Section: Yesterday's News

Archive Update: The Vision Bus - One Year On

In May 2006, we reported on the launch of Broadland HA's new mobile housing office - a specially commissioned Ford Transit high roof vehicle. A year later, we asked the Association to update us on the background to the initiative and progress to date. The following is Broadland's own report on their Vision Bus project - as at May 2007.

Broadland Housing may operate across rural Norfolk and North Suffolk, but it is determined to be as accessible to its customers as possible. The Association operates out of four offices - Kings Lynn, Dereham, Norwich and Lowestoft - but recognises that for many of its tenants none of these locations are really convenient, due to limited public transport connections and limited access to private transport.

In 2005, the Association made the decision that if tenants found it difficult to come to them, it needed to go out to tenants. In early 2006, a transit van was acquired for conversion into a mobile office; and in June of last year it hit the road. Called "The Vision Bus," the transit has been adapted and now provides a range of facilities to allow the staff team to take services directly to customers.

The launch of the mobile office was a logical progression from Broadland's "out and about" campaign. In 2004, the Association made the commitment to visit every property and knock on the front door of every tenant over a three-year period. This project was completed in 2006, and now Broadland has begun doing it all over again. However, one of the points of feedback received from tenants was they not only appreciated the efforts made by the Association through the "out and about" campaign, but would welcome regular village and even hamlet surgeries to help them avoid the costs of visiting one of the area offices.

The Vision Bus now has a regular programme of visits to villages across Norfolk and North Suffolk where Broadland owns properties. It helps the Association be more accessible to its residents and also complements estate management inspections and rent arrears campaigns. It also provides more comfortable surroundings when signing up new tenants at new developments and is used by the Association for other community initiatives and resident participation projects.

There is no doubt that the Vision Bus is a cost effective means of providing local office facilities in dispersed rural areas. The provision of sufficient local offices across Norfolk was not cost effective for the Association. Instead the Association takes an office to tenants, thus ensuring value for money in providing accessible local services. Tenants can still request visits from their neighbourhood team members at different times convenient to them, but this service has been popular and successful and has encouraged tenants (and other members of the community) to engage with Broadland staff about either their tenancy or issues relating to housing within the community.

Information Note

For more information please contact Russell Heath, Resident Participation Officer, on 01603 750236 or at russell.heath@broadlandhousing.gov

Five Years Ago

In June 2002 we were reporting:

One Year Ago

In June 2006 we were reporting:

KeyFacts

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Reporting on June 2007

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