Annual Report
Year ending March 31st 2010
together
we work for you
Shropshire Housing Group has worked hard to set out six clear ambitions: To provide excellent services to our customers. Create new housing opportunities. Contribute to the regeneration of rural communities. Provide community leadership and be excellent governors. Continually improve our performance and provide value for money. Create new business opportunities.
Shropshire Housing Group is a partnership of organisations with a commitment to providing fi rst class housing and related services, including the provision of new homes across Shropshire, Herefordshire and the Marches.
Shropshire Housing, the Group parent, has overall regulatory control of the Group. It also develops creative policies to ensure the Group is recognised as ‘the’ housing group in the region. Shropshire Housing also provides central support services to all group members.
South Shropshire Housing Association (SSHA) has over 2000 homes across South Shropshire and Herefordshire. It also provides a wide range of support services to tenants and the wider community, including a refuge for those fleeing domestic violence, and a floating support service for those who struggle to maintain an independent lifestyle.
Meres and Mosses Housing Association (MMHA) has around 2300 homes that were transferred from the former NSDC in 2007. It continues to deliver a range of promises on improvements for tenants agreed at the time of transfer.
Total Response Ltd (TRL) provides repairs and maintenance and other property services to all members of the group. It also provides these services to other Housing Associations, and the private sector.
Chair and Chief Executive’s Report In our report last year, I suggested that we may be coming to the end of a very difficult period. We hardly need say that this was not the case and that the circumstances facing us continue to be challenging. Despite this, we can say that Shropshire Housing Group and its subsidiaries have made good progress during the last year.
Shena Latto
Mar tin
Holland
Meres and Mosses Housing Association has continued to make huge advances on the promises made to tenants when their homes were transferred to us by the District Council in July 2007.
is running smoothly and has increased potential tenants’ ability to make real choices between different properties.
Achievements to date include improvements to homes, service improvements, working to create sustainable communities and real tenant involvement in all that we do. The huge majority of promises have either been met or are on target for completion within the agreed time scale.
As always, at the forefront of our minds is ensuring that our services to customers are as effective, responsive and accessible as possible. We strive to be a good landlord and provider of services, and are acutely aware that, for many of our residents and service users, difficult times will continue and we will try to do as much as we can to support them during these challenging times.
We have developed 54 new properties across the Group during the year and other new schemes, for instance Ashbrook in Church Stretton, are underway as we move into the current year. We make every effort to ensure that our new homes are as green as possible and we were thrilled to win Inside Housing’s Sustainable Housing Award 2009 for setting the standard in environmentally friendly building with our groundbreaking development of 91 homes at Rocksgreen, Ludlow. We are also thrilled that Paul Sutton, Executive Director, Assets and Development, has been identified as one of the 50 top green leaders in the West Midlands. We have continued to build our relationship with the new Shropshire Council. Shropshire Homepoint, the Choice Based Lettings service, that came into operation in April 2009,
It is important to recognise that our success and progress is the product of commitment and team work from our staff, managers and Boards – and of the tenants that work with us through TASS and TARCA. We know that it has not been easy this year and we can be certain that our task will be at least as challenging in the forthcoming year. I want to thank everyone for all their efforts last year – and for all that I know they will contribute this year.
Shena Latto
CHAIR Shropshire Housing Group
Martin Holland
CHIEF EXECUTIVE Shropshire Housing Group
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Ensuring all customers receive a consistently high quality level of service wherever they live.
together we work for you Improving our services Shropshire Housing Group has implemented changes to the way it delivers its services to its tenants. The neighbourhoods, customer services and assets teams now work for both South Shropshire Housing Association and Meres & Mosses Housing Association, and most policies and procedures will be group-wide. The neighbourhoods team consists of Community Housing Officers, who are community based and carry out estate walkabouts, visits to tenants in their homes. The other part of the team consists of Tenancy Management Officers who are office based, and oversee all other aspects of tenancies, including lettings and arrears.
