Housing Services PDF 75 KB - Wandsworth Borough Council

WANDSWORTH BOROUGH COUNCIL
PAPER NO.10-484
HOUSING OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE – 22ND JUNE 2010
GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE – 29TH JUNE 2010
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE – 5TH JULY 2010
Report by the Director of Housing on a Staffing Review of the Housing Services area of the
Housing Department
SUMMARY
Background: This report proposes a reorganisation of staffing arrangements within the Housing
Services area of the Housing Department. Housing Services comprises the Housing Aid Centre
(Homelessness Prevention and Homeless Persons Sections) and the Lettings Section. Staffing
arrangements in these areas were last reviewed in summer 2008 and, in view of the significant
reduction in the use of temporary accommodation for the statutory homeless, it is timely to
review arrangements and put in place a revised structure.
Policy: The Council is subject to statutory duties to assess and subject to certain criteria,
accommodate homeless households who present to the Housing Department for assistance. The
Housing Department is also statutorily obliged to work under the Council’s approved Housing
Allocation Scheme and to assess and decide the allocation of social housing within the rules
contained within the scheme.
Issues/Proposals: This report sets out detailed arrangements for a staffing review within the
Housing services area, with a view to (a) strengthening the homelessness prevention area and in
particular, the delivery of homelessness prevention options, (b) consolidate the administrative
finance and information functions within one team, (c) re-arrange the operational split within the
Lettings Section between the assessment and applications function and the offers function and (d)
put in place arrangements for specialist casework investigation.
Director of Finance Comments: The staffing review has deleted 3.5 FTE established posts but has
created an additional three permanent posts from existing fixed term posts due to end in 2012/13.
The ongoing effect of the review is a reduction of 0.5 FTE posts. The required budget variations
can be seen in the table below:
2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 Full Year
General Fund +£43,100 +£56,970 +£96,440 £96,440
HRA -£43,090 -£99,610 -£81,010 -£74,820
Total +£10 -£42,640 +£15,430 +£21,620
The increases shown within the General Fund should be viewed in conjunction with savings
contained within Paper No. 10-467 elsewhere on this agenda generated from bringing the
Homeless Prevention Advice contract back in-house and the establishment of an In-House
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SUMMARY (CONTINUED)
Private Sector Leasing Scheme which overall equates to a net reduction in budgeted costs.
Head of Corporate Human Resources: The proposals outlined in this report involve the net
deletion of 3.5 FTE to the Housing Department’s authorised establishment, including current,
permanent and fixed term posts. A total of 23 FTE posts have been identified for deletion of
which five are currently vacant. Ring-fencing arrangements would be undertaken in consultation
with the staff concerned and their representatives. In the case of staff being unsuccessful during
the ring-fenced exercise, every effort would be made to find suitable posts for re-deployment and
staff would be counselled in accordance with the Council’s Redundancy and Redeployment
Agreement. It is anticipated that most, if not all, of the displaced staff will be accommodated in
the new structure
Supporting Information: Members, when considering the proposals contained within this report,
are referred to the contents of the Annual Review of Resources and Commitments, Homelessness
Performance and Sales issues elsewhere on this agenda which provides detailed information on
the context for the proposals set out in this report.
Conclusion: The Committee are asked to approve the revised staffing arrangements within
Housing Services. This will put the service in a better position to deal with future challenges and
which take into account the recent developments around the use of temporary accommodation
and other matters discussed within this report.
GLOSSARY
PSHI
OOL
SPSS
QAST
COSTA
RSL
CDMS
SJE
SRF
Private Sector Housing Initiative
Out of London Scheme
Stay Put, Stay Safe Scheme
Qualifying Assured Shorthold Tenancy Scheme
Council Owned Short Term Accommodation
Register Social Landlord
Civica Document Management System
Subject to Job Evaluation
Subject to Ring Fence
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. The Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee are recommended to support the
recommendations in paragraphs 3.
2. If the Overview and Scrutiny Committee approve any views, comments or additional
recommendations on the report, these will be submitted to the Executive for consideration.
3. The Executive are recommended: -
(a)
to approve the new structure and the changes to operational working practices
proposed for the Housing Department as set out in this report; and
(b) to approve the General Fund and HRA budget variations set out in paragraphs 75
and 76 of this report.
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4. The General Purposes Committee are recommended to approve the revised staffing
structures, establishment and staffing proposals for the Housing Department as set out in
this report.
INTRODUCTION
5. Staffing arrangements within the Housing Services area were last reviewed in June 2008
(Paper No. 08-502 to the Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee, General Purposes
Committee and the Executive).
6. In relation to homelessness matters, as Members are aware, the Council has been working
for the last seven or eight years against an agenda of preventing homelessness more
effectively. As well as providing a better range of options for potentially homeless
households, the successful delivery of that agenda has significantly reduced the Council’s
overall use of, and spend for, temporary accommodation for the homeless under the terms
of Part VII Housing Act 1996 (as amended).
7. The review of resources and commitments, homelessness performance and sales issues
elsewhere on this agenda sets out the significant achievements achieved in 2009/10, and in
previous years, around that agenda. That report confirms that, at the end of March 2010, the
Council had achieved the largest percentage decrease in the use of temporary
accommodation amongst all London Council’s.
