s t n a Ten Report 2010
Introduction
contents
Having Your Say and Getting Involved
1 2-5
Customer Service, Choice and Complaints Involvement and Empowerment Understanding and Responding to the Diverse Needs of Tenants
Your Home
6-7
Quality of Accommodation Repairs and Maintenance
Finding a Home and Your Tenancy
8-9
Allocations Rents Access for all...
Tenure
If you require this document in another format, for example Braille, large type, audio tape or another language please contact us.
Where You Live
Si vous avez besoin de ce document en audio, braille, gros caractères, ou si l’anglais n’est pas votre langue première veuillez nous contacter.
Ai gofynni hon ddogfenna i mewn Audio Braille, ‘n Fawr argraffa ai ai Saesneg ydy ‘ch ‘n flaen dafodiaith ‘na blesio chyffyrddiad ni.
Jeśli wymagasz tego dokumentu w audio, Braille’a, duże wydruku, lub jeśli angielski jest nie pierwszy język prosimy kontakt.
Se ha bisogno di questo documento in audio, Braille, grande stampa, o se inglese è la prima lingua contattaci.
Если вам требуется этот документ в аудио, Брайля, крупных печатных, или если английский является не ваш первый язык напишите нам
The Gateway, The Auction Yard, Craven Arms, Shropshire SY7 9BW Tel: 01588 676200 Email: info@sshropsha.co.uk www.shropshirehousing.org.uk
10-13
Neighbourhood Management Anti-social behaviour
Spending Money Wisely
14-15
Value for Money
How Shropshire Housing Group is Run
16-17
Governance and Financial viability Your Views Really Count
MMHA Facts and Figures
18-19
SSHA Facts and Figures
20-21
Introduction
3. Tenancy
Welcome to our annual report for tenants. In this report you will find:
4 Allocations
4 Information about how we have performed
4 Rents
4 Details about how we are doing against standards set by our regulator, the Tenant Services Authority
4 Tenure
4 Some of our plans for improving our services
4. Neighbourhood and Community
4 Information about getting involved in how we plan and provide services.
4 Neighbourhood Management 4 Local Area Co-operation
The Tenant Services Authority The Tenant Services Authority is the organisation that regulates housing associations. Following consultation with tenants and housing organisations across the country the Tenant Services Authority set six national standards for housing organisations to meet. Shropshire Housing Group is expected to meet, or be working to meet these standards from 1st April 2010.
The Tenant Services Authority’s standards
4 Anti-social Behaviour
5. Value for Money
4 Value for Money
6. Governance and financial viability 4 Governance 4 Financial viability
1. Tenant involvement and empowerment 4 Customer Service, Choice and Complaints 4 Involvement and Empowerment 4 Understanding and Responding to Diverse Needs of Tenants
2. Home
4 Quality of Accommodation 4 Repairs and Maintenance
We believe our services largely meet these standards. This booklet gives you a flavour of how we provide our services and how we meet the Tenant Services Authority’s standards. If you want more details about the standards and how we comply with them, contact: Info@shropshirehousing.org.uk text 07527 208 607 or phone Sarah Platt, Resident Involvement Manager on 01588 676 200
1
say involved
Having your
and getting
The Tenant and involvement t n empowerme standard
Customer Service, Choice and Complaints We believe that we meet the Tenant Services Authority’s standard. Here are some examples of how we do this:
Choice 4 We offer choice in the homes people move to through Shropshire HomePoint’s Choice Based Lettings system and we offer a choice of homes for rent or shared ownership 2
4 We try to match home choices with people’s needs, for example, by highlighting adapted properties that are available for people with disabilities or mobility problems 4 We offer a range of ways for tenants to pay their rent and service charges, for example, by callpay, rent payment card and direct debit.
Information & Communication 4 We provide a good range of information about our services in a variety of ways 4 We involve residents in checking our publications to ensure they are clearly written and easy to understand 4 We hold local surgeries and estate walkabouts to gather views about our services.
Complaints 4 We have a clear and simple complaints policy which makes it easy for customers to complain – our residents groups TASS & TARCA were consulted on this policy 4 We publicise what we do in response to complaints and how we learn from them in the tenants’ newsletters.
