decent homes. The long-term objective remains for all homes to meet the required standard.

Areas for Improvement

• Further reduction is required in Stage 2 complaint response times.
• Greater focus is needed on addressing issues before they escalate into formal complaints.
• Tenant survey results continue to improve gradually; however, feedback indicates some tenants do not always feel listened to or responded to effectively.
• Improving communication, responsiveness and overall tenant confidence remain priorities.

Next Steps

• Submission of the Annual Tenant Satisfaction Measure return to the regulator by 30/06/2026.
• Development of a TSM Action Plan identifying service improvements and actions to address areas of lower satisfaction.
• Quarterly monitoring of progress by the Housing Senior Leadership Team (HSLT).
• Regular sharing of progress and performance updates with involved tenants and stakeholders.
• Continued engagement with tenants to identify opportunities for service improvement and increased satisfaction.

MM – Asked regarding format of the survey

AT – Online with option to receive printed version

MM – Quick review shows positives

JH – Clarification was requested regarding the figure showing 1.6% against the Decent Homes measure.

AT – Confirmed that the figure represents the percentage of total housing stock that does not currently meet the Decent Homes Standard, rather than the proportion of remedial works completed.

HP – The Regulator reviews decent homes progress every quarter, some decent homes results are due to no access.

AT – Anti-social Behaviour data is being validated ahead of submission, and an explanation of calculation errors will be added to the submission to the regulator.

Quality assurance checks will be carried out over the next year to keep the results accurate.

SD – Issues with ASBs - not being handled properly, intimidation and overall Complaint handling process.

MM – commented on how this is handled and process of investigation and logging. Suggested surveillance to be improved in areas with known issues.

All future sessions to avoid school holidays where possible. Check this on the calendar and amend as appropriate.

MG

10/07/2026

Share MyDacorum feedback with IT team. Tenants have requested for our team to work towards implementing a message to be shared when there is a new point of contact for repairs

MG

10/07/2026

Continual Support for Complains Handling via Complaints Scrutiny Sessions

SQA Team

Ongoing

Consideration for future Cardo events and other meetings with contractors, ideally held in the evening.

SQA Team

Ongoing

Adjustments to the Annual Complaints report infographic. Changes to complaint themes sections for clarity. Simplify as much as possible. Include what the Housing Ombudsman does.

MG

17/07/2026

Report back to the panel the process of investigating and logging ASB complaints.

MG

10/07/2026

Report back to panel regarding how surveillance in used with Dacorum to tackle ASB.

MG

10/07/2026

Item 3 Complaints improvement Action Plan

AP advised that increasing engagement with complaint feedback mechanisms remains a priority.

• Approximately 18% of complaint satisfaction surveys issued to housing complainants are currently returned.
• Increasing response rates would give a more comprehensive understanding of customer experience.
• The Council also conducts quarterly complaint scrutiny sessions with tenants to gather feedback on complaint handling processes and communications.

Recent scrutiny sessions have focused on Complaint acknowledgement letters, response templates, improving the use of plain English, increasing empathy within written responses, reducing technical language and improving accessibility.

JH – To improve awareness and accessibility of complaints information.

• Providing clearer links to housing complaints information through the Council’s website and Let’s Talk Dacorum platform.
• Ensuring information is easy to locate and promotes multiple channels for providing feedback.
• Making complaints information available in a way that encourages greater tenant engagement and awareness.

HP - Need to distinguish Housing Ombudsman reporting requirements from wider council complaints procedures, whilst ensuring information remains accessible to tenants.

Feedback on the Complaints Infographic

Members reviewed the proposed complaints infographic and provided feedback on its design and content.

Comments included:

• The infographic was generally welcomed as a more accessible alternative to the full annual report.
• Further clarity was requested regarding complaint data, particularly ensuring that charts clearly explain what numerical values represent.
• Compensation information should explain the reasons compensation is awarded and distinguish between:
  • Compensation offered directly by the Council during complaint resolution; and
  • Compensation awarded or recommended by the Housing Ombudsman.
• It was felt that additional context would help tenants better understand complaint outcomes and areas of service failure.

MG – explained how the format was chosen – via survey – very low figure for podcast

Members discussed options and said the infographic contained too much information and would benefit from a simpler, more targeted format with links to detailed information. Suggestions included using frequently asked questions, signposting, and shorter webpages to improve accessibility, SK video with flowcharts, ‘You said-we did’, ‘Need to know facts’.

Provide link on Dacorum.gov.uk in the Complaints page on Let’s Talk Dacorum

RD after approval by AT and HP

Improve Let’s talk DACORUM popularity and sign more people up

SQA

Ongoing. Opportunity through the Summer Housing Open Day.

Improve infographic according to TVP suggestions

MG

10/07/2026

Share Cardo’s repair standards documentation with Tenants.

SQA Team

01/08/2026

Item 4 - Tenant Voice Report Q3–Q4

Overview of engagement and service performance

MG – Overall service performance and how Tenants were involved

Complaints satisfaction and Damp and Mold, Communal cleaning

MM – You said – we did model – from surveys sent out to get the actions behind published

JH – Cardo’s action and improvement in handling repairs

MM – quarter update to workload - Aims, Objectives, outcome

New and Old builds separation when results are presented

MM – complimented the contractor’s work

HP – improvement on how we listen and demonstrate this externally, including report resulting

MM – this information to be given to the panel for review and feedback from Tenant perspective and benchmark results to weigh if TVP find this useful and how it could change and provide value for money.

