The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) published a new staff structure that focuses the whole organisation on regional and local delivery.
The structure, which has been produced for consultation with the entire staff, re-casts the HCA's existing resources to make the most impact on the ground. It creates a single, unified HCA with a close relationship between corporate and regional teams and a consistent emphasis on high quality, cost effective, local delivery.
The new structure adds 100 staff to front line regional delivery teams without increasing the total size of the HCA. It achieves this by increasing the number of posts in the nine regions by 60 and reducing the number of posts across the corporate teams by the same number. At the same time some corporate activities, together with approximately 40 posts associated with them, will be moved to the regions.
Sir Bob Kerslake, Chief Executive of the HCA said:
"Just four months after creating the HCA, we are consulting staff on its final shape. This makes a reality of our vision of a national agency that works locally.
We are already delivering the new business of the HCA and our regional teams are engaged in their first single conversations with local authorities.
This new structure builds on the skills and expertise of our staff to create quality places. It gives us the regional capacity to deliver our ambitious new programme, bringing life to local visions right across the country."
Housing association chief executives earning more than £150,000 a year should set an example, by not seeking compensatory increases in their pay.
That is the view of Ian Keys, Managing Partner of consultancy firm Gradus, who was speaking after the Chancellor Alistair Darling announced a 50p tax rate for the UK's highest earners.
Ian Keys said:
"Over the last few years, housing association chief executives have had inflation-busting pay rises, with last year's averaging over 7.3%, whereas their staff have only just managed to keep pace with inflation.
"Housing association chiefs have shown themselves adept at negotiating big increases in their own pay over the years but at this time of national crisis they should set an example to other organisations working in the public services by taking the tax increases on the chin."
Accountancy and financial services group Smith & Williamson recently published a housing association executive reward survey, which highlighted the difference in salary between senior staff at housing association groups and single associations.
The survey also revealed a growing trend towards performance related pay and found that half of surveyed organisations are operating a bonus scheme for their top tier.
The average pay for the chief executives of the largest groups is £214,038 per annum, which is more than double the average of £102,428 pa for a chief executive of a single association. The survey found that this pay difference is not just due to the size of the organisations, but that the association structure also has a significant influence.
Six housing associations were named among Scotland's safest, healthiest employers at a prestigious awards ceremony.
East Lothian Housing Association, Calvay Housing Association and Barrhead Housing Association picked up Silver Healthy Working Lives Awards in recognition of efforts to promote healthier lifestyles to employees and improve workplace safety.
Berwickshire Housing Association, Eildon Housing Association in Melrose, and Hillhead Housing Association in Kirkintilloch all received Bronze Awards.
More than 80 private, public and voluntary sector organisations received Awards at ceremonies held in Carnegie Conference Centre in Dunfermline and the Crutherland House Hotel in East Kilbride.
The Healthy Working Lives Awards, administered by the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives, encourage employers to promote a healthier workforce and cover a wide range of topics including health promotion, occupational health and safety, employability, mental health and well-being, community involvement, and health and the environment.
East Lothian Housing Association picked up the Silver Award in recognition of efforts to improve the health and wellbeing of its 32 staff. Employees were encouraged to consider healthier eating through initiatives such as the provision of fruit at meetings, and understanding of mental health issues was improved by employees pledging their support to the national See Me campaign.
Association staff also formed a 'green team' to help tackle environmental issues around the workplace, which encouraged recycling of waste paper and a reduction in energy consumption.
The other housing associations which received the Silver and Bronze Awards undertook a diverse range of activities to promote healthier lifestyles to staff, which included providing staff with free fruit, forming lunchtime walking and groups and weight loss support groups, offering free taster sessions of alternative therapies such as reflexology and reiki, and taking part in sponsored events to raise money for local charities.
The Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives was established in April 2005 and is playing a key role in helping to reduce work-related ill health by 20% and days lost to ill health by 30%.
The Centre's 80 advisers are on hand to help companies achieve the Healthy Working Lives Award, which can include elements such as smoking cessation, healthy eating, physical activity and mental health promotion, as well as increasing the importance of health and safety.
Organisations need to meet core criteria to achieve the three levels of Healthy Working Lives Award - Bronze, Silver and Gold. However, it is designed to be flexible so employers can select the topics most relevant to their own workforce. For further information about the HWL Award, please contact the free national adviceline on 0800 019 2211.
