Report 5th Birthday Our - democracy.manchester.gov.uk · 8633A-SHT_5thReport_v6__ 22/11/2012 17:31...

Your home, safe in our hands

Our5th BirthdayReport

Including theverdict fromour Tenant Jury

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Manchester City CouncilNeighbourhoods and Environment Scrutiny Committee

Appendix 4 - Item 5 8 November 2017

Item 5 - Page 81

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www.southwayhousing.co.uk

Southway is five years old already!Those of us who have been heresince the beginning in 2007 can’tbelieve how quickly the time hasgone. It has been really goodlooking back at what has beenachieved, we feel proud as anorganisation of the work we have done. I hope thatyou enjoy reading this, our 5th Birthday report.

You will find information in this report about thepromises that we made to our tenants 5 years ago.I strongly believe that we have delivered all ourpromises but I don’t want you to just take my wordfor it. You will find feedback in this report from ournew Tenant Scrutiny Panel. The Panel members haveacted as a Jury, interviewing and questioning officersand reviewing our performance reports and otherinformation. They have issued their own verdict andthey agree that YES, we have delivered the promises.They have also looked at what we could have donebetter and have put forward some ideas about ourpriorities for the next few years.

There are lots of people I would like to thank. Thankyou to all our staff who have worked hard to makesure that we can deliver high quality, cost effectiveservices. I am particularly proud that our staff havebeen able to achieve accreditation under thenationally recognised Customer Service ExcellenceAward. I would also like to thank Board members pastand present who have given their time, knowledge,experience, and energy to set Southway on the righttracks, with a clear vision and set of objectives, and tokeep us focused on the right things.

A very big thank you to all those tenants and othercustomers who take the time to tell us when we dothings well or not so well and get involved in themany meetings, groups and consultation events thatwe put in place. It is only by getting this input thatwe are able to make sure we keep improving. And,last but not least, thank you to our partners, includingManchester City Council, and all those agencies andcontractors who help us deliver services. They haveall worked with us to make sure we get more fromworking together than by doing things on our own:this is invaluable.

Finally I want to mention our tenants. Every one ofour tenants, in 2008, 2010 and 2012, has been askedto tell us what they think about the services weprovide. A summary of the results can be foundtowards the end of this report. It is great to see thatthe majority of our tenants are more satisfied withthe services they receive now than they were whenSouthway first took over. This is great news andmakes everything we have done worthwhile.

We are committed to the Southway area, to thepeople that live here and look forward to the next5 years.

Karen Mitchell, Chief Executive

organisation of the work we have done. I hope that

to tell us what they think about the services we

towards the end of this report. It is great to see thatthe majority of our tenants are more satisfied withthe services they receive now than they were when

I am very pleased to be ableto present this report to you.

I have been a Board memberfor the last 3 years and theChair for the last 2. I haveenjoyed this time immensely and have beenproud to lead the company during theseexciting times. I have seen Southway grow froma new company to one that is making a realdifference in south Manchester.

It is extremely pleasing to see the improvementsthat have been made to all Southway homesand to the services that we provide to ourcommunities.

I do come to the end of my time as the Chairof Southway on our fifth Birthday, the 26thNovember 2012. I would like to thank everyonefor their support whilst I have been Chair andwish the Board, the staff and our tenants well forthe future. I am sure that the next five years willsee many more achievements as Southwayworks towards providing excellent services andimproving the quality of life of people living inthe Southway area.

Tony Parkinson, Chair of the Board

Introduction from

Chief Executive and Chair of the Board

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Item 5 - Page 82

Our Promises to YouIn late 2007 Southway Housing Trust became the landlord for nearly 6000 homesformerly owned by Manchester City Council. In taking over these homes we madepromises about the things we would do regarding:

• Home Improvements• Rent• Service Standards• Tenant Involvement• Your Community• Governance &

Financial Viability

This document shows how we haveworked hard and with dedication tomeet those promises.

It also sets out the areas in which wefeel that we have managed to gobeyond the promises and where wehave developed and deliveredvaluable additional services.

This report also includes the verdict from our Tenant Jury on whether they feel we have delivered thepromises. The Jury also set out some of their ideas for the future.

T: 0161 448 4200

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Item 5 - Page 83

The Tenants Jury

In June this year a group of tenants worked withSouthway to establish a Scrutiny Panel.

