tenants' annual report 2014/15
DESCRIPTION
ÂTRANSCRIPT
Tenants Annual Report
2014/2015
Written by residents, for residents
If you need help understanding this document, please call us on 0161 331 2000 and we will arrange for somebody to help you.
Our team this year has been:
➤ The X-tra Factor Team
02
I am delighted that once again our tenants have produced this Annual Report, written by residents, for residents. Involving customers in helping to shape services and how to respond to changing needs has always been very important in everything New Charter does. Whilst the group has interests in other areas,
we own a lot of property in Nottingham and across other parts of Greater Manchester, our work in Tameside remains vital to our continuing success. This Annual Report will be a first for the digital age, and heralds new ways of communicating with our customers - I hope you enjoy it.
Jade MichaelNavinder Sue
Ian MunroGroup Chief
Executive
03
➤ Contents ➤ Who lives in our homes?
➤ GREAT Facts
➤ Value For Money
➤ Resident Involvement
➤ TMT - Scrutiny Panel
➤ Social Enterprise
➤ Neighbourhood & Communities
➤ Anti-Social Behaviour
➤ Community Regeneration
➤ Allocations
➤ Welfare Reform
➤ Repairs & Investment
➤ Complaints and Customer Experience
➤ Organisational Development
➤ Performance
➤ STAR Survey Results
➤ Governance
04
05
06
07-09
10
11
12
13
14-15
16-17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
The design concept and theme for this report has been developed by Jade Taylor
and the designers, Resource Housing, on behalf of New Charter Homes.
This has been shared with Gedling Homes as part of New Charter Group, reducing
costs for both organisations
➤ Who lives in our homes?
04
Mal
e
Fem
ale
Tran
sgen
der
Und
er 16
s
16-2
4 ye
ar o
lds
25-4
4 ye
ar o
lds
45-6
4 ye
ar o
lds
65+
Blac
k, M
inor
ity &
Eth
nic
Relig
ion
othe
r tha
n C
hris
tian
Gay
, les
bian
or b
isex
ual
Dis
able
d
This information is linked to the profiling information gathered from new tenants and is based on what tenants have declared to us.
Percentages from a total of 30522 residents.
47.82%
52.17%0.01%
22.95%
13.50%
25.53% 22.35%
15.67% 3.97%1.73%
0.64%
2.17%
If you would like any further information on our customer profile
please contact: Greg Suligowski, Head of Customer Experience, Quality and
Insight at: [email protected]
05
➤ GREAT FactsFor 2014/15 - our key financial figures:
Turnover
£70.095mRental income
£66.650mBorrowing/Loans
£326.550mRepairs &
Investment cost
£23.662m
Number of properties
New Charter own or manage
15093
Number of employees
955
Overall customer
satisfaction
89%
Engagement
(as of 30th September 2014)
TargetsOur key Corporate plan objectives remain to:
Inspire people to achieve their aspirations through a choice of homes, employment, and health and wellbeing opportunities
Achieve five-star status across all the neighbourhoods where we operate
Provide efficient and cost effective services that demonstrate social impact and value
Develop the independent living service for older people
Awards/AccreditationSunday Times Best Companies (8th Place)
Number 1 Landlord in the UK - 24 Housing Magazine
Contact Centre of the year plus 2 x North West Contact Centre of the year
National award from Business in the communities for building stronger communities
HQN (Housing Quality Network) estate management accreditation
HQN relets accreditation
06
➤ Value For MoneyValue for money is about getting the best possible service for our customers from the resources we have available.
Delivery of excellent services will be achieved by considering the balance between cost and quality. Money coming into New Charter comes predominantly from rents and through contracts completed by the New Charter Building Company.
If you would like more information about Value for Money, please contact Matthew Selby, Head of Risk and Assurance at: [email protected]
Source: New Charter Value for Money Self-assessment 2014
New development
Neighbourhoods & environmental
Responsive, voids & cyclical repairs
10p
21p
Overheads
17p23p
Employee costs
13pMajor repairs i.e.
investment prog
1p
15pInterest &
finance charges
07
➤ Resident InvolvementThe Resident Involvement Strategy has been re-written this year to adopt a 5 year strategy in line with the Corporate plan. It is ambitious and aims to get more people actively involved at New Charter by offering further individual and group opportunities.