One
Our Plans for the Future
We plan to:
4 offer a ‘menu’ of choice for some services – allowing tenants to choose the standard of service they get and pay for 4 extend to MMHA the scheme that allows tenants to make extra home improvements where we pay half the cost 4 improve our information to tenants – including the website and tenants’ handbooks 4 improve the way we gather and use customer feedback to improve services.
Two
Thre e
One Here to help with your enquiries Two Tenants newsletters Three Customer survey
3
Involvement & Empowerment We fully support tenant involvement and want to increase the number of tenants who work with us to help us improve our services. We have recently recruited a resident involvement manager to support the existing staff in this work and both TASS and TARCA, our two main residents groups, have dedicated budgets to support their work.
Here are some examples of what we do to meet the Tenant Services Authority’s standard on involvement: 4 We hold regular joint TASS/TARCA focus groups at which we have discussed various topics. Through these meeting, tenants have influenced our approach to areas such as repairs, communication, complaints, rents and dealing with anti social behaviour
4 Tenants are involved in the panels that choose contractors for improvement work and help to monitor the progress and quality of work 4 Tenants carry out inspections of our grounds maintenance service and give feedback on the standard of the work.
Our Plans for the Future
We plan to:
4 increase resident involvement in checking how well we perform against the targets and standards we set 4 encourage a greater mix of tenants by offering different ways tenants can be involved – from mystery shopping to being on the board of management 4 encourage tenants to make suggestions about new or improved services.
One Tenant involvement on estate walkabouts 4
One
Understanding and Responding to the Diverse Needs of Tenants We aim to treat all our tenants with fairness and respect. Our customer service standards explain that staff should treat all tenants in this way. Staff and Board members are given training to ensure they understand the different needs tenants may have. We have a diversity working group, including tenants and board members, that plans and reviews action we take. We also carry out an assessment of the likely impact of new policies or projects on different groups to ensure that they will not result in discrimination.
Here are some examples of how we meet the Tenant Services Authority’s standard;
4 We offer a range of accommodation and support to suit people’s needs. We have sheltered accommodation for older people, the foyer for young adults and support to help other vulnerable tenants maintain their tenancies and live a more independent life
One
4 Where a tenant has particular needs because of a disability or mobility problems, we work with occupational therapists to ensure that these needs are properly assessed. Where necessary, adaptations are carried out or special equipment is fitted to the tenant’s home 4 We make sure our information is in a range of formats including large print, audio or translations on request.
Our Plans for the Future
We plan to:
4 carry out a tenant ‘census’ to collect more detailed and up to date information; this will help us to shape communication and services
Two Three
4 improve the skills and knowledge of our staff, tenants and board members so we understand the different needs of our tenants
One Completing tenant census
4 continue to work with partners on Shropshire’s equality and diversity forum.
Three Sheltered housing scheme residents “get together”
Two Consulting our tenants on their needs 5
home Your
The home standard
One
Two Three
Quality of Accommodation
We believe we provide good quality homes and meet the Tenant Services Authority’s national standard. 98% of South Shropshire Housing Association’s (SSHA) homes and 99% of Meres and Mosses Housing Association’s (MMHA) homes meet the Government’s Decent Homes Standard. When we successfully complete our current programme in 2012, all homes will be of a higher standard than the Decent Homes Standard.
4 Promises about home improvements that were made when homes were transferred from the Council to MMHA have been largely met
4 We have invested £5.8m in SSHA’s homes over the past 4 years; some of the most recent work includes new kitchens, replacement boilers & new roofing
4 Tenants are involved in planning and monitoring improvement work and can choose the design, fittings and finishes of kitchen and bathroom improvements for their own home.
6
4 Our investment has included pilot projects to improve home energy efficiency, including fitting solar panels, ground source heat pumps and wall insulation
All the new homes we build meet the Homes and Communities Agency’s Development Quality Standards. They also meet high security standards (secured by design) and Lifetime Homes Standards. This means they include certain design features that add to the comfort and convenience of the home, and supports the changing needs of individuals and families at different stages of life.