8. Temporary accommodation at that date stood at 435 households, a 72 percentage decrease
from the position at December 2004, when the Government announced its national target to
halve the use of temporary accommodation from that date by the 31st March 2010.
9. In view of these achievements and, in the light of other policy issues canvassed within
Paper No. 10-467 elsewhere on this agenda such as the setting up of an in-house private
sector leasing scheme and the bringing back in-house of the advice and assistance to nonpriority
need households function, the remainder of this report details arrangements for a
staffing re-organisation across the Homelessness Prevention Section, the Homeless Persons
Unit and the Lettings Section, which are detailed under their respective headings.
10. It is proposed that, if approved, the effective date for the implementation of the Housing
Department’s new staffing structure would be 1st October 2010.
HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION SECTION
11. The Homelessness Prevention Section (previously and still sometimes known as the
Housing Advice Team) comprises 22 FTE staff (including managers) within a four team
structure. Paper No. 08-502 created a dedicated team of Youth Homelessness Prevention
Officers to tackle the then increasing numbers of young homeless people in temporary
accommodation, particularly within unsuitable bed and breakfast accommodation.
12. As has been previously reported to the Committee, the team has been very successful in
preventing youth homelessness and numbers are more reduced in terms of those within
temporary accommodation, although the volumes of clients presenting to the Department
for assistance still remain high.
13. The Homelessness Prevention Section is currently responsible for the assessment of all
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households presenting to the Housing Department for housing assistance as being at risk of
homelessness and for assistance to those not at risk of homelessness, but who have landlord
and tenant problems.
14. The section is numerically the busiest of the frontline services provided from the Garratt
Lane office, seeing approximately 750 households at interview per month. In addition to
this assistance and casework based assessment function, the Homelessness Prevention
Section has led, over the last seven/eight years, on the promotion of housing options so as
to prevent homelessness.
15. These include the following initiatives agreed by the Committee over recent years: -
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
the Private Sector Housing Initiative (PSHI);
the Out of London Scheme (OOL);
the Stay Put, Stay Safe scheme (SPSS); and
the qualifying assured shorthold tenancy scheme (QAST).
16. Volumes of activity in these areas have increased substantially over recent years.
17. As will be seen from Paper No. 10-467 elsewhere on this agenda, a combined target for
these schemes of 385 successful preventions is proposed in the current year, which is itself
an increase on volumes in the previous year. Also in that report is a recommendation that,
with effect from April 2011, the provision of statutory ‘advice and assistance’ to non
priority need homeless households be brought back ‘in-house’ and it is proposed that the
homelessness prevention team would carry out this function from that date.
18. At present, the administration and promotion of the prevention schemes is carried out by
individual Homelessness Prevention Officers on rotation. Whilst this has not prevented the
section achieving impressive results over recent years, it does leave the Department
vulnerable to the vagaries of individual performance and would obviously be affected by
any short or long term staff absences. In addition, the cost of these projects now exceeds
£800,000 per year.
19. Accordingly, it is proposed to create a dedicated team to administer, promote and deliver
the increased forecast volumes of activity under the prevention initiatives. As set out on
Appendix 1 to this report, it is proposed to create one Team Leader post (subject to job
evaluation (SJE)) and three Housing Projects Officers (SJE) to administer these schemes. It
is the Director of Housing’s view that this will enable the schemes to continue to be
promoted and delivered in increasing numbers over the coming years.
20. The context of the private sector housing market (linked to the successful introduction in
the Borough of the Local Housing Allowance) provides grounds for optimism that the
volumes will increase over recent years. This will in turn assist in preventing homelessness
more effectively and mitigating the general fund cost of accommodating households under
the terms of homelessness legislation.
21. Elsewhere in the Homelessness Prevention Section, it is proposed to increase the
establishment of permanent Homelessness Prevention Officers from ten posts to 14 FTE
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posts. This would require two fixed-term posts (H0471 and H0472) to be established as
permanent, plus the creation of two new posts. These new posts (including grades) would
replicate the existing Homelessness Prevention Officer posts. It is proposed to re-designate
all Homelessness Prevention Officer posts as Housing Options Officers.
22. The Section would thus comprise three generic Housing Options Teams, the Youth
Homelessness Prevention Team and the Housing Projects Team referred to above.
23. This increase in staffing resources in this front line service is necessary to support the
proposal that the Housing Options Team would take on the bulk of the homelessness
casework function performed under the current structure by the Homeless Persons
Caseworker Team, which has eight posts. It is envisaged that the additional posts would be
filled through re-deployment (direct or competitive) of officers currently employed within
the Homeless Persons Caseworker Team, with any officer not appointed to these posts
being subject to the usual redeployment processes.
24. At present, the Homelessness Prevention Team will, for the most part, assess a
homelessness application to the point of deciding whether or not the ‘interim’ homelessness
duty applies. That duty arises where the Council has reason to believe that a person may be
eligible for assistance, threatened with homelessness and in priority need.
25. Under the proposed structure it is envisaged that the majority of cases would remain with
the Housing Options Team through to the assessment of the Council’s ‘full’ duty under the
legislation. That is the duty that arises where the Council is satisfied as to whether
somebody is eligible for assistance, intentionally homeless, in priority need and has a local
connection.