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The customer services team are based in Wem and answer calls from all our tenants. They answer all telephone enquiries, and aim to answer 80% of queries without having to pass the customer on to another member of staff. Our repairs and maintenance service is also aligned across the Group. There will be one ‘Maintenance Standard’ for the whole Group to ensure all customers get a consistently high quality level of service wherever they live, without losing the Group’s local focus. Shropshire Housing already provides central services, such as IT, Human Resources and Governance to all parts of the Group.
TASS and TARCA working together for all tenants.
together we improve services Resident Involvement Shropshire Housing Group is committed to involving tenants in shaping the services they receive. Tenants are involved in a number of ways, including tenants groups, and editing the tenants’ newsletters.
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Towns And Rural Communities Association
iat ion
The Towns and Rural Communities Association (TARCA) is made up of tenants and residents in the North Shropshire area. During the past year, TARCA have visited all four market towns in North Shropshire to meet residents and gather their views. TARCA also recommends grant applications for community development and environmental projects to the Board of Management. Throughout the last year, TARCA have recommended projects including £1000 to the community car scheme in Market Drayton, £7500 to the Manor Lane project in Prees, and £10,000 to the Play Wayland Scheme, both towards new equipment for play areas. ng
A
The Tenants Association of South Shropshire (TASS) is run for tenants, by the tenants of South Shropshire Housing Association. TASS helps run the very successful Tenants Enhancement Charter. The Charter helps tenants of South Shropshire Housing Association to improve their own homes by paying half of the cost of the project. Projects include outside taps, patios, extensions and conservatories. In the last year South Shropshire Housing Association has assisted tenants with 35 projects, and paid just under £35,000 to tenants. TARCA and TASS have begun joint meetings to discuss items that affect both areas. The main discussion areas are new strategies and policies. Often managers go to the joint meetings to gather views before the strategy or policy has been written.
5
Fun for all at the annual residents’ challenge day.
together we have fun Residents up for the Challenge This year’s Residents’ Challenge was attended by around 250 people, who took part in many activities at the Shrewsbury sports village in Sundorne. The purpose of the day was to gain feedback on our services in an informal way. Events included Wii gaming competitions, cookery demonstrations, drumming workshops, quizzes and penalty shoot outs. All the activities were free and there was something for everyone. Many of Shropshire Housing Group’s partners attended the day to
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share their work with our tenants, and each other. They included housing benefits, the Police and Just Credit Union. Special thanks for the day came from Bobby Harding from Upper Fee in Ludlow. Bobby has severe speech and hearing difficulties, and is helped by Paul Roberts, his Sheltered Housing Officer. Paul said, “Bobby wished to pass on thanks to the guys from TRL for spending time with him and helping him to assemble a bird box that he will treasure for a long time to come.”
Cutting the turf for new homes in Ditton Priors.
together we create real homes Ribbon cut on new Kington homes High tech new homes on a historic site near Kington , Herefordshire have been unveiled this year. The 12 properties at Temple Lane will generate up to 60 percent of their own hot water through solar systems and have been built to sit sensitively in the existing natural environment. The £1.6m development has been built on the site of Kingswood Hall, which was a workhouse in 1900 and used as a Red Cross Hospital during World War 1. Mayor of Kington, Bob Widdowson, carried out the official opening of the site, alongside Shropshire Housing Group’s Executive Director for Assets and Development, Paul Sutton. The properties have been allocated in partnership with Kington Town Council to local people, either as straightforward rentals or as part of the New Build HomeBuy shared ownership scheme. Tenant, Lisa Hughes, is already a huge fan of her new property and
in particular its environmental features. She said: “My new home is absolutely fantastic. I love it here. It’s nice and quiet and I always have lots of hot water!”
New Affordable Homes for Ditton Priors Work has started on seven new affordable homes in Ditton Priors, near Bridgnorth. The homes are due to be completed by October this year, and consist of three two-bedroom houses, two three-bedroom houses and two bungalows, each with two bedrooms. The start of the building was signalled by a turf cutting ceremony, performed by Malcolm Price, Portfolio Holder for housing at Shropshire Council, and children from the local school also attended. The new homes are reserved to rent by people with connections to Ditton Priors, allowing families to stay together in the area, rather than being priced out of the housing market.
