West Lancashire Borough Council 2025-2026 Housing Annual Report

Celebrating progress, listening to tenants and improving services together

Welcome to Your Housing Annual Report 2025/26

A message from involved tenants

As tenants, we know how important it is to feel listened to and to understand what is happening within the housing services that affect our homes and communities.

This report gives an overview of what has been happening across housing services during 2025/26, including improvements that have been made, challenges faced and the work still taking place to make services better for tenants and leaseholders across West Lancashire. It highlights the work taking place behind the scenes to maintain homes, improve neighbourhoods, respond to repairs, strengthen communities and provide support to those who need it.

Over the last year, tenants continued to play an important role in helping shape services by sharing feedback, taking part in consultations, attending meetings, scrutinising services and working alongside officers to influence change. By reviewing communications and inspecting empty homes, to helping improve repairs and neighbourhood services, tenant involvement has continued to make a real difference.

As involved tenants, we know there is always more to do, but we also recognise the positive steps being taken and the commitment shown to listening and improving services. We want tenants to feel informed, reassured and encouraged to have their say.

We hope this report helps you better understand the work and achievements that have taken place over the last year and how tenant involvement continues to help shape future improvements.

Together, we are making a difference.

Want to get involved?

We are always looking for tenants to help shape services and share feedback. Find out more by contacting the Tenant Voice Team at Tenantvoice@westlancs.gov.uk

A message from the Chair of Landlord Services Working Group

As Chair of the Landlord Services Working Group (LSWG), I am proud to support the important work being carried out to ensure our housing services continue to meet the needs of tenants and leaseholders across West Lancashire.

Throughout this report, you will see examples of how tenant feedback is helping to shape services, influence decisions and drive improvements. From community projects to service reviews and scrutiny activities, tenants have played an important role in helping us understand what is working well and where we need to do more.

I'm particularly proud of the way we are strengthening opportunities for tenants to have their say. Meaningful engagement is not just about asking for opinions, it's about listening to what people tell us and using that insight to make positive changes. The Landlord Services Working Group has an important role in ensuring those voices are heard and reflected in decision-making.

I want tenants to know that I genuinely care about landlord services and the people who rely on them. I am committed to maintaining and improving the services we provide and to ensuring that tenants' views are listened to and acted upon.

As Chair, one of my priorities is to encourage more residents to get involved and help shape our services. Whether by attending engagement events, taking part in consultations or sharing feedback, every contribution helps us better understand what matters most to our tenants.

I’d like to thank our housing officers and involved tenants for their ongoing commitment. Together, we’re improving outcomes for all, and I encourage more tenants to get involved as we continue to shape and strengthen services in the year ahead.

Our focus

Safe, Good Quality Homes - Commitment to standards, repairs, compliance, investment.

Listening to Tenants - Importance of tenant voice and meaningful involvement.

Stronger Communities - Neighbourhoods, ASB, estate standards, community pride.

Improving Services - Modernising services, performance, communication and digital access.

Your Voice Matters – Tenant Voice & Engagement

Getting involved can mean different things to different people. So we have offered a range of ways to have your say. Whether attending meetings, reviewing services, completing surveys, taking part in consultations, feeding back on impact days or joining scrutiny activities, tenants have helped ensure services continue to reflect the needs and experiences of tenants across West Lancashire.

Throughout the year, our involved tenants have worked alongside officers to review communications linked to repairs, influence policies, carry out inspections of our homes and provide valuable feedback on priorities for the future.

We know that meaningful involvement helps create better services, stronger communities and improved outcomes for tenants. That is why we will continue to provide different ways for tenants to get involved, and ensure that opportunities are accessible, flexible and open to everyone.

Tenant Voice Statistics 25/26:

737 Hours contributed by involved tenants
74 Tenant engagement activities delivered
97 Tenants involved across all engagement groups

Working with tenants and leaseholders we have completed:

Scrutiny Review of Wates and Communications
Empty Home Tenant Inspections Implemented
Leaseholder Policy Review
Mystery Shopping Activities
Developed a Repairs Diagnostic Tool
Tenancy Agreement Consultation
Damp & Mould Strategy Review
Domestic Lifting Equipment Policy Review
Tenant Engagement Framework Review
CCTV Policy Review
Pet Policy Review
Tenant Newsletter Review

Through reviews, focus groups and consultation exercises, we are building stronger relationships with tenants and making sure our services reflect lived experiences. The feedback we receive provides valuable insight that helps us adapt, innovate and improve service delivery. By giving tenants a genuine influence over our services, we can ensure we remain fair, transparent and accountable, while building trust and confidence in what we do.

