shropshire housing group
shropshire housing
meres & mosses housing association
south shropshire housing association
total response
corporate plan a partnership to build sustainable communities
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welcome to our new corporate plan I am delighted to introduce to you our updated Corporate Plan. We are now almost two years beyond
The Boards of Shropshire Housing Group undertook this review against a background of tumbling house prices, severe economic difficulties and a banking system in some distress.
the formation of Shropshire Housing Group and in a very different and far more unpredictable environment.
On the national scene, the creation of the "Homes and Communities Agency" has been designed to give a major new emphasis to the focus on successful neighbourhoods and the role which housing plays in underpinning that success. We also have a new regulator in the Tenants Services Authority.
“Our customers and future customers will be at the heart of all we do.�
At the regional level new housing and planning strategies, designed to meet a very diverse set of housing markets, will have an increasing influence and indeed dominance over local activities in Shropshire. Finally, in our own county, the local government map has been re-drawn and a single unitary authority, Shropshire Council has replaced the two tier arrangements.
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We see these changes as opportunities and the formation of "Shropshire Housing Group" is a demonstration of our confidence. We shall develop our partnership of equals and will have a major impact on our communities both in Shropshire and the Marches and the areas immediately surrounding. This Corporate Plan sets out how the group will respond to the opportunities we have identified. It signals the part we can play in addressing the serious shortage of affordable homes. Alongside this we shall strive to provide excellent housing and support services. Our customers and future customers will be at the heart of all we do.
SHENA LATTO, CHAIR OF SHROPSHIRE HOUSING GROUP
shropshire housing group
shropshire housing group 04
Shropshire Housing Group is a partnership of organisations with a commitment to providing first class housing and related services, including the provision of new homes across Shropshire, Herefordshire and the Marches. SHROPSHIRE HOUSING GROUP EXECUTIVE TEAM
shropshire housing
meres & mosses housing association
total response
south shropshire housing association
The Group Parent, Shropshire Housing, has overall strategic and regulatory control of the Group. Its role is to develop the business, forge new opportunities and strengthen existing relationships. It will set targets for the housing service and develop creative policies to ensure that the Group is recognised as "the" housing group in the region. Shropshire Housing also provides central support services to all group members.
shropshire housing meres and mosses housing association
total response limited
south shropshire housing association
MMHA is a new organisation. Formed by North Shropshire District Council in 2005, the Association is now delivering a range of promises to the 2300 tenants who transferred from the Council in July 2007.
TRL provides repairs, maintenance and other property services to all members of the Group. TRL is expanding its business to provide a maintenance service to the private sector and this will be on a "for profit" basis, with all profits being retained in the Group.
Formed in 1990, SSHA completed a full stock transfer of the Council’s housing stock in 1994. SSHA now has a total stock of more than 2000 homes across South Shropshire, Shrewsbury and Herefordshire.
Further details, including Board Members, Executive Directors and Corporate Structures can be obtained from the Company Secretary.
a vision for shropshire housing group and the values which support it. We have worked hard to set out a clear vision for the Group which is based on a set of values and principles which we hold dear. We do not have a single ‘mission’ statement but we hope that our customers, our staff and our partners will recognise and embrace these commitments.
We care about the people and communities in this area. We shall put them at the heart of all we do and encourage them to influence our work. We shall maintain our commitment to a core business which delivers decent homes, excellent services, affordable rents and improved quality of life for our customers. Our physical environment is unique, we shall seek to protect it and enhance it wherever we can, with quality at the top of our agenda. We shall try to be innovative, creative and forward thinking, finding new and better ways to meet our ambitions. We wish to grow our business and provide more homes and services to support sustainable communities. We shall provide value for money and look to be efficient, effective and economical. With a commitment to transparency, openness and probity. We shall treat everyone fairly. We will always look for ways to work in partnership with other local groups and agencies. We will be a responsible employer and invest in the training and development of one of our most important assets – our people.
We shall deliver this vision and measure our success through six ambitions. 01 To provide excellent services to our customers. 02 Create new housing opportunities. 03 Contribute to the regeneration of rural communities. 04 Provide community leadership and be excellent governors. 05 Continually improve our performance and provide value for money. 06 Create new business opportunities. Specific targets for each ambition are set out in the following pages. Further detail will be found in the Business Plan for each subsidiary and in the Operational Plan for each department.
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ambition 1 providing excellent services to our customers 01
Develop our understanding of the needs of our existing and future customers through a range of surveys and research programmes.