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Working with the community
together we are growing Shropshire Housing Group supports a range of community projects that encourages the sustainability of our rural areas. A new project has been launched for residents of Craven Arms and Ludlow east. Grow Cook Share is part of the Big Lottery Local Food Programme. The project is managed by Ludlow 21, South Shropshire Housing Association and Craven Arms Food Project in partnership with three local schools, two community centres and the Shropshire Hills Discovery centre. The four year project employs two full time staff, Valerie Meehan, project co-ordinator and Sarah Robinson, project gardener, who provide support to existing gardening and cookery clubs in primary schools, as well as encouraging the local community to become involved. The project helps to run community gardens in Craven Arms and Ludlow. The Craven Arms gardeners had their first produce stall at the farmers market in May.
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Opportunities on your doorstep
Homegrown is a skills development project that aims to improve young people’s awareness of local work opportunities and skills shortages.
As part of the project eight pupils from Ludlow School recently took part in a programme of rural and traditional skills workshops at Acton Scott Historic Working Farm. The programme was planned and delivered through a partnership between Homegrown, Ludlow College, Shropshire Youth and Shropshire Council’s Museum Service. The Acton Scott Farm site provided a realistic and practical setting for the activities that were delivered by skilled crafts people. Four different workshops were provided: Blacksmithing, Greenwood Working, Animal Husbandry and Vehicle Restoration. The pupils that attended were given expert tuition and guidance on a range of traditional skills and then encouraged to produce a log book of writing and photos. This will provide useful evidence of the experience, and their individual commitment to a potential future employer.
Making our Homes ‘Decent’ Homes.
together we look after your home Decent Homes
Repair response times for SSHA and MMHA:
Shropshire Housing Group continues to work towards meeting the Government’s Decent Homes Standard. At Meres and Mosses Housing Association only 16 properties, less than 1% of the homes, do not meet the decent homes standard. At South Shropshire Housing Association 98% of the homes meet the decent homes standard. All of these properties have been targeted for improvement works that will make them ‘decent’ before the deadline of 31st December 2010. Throughout the Decent Homes Project Meres and Mosses Housing Association and South Shropshire Housing Association completed the following works to their homes: Type of work Roofing
MMHA 0
SSHA 658
Kitchens
1047
187
Bathrooms
1004
252
External doors
1875
281
Replacement windows
810
383
Central heating upgrades
185
102
NB: MMHA is working through a 5 year improvement plan, in line with promises made to tenants at the time of transfer
Category
MMHA
SSHA
Emergency (2 hours)
97%
100%
Urgent (3 working days)
95%
97%
Non urgent (21 working days)
92%
95%
TRL carry out almost all repairs for South Shropshire Housing Association and about 3/4 of repairs for Meres and Mosses Housing Association. Other contractors complete 69% of repairs within target times.
Value for money Shropshire Housing Group’s value for money group has had great successes in the last year. Since July 2009 the group has saved more than £150,000 by involving staff in cost cutting measures. Total Response Ltd has made many savings, these include: • A handheld computer based work scheduling and appointment system for operatives in South Shropshire. This has led to £606 being saved in fuel costs, as well as 3058 miles avoided in travel and nearly 88 hours less spent on the road. • An operative suggested selling the scrap metal they accumulated to form a fund to purchase tools. This led to drills and an angle grinder being purchased for operatives.