Making a Difference Together

Scrutiny and Service Improvement

Throughout the year, tenants worked with officers to review housing services and our repairs contractors, challenge performance and help identify opportunities for improvement.

Following a year-long scrutiny review, tenants worked closely with us and Wates Property Services (WPS) to help improve communication around repairs. It's encouraging to see that tenant feedback has led to real change, with most recommendations already completed or well underway.

You Said, We Did: Improving Repairs Communication

Between February 2025 and January 2026, members of the Tenant and Leaseholder Advisory Group (TLAG) reviewed how WPS communicates with tenants throughout the repairs process. The review resulted in 17 recommendations, with 11 already implemented and several others progressing through longer-term improvement projects

Improvements already made

As a direct result of tenant feedback:

Repair appointment emails and letters now tell tenants which trade will be attending their home, helping to reduce confusion and unnecessary appointments.
Information about alternative communication formats, including large print, Braille and other languages, is now included on WPS correspondence.
Operatives now leave notification cards when work is carried out outside a property, and tenants have already provided positive feedback on this change.
WPS has introduced a dedicated tenant support email inbox, improved phone systems and a callback service to make it easier for tenants to get in touch.
WPS increased number of operatives to tackle overdue repairs and improve service delivery.
More than 1,000 additional repairs were completed in 2025 compared with 2024.
Repair reporting information has been promoted through newsletters, social media, customer service locations and the Council website.
Customer satisfaction text messages have been improved, making them clear and simple.

Tenant-led scrutiny making a difference

Our tenants welcomed the progress made and thanked WLBC officers and WPS staff for their openness and commitment to improving services. The group continue to monitor the remaining recommendations.

This review demonstrates how tenant feedback can directly shape services and deliver meaningful improvements.

Training and Development

We continued to support tenants with opportunities to build confidence, gain new knowledge and develop skills through a range of training opportunities.

This included:

Tenant inspector training
Digital skills sessions
Housing and regulatory updates
Chairing and meeting skills training

Together We Have Made a Difference

Celebrating positive change across housing services

Throughout this report, we have highlighted performance, investment and service improvements, but behind every statistic are real examples of people working together to make a positive difference.

Whether through tenant involvement, neighbourhood improvements, service reviews or feedback that helped shape change, there have been many examples of progress throughout the year.

The highlights showcase some of the ways that, together, we have continued making a difference.

Highlights from 2025/26

Tenant Inspectors Helping Shape Standards

During 2025/26, involved tenants continued developing their skills and knowledge through the Tenant Inspector programme.

Training opportunities helped tenants better understand housing standards, repairs and property conditions, allowing them to play an active role in helping strengthen service assurance.

Tenant inspectors supported activity including:
Empty homes inspections
Lettable standards training
Customer care training
Learning alongside housing teams and contractors
Providing feedback to strengthen quality and consistency of homes we make available for rent
Attending joint customer care training with officers and contractors

Listening to Tenant Feedback

Throughout the year, feedback helped influence improvements to communication, digital services and customer experiences.

Examples included:

Improved repairs communication
Greater opportunities to get involved
Improvements to service information
Better understanding of tenant priorities

Together We Have

You Said:
“We want clearer communication about repairs appointments.”

We Did:
Reviewed processes and strengthened communication around appointments and updates.

You Said:
Neighbourhood appearance matters.

We Did:
Continued neighbourhood walkabouts, introduced litter picks and worked with tenants to understand priorities for improvements for the service and community.

You said:

We need more engagement about repairs

We did:

Created a dedicated Repairs and Servicing Group to monitor quality

You said:

The Tenant Newsletter needs redesigning to be more interesting

We did:

Consulted with tenants about what they'd like to see in future editions and worked with a group of tenants to help develop a new newsletter

You said:

Repairs team needs to be more accessible to the community

We did:

Set up monthly drop in sessions in the Customer Service Point with a Wates Manager and WLBC officers so tenants can raise jobs and ask for updates on outstanding jobs in person

Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs)

Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs) help us understand how tenants feel about the homes and services we provide.

The measures help us to gain better understanding of the tenant experiences and improve accountability.

While we are pleased with progress in several areas, we know there is always more to do and remain committed to listening, learning and improving services.

You can view our TSM results here.