The strategy will be monitored by the Tenants Panel and the Resident Involvement team.
Tenants PanelThe Tenants Panel have continued to monitor Resident Involvement across the organisation as well as monitoring the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) consumer standards from a resident perspective.
Tenants TrainingFree courses being offered to tenants increased this year and we have employed a new trainer to concentrate on improving confidence building and ability. During 2014/15 we have trained over 340 residents on a variety of topics, helping them to improve their skills and to get them ‘job ready.’
Resident Involvement Team
Tenants Panel
Tenants Training
08
➤ Resident Involvement
Resident AssociationsThe work of formal resident groups has improved this year with groups actively assisting in improving their neighbourhoods
and contributing to the star ratings of the neighbourhoods plans. As of March 2015 we had 34 active Residents Associations and 14 Forum groups. 18 of our neighbourhoods, mainly Resident Associations, entered the RHS In Bloom competition this year, supported by our Resident Involvement, Regeneration and Green Charter teams.
Independent Solutions PanelThe work of the multi landlord ITS panel has grown this year.
The group acts independently for residents who have exhausted the complaints procedure and are still in dispute with their landlord; a total of 13 complaints were heard by the panel, making recommendations to the landlords concerned.
‘GREAT’ value for money customer conference
In June 2014 we held our first customer conference in Buxton, followed by a second event in March 2015 where residents from New
Charter Homes, Gedling Homes, Aksa Homes and Threshold attended to give their views on improving value for money and prioritising services.
Tenants Awards - External AwardsThe X-tra factor panel and Dave Pinnock from the Little
Hedgehogs club in Audenshaw were finalists at the Northern Tenant Participation Advisory Service (TPAS) awards for ‘Excellence in Tenant Annual Reports’ and ‘Excellence in Youth Involvement’. In 2014, we also won the ‘Excellence in Tenant Led Scrutiny’ Northern final.
Involved Residents
‘GREAT’ Value for Money
Conference
09
➤ Resident InvolvementInternal awardsTenant achievements were celebrated in style again in 2014 with a dinner event at the Village hotel to recognise residents who had made a difference in their communities, by contributing to their neighbourhood or by taking a stand against anti-social behaviour.
Winners for making a difference in their communities were:
Together we canMillbrook Residents Association and Smallshaw Tenants & Residents Association (S.T.A.R.)
Volunteers of the yearMaureen Higgins, Donald Hindley & Jean Wareham
Young Volunteer of the yearConor Gibbons
Green FingersGrange House garden group and Ray & Lynn Harney
Neighbourhood Improvement awardsHunters Court & Audenshaw Community Association
Resident Involvement awardsAudrey White, Christine Gethins, Tony Rider, Green Charter monitors, TMT, Tenants Panel, Pembroke Court, The Independent Tenant Solutions Panel.
S.T.A.R. Winners
Hunters Court
If you’d like to know more about
Resident Involvement, please contact Sue Cox,
Resident Involvement Manager at: [email protected]
The work of formal resident groups has improved this year with groups actively
assisting in improving their neighbourhoods
10
➤ The Tenant Management Team Scrutiny Panel The past 12 months have seen the team change in both its members and the way they approach scrutinising the services on your behalf.
The team now has 9 members all of whom are active in their scrutiny role and aim to improve customer facing services within New Charter.
The team has spent part of the year working with a consultant to develop a more rigorous and focussed approach to agreeing priorities for scrutiny from a tenant’s perspective, as well as conducting scrutinies on service charges and the Connect telephone service.
In addition they took part in sessions at the Chartered Institute of Housing conference in Manchester and led workshops in London, Nottingham and Warrington where they shared good practice as part of the Tenant Central programme.
Tenant Management
Team Scrutiny panel
If you would like to know more about the Tenant Management Team, please visit their website: www.tenantmanagementteam.org.uk or contact Stephen Fanshawe, Resident Development Officer at: [email protected]
11
➤ Social Enterprise 2nd Generation Furnishings Business
2nd Generation Furnishings is a not for profit, charitable, social enterprise company set up to recycle furniture, clothes and other household items. They aim to help those in financial hardship and give people in Tameside an opportunity to develop their skills by volunteering their time.
2nd Generation Furnishings have expanded this year by opening a new shop in Ashton town centre, creating 7 volunteering posts.