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Amie S S H A S m o ut Board M em
ms W illi a Member Br i aHnA Board MM
Coli n SSHA Har r ison Board M em
s Mulli n ember Da v i dA Board M H SS
ber
D
ew i D M MHA a vi es Board M ember
ber
*
together as one t s emb er Ralph Ti m A Board M SS H
S
t ua S H G r t M c L ar e B o ar d Me n mb er
+#
S tephen Donke rsley
M MHA Board M ember
14
Shena Latto
SHG Board Chair
*
er boor M emb rd Ja G Board a h c i R A/SH Pauli MMH
ne M M H A De e Board M ember
urner emb er Paul TA Board M H MM
#
Ni ck
SSHA Holcomb B o ar e d Me mb
er
#
H eat
M MH her Pat ti A Bo m a r d M ore emb er
Hogekiss Gordon Board Chair A H ber MM oard M em SHG B
#
*
ves Ian GraBoard Member S HA S
+# mb er
inger ard Member John Str RL B o SHA/T S
team
Code of Governance Shropshire Housing Group has adopted the National Housing Federation’s Code “Excellence in Governance” (2009) as its code of governance and complies with the main points of this code. We also have a governance improvement plan which sets out action we plan to take to strengthen the way we run the organisation. These include, improving the way we plan to fill vacancies on the Boards, updating our Board Member Policy (which outlines how we recruit board members) and clarifying the information that is available to tenants and the wider community about our activities and performance.
Board members are also on the following Committee Key -
+ # *
Iren
SS H A e O v er t on /S H G B o ar d Me
Performance Committee Remuneration & Nomination Committee Repairs & Improvements Committee
J oh n
SS H A T h o m a s /S H G B o ar d
M emb
+
er
Hyde mb er Lesley Board Me SHG
M ar t
M
s Steven NevilleA Chair SS H
i ck M MH Plat t A/T RL B o ar d
*
M emb
er
ellings Chris MBoard Member HA MM
SHG i n Bu xey /TR L Bo ar d M emb er
+
+
y Marguerite Ashle M ember M MHA Board
#
* 15
MMHA Rent and Homes Owned Figures
Rents Rent arrears are 2.22% of the annual rent income at 31st March 2010. Our new agreed target is to collect 101% of all rent.
Current Tenants Owing
Former Tenants Owing
As a % of annual income
Amount outstanding £135,248.05 as at 31.03.10
31.03.08 £203,605.00
31.03.09 £141,451.00
31.03.10 £177,684.00
3.22%
1.94%
2.22%
£100 or less
£100 - £199
£200 - 299
38 Tenants
40 Tenants
22 Tenants
Type of Letting 1.04.09 - 31.03.10
£300 - 399
£400 - 499
10 Tenants
12 Tenants
% Waiting List
127 Tenants 16
Exchange
19 Tenants
Shared Ownership
21 Tenants
Transfer
29 Tenants
£500 - 599
11 Tenants
£600 and over
10 Tenants
Relet Times 1/04/09 - 31/03/10 The average time a property was left empty between tenants is 27.7 days. During this time the property has repairs completed and is cleaned. It is then inspected by one of our tenant inspectors, and advertised through the Shropshire Homepoint.
MMHA average rent and homes owned. 1st April 2009 - 31st March 2010.
Average Weekly Rent
Bedsit
1 Bedroom
2 Bedroom
3 Bedroom
4 or more bedrooms
£48.43 p/w
£58.07 p/w
£63.60 p/w
£68.32 p/w
£76.06 p/w
Number of Homes Owned
Bedsit
1 Bedroom
2 Bedroom
3 Bedroom
4 or more bedrooms
30
497
738
979
56 17
SSHA Rent and Homes Owned Figures
Rents Rent arrears are 3.12% of the annual rent income at 31st March 2010. Our new agreed target is to collect 101% of all rent.
Current Tenants Owing
Former Tenants Owing
As a % of annual income
Amount outstanding £190,530.78 as at 31.03.10
31.03.08 £229,710.17
31.03.09 £253,421.31
31.03.10 £271,902.00
3.08%
3.17%
3.12%
£100 or less
£100 - £199
£200 - 299
90 Tenants
82 Tenants
53 Tenants
Type of Letting
% Waiting List
137 Tenants
18
Exchange
38 Tenants
Shared Ownership
28 Tenants
Transfer
£300 - 399
£400 - 499
38 Tenants
19 Tenants
£500 - 599
£600 and over
45 Tenants
Homeless to Temporary Accomodation
Homeless to Permanent Accomodation
74 Tenants
56 Tenants
13 Tenants
22 Tenants
Relet Times 1/04/09 - 31/03/10 The average time a property was left empty between tenants is 23.7 days. During this time the property has repairs completed and is cleaned. It is then inspected by one of our tenant inspectors, and advertised through the Shropshire Homepoint.