26. It can be seen, therefore, that the workload on the section will increase, due to this changearound
in decision-making responsibilities, and it is on this basis that the increase in the
staffing establishment of the section is proposed.
27. Also, in relation to the proposed Housing Options structure, it is recommended that the
fixed term post of Housing Advice Development Co-ordinator (H0950, PO2) be established
as a permanent post. This post has previously been funded through a grant available to the
Drug and Alcohol Action Team.
28. With reductions in that funding stream, and in recognition of the very successful work
carried out by the post-holder around the prevention of homelessness and engagement in
drug rehabilitation treatment, it is proposed that this post be established permanently so as
to continue its complimentary work around the homelessness prevention agenda.
29. Lastly, it is proposed to delete the vacant post of Principal Officer (Special Investigations)
(H0423, PO2) which dealt with the tenancy relations function and to spread this work
across the increased generic Housing Options Officer group.
30. The current and proposed structures for this section are set out in Appendix 1 to this report.
HOMELESS PERSONS UNIT
31. The Homeless Persons Unit currently has responsibility for assessment of whether ‘full’
homelessness duty is owed and the provision of temporary accommodation for homeless
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households whilst their application is being assessed and/or after the full duty has been
accepted and until that duty is discharged (most often via an offer under the Housing
Allocation scheme) or otherwise ceases.
32. The section currently comprises five component teams, namely the Customer Services
Team, the Hostels Management Team, the Temporary Accommodation Team, the Finance
and Information Team and the Homelessness Casework Team.
Homelessness Casework Team
33. As detailed above, it is proposed that the existing HPU Caseworker Section is disbanded.
This would require the deletion of the following posts: two Principal Casework Officer
posts (H0509 and H0510) and six Homeless Persons Caseworker posts (H0403, H0405,
H0406, H0411, H0434 and H0464). The post-holders will be considered for new posts in
Homelessness Prevention and Lettings sections arising from this re-organisation as part of a
ring fencing exercise.
34. At the end of March 2010, the un-assessed caseload of applications was running at just 74
cases and it is now proposed to redistribute that workload across both the Housing Options
Teams and the Specialist Casework Team in the Lettings Section.
35. As mentioned above, the Housing Options Section would carry out the majority of
homelessness assessments. The minority of cases that require more complex and/or lengthy
enquiries, for example involving complex intentionality or eligibility issues, would be
carried out by the newly created Specialist Casework Team based under the Casework and
Reviews Manager in the Lettings Section (detailed below).
36. The Director of Housing recommends this change firstly to re-enforce the Homelessness
Options Team and secondly to concentrate the decision making process around the more
complicated and time-consuming minority of cases within the reviews and casework
function, which has the most detailed understanding of the relevant issues within the
Housing Services area.
Customer Services Team
37. As regards the Customer Services Section, there are no proposals to amend the structure in
that area at this time. The structure of one manager, one deputy and seven officers continues
to be fit for purpose in responding to the 2,000 (approximately) personal callers to the
Garratt Lane reception each month. Likewise, no changes are proposed amongst the two
Caseworker (Ineligible Cases) posts which co-ordinate accommodation and subsistence
services to former unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC) and/or other destitute
cases. However, staffing arrangements in this area will be kept under review.
Hostels Management Team
38. Turning to the Hostels Management Team, recommendations made in Paper No. 10-467
elsewhere on this agenda cater for an urgent review of the size and shape of the COSTA
portfolio on the basis that a number of schemes may well be now surplus to requirements
and/or can be put to alternative uses against the Council’s wider policy objectives.
39. These include exploring the potential for alternative use of those sites for accommodation
for Mental Health Service users arising from the Mental Health Accommodation Review
process, or for people with learning disabilities in need of community based housing.
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40. In view of the review of the COSTA portfolio overall and as a result of the recent and
significant capital investment at the Nightingale Square SW12 (Nightingale) and Edwyn
Trayfoot Lodge SW11 (Latchmere) sites, so as to self-contain the flats, it is considered that
the current structure of one manager, one deputy and 4.4 Hostels Officers plus six manual
staff is now in excess of what is needed to run that service.
41. It is, therefore, proposed to delete the Deputy Hostel Manager post (H0419, SO2). The
revised team would continue to have responsibility, for the ongoing management of the
COSTA sites. This is justified (a) in view of the likely reduction in the size of the COSTA
portfolio moving forward and (b) to reflect the fact that, following the extensive capital
works to self-contain the two major hostels at Nightingale Square and Edwin Trayfoot
Lodge, a reduced management function is required. The post-holder will be included in the
ring-fenced exercise for new posts arising from this reorganisation.
42. In terms of the manual workers based at Nightingale Square, the team is responsible for the
cleaning of the communal areas, the moving around of furniture and for minor day to day
‘handy-person’ type repairs. Again, with the self containment works now completed the
need for a team of one Chargehand (H9010) and five Hostel Attendants (H9020 and
H9030) is no longer justified and it is proposed that the vacant post of one FTE Chargehand
(H9010) is deleted, as well as one FTE Hostel Attendant post from either H9020 or H9030.
This will leave a team of four manual staff to manage the reduced demands at Nightingale
Square. Recruitment to the reduced establishment will be subject to a ring-fencing exercise.