Performance & Service Improvement

During 2025/26, we continued to focus on delivering safe, reliable and responsive housing services for tenants and leaseholders across West Lancashire.

Throughout the year, investment continued in homes and neighbourhoods, while teams worked to maintain properties, respond to repairs, strengthen safety and improve customer experiences.

Tenant feedback remained central to shaping improvements, helping us better understand what is working well and where further action is needed.

Our 2025/2026 performance at a glance:

Investment:

139 homes received a new kitchen or bathroom
153 Doors replaced
61 Windows replaced
176 Energy efficiency improvements
404 Homes improved through planned investment
Over £3 million Invested in council homes

Repairs Performance

9% Emergency repairs completed within target
3% Non-emergency repairs completed within target 92.3%
16965 Repairs completed during 2025/26
9% of customers satisfied with repairs through Voicescape surveys, which are carried out over the phone after a repair has been completed

Disabled Adaptations

Completed 77 Disabled Adaptations to homes
The cost of this work was over £3 million

Keeping Homes Safe

Keeping homes safe remained one of our highest priorities during 2025/26.
Compliance Snapshot
56% Annual gas safety checks completed
92% Electrical safety checks completed
100% Water safety checks completed
100% Fire safety actions completed
666 damp & mould cases reported
33 days on average to resolve damp and mould issues
312 damp and mould treatments completed

Homelessness:

Provided advice and support to 630 people at risk of homelessness
Helped 335 homeless people find a place they could call home
Provided a package of support to 79 tenants in temporary accommodation
79 Were provided with emergency accommodation

Lettings

407 Homes let in the year 25/26
Provided 145 furnished tenancy packages to tenants
83 homes bought through right to buy

Neighbourhoods & Anti-Social Behaviour

11 Estate Walkabouts completed
205 ASB cases reported
157 ASB cases resolved

Repairs, Maintenance and Safe Homes

We continued to focus on delivering repairs and maintenance services that are responsive, reliable and centred around the needs of tenants.

From emergency repairs to planned maintenance, teams worked throughout the year to maintain homes and support tenants across West Lancashire.

Tenant feedback continued to help shape improvements to repairs services, particularly around communication, appointments and customer experience.

Working together

Throughout the year, we continued to work closely with Wates Property Services, Liberty, tenants and key stakeholders to review performance, strengthen service delivery, and drive continuous improvement. Tenant feedback and scrutiny have helped shape enhancements to communication, appointment management, and the overall customer experience.

Listening, Learning and Improving

We recognise the importance of listening to tenant feedback and using this to improve services.

Comments, compliments and complaints help us better understand tenant experiences and identify opportunities to strengthen service delivery.

We remain committed to learning, improving and ensuring concerns are responded to fairly and within timescales.

Insights from complaints have been used to enhance communication, review service processes and inform officer training. For example, tenant feedback led to the introduction of clearer and more regular updates throughout the repairs process. Positive feedback has also been invaluable in highlighting good practice and recognising the positive impact our services and officers have on tenants and leaseholders' lives.

Customer Feedback at a Glance

12 Comments received

58 Compliments received

289 Stage 1 complaints received

64 Stage 2 complaints received

Responding to Complaints on Time

93.5 Stage 1 complaints responded to within 10 working days

78.1% Stage 2 complaints responded to within 20 working days

90.7% Overall complaints responded to within timescale

Images of customer contact centres (image)

Positive feedback examples:

Thank you to WLBC for their help from start to finish. Everyone I spoke to at customer service were very kind and helpful. Wates came to repair my toilet flush and electric light outside and I can't thank you all enough.
Thank you ALL from the bottom of my heart. I have just had a wet room installed and I cannot praise everyone involved enough . It is beautiful. From start to finish your employees were faultless. I chose my tiles and flooring from a selection of high-quality tiles and flooring . Not many people say they will miss the builders, but I will . They were fantastic. The difference this stunning wet room will make to my life is immense . Easy to use shower, higher toilet, easy to use taps . I am so very grateful to you for my wonderful wet room . Be proud of yourselves.

Thank you so much for helping me be where I am today, I am overwhelmed with the outstanding work that this is going to help me with my quality of life all through the Disabled Facilities Grant.

I am overjoyed with the customer service from the officer that helped me. I recently submitted a complaint and the officer called to check-in with me. I felt happy that someone was there to listen.

The officer that helped me has been exceptionally helpful throughout the process, I don’t know what I would have done without his support.

