The Housing Corporation issued three new publications in its How We Regulate series, which together provide additional explanations of how the Corporation carries out its regulatory work:
How We Regulate 2: Risk Based Regulation
This has been revised to respond directly to the Elton Report recommendations to provide detailed information on the Corporation's risk assessment model, and introduces a new approach to the regulatory arrangements for smaller housing associations. The regulatory arrangements for smaller associations (RASA), which offer a lighter regulatory regime, are now available to associations with up to 1,000 homes.
How We Regulate 3: Self-assessment Compliance Statements and Annual Efficiency Statements
This has also been revised. This is now aimed at housing associations with over 1,000 homes and further embeds the Elton recommended changes implemented in 2006 to make the self-assessment process more targeted, focusing on year on year improvement and addressing specific issues.
How We Regulate 8: New Stock Transfer Associations
This is an entirely new publication, providing additional transparency on the Corporation's regulatory regime for this group of housing associations.
All three publications meet the Elton recommendations to provide greater transparency on how the Corporation carries out its regulatory function and take forward its commitment to reducing the regulatory burden on associations. They can all be found on the Housing Corporation's website: www.housingcorp.gov.uk.
An Audit Commission inspection report released during March 2007 concludes that Cheltenham ALMO provides an excellent three-star service with excellent prospects for improvement.
The report highlights some key strengths in the service including:
There is a strong customer-focused approach and a commitment to equality and diversity reflected in high levels of user satisfaction across services.
Asset management is robust and good progress is being made to bring the housing stock up to the decent homes standard, with over 2,500 homes already improved.
Performance on repairs, re-letting empty homes and carrying out annual gas safety checks is strong.
Community engagement is central to the work of the organisation. There is a strong focus on proactive management of tenancies to reduce rent arrears, sustain tenancies and prevent antisocial behaviour.
Estates are actively managed and are generally clean and tidy. Costs are consistent with service outcomes and there is strong corporate leadership and management of value for money.
Financial and performance management arrangements are robust.
The Board is strong and there are effective governance arrangements.
To help the service improve, inspectors recommended that the ALMO should ensure the following:
All plans, strategies, policies and procedures fully meet the needs of service users and the wider business needs of the organisation.
Value for money can be demonstrated across all areas of service delivery.
Other Audit Commission local authority inspection reports released during the month included:
Dale and Valley Homes (Wear Valley DC ALMO):
Two-star good service with uncertain prospects for improvement.
Rochford District Council (Access to Services):
One-star fair service with uncertain prospects for improvement.
The housing management services delivered by Russet Homes were judged to be good with uncertain prospects for improvement, according to a report released during March by the Audit Commission.
Russet Homes (formerly Tonbridge and Malling Housing Association) was formed in 1991, to take the large scale voluntary transfer (LSVT) of homes from Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council in Kent.
On a scale of zero to three stars, the Audit Commission inspection team awarded Russet's housing management services two stars.
Inspectors found a number of positive features, including:
Access to services is good and information for residents is informative and easy to read. Residents express high levels of satisfaction with the service.
99.5% of Russet's homes meet the decent homes standard, and grounds maintenance and repairs to tenants' homes are carried out to a high standard.
There is a good level of support to older and more vulnerable tenants, with a floating support service providing targeted support where necessary.
However, the inspectors highlighted a number of issues that need to be addressed:
Customer services standards are not consistently monitored, making it hard to assess performance against some of the published targets.
There are no arrangements for fast tracking major disabled adaptations for high priority cases.
The overall approach to value for money is weakened by a lack of robust action plans to improve efficiency and cost effectiveness.
To help the service improve, inspectors made a number of recommendations, including:
Review the policy for the provision of aids and adaptations to ensure high priority cases are dealt with within reasonable time scales.
Develop a programme of initiatives, including training to strengthen the capacity of involved tenants and increase their involvement in strategic decision-making.
Ensure all service improvement plans and progress reports to Board members are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Resourced and Time-bound).
Other Audit Commission housing association inspection reports released during the month included:
Chester and District Housing Trust:
Two-star good service with excellent prospects for improvement.
Connect Housing:
Two-star good service with promising prospects for improvement.
Hastoe Housing Association:
One-star fair service with promising prospects for improvement.
Russet Homes:
Two-star good service with uncertain prospects for improvement.
Springboard Housing Association:
Two-star good service with promising prospects for improvement.
WATMOS Community Homes
One-star fair service with promising prospects for improvement.