Temporary Accommodation Team
43. It is proposed, therefore, to re-designate the current post of Property Manager (HO666) to
that of ‘Property and Procurement Manager’ (SJE) who will manage the remaining twoteam
structure. This will comprise firstly of the Temporary Accommodation Team (one
Manager (H0427) and six officer posts (H0409, H0410, H0435, H0437(JS), H0437wb(JS),
H0457 and H0470) which will be responsible for the letting of all temporary
accommodation in use by the Homeless Persons Unit (including the Council’s own hostels)
and for the management of the in-house private sector leasing scheme. The vacant
Accommodation Support Officer post (H0438) would be deleted.
44. As mentioned above, the Hostels (COSTAs) Management Team will, as now, manage all
aspects of the day to day management of the COSTAs. The area teams will, as now,
continue to perform the property maintenance and repairs function across the Hostels.
45. In this way it is anticipated that the management, letting and monitoring of temporary
accommodation standards and occupancy would be contained within the one section,
thereby allowing a smooth movement of applicants through the various temporary
accommodation options.
Finance and Information Team
46. The present arrangements for the finance administration and information function are that
separate teams in the Homeless Persons Unit and Lettings Section carry out these tasks
respectively. It is proposed to merge these functions and place them within the Homeless
Persons Unit, (which would itself be renamed as the ‘Housing Needs Unit’) with the revised
team providing administrative, financial and information support to the three component
sections of the Housing Services area of the department.
47. It is proposed to re-designate the existing post of Finance and Information Manager
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(H0440, PO5) as Finance, Administration and Information Manager. This post would
manage a structure to include two Systems and Information Officer posts (H0461 and
H0743), an Accounts Manager post (H0462), with line management responsibility for four
Finance Officer posts (H0453, H0454, H0456 and H0458wb) and a Senior Administrative
Officer post (H0782) with responsibility for three FTE newly created Administrative
Officer posts. This will require the deletion of four administrative posts across the service:
one Administrative/WP Assistant (H0447), two Administration Assistant posts (H0726 and
H0747) and one Housing Reviews Officer (H1000). Recruitment to the new Administrative
Officer posts will be ring-fenced to the occupants of these posts. The merger of the two
sections with improved efficiencies will also allow the deletion of one vacant Finance
Officer post (H0460).
48. This team will provide all administrative support to the three business units in such matters
as stationery, furniture, health and safety, liaison with the Housing Personnel Section
around leave and absence monitoring and the management of the central filing and
archiving systems. Secondly, all financial matters ranging from payments under the
Homelessness Prevention initiatives to payments to landlords under the Private Sector
Leasing Scheme, to payments incurred in the Lettings area for home-loss and home
disturbance issues and incentives to encourage under-occupiers to downsize, would be dealt
with within the Finance Team.
49. Lastly, as the Committee is aware from the regular information reports it receives, there is a
wide range of performance information and management information generated around
lettings, homelessness prevention and Homeless Persons Unit activity. The proposal for two
Senior Administrative and Information Officer posts within the structure is to ensure that
both regular and bespoke management information is available whenever required and to
build resilience into that function.
50. The current and proposed structures for this section are set out in Appendix 2 to this report.
LETTINGS SECTION
51. The Lettings Section is responsible for the allocation of all social housing becoming
available to let or to re-let by the Council under the terms of Part VI of the Housing Act
1996 (as amended). This includes the re-letting of Council properties that become vacant
opportunistically, the letting of newly-developed homes under the Hidden Homes Initiative
and the nomination to partner Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) under nomination
agreements with them.
52. Further, the Lettings Section is responsible for the assessment of applications from
applicants for the allocation of social housing in line with the Council’s approved and
published Housing Allocations Scheme. As the Committee and Executive are aware, this
involves a high volume of applications, assessments, decisions and notifications on issues
which are of great importance to the households concerned and which can be complex and
long-running.
53. The Lettings Section is also responsible for the delivery of the Council’s policies around
minimising levels of under-occupation within the social housing sector and of tackling
overcrowding. The Lettings Section is responsible for all statutory review activity around
decisions issued in the name of the Council under both Part VI (Lettings) and Part VII
(Homelessness) of the Housing Act 1996.
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54. This includes reviews on such matters as: -
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
whether an applicant is eligible for homelessness assistance or for the allocation of
social housing;
whether an applicant is considered to be homeless or not;
whether, if homeless, they are in priority need of accommodation; and
whether, if homeless, they are responsible for their homelessness on the basis that
they intentionally did, or failed to do something which led to them losing
accommodation that was otherwise reasonable and available for them to continue to
occupy.
55. Lastly, the Reviews Team deals with such matters as the reasonableness of referrals on the
basis of local connections made to the Council by other local authorities, or from the
Council made to other local authorities. They also adjudicate on whether offers made to
applicants under either Part VI or Part VII of the Housing Act 1996 (as amended) were
reasonable and suitable and, if applicable, whether refusal of an offer has brought the
accepted homelessness duty to an end.
56. Housing Act reviews, in the majority of cases, will involve a further right to litigation
against the Council in the County Court and significant liaison with the Borough Solicitors
and/or the non-routine litigation contractor. At any one time, there are around a dozen
cases in the various stages of litigation and this work is, therefore, high volume, sensitive
and potentially costly.
