Council housing services have “come a long way” in last three years

Councillor Ian Bevan, cabinet member for housing and homelessness, said a “significant” amount of work and investment since 2022 was reaping rewards.

Dudley Council is one of the biggest providers of social housing in the country and owns nearly 21,000 homes.

The latest available figures show just 4.2 per cent do not meet the benchmark Decent Homes Standard set out by government.

The figure, for up to the end of May this year, has halved since April 2023 when it stood at more than eight per cent.

It also compares favourably to the council’s target of six per cent.

Councillor Ian Bevan, cabinet member for housing and homelessness, said:

“A significant amount of work and investment has been made into the council’s housing services over the last three years.

“We have worked hard in particular to improve the condition of our homes, and to make sure we are complying with the targets set down for us by government and regulatory bodies.

“Our performance data is good when set against both our targets and other councils nationally.

“This data is available publicly on our website for inspection, and we will also be commissioning an independent review of our compliance with expected standards in the autumn.

“We have balanced the books – a not insignificant challenge in itself given we are talking about £200 million a year. And we have a clear understanding of the condition of our homes and what we need to do to improve them. Both of these are areas many other council providers are finding a challenge in the current climate.

“We are committed to ensuring our housing services are safe, compliant and customer focused.

“We have come a long way in the last three years and have clear plans to continue that trajectory, further improving services for our tenants and residents.”