SSHA average rent and homes owned. 1st April 2009 - 31st March 2010.
Average Weekly Rent
Bedsit
1 Bedroom
2 Bedroom
3 Bedroom
4 or more bedrooms
£54.43 p/w
£63.96 p/w
£74.52 p/w
£82.78 p/w
£88.74 p/w
Number of Homes Owned
Bedsit
1 Bedroom
2 Bedroom
3 Bedroom
4 or more bedrooms
34
414
686
898
28 19
Annual Accounts The 2009/10 financial year has again been one of achievement for Shropshire Housing Group. We have performed well against our budgets, as well as hitting other key targets. The net position is a surplus of £3,309,875 against a surplus in 2009 of £2,031,650. Our expenditure on maintenance has once again been significant across the Group. South Shropshire Housing Association has continued expenditure on this area once again, and Meres and Mosses Housing Association has made fantastic progress against its improvement works programme. Planned works and improvements have been undertaken to the value of over £9 million.
Income and Expenditure Account Our income for the year Less the cost of running the group Equals the operating surplus for the year Deduct share of (deficit) in joint ventures Add in the surplus on sale of property under the right to buy & asset disposals Equals surplus on ordinary activities Add interest received on deposit Deduct interest payable on loans Equals surplus for the year Taxation on surplus Equals surplus after tax for year Actuarial gain/(loss), for pensions Surplus for year 20
2010
2009
£
£
21,153,583 (14,544,969)
19,106,566 (14,476,781)
6,608,614 (10,095) 18,075
4,629,785 (984) 55,485
6,616,594 76,578 (3,383,297) 3,309,875 3,309,875 (614,000) 2,695,875
4,684,286 57,856 (2,710,492) 2,031,650 2,031,650 45,000 2,076,650
Balance Sheet
Assets held on short term basis Housing properties at original cost Less grants received for building houses Less other grants received Less depreciation Office equipment, fixtures and plant Investments
31/03/2010 £
31/03/2009 £
£
£
115,336,532 (31,549,245)
101,104,957 (29,066,974)
(823,690)
(823,690)
(4,595,803)
78,367,794 729,960 (21,162)
(3,876,029)
67,338,264 714,305 (11,067)
79,076,592
Assets held on short term basis Assets held for resale Stock of materials for repairs Money owed to us including rent Long term debtor improvements Land investment Cash invested for at least 1 week Instant access cash
959,367 127,560 1,547,624 28,728,718 52,193 7,550,000 (130,358)
Sub Total Money owed by us
38,835,104 (4,611,675)
3,668,779 105,062 1,043,356 36,018,605 52,193 10,800,000 2,310,256
Net short term position Total assets less short term liabilities Bank loans and improvements Provision for pension liability Capital and reserves Shares Reserves Total bank loans and reserves
68,041,502
53,998,251 (4,822,660)
34,223,429
49,175,591
113,300,021
117,217,093
106,040,285 1,964,000
113,307,240 1,310,000
101 5,295,635
5,295,736
113,300,021
93 2,599,760
2,599,853 117,217,093 21
The Gateway, The Auction Yard, Craven Arms, Shropshire SY7 9BW T: 01588 676200 E: enquiries@shropshirehousing.org.uk www.sshropsha.co.uk
Talbot House, High Street, Wem, Shropshire SY4 5AA T: 0800 434 6289 E: enquiries@mmha.org.uk www.mmha.org.uk
The Gateway, The Auction Yard, Craven Arms, Shropshire SY7 9BW T: 01588 676200 E: enquiries@tresponse.org.uk www.tresponse.co.uk
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The Gateway, The Auction Yard, Craven Arms, Shropshire SY7 9BW T: 01588 676200 E: enquiries@shropshirehousing.org.uk www.shropshirehousing.org.uk