57. Turning now to proposed arrangements within the Lettings section. It is firstly proposed,
having removed the administrative, finance and management information function into the
generic team within the Homeless Persons Unit discussed above, to rearrange operational
responsibilities within the Lettings Section to provide a working division between the
‘assessment of applications’ function and the ‘making of offers’ function.
58. Present arrangements are that various teams within the Lettings Section have respective
responsibility for various housing queues and this responsibility includes both the
assessment of applications function and the making of offers function. It is proposed to
reorganise so one team has responsibility for all matters relating to the assessment of
applications, including the award of priority for an offer, and to make another team
responsible the function of making offers across all housing queues.
59. To accommodate the new functionality it is proposed to delete both the Housing
Assessment and Registration Manager post (H0744) and the Rehousing Advice and Support
Manager post (H0703) and establish two new posts - one Voids Allocations Manager post
and one Housing Entitlement and Assessment Manager post. Recruitment to the new posts
will be ringfenced to the postholders of H0744 and H0703. The three existing team leaders
(Team Leader (Assessments) H0778, Team Leader (Outreach) H0779 and Team Leader
(Housing Advice) H0780) reporting to posts H0744 and H0703 will also be deleted and two
FTE posts of Housing Entitlement and Assessment Team Leaders will be created to reflect
the new operational structure. Recruitment to these new posts will be ring-fenced to the
existing post-holders. The Housing Registration and Assessment team will also increase to
ten Housing Registration Officer posts to cover the assessment of all applications across all
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queues. This would require the transfer of four Rehousing Advice Officer posts (H0770,
H0760, H0762 and H0781) into the team and the creation of an additional 0.5 FTE Housing
Registration Officer posts. All posts would be re-designated as Housing Registration
Officer.
60. This Team would also be responsible for the promotion of ‘permanent’ housing options,
including such things as mutual exchange, sub-regional mobility (working closely with the
Housing Projects Team within the Homelessness Prevention Section) and visits to
applicants in their homes to assess their housing conditions.
61. The newly created post of Voids and Allocations Manager will have line management
responsibility for six Allocations and Visiting Officer posts, who would be responsible for
the matching and making of all offers to all queues. The existing Visiting and Assessment
Officer posts (H0706, H0734, H0749 and H0668) will be re-designated to Allocations and
Visiting Officers. It would also be necessary to establish an additional two Allocations and
Visiting Officer posts. Where applicable, those officers would also attend at viewings,
including, where necessary, multiple viewings.
62. It is also proposed to create a new post of one FTE Voids Co-ordinator, who would assist
the Voids and Allocations Manager and the Rehousing Manager (H0702) in the progress
chasing of vacant properties through all stages of the re-let process.
63. Lastly, within the Lettings Section, it is proposed to re-designate the Housing Reviews
Manager post (H0669) as Housing Casework and Reviews Manager, to retain the two
Senior Reviews Officer posts (H0508, H0707) reporting to this post, and to place line
management responsibility for a small team of specialist caseworkers also within the remit
of the Housing Casework and Reviews Manager.
64. This Team will comprise a principal officer at team leader level, one FTE Principal
Housing Assessment Officer (Specialist Casework) post and two FTE Housing Assessment
Officer (Specialist Casework) posts, which will, as mentioned above, be appointed through
a re-deployment process (direct or competitive) amongst the current Homeless Persons
Unit Caseworker Team.
65. In this way, it is proposed to bring all of the complex casework function under the remit of
the Housing Casework and Reviews Manager. This will concentrate the complex, sensitive
or time-consuming enquiries within the area of Housing Services which has the highest
level of expertise in those matters.
66. The current and proposed structures for this section are set out in Appendix 3 to this report.
67. In summary, the re-organisation of the Housing Services area aims to achieve a number of
objectives: -
(a)
(b)
the reinforcing of the homelessness prevention function;
the consolidation of recent successes around the homelessness prevention
initiatives by the creation of a dedicated small team to administer those schemes;
(c) the creation of a generic support services function within the proposed Finance
Administration and Information Section, which would service all aspects of
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Housing Services’ operation;
(d)
(e)
the creation of an operational distinction within the Lettings Section between the
assessment of applications function and the making of offers function; and
the consolidation of all complex casework within one section under the direction of
the Housing Casework and Reviews Manager.
68. The overall effect of the proposals set out in this report in relation to the Housing Services
area see a net reduction of 3.5 FTE posts, which results in an overall decrease in the
establishment of the Housing Services area from 100.5 posts (including the Chief Officer
post (H0401), to a total of 97 posts.
FINANCIAL AND STAFFING IMPLICATIONS
69. The financial consequences of the re-organisation are set out below in the Director of
Finance comments and the staffing implications are set out below in the Head of Corporate
Resources comments. The following tables summarise the position in relation to post
deletions, creations and re-designations.
COMMENTS OF THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE
70. The Director of Finance comments that the overall change in structure within the Housing
Department including the making permanent of three existing fixed term posts due to end in
2012/13 would be the net deletion of 0.5 FTE posts.
71. The financial effect of the changes in the review of the Housing Services structure in both
the General Fund and the Housing Revenue Account can be seen in the table below.
