audit commission presentation can ealing achieve a 2* almo inspection score? london borough of...
TRANSCRIPT
Audit Commission
Presentation
Can Ealing achieve a 2* Can Ealing achieve a 2*
ALMO inspection score?ALMO inspection score?
London Borough of EalingLondon Borough of Ealing November 15November 15 Roger JarmanRoger Jarman
Audit Commission
Presentation
What this session will cover
• A brief review of the Audit Commission’s work in the housing sector
• What constitutes ‘excellent’ housing services
• What the Inspectorate has identified about the drivers behind service improvement
Audit Commission
Presentation
FairPoor Good Excellent
Excellent
Poor
Uncertain
Promising
Prospects for improvement?
A good service?
Published Report Scores407 published reports @ October 2003 (LAs)
Published Report Scores407 published reports @ October 2003 (LAs)
3 1920 10
28 125 57 3
20 90 17 0
4 11 0 0
Audit Commission
Presentation
Excellence in housing isn’t...
• Perfection• The same everywhere• Fixed• Accidental• Short term• Inward looking• A process
Audit Commission
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But excellence does requirea culture where…
• It’s OK to admit you haven’t got it right
• Calculated risks are taken
• The organisation learns from complaints
• The organisation learns from others
• Improvement is part of the day job
• Customers are genuinely valued, as are their opinions
Audit Commission
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Does the service meet the aims?
Some pointers on what we are looking for on landlord services….
1. Strategic approach to service delivery
2. Access to the service
3. Customer Care
4. Resident involvement in the service
5. Equality and Diversity issues
6. Value for money
7. Performance management
Audit Commission
Presentation
1. Strategic approach to service delivery
• Up to date housing needs survey, established current & projected demand for housing of all tenures
• Positive working relationships with planners & partner agencies to achieve strategic priorities
• Up to date stock condition information, used to establish the maintenance needs of the housing stock, linked to response repair trends and feeding into the Business Plan
• Evaluation of what stock is sustainable
• A Business Plan that will achieve ‘Decent Homes Standards’ by 2010
Audit Commission
Presentation 2. Access to the service
• Easily located offices/receptions, telephone numbers, web address
• Opening times & arrangements for out-of-hours contact that have been agreed following consultation with users
• Freephones and/or single number for day and out-of-hours access
• Telephones answered quickly
• Good directional signage for receptions and local offices
• Reception area compliance with Disability Discrimination Act requirements, including lifts where necessary
• Facilities for disabled people (large print, minicom, loop)
• Clear, fair and efficient queuing systems
Audit Commission
Presentation3. Customer Care
Reception facilities:-• Clean, open and inviting• Toilets and baby changing facilities• Children’s play area with toys/games/books• Opportunities for privacy (interview booths) • Interpretation and translation services• Public telephone• Helpful, courteous and well trained staff• Choice of same-sex staff
Audit Commission
Presentation3. Customer Care (cont’d)
Information:-• A variety of leaflets, posters and other relevant information• Up to date information available on website• Information available in appropriate languages and formats, and
in plain English• Published service standards that have been agreed with service
users
Repairs Appointments:-• Appointments system for non-urgent repairs• Evening and weekend appointments available• A variety of time slots available• Focused on customer choice rather than contractor availability
Audit Commission
Presentation3. Customer Care (cont’d)
Complaints:-• Complaints and suggestions welcomed
• Consistent recording of formal and informal complaints
• Clear examples of how service has been improved or changed following a complaint or suggestion
• Customers who have made a complaint are contacted to check if the complaint has been resolved to their satisfaction
• Complaints are monitored effectively and there is feedback of outcomes to staff, members & service users to complete the improvement loop
Audit Commission
Presentation
4. Resident involvement in the service• Tenant Compact (and local compacts) in place, which are
regularly reviewed with tenants • Development of innovative ways to involve tenants and
leaseholders (especially hard-to-reach groups)• Effective and open engagement with tenants in decision
making• Non traditional methods of involvement is the norm
And tenants involved in:-
• Business Planning• Deciding policies• Setting budgets• Selecting contractors and staff• Monitoring performance and levels of satisfaction• Reality checks/mystery shopping
