Terms of Reference

1.1    To influence how Castle Point Borough Council (CPBC) provide repairs services to tenants, and to give assurance where relevant, that those services are working well for tenants. For the purpose and remit of this Panel, “repairs” in this case covers: 
1.1.1    Responsive Repairs
1.1.2    Planned Repairs/Asset Management
1.1.3    The “Big Six” Compliance areas of
•    Gas Safety (including servicing)
•    Electrical Safety (including servicing)
•    Fire Safety
•    Asbestos Management 
•    Water Safety (Legionella), and 
•    Lifts/LOLER (Lifting equipment). 

1.2     To review policies related to tenant repairs services from a tenant perspective by assuring themselves 
•    no group are likely to be discriminated against, 
•    the policy considers tenants’ needs and reflects their experiences using insight from tenant voices, and
•    that CPBC have used data and insight where available, to shape priorities within the policy where this is possible in line with the law and expectations of the Regulator. 

1.3    To assure themselves CPBC are meeting compliance expectations or where failing, have plans to mitigate risks of non-compliance

1.4    To influence draft repairs strategies which will impact tenants so these comments can be considered at approval stage.

1.5    To regularly review performance figures. This is to ensure tenants have an opportunity to hold CPBC to account by having access to data including: 
•    Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs)
•    Key Performance Indicators for Repairs (KPIs)
•    Safety Compliance measures
•    Complaints Volumes and trends
•    Progress against key documents including the Strategic Plan, transactional surveys, Performance reports, delivery of the Re-Engineering Engagement Recommendations and the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Strategy. 

1.6    To request further engagement activities from other methods and groups within the influence and engagement framework, where they are not satisfied tenant views have been included in any repair’s recommendation or proposal, or where there is a benefit to understanding any low satisfaction measures, better. 

1.7    Consider repairs related feedback from the engagement groups and methods listed below to add any assurance or additional group feedback for relevant Boards, Committees, Executive Team and Cabinet to consider.
•    Sheltered Housing Panel
•    Block Champions/Community Inspections
•    Complaints Panel
•    Leaseholder’s Panel
•    Scrutiny Panel
•    Any Repairs Task and Finish projects which have been completed.
•    Data Insights from CPBC
•    Board, Committee, Executive Team or Cabinet where they are providing feedback from previous topics or asking views of the Panel.
•    Other engagement group/activities not listed here. 

1.8    The Panel will not make formal decisions on behalf of CPBC. These will be made by Board, Committees, the Executive Team or CPBC Cabinet. The role of the Panel is to:
2    influence repairs related decisions from a tenants’ perspective
3    give assurance that the Panel are satisfied with proposed changes, policies, strategies etc
4    challenge performance that is consistently not meeting targets and/or,
5    Suggest additional engagement as per 1.6, above. 

2.1    The Panel will be made up of a minimum of 7, and a maximum of 12 members who will all be tenants of CPBC.  
2.1.1    No members shall be CPBC Staff Members, CPBC Councillors, Staff, Board or Committee Members
2.2    The Panel will elect their own Chair and Vice Chair through a self-nomination process with Panel members voting for their preference. This will be by closed ballot with written ballot papers and can be conducted during a meeting. Email votes in advance may be made where attendance of that member is not possible. CPBC Engagement Team will oversee the voting. Both roles will be in place for 3 years unless either role resigns or is removed, at which point re-election will take place. 
2.3    Each member will serve on the Panel for a period of 3 years unless they resign or are removed. Each member will serve a maximum of 3 x 3-year terms whether consecutive or otherwise. 
2.4    Any member may resign from the Panel at any time by confirming this (preferably in writing) with either the Chair, Vice Chair, or a member of the CPBC Engagement Team. Any resignation will be taken with immediate effect unless it has been agreed there will be a notice period, negotiable with the Chair and CPBC. 

2.5    Any member of the Panel may have their membership ended by CPBC where: 
2.5.1    They are in breach of this Terms of Reference, the Code of Conduct or have broken the Confidentiality Agreement. 
2.5.2    They do not attend 3 consecutive meetings with or without apologies. 

2.6    If any panel member has any concerns about the contribution of another panel member they should raise this confidentially with the Chair and/or a member of CPBC Engagement Team.

2.7    Any member may request a sabbatical period from the panel for personal reasons. This will be jointly decided by the Panel Chair (or Vice Chair) and a member of the CPBC Engagement Team. 

2.8    Each Panel member will take part in an annual review with the Chair (or Vice Chair) and a member of the CPBC Engagement Team which will focus on: 
2.8.1    Attendance
2.8.2    Contributions
2.8.3    Tenant and Leaseholder advocacy
2.8.4    Identify any further support or training needs

2.9    In order to make sure CPBC can offer as many tenants as possible a voice at a strategic level, engaged tenants will be limited to a place on a maximum of two established groups across the framework including: Tenant and Leaseholder Panel, Scrutiny Panel, Sheltered Housing Panel, Complaints Panel, Home Panel and Leaseholders’ Panel. They may, where appropriate and relevant, join one off projects or groups such as task and finish. 
2.10    These terms of reference may be updated or reviewed at the request of group members or in response to agreed group changes at any time. They will also be reviewed every three years from the date the panel is created. 

3.1    The Panel will meet monthly for 2 hours (although this may vary depending on the agenda).  Meetings will be held either via Microsoft Teams, in person at CPBC offices, Kiln Road, South Benfleet or a suitable venue decided by the group.

