BARNSLEY has become the first local authority in the country to receive the highest social housing rating following a recent inspection.

The inspection by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) rated the council’s social housing output as C1, meaning that overall they were delivering outcomes of the consumer standards, identifying issues and putting plans in place to remedy them and minimise recurrence.

Inspectors spent time with both members of the council and Berneslai Homes, the service which provides housing on behalf of the council and manages around 18,000 homes.

Various areas were assessed and inspectors interviewed tenants, observed Berneslai Homes’ customer and board meetings, meetings with council senior leadership teams and reviewed the performance of a range of areas.

There were particular compliments for how the services addressed complaints ‘fairly, promptly and effectively’, built effective partnerships with relevant organisations to improve outcomes and tailored services to meet tenants’ diverse needs.

However, the report also notes areas that are undergoing improvements, saying: “Barnsley council has identified there could be improvements made to its tenant engagement and feedback mechanisms and it is continuing to focus on this.

“Evidence was provided that feedback and scrutiny provided by tenants has directly and positively impacted service delivery such as in repairs, complaints handling and lettings.”

Councillor Robin Franklin, cabinet spokesperson for regeneration and culture, said: “We’re incredibly proud that we have received such a positive result and are the first local authority to be graded a C1.

“This outcome gives us a really good sense of what is going well and reflects our dedication to improving housing services, providing safe and warm homes, and putting our tenants at the heart of everything we do.

“However, while we celebrate this milestone, we’re not complacent and we know there are still areas where we can and will improve, working with tenants and partners to get the best for Barnsley.”

Amanda Garrard, chief executive of Berneslai Homes, added: “We welcomed the changes brought to housing regulation in recent years and we’re really encouraged by the outcome of the inspection here in Barnsley during a challenging time for the whole sector.

“It provides an opportunity to reflect on and feel proud about what’s working well whilst also understanding our weaknesses and identifying those areas where we can do better to deliver the best service we can to customers.

“We’re determined to address the ongoing challenges of maintaining an older housing stock, including improvements to the repairs and maintenance service, as we understand the impact this has on customers. We’re committed to moving forward together with tenants, making sure that more and different voices are heard, helping to meet their evolving needs and shaping better services for everyone.”