The following are summaries of selected local authority inspection reports issued by the Audit Commission during May.
Walsall Council
Supporting People: One-star fair service with excellent prospects for improvement.
An earlier inspection, in 2007, rated the programme as a 'poor' one-star service, with 'uncertain prospects' for improvement. The report shows that significant improvements have been made, especially in the quality and range of services. However, the programme has a number of weaknesses, including the limited involvement of service users and the lack of permanent contracts for service providers.
Weaknesses identified by inspectors included:
Recommendations made include:
Walsall Council received a Supporting People grant of £7,067,337 million for 2008/09 to fund the cost of its housing related support services.
Registered social landlord inspection reports issued by the Audit Commission during May included those summarised below.
Calico Housing Limited
The Association has 'more strengths than weaknesses'. Inspectors reached this conclusion following a short-notice inspection of how the Burnley-based association delivers day-to-day repairs and manages empty properties and lettings.
The inspectors found it was easy for tenants to report repairs and the time taken to complete repairs was satisfactory, although some were still being completed too late. Empty homes are repaired and let to a standard agreed with tenants, although the time taken to let properties is long.
Graeme Foster, Audit Commission Lead Housing Inspector, said:
"This is a positive result for Calico, working in a challenging area but still managing to relet and homes to a satisfactory standard.
"Calico now needs to ensure that more repairs are completed on time, and properties are relet more quickly.
Strengths identified in the report include:
Weaknesses noted include:
Calico Housing Association was formed in March 2000, following a stock transfer from Burnley Borough Council. It owns and manages approximately 4,500 homes. Previously known as Burnley and Padiham Community Housing, the Association changed its name in 2004.
Family Housing Association
Repairs Service (Short-notice Inspection): The Association 'has more weaknesses than strengths'.
Designed to identify strengths and weaknesses in the repairs and maintenance service, the inspection found that the Association is performing well on home improvements, but needs to do more around accessibility, complaints and value for money.
The report notes that most customers have had their homes modernised and all homes will reach the Government's decent homes standard by 2010
However, it also notes a number of weaknesses, including:
Family Housing Association has around 2,100 properties, mostly in inner-city Birmingham, but also in Sandwell, Solihull and Warwickshire.
Manchester and District Housing Association Housing Association
Housing Management & Maintenance Service: Two-star good service with excellent prospects for improvement.
Hugh Boatswain, Senior Manager with the Audit Commission, said:
"Manchester and District delivers good quality housing management services and is maintaining its customers' homes well. The board, managers and staff demonstrate a strong commitment to customer service and driving improvements.
Customers can be confident that services will continue to improve."
Strengths identified by inspectors include:
However, inspectors found that the organisation was not ensuring that the views and needs of the diverse customer base were sufficiently taken into account when planning and delivering services. There was a lack of advance information given to customers about when improvements to their homes would be undertaken.
To help the service improve, inspectors recommended that the organisation should:
Manchester and District Housing Association is the original and largest stock owning subsidiary within the Harvest Housing Group. It manages 8,300 properties - predominantly for general needs, but also including 1,600 properties for older people.
NomadE5 Housing Association
Landlord Service: One-star fair service with excellent prospects for improvement.
Domini Gunn, Audit Commission Lead Housing Inspector for the north east, said:
"We have rated Nomad E5 as having 'excellent prospects for improvement' in recognition of the work in progress to improve all aspects of services to tenants. This reflects our strong level of confidence in NomadE5's ability to deliver those improvements.
"We found positive service areas, including the work to help tenants manage their debts. Areas where weaknesses exist have been recognised by the association and are being addressed."
Inspectors found:
However, inspectors also found that:
NomadE5 was created in November 2006, as a result of the merger of Nomad Housing Group and Enterprise 5 Housing Association. It employs a total of 130 staff, and has a property portfolio of approximately 6,000 homes across twenty local authority areas in the north east of England.