Feedback can be submitted via:

Our Customer Services team on 01695 577177

Visiting one of our Customer Service Points:

52 Derby Street, Ormskirk L39 2DF
Unit 142, The Concourse Shopping Centre, Southway, Skelmersdale WN8 6LN

Or writing to us at: Customer Feedback, Business Support, West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street, Ormskirk, Lancashire L39 2DF You can read more our Customer Feedback Policy on our website: Customer Feedback - West Lancashire Borough Council

Investing in the Future

Building homes and strengthening communities

During 2025/26, we continued to invest in the future of housing across West Lancashire through regeneration activity and plans for new homes and neighbourhood improvements.

Providing good quality housing is about more than maintaining existing homes. It is also about ensuring communities remain places where people want to live, families can thrive and residents feel proud of where they call home.

Across the borough, work continued to explore opportunities to improve neighbourhoods, support regeneration and increase the availability of quality housing.

Digmoor Revival - Council Continues Affordable Housing Delivery in 2025/26

We have made strong progress in delivering high-quality, affordable homes across the Borough during 2025/26, working in partnership with its development company, Tawd Valley Developments (TVD).

Two key schemes have been completed this year, providing both new social rent homes and opportunities for residents to access affordable home ownership.

In Digmoor, Skelmersdale, Phase 1 of the regeneration project has delivered 12 apartments for social rent. The development includes nine one-bedroom and three two-bedroom homes, with accessible ground floor units designed to meet a range of needs. Built to modern environmental standards, the scheme incorporates air source heat pumps, solar panels, and biodiversity enhancements, supporting sustainability and community wellbeing.

In Hesketh Bank, the Council and TVD have completed their first shared ownership scheme, delivering 10 bungalows comprising six two-bedroom and four three-bedroom homes. The scheme proved highly successful, with all properties sold off-plan, demonstrating strong demand for affordable routes into homeownership. Shared ownership allows buyers to purchase a share of a property and increase this over time, offering a flexible pathway to full ownership.

Looking ahead, planning approval has been secured for a further shared ownership development at Maryvale in Skelmersdale. The scheme will deliver 29 homes, including a mix of two-, three- and four-bedroom properties, helping to meet a variety of local housing needs. Works have now commenced on site, with completion expected in Spring 2027.

Together, these developments demonstrate the Council’s ongoing commitment to increasing affordable housing supply, supporting inclusive communities and providing residents with both secure homes and accessible routes into homeownership.

New Homes at a Glance

22 New homes delivered

29 Homes under development

£4.98million Investment into housing and regeneration

Looking ahead, we remain committed to increasing access to quality housing and supporting long-term investment in homes and communities across West Lancashire.

Supporting Cleaner, Safer Neighbourhoods

Working Together to Improve Places and Communities

We know that feeling proud of where you live is about more than just the home itself. Safe, clean and well-maintained neighbourhoods are essential to creating thriving communities and delivering positive tenant experiences.

Throughout 2025/26, we worked closely with tenants, contractors, partner organisations and local services to improve neighbourhoods, respond to local concerns and help create places where people feel safe, valued and connected. Tenant feedback played a key role in shaping our priorities, helping us focus on the issues that matter most to residents and ensuring our efforts delivered meaningful improvements.

Impact Days, Walkabouts and Community Conversations

Throughout the year, tenants helped influence local priorities through engagement events, consultations, neighbourhood walkabouts and Community Impact Days.

Neighbourhood walkabouts gave opportunities for tenants and officers to review local areas together, discuss concerns first-hand and identify opportunities for improvement.
Our Community Impact Days brought together tenants, housing colleagues, contractors and partner organisations to deliver visible improvements across our neighbourhoods.
Activities focused on tackling fly-tipping, anti-social behaviour, communal repairs and environmental maintenance, helping to improve the appearance and quality of local areas.

Importantly, these events also gave tenants the opportunity to speak directly with officers and partner agencies, share their experiences and highlight issues affecting their communities. By working together, we delivered immediate improvements, strengthened relationships and promoted a greater sense of pride, ownership and community spirit across our neighbourhoods.

Neighbourhood Priorities

Throughout the year, housing teams continued to support work relating to:

Estate standards and cleanliness

Fly tipping and environmental concerns

Grounds maintenance and open spaces

Community Safety & Working Together

Supporting safer communities for everyone

We recognise the importance of helping tenants feel safe in their homes and neighbourhoods.