4 We have developed the repairs service with tenants, for example, by consulting TASS and TARCA on our overall approach and target times for repairs and disability adaptations
Our Plans for the Future
4 We have clear arrangements to identify and, where necessary, remove asbestos from properties and dispose of it safely
4 complete the work to fully meet the promises made to MMHA tenants, such as finishing the kitchen and bathroom contracts and path repair and replacements
4 Where work is needed before we let a home, we repair them to a standard which has been agreed with our tenants’ groups. Over the last two years we have cut the time it takes to repair and relet homes
4 to develop, with tenants, a single 5 year plan for 2013-18, which will set out what maintenance and improvements we intend to complete
4 We have improved our efficiency through better use of information technology. To help us to plan the best order for work to be done we now have tracker devices on our vans, and handheld computer systems.
We plan to:
4 set up a single, group wide tenants’ forum which will continue tenant involvement in investment planning, contractor and material selection and contract monitoring 4 carry out more environmental work to improve the appearance of areas surrounding tenants’ homes 4 decide on the best options to meet future housing needs, including looking at how suitable our current housing is, and how best to use areas such as garage sites and other land.
Repairs & Maintenance We believe we largely meet the Tenant Services Authority’s standard. We provide a cost effective service that ensures tenants’ homes are well maintained and safe.
4 We carry out most repairs within the agreed target time 4 We have servicing programmes in place that ensure gas, solid fuel and oil heating systems are serviced on a regular basis
Our Plans for the Future
We plan to:
4 make appointments for repairs when tenants first contact us 4 complete a high percentage of repairs at the first visit as well as in target time
Four
4 make repairs reporting easier for tenants 4 explore the possibility of a ‘handyperson’ service for more vulnerable tenants 4 introduce home ‘MOTs’ to check that properties are in good repair.
One Consultation with tenants for a new kitchen design Two Gas boiler servicing Three Improvement work in progress Four A member of the TRL team out in all weathers 7
home tenancy Finding a
and your
The Tenancy standard
One
Two
Allocations
We let our homes in a clear, fair and efficient way and we largely meet the Tenant Services Authority’s standard. Our homes are allocated through Shropshire’s and Herefordshire’s countywide choice based lettings schemes (HomePoint); Shropshire HomePoint started as a partnership between SSHA and the local Council but now includes MMHA and many other landlords. HomePoint keeps the countywide housing register and advertises available homes which applicants can ‘bid’ for.
8
4 Bids can be made online or on a 24 hour phone line 4 There is an ‘advocacy’ system which allows friends, relatives or support workers to access information and bid on the applicant’s behalf 4 We offer financial incentives for tenants in larger homes who want to move to a smaller property – this helps to provide larger homes for families on the housing register.
Our Plans for the Future
We provide regular information to tenants about their rent accounts, sending account statements every 3 months. Tenants have been asked how we could make this kind of information clearer and we have made some changes to these statements as a result.
We plan to:
4 upgrade the computer system that HomePoint uses which will help us to provide better information and a more efficient service for users
Our Plans for the Future
4 increase the number of landlords who advertise through HomePoint to give those who need housing a wider choice and a single point for housing applications across the area 4 explore joining HomeSwapper, a nationwide scheme which helps match up people who wish to move from one part of the country to another.
We plan to involve tenants in the way we set service charges and in deciding what services we provide.
Tenure
Three
Rents We believe we meet the Tenant Services Authority’s national standard for rents. 4 We have clear policies which explain how we set rents and service charges 4 Rents are set in line with Government rules to make sure that our rents reach an agreed ‘target rent’ by 2012 4 We have clear procedures that explain what action we may take if a tenant misses a payment including help and advice as well as legal action to ensure the debt is repaid 4 We check what would happen to our financial plans if our rents change so that the boards of management can make informed decisions about rents each year. One New homes in Chirbury Two New homes in Kington Three HomePoint website
We have a clear approach to tenancy management and treat all tenants fairly and consistently. We believe we meet the Tenant Services Authority’s standard. 4 We have clear tenancy agreements, which have been reviewed in consultation with tenants’ groups 4 We offer most new tenants an assured non-shorthold tenancy, which is the most secure form of tenancy we can offer 4 We make sure that new tenants understand their rights and responsibilities and that they are made welcome. New tenants are visited during the first month in their new homes 4 We provide support and advice to help tenants maintain their tenancies and if a tenant misses rent payments, we make realistic repayment agreements.