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Monitor and improve levels of customer satisfaction with the customer access service and repairs service by 5% over the period of the plan.
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Achieve the Decent Homes Standard by 2010.
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Develop and introduce a Financial Inclusion Strategy alongside local partners.
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Improve the environment of housing estates and introduce a general handyman scheme to complement the existing work of Total Response Limited and estate based caretakers.
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Develop neighbourhood surgeries and estate walkabouts.
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Achieve two star rating with excellent prospects from Audit Commission inspection.
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Introduce a formal repairs appointment scheme and reassess responsive repairs targets.
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Achieve grade A in the Quality Assessment Framework for Supporting People services.
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Develop and introduce an Affordable Warmth programme.
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ambition 2 create new housing opportunities 01
Complete 500 new homes by 2012.
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Implement Choice Based Lettings Schemes across the Group.
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Develop a ‘Move On’ strategy with incentives for downsizing.
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Create a land bank of housing sites across the county to facilitate new development beyond 2012 of up to 500 further homes.
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Introduce an intermediate rental tenure.
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Investigate an opportunity to provide a ‘self build’ housing initiative.
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Refine aids and adaptations plans to eliminate waiting lists by 2012 through internal funding.
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Maintain the current level of income from Supporting People contracts and consider development of at least one new service by 2010 with a continued contribution to central costs.
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Develop an Asset Management Strategy to ensure 100% condition survey, identify all obsolete stock and establish replacement plans.
shropshire housing group
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ambition 3 contribute to regeneration of rural communities 01 Maintain a fund in each RSL for regeneration activity. 02 Implement an apprenticeship scheme across the Group. 03 Develop partnership status with more local companies. 04 Secure better recognition for regeneration work. 05 Complete housing surveys in six villages per annum. 06 Establish links with each area partnership and the voluntary sector assembly in Shropshire. 07 Create a programme for meeting with and presenting to six voluntary and community organisations each year. 08 Continue financial support to Marches Housing and Charitable Trust and seek to extend our work and influence into the North of the County.
shropshire housing group
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ambition 4 excellent governance and community leadership 01
Expand annual training/development plans for new and existing Board Members.
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Establish a Succession Strategy for each Board.
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Introduce an external evaluation of Board performance.
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Refine our current appraisal process and develop a 360 degree approach for review.
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Implement a programme of links with Parish Councils and local area Committees.
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Complete a stakeholder review/social audit.
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Seek representation on governing bodies of other local agencies.
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Raise awareness of actions on diversity.
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ambition 5 continually improve performance and deliver value for money 01 Develop and implement a Value for Money Strategy with clear efficiency targets for each department of at least 2.5% per annum. 02 Review the suite of performance indicators which are monitored and introduce a full range of reports. 03 Ensure all KPIs are externally validated. 04 Achieve reaccreditation under the Investors In People standard. 05 Provide a benchmark report against all KPIs annually. 06 Implement a Right First Time Strategy for repairs. 07 Ensure top quartile performance in all service areas. 08 Implement 100% of all agreed audit recommendations within six months of review.
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ambition 6 create new business opportunities 01
Increase Total Response Limited turnover year on year by 5%.
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Secure 75% of all Group maintenance work for Total Response Limited.
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Secure at least one new Supporting People service contract in Shropshire.
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Review Communications Action Plan.
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Secure at least one contract to provide back office support for other agencies.
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Expand Group membership through further stock transfer and our management contracts for other landlords.
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a sustainable business supporting sustainable communities 12
Sustainability is not always an easy concept to explain and it can be interpreted in a variety of ways. For Shropshire Housing Group it is a journey, it’s a thread which looks different in each part of our business. At one level we can demonstrate that our new homes meet very high standards of energy efficiency, where the materials we use are sourced locally and assembled by local labour. At another level sustainability will involve how we run our day to day business, developing a vision for carbon neutrality. This might involve running our vehicles on bio diesel and recycling all other materials we use. At a community level sustainability will mean the development of policies which support local communities helping them to thrive – not just "survive". This could mean local lettings policies, regeneration activities, community development work and so on. However it is defined, we shall champion the issue with all of our partners and seek to learn from them and other leading practitioners.
shropshire housing group
Our ideal for a sustainable community is one which is: active, inclusive and safe environmentally sensitive well run well designed and built well connected thriving well served fair for everyone
“Meeting the needs of present and future generations.”
The Gateway The Auction Yard Craven Arms Shropshire SY7 9BW T: 01588 676200 E: enquiries@shropshirehousing.org.uk www.shropshirehousing.org.uk