Audit Commission
Presentation 5. Equality and Diversity Issues
• Compliance with CRE Code of Practice in Rented Housing
• Understanding of the diversity of the local population• Monitoring of service delivery by:- gender, ethnicity,
disability, (age, sexuality, religion)• Information available in variety of languages and formats• Staff trained in translation and interpretation procedures• Service provision that is culturally sensitive• Staff composition reflects the diversity of local population• Contractors codes of conduct reflect equal opportunities
legislation and local authorities policies
Audit Commission
Presentation
6. Value for Money (Repairs and Maintenance as an example)
• Ratio of spending on planned to responsive repairs is 60:40• Consistent levels of capital spend compared with capital
allocation• Level of spending on emergency repairs <10% and <20% on
urgent repairs• Detailed analysis of variations• Enforcement of rechargeable repairs policy and percentage
of recharges collected• Voids repairs undertaken at discount (against schedule of
rates)• Evidence of cost savings achieved
Audit Commission
Presentation7. Performance Management
• Corporate objectives are incorporated into individual service delivery plans
• Service standards with performance targets that are measurable and meaningful to tenants and customers
• In addition to BVPI’s, local PI’s that are relevant to the service and can be easily monitored and understood
• Targets are part of day to day work and there is regular reporting of performance to managers, staff, members and (of course) tenants and customers
• Opportunities for tenants and customers to give their feedback on performance e.g. tenant inspectors
We are looking for performance management - not just performance monitoring
Audit Commission
Presentation
Re-inspections – what drives improvement?
About 25 councils have been re-inspected• either through a 2nd inspection, or• an ALMO inspection
Most that could improve have done so because of• Management changes• Governance and Member commitment• Performance management• Tenant empowerment• Better procurement• Extra resources
Audit Commission
Presentation
Improvement Drivers (1)
Management changes & Member commitment• New staff supported by good training• Reorganisation with more functions in for housing• Active Scrutiny Committees• Committed Members and staff• Housing up the political agenda• CPA has raised the housing stakes
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Improvement Drivers (2)
Performance management• Action plans• Milestones• Traffic light information systems• Improved rent collection and relet PIs• Named officers with patch responsibilities• A “can do” attitude
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Improvement Drivers (3)
Tenant empowerment• “from an accountancy function to tenant focussed”• Improved customer service standards• A customer service charter• Tenant information available in a variety of formats• Higher profile given to diversity issues• Agreed enhancements to the Decent Homes standard
Audit Commission
Presentation
Improvement Drivers (4)
Better procurement• Functions (e.g., homeless) taken back in-house• Tender out repairs for (some) areas• Central service SLA with ALMO• Repairs call centre (alongside contractor)• Developing partnering contracts• Better gas servicing
Audit Commission
Presentation
Improvement Drivers (5)
Extra resources• Money invested in needs and condition surveys• Money no longer siphoned off from HRA• Extra staff employed at some of the poor authorities• “HRA up 9%”; “costs up 30% in two years”
Audit Commission
Presentation Issues for Ealing July 2002 Housing Management
inspectionFair service; uncertain prospects
• Produce revised Improvement Plan, giving greater priority to core activities
• Communicate the aims and objectives of the Plan to staff, tenants and other stakeholders
• Develop a strategy to roll out improvements from large-scale pilot initiatives to bring improvements in service delivery
• Develop better mechanisms to manage contracts, particularly on day to day repairs
• Develop potential for HB welfare officers to provide a more proactive service
Audit Commission
Presentation
What the Commission is doing to promote its learning from inspection and other activities
to improve performance…….
• Learning from Audit, Inspection and Research series – Repairs & Maintenance, Housing Benefit, Homelessness, Procurement, Round I ALMO experience, Rent Collection
• Other research – Housing after transfer • Summaries of Good Practice (November 2001, March 2003)• Guidance – eg Housing Management ‘Excellence’ (linked to
ALMO guidance)• Partnership working with professional bodies, HouseMark,
Housing Quality Network, Northern Housing Consortium, Local Government Association, etc
• The reports themselves….on CD ROM as well