LC – in terms of communication – prompt responses – email comms are good – short surveys are good, straight on point.

GL – finds helpful free text box for comments

KF – questioned process of decision on closing a complaint

AP – explained difference between service request and complaint and how the process works

Item 5/6 - Housing Standard and values

Apologies that Oliver Jackson is not available to present.

HP explained the this work is led by the Assistant Director of Housing and Community Safety, demonstrating the importance being placed on improving service standards, accountability and tenant experience.

Documents necessity comes based on TSMs, need of evidencing, embedding values and behaviours. A full program sits behind this document and working with staff to incorporate those.

The draft documents set out the behaviours, commitments and standards expected of both the Council and tenants. Key themes include:

• Treating tenants fairly, respectfully and inclusively.
• Promoting effective communication and cultural awareness.
• Demonstrating professionalism in all interactions.
• Supporting staff wellbeing and safe working environments.
• Ensuring transparency and accountability.
• Delivering value for money and openness regarding housing-related charges, including leaseholder service charges.
• Encouraging positive and respectful relationships between tenants and officers.

HP emphasised that the documents are intended to be more than policy statements and form part of a wider programme of cultural and service improvement.

MG sought clarification on the purpose of the documents and how they would be used in practice.

HP explained that the Standards and Values is intended to establish clear service commitments to tenants, embed expected behaviours and standards across Housing Services, support improvements in tenant satisfaction and perceptions of the Council as a landlord, provide a framework for accountability and performance monitoring and align with Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs), particularly those relating to fairness, respect and tenant experience.

It was confirmed that a programme of implementation sits behind the documents, including:

• Staff training and development.
• Induction processes.
• Service communications.
• Performance monitoring and reporting.

MM raised questions regarding repair standards and whether contractors clearly understand the quality standards expected by the Council, particularly in relation to planned works.

HP advised that while the Housing Standards and Values Charter sets out high-level expectations, operational requirements for contractors are detailed through contractor procedures and service standards.
It was noted that Cardo has its own operational standards covering matters such as:

• Professional conduct when entering homes.
• Introducing themselves to residents.
• Respecting tenant requests within the home.
• Leaving properties clean and tidy following works.

HP highlighted ongoing work to strengthen tenant engagement with Cardo following mobilisation of the new repairs contract.

This includes:

• Involving tenants in mobilisation and service development discussions.
• Creating opportunities for direct engagement between tenants and Cardo representatives.
• Exploring the development of repairs and complaints forums where tenants can discuss issues and experiences directly with the contractor.
• Maintaining open communication channels between tenants, Housing Services and Cardo.

TVP members welcomed tenant participation in recent mobilisation events and emphasised the importance of continued involvement in shaping service delivery.

Members asked how compliance with the standards and values would be measured.

HP confirmed that customer satisfaction surveys continue to be a key mechanism for monitoring service quality and tenant experience. Surveys are issued following completed repairs and provide direct feedback on contractor performance.

• Feedback data is received by the Council on a regular basis, allowing ongoing monitoring of service performance.
• A single survey (DBC issued) process will now be used, ensuring consistency of feedback and reducing survey duplication and fatigue.
• Survey results will be shared with Cardo to support service improvement and performance management.

HP noted that previous Council and contractor surveys had produced differing satisfaction levels. The new approach will provide a single, consistent source of customer feedback to support effective monitoring and accountability.

LC and GL – contingency in reports and working with different Housing Officers; documents contingency – files – leaving staff

KAH – The listening is not efficient, talking over the tenants, and only to look mimic listening, but not acting upon

Steps to be done to communicate changes to the service – TMO, tenancy changes.

Overall continuity of care (as a landlord).

Standards Matter Document amendment. Reword ‘active listening, this feels patronising’

OJ

01/08/2026

Share Cardo’s repair standards documentation with Tenants.

SQA Team

01/08/2026

AOB

Tenants collectively agreed that all paperwork, even if in draft format, should be shared in line with our Terms of Reference, 2 weeks before each meeting. For accessibility purposes, these documents should be printed and picked up from The Forum upon request.

Tenants also agreed that lanyards should be provided to panel members.
SK – Future induction and training opportunities should have the maximum notice possible to ensure tenants can take A/L to support in these events.

MG – Said that he would create and share a yearly plan, and that he would re-send the TPAS sign up link.

Panel to be sent the Tenant Voice Panel yearly plan.

MG

10/07/2026

Request that supported housing, sheltered housing, or residential care-type schemes receive comms regarding TV licences

MG

10/07/2026

Notice to events TVP members are invited, so A/L can be booked, avoiding holidays and half-terms

MG

Ongoing. Maximum notice given for events.

Panel to be re-sent the TPAS sign-up link, along with suggested courses.

MG

10/07/2026

Chair closed meeting

Next meeting is scheduled for 24 September 2026