The role of a Scrutiny Panel is to examine (scrutinise)Southway to check that services are being delivered inthe most efficient way and that Value for Money isbeing achieved.

The Panel was formed with nine tenants, 6 of whom arein the photograph above. All received training andon-going support from a consultant called YvonneDavies. The training included Data Protection andinterview skills. Panel members also signed aCode of Conduct and Confidentiality Statement.

The Panel was first asked to determine whetherSouthway had delivered on its five year promises thatwere made to tenants at the point of transfer. For thisexercise they were known as the Jury.

The Jury met on a weekly basis throughout the summerto examine evidence provided by staff about how thetransfer promises had been met. Managers were alsointerviewed by the Jury. The findings andrecommendations were then presented to the ChiefExecutive, senior managers and the Board forconsideration and action.

The Jury's 'verdict' can be found throughout thisreport and also in summary over the next few pages.

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Pages 5 to 9 have been written by the Scrutiny Panel

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Item 5 - Page 84

We are Southway’s Tenant ScrutinyPanel. We volunteered in June 2012and after training, we startedreviewing Southway’s promisesover a period of 10 weeks.

We reviewed the promises madein the Offer Document and lookedat evidence of delivery includinginterviewing staff at Southway.

The Scrutiny Panel are a diversegroup of tenants from differentareas and backgrounds whose aimis to benefit everyone who receivesa Southway service by makingsuggestions for improvement.

We looked at the promises,considered how they were deliveredand how this could be improved.We also made suggestions forimprovement in services whichwere not included in the originalpromises but which we would liketo see Southway prioritise in theyears to come.

Our next task will be to examineSouthway services in detail. We willspeak to customers and staff abouteach service, research best practiceand ensure Southway becomes thebest landlord in the country.

We would like more tenants andleaseholders to join us, if you areinterested, please contactMaureen Ward on 0161 448 4229.

Our full report can bedownloaded from theSouthway website –www.southwayhousing.co.uk –or sent to you by calling theCustomer Involvement Team on0161 448 4228/9 or by [email protected]

Over the next four pages you willsee some of our key findings, withthings that have been done well,things that could have been donebetter and ideas for the future.Also look out for our commentsthroughout the rest of this report.

Our verdict on thetransfer promises:Promise on Customer Involvement

The Panel feel this promisehas been met.

✔ Staff encourage tenants whoapproach them to get involved.Southway Stories gives usquarterly news. Local Offersallow bespoke promises to bemade across our 3 areas

✔ We would like to have seenall officers get more involved inrecruiting new tenants andleaseholders and for morediverse communities to getinvolved. We are concerned tosee so few Tenant and ResidentAssociations

✔ Our future priorities includemore opportunities forinvolvement in every serviceand for the website and socialmedia to be used more visiblyto recruit and inform customers

The Jury’s Verdict onSouthway’s Transfer Promises

5

T: 0161 448 4200

Overall we consider Southway havemet their promises.

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Item 5 - Page 85

Promise on Home Improvements

The Panel feel this promise hasbeen met. The Jury also lookedat Adaptations, though it wasnot in the transfer promise.

✔ A Home ImprovementProgramme of over £100million started on the dayof transfer and is on target tomodernise all homes by 2013,within budget. Non-traditionalhomes now have a newexternal skin and insulation,which gives them a 30 year life.Coloured tiles have improvedthe street scene

✔ We would have liked moresupervision of the contractorson site and complaints directedto Southway - not thecontractor and for Southway tobe more proactive in pickingup problems with less relianceplaced on tenant feedbackto discover what theproblems were

✔ Our future prioritiesinclude the continuedreduction of the waiting timefor adaptations to 6 months(was 18 months, now 9)

Promise on EnvironmentalImprovements & CommunalGardening

The Panel feel this promisehas been met.

✔ Southway will exceed the £10million programme promiseand will spend £11.8 million byMarch 2013. There has beenpositive tenant engagementand door knocking to ask forideas on improvements,followed by a “you said – wedid” newsletter to customersto confirm the plans

✔ We would have liked a betterexplanation of budgetavailability for each site

✔ Our future priorities includecustomer involvement inspecifying and choosing thegardening contractor in 2013;estate walkabouts by officersand customers to pick upissues of concern; a continuedprogramme for those who hadlittle or no environmentalimprovements and supportfor those who cannotmanage large gardens



6

We would have likeda better explanationof budget availabilityfor each site.

