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DEVELOPMENTS IN TENANT SCRUTINY

DEVELOPMENTS IN TENANT SCRUTINY. A nne Cook, Scottish Government Nicola Thom, Paul McGregor, Janice Murray Irvine Housing Association. The legal bit. Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 tenant participation strategies rights to be consulted on key areas of service and standards of service

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DEVELOPMENTS IN TENANT SCRUTINY

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  1. DEVELOPMENTS IN TENANT SCRUTINY Anne Cook, Scottish Government Nicola Thom, Paul McGregor, Janice Murray Irvine Housing Association

  2. The legal bit Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 • tenant participation strategies • rights to be consulted on key areas of service and standards of service Housing (Scotland) Act 2010 • Scottish Social Housing Charter • Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) • Self-assessment by landlords • Annual Return on the Charter (plus Annual Report)

  3. What is Scrutiny?..… some definitions Dictionary: Critical observation or examination CIH: where customers’ priorities, views and engagement with relevant processes are at the heart of housing organisations’ framework for directing, accounting for, monitoring, accessing and modifying their own behaviour and performance

  4. Scrutiny…………… Not just Housing

  5. Aim / Purpose of the Charter • Improve quality and value of services provided • States clearly what customers can expect from landlords and what landlords should be delivering for their customers • Focus landlords on achieving outcomes that matter to their customers

  6. SHR requirements What should tenants expect? • Know what approach the landlord is taking to involve tenants in the self assessment • Have opportunities to be involved meaningfully / effectively in assessing their landlords performance & the collection of information on the ARC • Have opportunities to be part of regular and continuous performance monitoring

  7. Scrutiny and the Charter • Longstanding Scottish Government commitment to support Charter implementation through a scrutiny learning programme • Tenant Scrutiny is fairly new to Scotland and keen to support a consistent, quality approach to developing scrutiny activities in Scotland

  8. Scrutiny and the Charter • Supports service improvement by giving tenants the knowledge to understand, question and compare how well their own landlord is performing • Keen to see landlords introduce regular and systematic scrutiny arrangements as part of their overall performance monitoring systems

  9. Stepping up to Scrutiny Programme • Embedding a culture of scrutiny in organisation (including governance arrangements) • Empoweringtenants – understanding scrutiny, able to give peer support • Strengthening connections - between scrutiny, performance management, vfm

  10. Stepping up to Scrutiny Programme • Three year programme- 34 housing organisations • Programme covers tenants, staff and Board/Councillors • Three stages: • Background to scrutiny/understanding performance information • Preparation for scrutiny • Pilot scrutiny exercise • Debrief session • Flexible to suit different individual organisations

  11. What the programme includes • Links between tenant /resident participation- scrutiny and governance • Getting to grips with performance data • Supporting tenants in monitoring landlord performance • Understanding long-term trends and Value For Money • Action planning for scrutiny • Embedding scrutiny within the organisation

  12. Learning from the Programme • Need to have clearly thought out structures linking tenant participation, scrutiny and governance • Starting out on scrutiny works best where effective TP strategies are in place • Tenants involved need to be clear from the outset what is involved and be committed to undertaking scrutiny activities • Momentum needs to be maintained post-programme

  13. Progress on Scrutiny • Different stages of development and progress on tenant involvement in scrutiny • High level of commitment to delivering the Charter requirements • Some innovative approaches being taken to involve customers not previously involved in existing engagement structures

  14. Charter/Scrutiny Report Card How would you assess your progress?

  15. TURNING THE TIDEOUR JOURNEY TOWARD SCRUTINY Nicola Thom Executive Director (Operations) Paul McGregor Chair – Scrutiny Panel Janice Murray Member Scrutiny Panel Irvine Housing Association

  16. CurrentOperation • 2188 homes • £7.2 m. turnover • 60 staff (51 FTE) • Three offices Performance: Non Technical Arrears 2.23% Re-let period 13 days % Stock void 0.23%