Our Plans for the Future We plan to carry out a programme of tenancy ‘audits’, starting in 2010/11. This will help us to identify more vulnerable tenants, including those whose needs may have changed since they first moved in. 9
Where you
live
The oods Neighbourh ies nit and Commu standard
One
Neighbourhood Management We believe we largely meet the standard the Tenant Services Authority has set. We want our tenants to be proud of where they live and so we work together with residents and other agencies to make sure that neighbourhoods and communal areas are well maintained, clean and safe.
10
4 We have contracts which set clear standards for grass cutting and related work and involve tenant ‘spotters’ who check that these standards are maintained 4 We carry out neighbourhood walkabouts with tenants and local agencies to identify and resolve problems. We also involve residents in clean up days and in planning improvements.
Our Plans for the Future
We plan to:
4 Review the existing services provided to shared areas (e.g. cleaning and security) 4 Agree with residents a clear standard for the appearance, the state of repair and services to be provided for shared areas 4 Agree what work is most important to do first & then make the improvements.
Local Co-operation We believe we exceed the standards set by the Tenant Services Authority about local co-operation. This helps us to provide better services for tenants and helps our partners to meet their aims, for example, creating local job opportunities.
Two
We work with many local agencies; this means that we can influence issues such as: 4 how and where new homes can be provided
4 how communities can work together to prevent anti-social behaviour 4 how services and accommodation for older people can be better planned and provided.
We work closely with others on practical issues too: 4 referring tenants to schemes which provide furniture for those starting a home
4 promoting debt advice and other services such as Just Credit Union 4 supporting organisations that encourage regeneration of rural areas, and promote community involvement such as Marches Housing & Charitable Trust.
Three
Four
One Neighbourhood walkabout Two Caring for the environment Three Foyer member in fine form Four The Grow Cook Share project encouraging young and old to work together 11
Our Plans for the Future We will prioritise our involvement with other organisations and continue to consult with residents to ensure that the time we spend on working with them benefits our tenants and local communities. An example of this is providing easier access to services, and an improved environment. We will also work with Shropshire Council on its initiatives to support market towns in the county.
We plan to work with the Council and other local organisations to: 4 help to build up a clearer picture of services in the various neighbourhoods and villages where we manage homes 4 identify any gaps in services and work with others to provide them 4 provide clear information to our tenants about the benefits that joint working and consultation has achieved.
One
Two Everyone working together to create a better environment
One Working in partnership with the local police
Two
12
Anti-social behaviour We work effectively with other agencies to prevent and tackle anti-social behaviour and believe we meet the standards set by the Tenant Services Authority in this area of our work. 4 We have a clear strategy and policy which sets out our approach to anti-social behaviour – this was developed in consultation with TASS and TARCA 4 We use a range of measures to deal with anti-social behaviour, from referral to mediation services through to legal action to end a tenancy – eviction is used as a last resort 4 We have arrangements in place to get independent evidence of antisocial behaviour such as use of CCTV and noise monitoring equipment 4 We are signed up to an information sharing agreement – all agencies which have signed this agreement can access information which helps us all to respond effectively
One
4 We take part in a number of multi-agency groups across the county. Here both overall plans and individual issues are discussed and actions are agreed.
Our Plans for the Future We will continue to work with other agencies and local communities to prevent and tackle anti-social behaviour as this is the most effective way to deal with it. This work will include promoting tolerance of different lifestyles as well as liaising with other agencies to decide action on particular problems.
We plan to:
Tw o
4 make reporting of anti-social behaviour easier 4 monitor our response times and actions more effectively so we can improve the service 4 provide more regular feedback to those who have reported anti-social behaviour.
One Working together for a better environment
Two Good result – job well done
13
spending wisely
The value for money standard
money
Shropshire Housing Group (SHG) has an effective approach to managing its resources and we provide cost-effective, efficient, good quality services and homes. We believe we meet the Tenant Services Authority’s standard but there is always more we could do.