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Item 5 - Page 86

T: 0161 448 4200

Promise on ConcessionaryGardening & Decorating andMobile Cleaning

The Panel feel this promise haslargely been met.

✔ The service has continueddespite an increase in demanddue to an ageing population,which means that thequalifying criteria has changedfor new customers. The mobilecleaning service can collectfurniture and recycle itfor other tenants

✔ We would like to have seenthe criteria for concessionaryservices extended to othervulnerable people and areconcerned that there is awaiting list for decoratingservices

✔ Our future priorities include asignposting service for thosewho do not qualify, theconsideration of a small chargefor the service to see thebudget go further and surveysto test tenant satisfaction

Promise on Anti-Social Behaviour,Tenancy Rights, Managementand Lettings

The Jury feel this promise haslargely been met.

✔ A city wide lettings policywas adopted

✔ Southway is paying acontribution for tenants to joina national mutual exchangeregister and will help tenantsto move to a smaller home

✔ Reported anti-social behaviour(ASB) problems are subject to arisk assessment to prioritisethem. They are assigned to anamed officer and Southwaynow have their own legal team

✔ We would have liked Southwayto seek more formal supportfrom other agencies to helpwith managing behaviour, forexample: those with enduringmental health problems.We are concerned that thoseexperiencing low levelnuisance might feel theirproblem is not a priority

✔ Our future priorities includefurther enforcing the zerotolerance policy on drugs andvandalism and training tenantsto buddy other tenants whoare experiencing nuisance

✔ Acquiring more local homesand forming a partnershipwith the private rented sectorto reduce the waiting list

Promise on Repairs& Appointments

The Jury feel this promise hasgenerally been met.

✔ Southway is delivering its ownrepairs service, making a savingof 20% on the contract andensuring better control ofworks. 86% of tenants aresatisfied with the repairs service

✔ We would have liked alltenants to have been askedfor feedback on completedrepairs and for more jobs to be“right first time”. The repairspromise which accounts foraround 75% of routinerepairs is faster (15 to 10 days),but we feel moving the majorrepair timescale from 30 to 45days is too long to wait

✔ Our future priorities include anew handyperson service,which would offer a paid servicefor small jobs for customers andthe development of a plannedmaintenance programme toensure homes remain in goodcondition

Promise on Concessionary Promise on Anti-Social Behaviour,

✔

Promise on Repairs & Appointments

The Jury feel this promise hasgenerally been met.

✔

Our future priorities

include further

enforcing the zero

tolerance policy on

drugs and vandalism.

7

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Item 5 - Page 87

Promise on Rents,Rent Arrears & Charges

The Jury feel this promisehas been met.

✔ Southway has employed a newteam to support tenants withwelfare and money advice andprovides support through theS-Line. Southway will providefurniture through recyclingrather than charging for newfurniture in the rent

✔ We would have liked theSouthway Insurance Schemeto match Manchester CityCouncil’s

✔ Our future priorities includegiving more time for a newtenant to take up their newtenancy, which would notplace them in the position ofhaving to pay rent on 2 homes

✔ Calls are answered faster,advice has improved, staff donot use a script and do treattenants as individuals and callsare targeted for one callresolution

✔ We would have likedmore tenant involvement insetting survey questions; andfor contractors’ policies onEqualities to be monitoredmore rigorously

✔ Our future priorities includeoffering brief, jargon freeinformation that meets theneeds of a varied and diversereadership. Tenants having abuddy of their choice at allstages in the complaintsprocess, and tenantinvolvement in thedevelopment of social mediaand the website which needsto be easier to navigate



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Promise on Customer Service, Contact Centre,Complaints and the Website

The Jury feel this promise has been met. The Jury also looked atEqualities, though this was not in the transfer promise.

Our priorities include a

new handyperson

service, which would

offer a paid service for

small jobs for customers.

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Item 5 - Page 88

Promises on Regeneration,Donations & Community Benefits

The Jury feel this promisehas been met.