The organisation have now helped in excess of 2,200 people turn their house into a home with low cost furniture and white goods and have helped over 1000 tenants with free home starter packs
since opening. Their work has created a saving of 82,000kgs of furniture and white goods going to landfill, helping the environment and cutting tipping costs for New Charter Homes.
2nd Generation Furnishings Astral House, Stamford Drive, Stalybridge SK15 1QUOpening times: Mon-Fri: 9:30am-4:30pm, Sat: 10:00am-4:00pm
96 Old Street, Ashton under Lyne, Lancs OL6 7SDOpening times: Mon-Sat 9.30am-2pm (closed Tuesdays)
Email: [email protected]: 0161 303 0083Website: www.2ndgenerationfurnishings.co.uk
If you would like further information on 2nd
Generation Furnishings or on volunteering opportunities
please contact them at: [email protected]
12
➤ Neighbourhood and Communities
Neighbourhood Plans
New Charter Homes have 32 neighbourhoods, each with its own plan to improve the area over 3 years. Each neighbourhood is ranked from 3 to 5 star. Having started in 2013 with 8 three star neighbourhoods, this figure has now been reduced to only 2 due to hard work and dedication from both residents and staff. We are in the final year of the current plans and already 90% of the interventions have been completed.
Green CharterThe gardening competition in 2014 was a great success with an increased number of entries and new categories for 2015.
Green Charter has supported residents in several ‘In Bloom’ events and have donated hanging baskets and bedding troughs to the Independent Living Schemes.
The low cost gardening service is proving valuable to residents who need help at an affordable price. Over 120 customers took advantage of the service and when surveyed, 100% were satisfied.
The first tree survey has now been completed and will result in a planned maintenance programme rather than a reactive response, on our communal and highway trees.
The team also continue to work closely with the resident monitors to see how they can improve the service.
CleanCareCleanCare continue to respond to the challenge of keeping our communities clean and tidy, working with colleagues across the
Neighbourhood team. They have developed a very successful recycling system at Cavendish Mill with the assistance of Greater Manchester waste. This is planned to be rolled out at other high rise blocks over the next 12 months. It is estimated this will save around £10,000 a year.
Independent Living ServicesManaging our Independent Living Services has been a challenge since October 2014 due to the removal of the Supporting People Grant subsidy of £350,000. The resulting restructure has introduced Activity Co-Ordinators to improve on social activities in the schemes improving health & wellbeing and reducing social isolation.
If you would like to know more about
Neighbourhood Team, please contact Emma Wilson, Director of Communities at:
Neighbourhood bus tours
13
➤ Anti-Social BehaviourAction to reduce crime and ASB continues making our communities safer and stronger places to live as well as enhancing our neighbourhoods.
The Neighbourhood Enforcement team are now part of the wider Neighbourhood team, and officers meet regularly with relevant Neighbourhood Co-Ordinators to discuss cases. This provides the opportunity to share knowledge of any general ASB or crime issues that are a cause for concern and need to be resolved with a more holistic approach. This has helped reduce the number of open cases managed by the Neighbourhood team to 73 during the year.
This year the Neighbourhood Enforcement Team were awarded ‘Team of the Year’ by the Social Landlords Crime and Nuisance Group (SLCNG), a prestigious national award, for activity in reducing crime and ASB through innovative measures.
Restorative justice in our communities goes from strength to strength with ASB and disputes being resolved successfully and for the long term. Case referrals are now in excess of 250 and victim satisfaction rate is 100%.
Positive Behaviour Officers continue to work with clients with complex needs to reduce ASB and ensure people with drug/alcohol and mental health issues can retain their tenancies.
New Charter’s Neighbourhood Enforcement team is one of only two Registered Providers in Greater Manchester and there are only a few nationally; who have been devolved the power of the Community Protection Notice by the Local Authority. This new power under the new legislation will enable us to tackle lots of issues swiftly and effectively i.e. dog control, untidy gardens, noise, litter and of course ASB. We have issued 10 warning letters and 4 notices to date.