2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 Full Year
General Fund +£43,100 +£56,970 +£97,410 +£110,890
HRA -£43,090 -£99,610 -£81,010 -£74,820
Total +£10 -£42,640 +£16,400 +£36,070
72. The increases shown in the General Fund should be viewed in conjunction with the savings
generated from bringing the Homeless Prevention Advice contract back in-house and the
establishment of an in-house Private Sector Leasing scheme to provide temporary
accommodation previously dealt with under the Housing Association Lease contract
reported in Paper No. 10-467 elsewhere on this agenda. The overall effect of these changes
equates to a net reduction in budgeted costs.
73. Two additional Housing Options Officer posts that sit within the Prevention Options Team
will be created to help deal with the increased demands and workloads of the section, part
of which will result from bringing the Homeless Prevention Advice contract back in-house.
The cost of these two posts represents a saving against the current cost of the Threshold
advice contract which expires at the end of 2010/11.
74. Within the Property and Procurement section of the Housing Needs service there has been a
net reduction of one FTE. The work associated with the In-House PSL scheme is to be
picked up within this section by the remaining six Accommodation and Support Officers. It
is estimated that the equivalent of one FTE at SO1 will be directly charged to the PSL
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scheme trading account. The cost of the provision of the PSL scheme will continue to be
monitored to ensure that it is provided cheaper than the cost of securing accommodation
under a Housing Association Lease.
75. As a result of these changes and with some future costs being met from existing budgets
positive General Fund budget variations of £43,100 in 2010/11, £56,970 in 2011/12,
£96,440 in 2012/13 and in a full year are sought which is equivalent to Band D Council Tax
increases of £0.34 in 2010/11, £0.46 in 2011/12 and £0.77 in 2012/13 and in a full year.
76. In addition negative HRA budget variations of £43,090 in 2010/11, £99,610 in 2011/12,
£81,010 in 2012/13 and £74,820 in 2013/14 and in a full year are recommended. This adds
£5.584 million to reserves over the life of the HRA 30-year Business Plan, equivalent to
£2.021 million in net present value terms.
77. Any redundancy costs resulting from the deletion of occupied posts will also need to be met
from existing budgets; however, these costs may be reduced or avoided if post holders are
successfully redeployed via the Council’s redeployment scheme.
COMMENTS OF THE HEAD OF CORPORATE HUMAN RESOURCES
78. The Head of Corporate Human Resources comments that the proposals outlined in this
report involve the net deletion of 3.5 FTE to the Department’s authorised establishment,
including current, permanent and fixed term posts. A total of 23 FTE posts have been
identified for deletion of which five are currently vacant. Details are set out below.
Table 1: Post Deletions
Post Number Designation Current
grade
FTE
H0423
Principal Officer (Special PO2 1.00 (Vacant)
Investigations)
H0509 and H0510 Casework Team Leader PO3 2.00
H0403 H0434,
H0411, H0406,
H0464, H0405.
6 x Homeless Persons Caseworker SO2 6.00 (H0405
–
Vacant)
H0419 1 x Deputy Hostels Manager S02 1.00
H9010 Chargehand MWG3 1.00 Vacant
One of five
Homeless Person’s Attendant / MWG2 1.00
H9020/H9030 Hostels Officer
H0438 Accommodation Support Officer SO1 1.00 Vacant
H0477 Administrative/WP Assistant Sc5 1.00
H0726, H0747 Administrative Assistant Sc5 2.00
H1000 Housing Reviews Officer Sc5 1.00
H0460 Finance Officer Sc6 1.00 Vacant
H0703
Rehousing Advice and Support PO4 1.00
Manager
H0744
Housing Assessment and PO4 1.00
Registration Manager
H0778, Team Leader (Assessments), PO1 3.00
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Housing Department Staffing Review
H0779
H0780
Team Leader (Outreach),
Team Leader (Housing Advice)
TOTAL 23
79. In addition, a total of 19.5 FTE posts are to be created across the Housing Department. The
grades of all the posts, details of which are set out in Table 2 below, will be established in
accordance with the Council’s Job Evaluation arrangements.
Table 2: Post Additions
Housing Projects Team Leader SJE 1.00
Housing Projects Officer SJE 3.00
Housing Options Officer
SO2 – Pattern Repeat of 2.00
Existing Homelessness
Prevention Officer
Administrative Officer SJE 3.00
Housing Entitlement and Assessment Manager SJE 1.00
Voids and Allocations Manager SJE 1.00
Entitlement and Assessment Team Leader SJE 2.00
Housing Registration and Assessment Officer SJE 0.5
Allocations and Visiting Officers SJE 2.00
Voids Co-ordinator SJE 1.00
Principal Housing Assessment Officer (Specialist SJE 1.00
Casework)
Housing Assessment Officer (Specialist Casework) SJE 2.00
TOTAL 19.5
80. In addition, the following posts are to be changed from Fixed Term Posts to Permanent
Posts
Table 3: Fixed Term to Permanent
H0471, H0472 Homelessness Prevention Officer 2.00 SO2
H0950 Housing Advice Development Co-ordinator 1.00 PO2
81. A number of other posts have also been identified for re-designation as detailed in Table 4
below and any post whose duties and responsibilities might be affected as a result of the reorganisation
would be examined in accordance with the Council’s Job Evaluation
procedure.