Here are some examples of how we make sure we get value for money:
4 Through careful purchase of products and services, we make sure we are paying reasonable prices. We do this by asking suppliers to compete on price and we also combine our buying power with other organisations.
14
For example, £50,000 of savings were made by MMHA last year as a result of purchasing kitchens through the a procurement ‘club’; We are founder members of the Central Housing Investment Consortium (CHIC) a purchasing ‘club’ in the West Midlands, designed to bring its members, and their tenants, big savings from joint purchasing. 4 Senior managers review the top 10 areas of spending each month to identify any possible areas for savings or greater efficiency, for example, cutting the costs of temporary staff. All staff are encouraged to identify opportunities for better value for money.
4 We regularly review and compare how efficiently we provide services and have made some improvements to the way we deal with rent arrears, empty properties and payment of our suppliers by simplifying the process 4 We have a value for money group, which includes two board members and a tenant as well as staff. The group oversees ways to achieve value for money and makes sure that anything we learn is shared across the Group 4 By involving tenants when we chose suppliers or contractors, we make sure that quality as well as cost is considered. We also consult tenants on options to improve services where this may add to the cost, for example, consulting with residents about introducing caretaking services.
Our Plans for the Future Two big projects underway across the Group in 2010 will have a big impact on our efficiency. We have been improving our IT and have re-organised the way that some services are provided. We expect that tenants will see improvements in our services and that satisfaction with services will improve.
One
Over the next few years we plan to:
4 Look into the detailed costs of providing each part of our service to see if we can improve efficiency and to show what impact the changes have 4 check customer views on all parts of our service to make sure the quality of our services is good and that we are prioritising our spending wisely 4 involve tenants more in deciding what to spend money on, and the right balance between cost and quality of services.
Two One TRL have the tools for the job Two Planning for the future
15
e r i h s p o r h S Housing Group How
One
is run
The Tenant Services Authority also sets a standard for governance and financial viability. We are confident that we meet this standard. We provide a range of information to the Tenant Services Authority to prove this,
The and Governance ity bil Financial via standard
Two
we follow the National Housing Federation’s Code of Governance, which includes good practice on how associations should be run and we regularly provide information to our funders about our financial position and plans.
Equal Opportunities statement We recognise the damage that disadvantage and discrimination can cause. We are committed to equal opportunities and will take positive steps to ensure that you will not be treated less favourably than anyone else in your dealings with us because of race, religion, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, class or age.
One Tenants’ Report copy content being reviewed 16
Two Proof reading the Tenants’ Report
Your Views Really Count!
Our Plans for the Future
How are Tenants Involved in Our Plans for Services and Our Annual Report?
We plan to continue this consultation over the next year, talking and listening to tenants about:
Many of our plans for service improvements are based on feedback that we got from the tenant satisfaction survey (STATUS survey) we carried out in late 2008. Since then we have also gathered tenants’ views on how well we provide services and how we could do better, for example by:
4 what issues are important to all tenants
4 consulting directly with TASS and TARCA
4 whether or not services should vary from area to area.
4 consulting tenants directly affected by any of our plans
The next phase of this consultation on future services (what the Tenant Services Authority calls our ‘local offer’) will be completed by Spring 2011.
4 asking about satisfaction with property improvements and services 4 responding to issues raised in complaints or suggestions from tenants. During Spring and Summer 2010 we started discussions with TASS and TARCA about how well Shropshire Housing Group matches up to the Tenant Services Authority’s standards and about the service we can offer to our tenants in the future. At our Residents Challenge Day in June, we had displays setting out how we thought our services compared to the Tenant Services Authority’s standards and asked tenants to comment on this. We held a session in early August with TASS and TARCA representatives to have a look at the first draft of this report and to pick out which things about our current services and future plans were most important to tenants. We then met again to look at how the information would be presented.