Satisfaction with the Service provided Percentage of respondents very or fairly satisfied with the way their ASB complaint was dealt with
Percentage of respondents very or fairly satisfied with the outcome of their ASB complaint
If you would like to know more about the
Neighbourhood Enforcement team, please contact Alan Kibble,
Neighbourhood Enforcement Manager at: [email protected]
The Neighbourhood
Enforcement Team
100%
83%10/11
92%11/12
90%12/13
90%13/14
95%14/15
74%10/11
91%11/12
88%12/13
89%13/14
92%14/15
14
➤ Community Regeneration
Great OpportunitiesOur ‘Great Opportunities’ programme helps tackle local unemployment by providing opportunities to develop skills and build confidence. This is done by
training, education and volunteering.
We run 10 workclubs across the borough, operating from our local Neighbourhood Hubs. These are supported by Job Centre Plus and other partners, and now involve use of a new web based job search and training package, ‘My Work Search’ which assists residents to maximise their access to vacancies and avoid benefit sanctions.
From our programme, we have helped 240 people during the last year, put 109 people into work, and given training to 685 people, along with providing work experience for 127 people.
Health and wellbeingWe have developed networks with a wide range of partners and begun to understand where Housing fits within the broad Health and Wellbeing agenda and how we can influence future decisions.
We have aided 133 health checks across the neighbourhood, from which we referred 35 people for further necessary checks. Along with this, over 1000 young people were given health advice at youth and healthy living sessions.
Work Club
Cook & Eat Session
Health Session
Cook & Eat Session
15
We also provided opportunities to take part in externally funded healthy eating courses, which 132 adults completed; 52 of these were new tenants. The Great Sports programme has had 11,877 young people attend their physical activity sessions over this year and as a result, 100 14-50 year olds are now actively volunteering on this programme.
Youth teamOver the last year, the youth team delivered 380 sessions which engaged over 1000 young people. The aims of these provisions are to engage our younger communities, which is giving them a focus via alternative activities, keeping them off the streets and reducing ASB. Our work includes the
use of one-to-one sessions helping young people with a variety of issues, including health and wellbeing. Along with the ‘Great Opportunities’ programme, we help and encourage young people to apply for jobs and look for opportunities. We have helped with application forms and to prepare them for interviews.
The youth awards evening at New Charter Academy was very well received by both young people and staff and received press coverage highlighting the work of the Youth team and achievements of the young people.
TimebankingWe continued to work in partnership with Community Voluntary Action Tameside (CVAT) on the Timebanking programme, an informal swap volunteering scheme. This year the areas of concentration were re-defined to match the Neighbourhood priorities and the scheme has assisted 10 people into sustained employment.
Manchester United Foundation HubPartnership working has continued this year with the Manchester United initiative at New Charter Academy. This engages over 500 young people from the Academy and local feeder schools. The aim is to inspire, engage, and motivate learners to achieve their full potential in learning, leading, and participating in various projects - not just sport. Projects include the ‘Something to Chew’ initiative, a 10 week programme educating primary school children on being healthy.
Child Sexual Exploitation Following the great work in schools in 2013-14, we now work in partnership with TMBC Local Children’s Safeguarding Board and Greater Manchester Police, as part of their Phoenix project, to provide resources to schools to help address this issue.
➤ Community Regeneration
If you would like more information about Regeneration, please contact Adele Robinson, Regeneration Manager at: [email protected]
Youth Awards
Over 1000 young people were given health advice at youth and healthy living sessions
16
New Charter Homes is the first housing association in the country to receive a new national accreditation from Housing Quality Network (HQN) for the way we let our homes, which we will keep for three years. As part of the accreditation, assessors carried out a four-day assessment of services which looked at allocations, voids, value for money and performance management. It also reviewed health and safety, partnership working and system reviews.
Empty homesThe number of empty homes has steadily decreased this year and we have beaten our year end target.
➤ Allocations
HQN relets accreditation
2014/2015 Empty Homes
170Apr 2014
191May 2014
186Jun 2014
157July 2014
159Aug 2014
167Sep 2014
150Oct 2014
136Nov 2014
137Dec 2014
133Jan 2015
125Feb 2015
134Mar 2015
17
2014/2015 Housing Applications received
262Apr 2014
262May 2014
305Jun 2014
351July 2014
340Aug 2014
340Sep 2014
342Oct 2014
304Nov 2014
214Dec 2014
469Jan 2015
376Feb 2015
419Mar 2015
Affordable rentsIn 2011, New Charter Homes entered into a contract with the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) which included a commitment to convert 624 homes to affordable rents by April 2015. We achieved this target.