  17. Historical Approach • Traditional methods - Newsletter - Attending local TARAs – very local responsive issues - informative only - no consultation, control or influence

  18. Then we needed them . . . • Significant proposed constitutional change • We didn’t know what mattered to communities • Sense of priorities, aspirations, social cohesion, community empowerment – above all, its their home! • Non existent baseline info for our communities • Business plan, threats/risks, business aspirations, strategic cohesion, national and local political priorities

  19. The result . . . • Public meetings in each of our 4 communities • 100+ tenants/shareholders attending

  20. The Backlash . . .

  21. Title

  22. How did we go about it? • Shareholder and community consultation • Appointment of ITA & steering group • Communications Working Group – Internal/External • “Getting to know you” events/trips

  23. Community Views “We believe this partnership will bring many benefits to our communities” (PTARA) “IHA has been very good at getting people involved in the consultation process” (FTARA) “Shareholders of IHA have a duty toward all residents within our communities to make the right decision” (DTARA)

  24. 14th July 2011“D – Day” • 93% turnout of shareholders • 92% in favour of Partnership

  25. The Legacy • This was the right thing for IHA to pursue • We have already seen extensive benefits – even beyond our expectations • We have a vibrant future where we can do the job we want to do – “support and strengthen our communities” • We have robust and productive relationships with our communities – and have not only regained their trust – but established mutualtrust and respect and agreement on our collective future

  26. Since then …. • Count Me In Panel – over 100 residents • Formation of 2 initial groups – repairs working group and editorial panel • Establishing Annual Tenants Conference and Count Me In events • Charter preparation – overview, workshops, gauging interest • Focused reporting to TARA groups – strategic and operational • Establish scrutiny structure as part of our governance review • Establish Community Involvement Team – TP, charter monitoring and scrutiny, funding, affordable warmth, employability and money advice

  27. Governance and Scrutiny Structure

  28. Quality Groups • Repairs and Maintenance Quality of Housing, Repairs service, Factoring, Aids and Adaptations etc. • Communications Participation, hard to reach groups, communication etc. • Housing Options Access to housing, homeless prevention, info and advice. • Estate Services Tenancy sustainability, ASB, rents etc.

  29. Meaningful Scrutiny • All groups underpinned by value for money and equalities. • Membership of Scrutiny Group nominated from the community TARA. • “Scrutiny experts” taken from full structure • (inspections, mystery shopping, critical friend, voice of tenants, focused on improvement) • Scrutiny Group direct, analyse, monitor work and outcomes from Scrutiny experts. • Agree remit, role and commitment required from group. • Agree membership from and relationship with Board and TARAs.

  30. Training • Internal training • Conducting meetings, administration, role of chair, equality and diversity, etc • Topic led training • For each group, allocations, repairs, maintenance legal framework and policies. • CIH “Stepping up to Scrutiny”

  31. Well received . . . ? Easy to pick up Very good trainer Well Presented Enjoyed the session 2 way learning put us in good stead for the scrutiny group Very useful info – a learning experience

  32. Results . . . ? • Final session of training being held next month • Complaints recording is inadequate • Resolved at stage 1 or 2, not outcome focused, no learning experience from complaints/compliments • Change focus from complaints to service improvement • Scrutiny exercise of repairs performance – following dip in satisfaction

  33. Is it worth the effort? • True accountability • Seeing areas of our business in a new way • Genuine pride in what we achieve – in partnership with our communities • Significant shift toward strategic vision in each of our communities – less focus on me/my repair • All staff involved in quality groups, TARAs, or conference etc – everyone’s job to put the customer first • Empowered staff and empowered communities – balance and equality • Shift from information giving toward influence and control

  34. Next Steps • Conclude training programme • Review and validate draft and final ARC • Review priorities based on ARC performance and STAR survey • Develop action plan for Scrutiny and service improvements • Finalise communication framework to ensure flow of information

  35. Thank you for your attentionComments and Discussion

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