Housing staff praised for continued efforts

Dudley Council employs more than 900 staff within its housing division across a variety of areas including repairs and maintenance, sheltered housing schemes, homelessness prevention, tenants support, lettings and anti-social behaviour.

A majority of the council’s housing services have been able to operate despite the challenges brought about by the pandemic.

Councillor Laura Taylor, cabinet member for housing and community services, said:

I would like to pay tribute to all of our staff who have continued to work tirelessly throughout the pandemic to maintain housing services. We have seen incredible resolve to keep our residents safe.

During the course of the last lockdown, our housing maintenance team carried out more than 16,000 emergency repairs, 18,000 non urgent repairs and returned 700 voids to the lettings list.

In this latest period of restrictions, they continue to carry out repairs following all the latest guidance to ensure the safety of tenants and themselves.

Our homelessness prevention team has helped prevent more than 300 people becoming homeless since the pandemic began and our sheltered housing staff have carried out on average more than 700 wellbeing calls every week to check in on tenants and make sure they have everything they need and are safe and well.

Thank you to every single person within housing for their continued efforts.