Homeswapper949 New Charter tenants found a new home using the Homeswapper service. This is a free mutual exchange register between registered providers which gives tenants a more flexible way to move than the traditional transfer.
If you would like more information about Relets,
please visit our website www.newcharter.co.uk, visit one of our
Neighbourhood Hubs or call Janet O’Connor, Empty Homes Quality and Performance Manager
The number of empty homes has steadily decreased this year and we have beaten our year end target
18
➤ Welfare ReformWelfare Reform has affected some residents, 545 undertook benefit advice and 474 asked for debt advice.
The proposed Benefit Cap reduction and the roll out of the Universal Credit are the two main areas of concern to both residents and to New Charter Homes.
There are also further proposals for the future, including no automatic entitlement to help with housing costs for 18-21 year olds, a 7 day waiting period for new claimants of Universal Credit and a freeze on working age benefits for 4 years.
If you have difficulties with Welfare Reform then New Charter Homes can offer advice on debt, benefits, available financial products, affordable warmth with specialist teams for Great Opportunities and digital inclusion.
Illegal Money LendersNew Charter continue to publicise the possible harmful effects of using illegal money lenders often referred to as loan sharks. These unlicensed money lenders often prey on the most vulnerable and ‘in need’ residents who feel they have no other choice for borrowing money. If you know of any loan shark activity in your neighbourhood, please report it confidentially to the Illegal money lending team on 0300 555 222 or text LOAN SHARK and your details to 60003 or email [email protected]
Remember if you have borrowed from an illegal money lender, you haven’t committed a crime.
My Home Finance - fair loans
My Home Finance is an alternative lender offering fair loans to tenants and leaseholders.
This organisation has been developed by the National Housing Federation in partnership with housing providers. If you are looking for a loan, budgeting advice and help with bank accounts call ‘My Home Finance’ on 0845 519 7237, call into any of our Hubs or visit www.myhomefinance.org.uk
Smarterbuys StoreThis is an alternative to high street stores selling household goods. The aim of the Smarterbuys Store is to give tenants access to the goods that you need, including televisions, cookers, fridge-freezers, bedroom and living room furniture, without having to worry about high cost borrowing options.
Payments for items are made weekly over 104 weeks, and you can pay over the phone. For further information, please call into any of our Hubs or visit www.smarterbuys.org.uk/home www.gm.sbstore.org/home or call: 0300 500 0975
In January 2015 we issued a booklet called ‘My Money, My Choice’ to every household to make people aware of the financial services tenants have access to that may help money go a bit further. It’s now available on our website.
If you would like more information about Revenues, please contact Julie Vickers,
Director of Business Support at: [email protected]
19
53842 repairs were carried out over this past year, 99.89% of which were completed on target, improving customer satisfaction.
Investment Plan update➤ Installation of 416 front entrance doors
➤ Installations of new lifts to Kendal House, Stalybridge, and Hunters Court, Dukinfield
➤ External painting to 2,382 properties
➤ Over 5,000m2 of brick pointing works (approx. 200 properties)
➤ Deck access re-covering and concrete repair to Central Estate, Dukinfield
➤ Complete rewire to Ryefield House independently living scheme, Ashton
➤ Re-siting and re-modelling of the basement area of Cavendish Mill, home to Quest Media, Tameside Radio and the Tameside Reporter and Chronicle.
New BuildsConstruction started this year on a further 4 schemes that will eventually create an additional 70 properties.
Solar PanelsThis year, we have installed solar panels to 2,647 properties. The estimated saving is between £150 and £250 per property per year. The saving varies between properties as the daytime usage of electricity varies from one property to another.
➤ Repairs & Investment
New Build
If you would like more information about Repairs & Investment, please contact John Ardern, Director of Property Services at: [email protected]
New Build
This year we have been working hard to understand how we can improve our services to reduce complaints. We examine outcomes from every complaint and learn from them. This has allowed us to improve some of our processes to improve customer service.
We have been working closely with the Tenants Panel to provide them with themes and trends to aid decisions on what to investigate. This has proved useful, in improving repairs and neighbourhood services.
Over the next 12 months, we will be working to reduce the number of complaints we get by ensuring we do as much as we possibly can to resolve dissatisfaction when you first contact us.