4 how we can improve services
We will be encouraging all tenants to give us their views, as we want to capture the views of as many tenants as possible. We are planning to do this by asking tenants that we visit, or who contact us, to answer a few questions. We are setting up a project group of tenants and staff. They will choose the most important issues from your answers, and they will suggest how we can shape our service in that area. We will then ask our residents’ groups and other tenants whether they agree with the suggestions, or if we need to change them. The results of this process will become our ‘local offers’. We are also working with Shropshire Council and Severnside Housing to agree county-wide ‘local offers’.
What did you think of this report? Could we have shown the information in more interesting ways or in a way that would be easier to understand? Is there other information you would have liked to have been in it? Let us know. Please contact our Resident Involvement Manager, Sarah Platt, on 01588 676 200 17
MMHA Facts and 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
Repair Response Times (TRL Only)
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
Emergency
97% Urgent
1.04.09 - 31.03.10
£300 - 399
£400 - 499
10 Tenants
12 Tenants
95% Non Urgent
Waiting List
127 Tenants
18
Exchange
19 Tenants
Transfer
29 Tenants
£500 - 599
11 Tenants
£600 and over
10 Tenants
92%
MMHA Facts and Figures continued 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 19
SSHA Facts and 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
Repair Response Times (TRL Only)
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
Emergency
100% Urgent
Waiting List
137 Tenants
20
Exchange
38 Tenants
£300 - 399
£400 - 499
38 Tenants
19 Tenants
Transfer
97%
45 Tenants
Homeless to Temporary Accommodation
Homeless to Permanent Accommodation
74 Tenants
56 Tenants
Non Urgent
£500 - 599
13 Tenants
£600 and over
22 Tenants
95%
SSHA Facts and Figures continued Relet Times 1/04/09 - 31/03/10 The average time a property was left empty between tenants is 51 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
£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 21
Inyvooluverdsay Get
and
have
There are many ways in which you can get involved to help improve the services we offer. As tenants you are in the best position to tell us about how we can improve our services, your homes and your neighbourhood Shropshire Housing Group have developed a wide range of ways you can get involved. For more information call Sheila Standley, MMHA’s Resident Involvement Officer on 01939 238840 or Mike Cotton, SSHA’s Resident Involvement Officer on 01588 676200 send a text to 07527 208 607 607.
Residents Groups Monthly meetings and representatives on various committees across the group. TARCA represent the tenants of MMHA. TASS represents the tenants of SSHA. The aim of both groups is to broaden the partnership between the Group and wider communities.
Inspecting Empty Homes
Communications
Allocating Empty Homes
2 Hours Per Week
12 - 15 Hours Per Year
4 - 6 Hours Per Year
Inspecting empty homes to ensure that the repairs standard has been met. Being involved in developing the lettable standard.
Estate Walkabouts 12 - 15 Hours Per Year
Estate Walkabouts are programmed throughout the year to monitor your area. Your Community Housing Officer and other agencies spend about 1 hour walking round your neighbourhood identifying any improvements that are needed such as litter picking or additional security lights. You could accompany your Community Housing Officer and have a say about what services you would like to be delivered in your area.
Anti Social Behaviour 4 x 1 Hour Sessions
A focus group to talk about SHG’s approach to dealing with anti social behaviour.
There are a number of ways that you can get involved in the way that we communicate with our customers. Joining an armchair reading panel, commenting on new policies and procedures. Answering telephone/email questionnaires. Proof reading our documents to ensure that they are easy to read and understand. Look at the way that the customer services team are communicating.
Equality & Diversity 12 – 15 Hours Per Year
Looking at ways we can improve services for residents with differing needs. Ensuring that all aspects of our service does not disadvantage any of our internal or external customers. Meet four times per year.
Planning Events 3 x 1 Hour Sessions
To help organise events such as the Community Challenge Day.
A small group of customers and staff meet to discuss how the choice based lettings scheme is operating and identify improvements that can be made in the way that we deliver this service
Repairs 2 Hours Per Week
Undertaking telephone satisfaction surveys for completed repairs. This work would need to be undertaken in either the Craven Arms office or the Wem office due to data confidentiality.
Planned Improvements 12 – 15 Hours Per Year
We have a programme of improvements that will be made to homes – this group will be involved along with staff at looking at contractor performance and will also appoint new contractors. The quality of the work can be inspected.