3.2     The agenda for each meeting will be set with the Chair and CPBC’s Senior Leasehold and Customer Relations Manager with input where relevant from the Lead Officers responsible for the areas listed in 1.1. It will include:
3.2.1    Introductions, apologies and declarations of interest
3.2.2    Minutes from the previous meeting and actions arising
3.2.3    Repairs Performance Updates 
3.2.4    Strategy, Policy or other consultations
3.2.5    Any other agreed items within the remit of the Panel 
3.2.6    Any Other Business

3.3     Panel members, CBPC staff or members of CPBC may request items to be discussed on the agenda giving at least one calendar weeks’ notice. This will be considered by the Chair and Senior Leasehold and Customer Relation’s Manager. Where there is not enough time within the next meeting, the item will be added to the following meeting agenda where agreed.  

3.4     The agenda and supporting papers will be sent to Panel members at least one calendar week before the meeting date. 

3.5    The CPBC Engagement Team will send meeting invitations to any staff, partner organisation representatives or councillors who may be presenting a relevant agenda item. 

3.6     A Panel meeting will be quorate where 60% of the current membership are present. If fewer than 60% of the membership are present the group can not agree recommendations or requests. Where the membership falls below 5 at any time, the Panel should pause to increase membership and representativeness. 

3.7     Each member has one vote per subject. Where there is an even outcome the Chair (or Vice Chair in the Chair’s absence), has the casting vote. 

3.8    Members of staff, other groups, committees, Board or Cabinet may request or be invited to observe a Panel meeting. Observers do not have voting rights. 

3.9     Where items are to be discussed which are not on the published agenda, members must raise them as “Any Other Business” at the start of the meeting. The Chair will decide whether there is time to discuss the topic at the end of the meeting. Where this is not possible, the item will be added to the agenda for the next meeting where it is relevant to the focus of the group. 

3.10     In exceptional circumstances, Panel members can be asked for comment or a vote on an item outside of a meeting, via email. Feedback will go to the requester via the CPBC Engagement Team and the rest of the panel with the outcome of the vote. 

3.11     Where a member cannot attend the meeting, they should send apologies in advance (giving at least 48 hours’ notice wherever possible) to the CPBC Engagement Team. Where the Chair and Vice Chair are both absent, a CPBC Engagement Team member will chair the meeting. 

3.12    Meetings will be minuted by CPBC, with agreed non-confidential minutes being published online, and excerpts made available to other CPBC groups where the context supports further relevant discussions. Minutes will not be published until approved by the panel/group at their following meeting and will be redacted. 

4.1 By taking part in the Panel each member agrees to: 

a)    Prepare for each meeting by reading all papers sent in advance.
b)    Contribute to discussions at each meeting by suggesting actions, providing challenge and giving assurance where appropriate. 
c)    Represent the best interests of all CPBC tenants.
d)    Send apologies in advance when unable to attend.
e)    Respect and adhere to confidentiality, signing a confidentiality agreement when joining the panel.
f)    Abide by the Code of Conduct for all engaged tenants, which must be signed when joining the panel. 
g)    Ask staff for clarification where any information or language is not clear. 
h)    Attend training designed to support the Panel role. 
i)    Share any learning relevant to the group’s purpose that they have read or heard from within the housing sector, including from conferences, training, press releases etc. 
j)    Ensure any recommendations or suggestions are not in breach of the Regulator for Social Housing’s Rent Standard or Consumer Standards, especially the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Consumer Standard and any other specific guidelines, regulation or law relevant to the topic. CPBC staff will be responsible for confirming this during discussions. 

4.2 In addition the Chair (or Vice Chair in the Chair’s absence), agrees to: 
a)    Follow the agenda and make sure the meeting runs to time
b)    Encourage contributions from all panel members
c)    Welcome non-members who are attending
d)    Work with CPBC staff to set and agree the agenda, and confirm meeting dates for the year
e)    Ensure that members are acting within the guidelines of the Code of Conduct 
4.3 Each panel role is for a three year term.
 

5.1 In order to fulfil the aims of the group, members will receive:  

5.1.1 Written briefing papers to support each agenda item (prepared by the relevant CPBC staff member and shared by the Engagement Team).  
5.1.2 Performance updates in line with internal reporting cycles (monthly, quarterly, annually) including Tenant Satisfaction Measures, Key Performance Indicators and performance against relevant strategy actions. 
5.1.3 Agenda specific papers such as policy or strategy drafts, scrutiny reports etc. 
5.14 Business intelligence (insights), as part of the above papers. This should demonstrate to Panel members how decisions have been made based on what CPBC already know about their tenants, properties and services.

6.1 So that tenant voices are considered at a decision-making level, feedback, recommendations or requests from this group will feed into: 
•    CPBC Engagement Team who will publish a quarterly update of all tenant engagement for every tenant to access online. This will cover the engagement that has taken place and a summary of any known outcomes or recommendations.
•    Scrutiny projects where requests are being made for new projects, or feedback has been shared from completed projects.
•    Board/Committee via a written report and verbal update from the Senior Leaseholder and Customer Relations Officer or as part of specific agenda items. The Chair or Vice Chair will review this before it is shared. 
•    Senior Management and Executive Teams at CPBC via the Chair or Vice Chair will review this before it is shared.
•    CPBC Cabinet via Committee members, where relevant as part of assurance that the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Consumer Standard is being met. Compliance will be confirmed by CPBC staff.