Home and Community HubsThe Home and Community Hubs continued to provide a GREAT service and added value to the organisation. They dealt with almost 47,000
customers (nearly 4,000 per month) with over 75,000 queries, 95% of these queries being resolved at this first point of contact and have generated an income of over £500,000.Improvements this year mean that staff can now track repairs for residents and weekly drop-in debt surgeries have been introduced with the Money Care team.
Connect statisticsThe Connect service is our customer contact centre. The service is available 24 hours, 7 days a week and aims to deliver an excellent customer service experience at first point of contact.
The team answered 238,700 calls during 2014/15, 91.03% of all calls made.
The service is able to help with:
➤ Logging repairs
➤ Arranging gas service appointments
➤ Enquiries about current housing applications
➤ Tenancy issues
➤ Green Charter
➤ Reporting ASB
➤ Paying rent
➤ Accessing NCH switchboard
20
➤ Complaints and Customer Experience
Complaints received by New Charter Homes
253
Number that needed more investigation (Stage 2)
7Number where we hadn’t done the best we could to resolve the problem earlier
65Most complained about topic
Repairs
If you would like more information about Complaints and Customer Insight please contact
Greg Suligowski, Head of Customer Experience, Quality & Insight at
21
Apprenticeship ProgrammeNew Charter have successfully run an apprenticeship programme for the past 10 years and are actively engaging the local community to promote apprenticeships, including attending career events at local schools and colleges. In 2014 New Charter took on 12 apprentices.
Corporate Social ResponsibilityThis year we have excelled in Corporate Social Responsibility meaning that we have given back to our local communities both financially and by supporting community projects. Some of our highlights included fundraising from staff of over £1581 via our monthly ‘dress down’ days. Using our generous 2 day volunteering opportunity, where each member of staff is entitled to donate their time and skills to local causes. Match funded over £5000 to individual fundraising efforts. We also took part in the Business in the Community (BITC) Responsible Business week, the BITC National ‘Give and Gain day’ and the Tameside Paint It Pink volunteering event.
➤ Organisational Development
Apprentices
Give & Gain Day
If you would like more information about Connect or Organisational Transformation, please contact Jane Atherton, Director of Organisational Transformation at: [email protected]
22
➤ PerformanceGreat Homes
Average time taken to do any repair
5.70 days (Target: 6 days)
Overall satisfaction with repairs
94.79% (Target: 96%)
Number of repairs completed right first time
99.92% (Target: 99%)
% of appointments kept
100% (Target: 100%)
Great Neighbourhoods
Satisfaction with newly let properties
100% (Target: 98%)
Average relet time
21.6 days (Target: Below 24 days)
Great People
% of calls answered in Connect
91.45% (Target: 95%)
Complaints replied to in time
99% (Target: 95%)
Corporate Services
Rent collection rate
100% (Target: 99%)
Rent loss from empty homes
1.01% (Target: <1.4%)
Above target
Within target
Below target
23
➤ STAR Survey ResultsEach year we carry out a customer survey called STAR (Survey of Tenants and Residents). We do this to check how happy tenants are with services and find out what needs improving.
84% Satisfied with your neighbourhood as a place to live
24% Younger customers interested in getting more involved
87% Satisfied with the quality of your home
89% Overall customer satisfaction
+45 Good net promoter score
84% Satisfied with your repairs service
70% of you say repairs and maintenance is important for you. We’ve introduced new technology so that we can offer more appointments to do repairs on our first visit to you
How likely you are to recommend New Charter to others (A net promoter score of +20 is recommended for a social landlord like us)
We recently reviewed our neighbourhood plans and almost 50% of you told us that they’ve made a difference in your communities. We’re using your feedback to guide us on the things we need to do in your neighbourhoods for the last 18 months of the plans
We’ll be working with our Youth team to get more young people involved in our business and communities
57% of you say the quality of your home is important to you. We’re continuing to put money into your homes to make them good quality for you. We’re listening to your feedback on the works we do on your homes to keep improving our services
➤ Governance
Helen Garnett-Wren
Tammy WilliamsLez Barstow
If you would like more information about becoming a
Tenant Director, please contact Laura Douthwaite, Assistant Company Secretary
Tenant Board members at New Charter Homes Limited.