Table 4: Post Re-designations
H0415, H0424, H0428-H0430 H0465- Homelessness Prevention Officer to 12.00
H0468, H0471, H0472, H0661, H0667 Housing Options Officers
H0666
Property Manager to Property and 1.00
Procurement Manager
H0746, H0748, H0750, H0752, Housing Registration Officers to 5.5
H0756, H0758.
Housing Registration and Assessment
Officers
H0760, H0762, H0770, H0781 Rehousing Advice Officer to Housing 4.00
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Housing Department Staffing Review
Registration and Assessment Officers
H0440
Finance and Information Manager to 1.00
Finance, Administration and
Information Manager
H0706, H0734, H0749, H0668 Visiting and Assessment Officers redesignated
4.00
to Allocations and Visiting
Officers
H0669
Housing Reviews Manager to Housing 1.00
Casework and Reviews Manager
H0782
Administrative Officer to Senior 1.00
Administrative Officer
H0743
Rehousing Support Manager to 1.00
Systems and Information Officer
TOTAL 30.5
82. The ring-fencing arrangements outlined in the report would be undertaken in consultation
with the staff concerned and their representatives. In the case of staff being unsuccessful
during the ring-fenced exercise, every effort would be made to find suitable posts for redeployment
and staff would be counselled in accordance with the Council’s Redundancy
and Redeployment Agreement. It is anticipated that most if not all of the displaced staff
will be accommodated in the new structure.
STAFF SIDE COMMENTS
83. The Staff Side have been consulted and any comments will be reported to the General
Purposes Committee.
CONCLUSION
84. This report sets out proposals for a wide range of re-organisation of staffing arrangements
within the Housing Services area of the Department, considered necessary to take into
account recent decreases in the level of temporary accommodation use made by the Council
for housing homeless households under its statutory duties set out in Part VII of the
Housing Act 1996 (as amended).
85. The revised structure also takes account of consequential new challenges, including the
setting up and management of an in-house private sector leasing scheme to provide modest
numbers of self-contained temporary accommodation for homeless households. It also
caters for the bringing back in-house of the advice and assistance function to non-priority
need homeless households at present performed by an external contractor until the 31st
March 2011.
86. The proposed structures are set out in Appendices 1, 2 and 3 of this report ensure that this
important area of the Housing Department’s activities is fit for purpose for the challenges
that will arise over the coming years. The Director of Housing is confident that these
proposals will allow the Department to continue to its successful performance in the areas
of homelessness and allocations.
The Town Hall
ROY EVANS
(Paper No. 10-484)
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Housing Department Staffing Review
Wandsworth,
SW18 2PU
Director of Housing
11th June 2010
Background Papers
There are no background papers to this report.
All reports to Overview and Scrutiny Committees, regulatory and other committees, the Executive
and the full Council can be viewed on the Council’s website (www.wandsworth.gov.uk/moderngov)
unless the report was published before May 2001, in which case the committee secretary (on 020
8871 6039) can supply if required.
Page 15 of 21
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Housing Department Staffing Review
APPENDIX 1
HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION SECTION - CURRENT STRUCTURE
Homelessness Prevention and Projects Manager
(H0421) (PO7)
Principal Homelessness Prevention
Officer (H0426) (PO3)
Principal Homelessness
Prevention Officer
(H0507) (PO3)
Principal Homelessness
Prevention Officer
(H0422) (PO3)
Youth Homelessness
Prevention Team
Leader (H0407) (PO3)
Principal Officer
(Special Investigations)
(H0423) (PO2)
Homelessness
Prevention
Officers x 3
(H0465,
H0667,
H0430) (SO2)
Housing
Advice and
Development
Co-ordinator
(H0950) (PO2)
Homelessness Prevention
Officers x 3
(H0466, H0424, H0428)
(SO2)
Homelessness Prevention
Officers x 4
(H0468, H0429, H0415,
H0661) (SO2)
Youth Homelessness
Prevention Officers
x 3 (H0439, H0783,
H0784) (PO1)
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Page 16 of 21

PREVENTION, OPTIONS AND PROJECTS SECTION - PROPOSED STRUCTURE
Housing Options and Projects Manager
H0421 PO7
Housing Department Staffing Review
3 x Principal Housing Options
Officers H0422, 26, H0507 (PO3)
Principal Youth
Homelessness Prevention
Officer H0407 (PO3)
Principal Housing Projects
Officer NEW POST (SJE)
14 x Housing Options Officers
H0415, 24, 28, 29, 30, 65, 66, 68,
71, 72, H0661, 67 and 2 x NEW
POST (SJE)
1 x Housing Advice Development
Co-ordinator H0950
(PO2)
3 x Youth Homelessness
Prevention Officers
H0783, 84, H0439 (PO1)
Staffing Summary
27 posts (all grades).