This year, we introduced Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) drop-in sessions in partnership with Lancashire Police, providing tenants with direct access to housing and policing professionals within the local community. The sessions offered tenants an opportunity to discuss concerns, receive advice and support, and report issues in a welcoming and informal setting. By working together, we strengthened our approach to tackling ASB, improved visibility within neighbourhoods and reinforced our shared commitment to creating safer places to live.

Supporting Tenants When It Matters Most

Helping tenants sustain tenancies and access support

We understand that everyone’s circumstances are different, and sometimes tenants may need additional support to help them manage their tenancy, maintain independence or navigate challenging situations.

During 2025/26, housing teams continued to work alongside tenants and partner organisations to provide advice, practical support and early intervention where needed.

Whether supporting tenancy sustainment, signposting to specialist services, helping with financial concerns or providing additional wellbeing support, our focus remained on helping tenants access the right support at the right time.

We know that good housing is about more than bricks and mortar. Feeling supported, informed and connected can make a real difference to tenants and communities.

How We Supported Tenants During 2025/26

1812 tenants supported with money, debt, benefits and tenancy advice.
£881,434.77 in financial assistance accessed on behalf of tenants.
456 referrals made to partner organisations, connecting tenants to specialist support.

Working Together to Support Tenants

Positive outcomes are often achieved through partnership working.

Throughout the year, we continued to work alongside a range of local organisations and support services to ensure tenants could access appropriate help when needed.

This included support relating to financial wellbeing, tenancy advice, health and wellbeing, safeguarding and community support.

Financial Inclusion and Welfare Support

Our Financial Inclusion Team continued to provide proactive support to tenants, helping them maximise their income and access financial assistance. Through targeted benefit checks and direct engagement with residents in our Independent Living Schemes, the team identified opportunities for tenants to claim benefits to which they were entitled but had not previously received.

During the year, support was provided to tenants to access Pension Credit and other welfare benefits, resulting in significant increases in household income and helping to reduce financial hardship. One successful claim secured over £4,500 per year in additional income for a tenant.

Alongside benefit support, tenants were signposted to a wide range of assistance, including food bank referrals, fuel vouchers, water bill support schemes, charitable grants and local advice services. This work not only helped residents manage the rising cost of living but also ensured they received the financial support available to them, improving wellbeing and financial resilience.

Need Support? If you are struggling or need additional support, please contact us. We are here to help and can signpost you to the right services.

A Closing Message from the Interim Assistant Director of Housing

As we reflect on the progress made during 2025/26, I would like to take the opportunity to thank tenants, leaseholders, officers, contractors and partners who have worked alongside us throughout the year.

This report highlights some of the many ways we have continued to invest in homes, strengthen services and support communities across West Lancashire. From improvements to homes and neighbourhoods, to listening to feedback and responding to tenant priorities, and updating our tenancy agreement we remain committed to delivering housing services that are safe, responsive and focused on the needs of tenants and the communities they live in.

We know there is always more to do, and we recognise the importance of continuing to listen, learn and improve.

Looking ahead to 2026/27 continuing investment in homes and listening to feedback remains central to shaping our priorities, helping ensure housing services continue to evolve in ways that matter most to the people who live in our homes and communities.

During the year ahead, we will continue focusing on maintaining safe and good quality homes. Strengthening neighbourhoods through our review and changes to neighbourhood management services; improving customer experiences and providing meaningful opportunities for tenants to influence services.

We are proud of what has been achieved during 2025/26, but equally focused on the work still ahead of us. By continuing to work together, we can continue building stronger housing services and communities for the future.

Thank you for taking the time to read this report and for continuing to help shape housing services across West Lancashire.

Nicola Bradley

Interim Assistant Director of Housing

Looking Ahead to 2026/27

Enhance Energy & Sustainability Data
Review of Housing Management Services
Improving customer experience
Stronger tenant involvement
Supporting safer neighbourhoods

Thank You

Together, we are making a difference.

Thank you to every tenant, leaseholder, colleague, partner and community member who has helped shape housing services during 2025/26.

Whether by sharing feedback, getting involved, attending events, taking part in consultations or simply helping us better understand what matters most, your contribution continues to make a real difference.

We look forward to continuing to work together to improve homes, services and communities across West Lancashire.

For further information please email tenantvoice@westlancs.gov.uk or telephone 01695 577177 West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk Lancashire L39 2DF westlancs.gov.uk (X) @westlancsbc (Facebook) WestLancsBC (Instagram)@westlancsbc
(same info as last year)