Manager +
5 Principal Officers +
21 Officer posts
3 x Housing Projects
Officers NEW POST (SJE)
Functions
– Almost All Part VII assessments,
– All Prevention activity including
around Youth Homelessness,
– Promotion and Delivery of projects:
PSHI, OOL, SPSS and QAST
– Substance Misuse including
Equinox
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Housing Department Staffing Review
APPENDIX 2
HOMELESS PERSONS UNIT – CURRENT STRUCTURE
Homeless Persons Unit Manager PO7 H0402
Customer Services Manager PO4
H0413
2 x Casework Team Leaders
PO3 (H0509 and H0510)
Property Manager PO5
H0666
Finance and Information Manager
PO3 H0440
Senior Customer Services Officer
PO1
H0520
3 x
Caseworkers
SO2
HO403, HO439,
HO411, HO406
3 x
Caseworkers
SO2
HO434, HO464,
HO407, HO405
Temporary
Accommodation
Manager PO3
H0427
Hostels
Manager PO2
H0418
Accounts
Manager PO1
H0462
Senior
Information and
Admin Officer
PO1 H0461
7 x Customer
Services
Officers
Scale 6 H0520-
H0526
2 x
Caseworkers
(Ineligible
Persons) SO1
H0527-H0528
6 x Accommodation
Support Officers
Scale 6 H0409-10,
H0435 H0437-38,
H0457
Deputy Hostels
Manager SO2
H0419
5 x Finance
Officers Scale 6
H0453-54, H0456
H0458, H0460
Administrative
Officer Scale 5
H0447
(Paper No. 10-484)
Page 18 of 21
4 x Hostels
Officers
Scale 6
H0450-51, H0467,
H0469-70
6 x Hostels
Attendants
Manual Grades
H9020, H9030,
H9010

HOUSING NEEDS UNIT – PROPOSED STRUCTURE
Housing Department Staffing Review
Housing Needs Manager H0402 (PO7)
Customer Services
Manager H0413 (PO5)
Finance, Information and
Administration Manager H0440 (PO5)
Property and Procurement
Manager H0666 (PO5)
Deputy Customer
Services Manager
H0506 (PO3)
2 x Systems and
Information Officer
H0461, H0743 (PO2)
Senior Administrative
Officer H0782 (SO1)
Accommodation
Support Manager
H0427 (PO4)
Hostels Manager H0418
(PO2)
7 x Customer
Services Officers
H0520-26 (Sc6)
2 x
Caseworkers(IC)
H0527-28 S01
Accounts Manager
H0462 (PO2)
4 x Finance Officers
H0453, 54, 56, 58
(Sc6)
3 x Admin Officers
NEW POST (SJE)
Page 19 of 21
Staffing Summary
6 x Accommodation
and Support Officers
H0409, 10, 35, 37, 38,
57, 70 (SO1)
41 staff (all grades) (36 + 4 x blue
collar). Manager + 8 principal Officers
+ 32 staff.
4 x Hostels Officers
H0450, 51, 67, 69(SO1)
4 x Hostels Attendants
SRF H020-H9030
Functions
– CSO services
– All Part VII offers and property
management
– All Admin, Finance, IT and Stats.
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Housing Department Staffing Review
APPENDIX 3
ALLOCATIONS AND LETTINGS SECTION - CURRENT STRUCTURE
Rehousing Manager (H0702) (PO7)
Housing Assessment and Registration Manager
(H0744) (PO4)
Reviews Manager
(H0669) (PO5)
Rehousing Advice and Support Manager
(H0703) (PO4)
Team Leader
(Assessments) (H0778)
(PO1)
Team Leader (Outreach
and Visits) (H0779)
(PO1)
Senior Reviews
Officers x 2
(H0707, H508) (PO2)
Rehousing Advice
Team Leader (H0780)
(PO1)
Rehousing Support
Manager (H0743)
(PO2)
Housing Registration
Officers x 6.5 (H0750,
H0752, H0746, H0748,
H0756, H0758) (SO1)
Visiting and
Assessment Officers x 4
(H0734, H0706, H0749,
H0668) (SO1)
Reviews Officer
(H1000) (Sc5)
Rehousing Advice
Officers x 4 (H0760,
H0762, H0770 and
H0781) (SO1)
Administrative Officer
(H0782) (SO1)
Administrative
Assistants (H0726 and
H0747) (Sc5)
(Paper No. 10-484)
Page 20 of 21

REHOUSING SECTION - PROPOSED STRUCTURE
Housing Department Staffing Review
Rehousing Manager H0702 (PO7)
Housing Entitlement and Assessment
Manager NEW POST (SJE)
Voids and Allocations Manager
NEW POST (SJE)
Housing Casework and Reviews
Manager H0669 (PO5)
Team Leader NEW
POST (SJE)
Team Leader
NEW POST (SJE)
6 Allocations and
Visiting Officers
H0706, H0734,
H0749, H0668 and 2 x
NEW POSTS (SJE)
Voids Coordinator
NEW POST
(SJE)
2 x Senior
Reviews Officers
H0508, H0707
(PO2)
Principal Housing Assessment
Officer (Specialist Casework)
NEW POST
(SJE)
5 x Housing
Registration and
Assessment Officers
H0760, 62, 70, 81
(SO1)
5 x Housing
Registration and
Assessment
Officers H0746,
H0750, H0752,
H0756, H0758
(SO1)
Staffing Summary
28 posts.
Manager + 6 Principal
Officers + 22 staff
Functions
– All Part VI assessments and
offers.
– All Review and appeals
activity
– Some Part VII assessments
(complex cases)
2 x Housing Assessment
Officers (Specialist
Casework)
NEW POST (SJE)
Page 21 of 21
(Paper No.10-484)