✔ In 2012 alone Southwaycreated 20 opportunities foryoung people from our estatesas part of environmental works.There are plans to have fourmore apprenticeships and 18training opportunities in thenew Grounds Maintenancecontract

✔ We are positive about theopening of the WestcroftCentre and Southway aresupporting two other centres,to ensure tenants haveopportunities to accessemployment, training andvolunteering advice

✔ We would have liked amore robust agreement withcontractors on local labour,training and employmentprospects

✔ We are pleased to see thedevelopment of an Internetroom for tenant use in AspenHouse, and would like to seethis move faster

✔ Our future priorities includeworking with local employersto secure local jobs and workexperience; more links withlocal community organisationsand support for small localbusinesses to win contracts

✔ We would like Southwayto specify what is meant byregeneration, which isconfusing and can lead tofalse hope

T: 0161 448 4200

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Before:Arrowfield Road Flats

After:Arrowfield Road Flats

We look forward toSouthway’s continuedtransparency as wecontinue with deeperscrutiny in 2013.

We thank Southway for

their time, documents

and the enthusiasm of

officers in supporting us

through this analysis.

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Item 5 - Page 89

Southway Housing Trust gaveyou the following promise:

• £107 million investmentprogramme starting on ourlaunch date with a further£10 million being spent onenvironmental improvements

• New high quality and securePVCu double glazed windowsfor all homes in the area andnew front and back doors forall homes that need them

• Contractors will be carefullychosen with tenants beingfully involved in the process

• Increased energy efficiencythrough loft and cavity wallinsulation for those homesthat need it

• Additional work will be doneto the homes that are of non-traditional construction

We met this promisein the following ways:

We have completed an amazingtotal of almost 12,000 internal andexternal improvements to yourhomes. This means:

• 4000 new kitchens

• 5000 bathrooms

• 5500 homes havenew windows

• 9500 new front andback doors

• 4600 boilers

• 1600 rewires

• 830 homes externallyinsulated

Many of our tenants live in homeswhich are not built of brick, butare of Diatomite and Coroliteconstruction.

To make these warmer, watertightand more economical to run weinsulated the outside of them andcarried out structural repairs.

We’ve also made neighbourhoodslook much better, using a mixtureof brick, tile and render finishesto the Diatomite homes andtopping the homes with smartnew slate roofs.

To give them an updated look theCorolite homes have beenrendered and finished in attractivepastel colours.

We promised to spend a huge£10 million on environmentalimprovements within our first fiveyears but have gone even furtherthan this - the investment nowtops a staggering £11m.

We talked with tenants aboutwhat projects they wantedcompleting - such as creatingmore parking in narrow roads –to make sure priorities for the workwere set by them. We make surewe provide good value for moneyand work done is absolute topquality.


Our Birthday Report

Home Improvement Promise

Additional work will be done to the homes that are of non-traditional construction

10

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Item 5 - Page 90

Southwaycreated a HomeImprovement

Programme ServiceImprovement Group (HIPSIG) which includedcustomers and contractors.

This group supported thedelivery of the £100millionplus Home ImprovementProgramme and the£11million EnvironmentalProgramme. Tenants tookpart in contractor selectionand helped choosematerials.

10% of work was postinspected. Those tenantswho had made complaints tocontractor staff did not alwaysfind these had been sharedwith Southway. This led tounknown dissatisfaction.

Customers should reportproblems to Southway staffin future programmes, thiswould improve satisfactionand the quality of work.

The Jury Says

”Other achievements overthe last five years:

We said we would refurbishproperties to a level higher thanthe Decent Homes Standard set bythe Government and that’s exactlywhat we’ve done! Now we’reaiming even higher with ourSouthway Housing Trust HomesStandard 2012 – 2014. We hope allour properties will meet this topquality level by the end of this year.

Our promise was to spend£107 million on your homeimprovements. We’re on targetto do even better than thisbecause by reinvesting savingswe are doing even more work forthe same money.

We exceeded the Decent HomesStandard by offering you:

• Replacement of all kitchensand bathrooms

• PVCu double glazed windows

• New secure front andback doors

• Energy efficiencyawareness advice

We installed PVCu double glazingand modern front and back doorsin a choice of attractive styles.

Kitchens over five years old werereplaced and tenants couldchoose the units, tiling, decorationand flooring they wanted.

Stylish new bathroom suites withover-bath showers, moderntiling, flooring and decorationwere put in and downstairs toiletsgot a makeover, with them andthe wash hand basins replaced.In over 1,000 homes, we fittedupstairs toilets where there hadn'tbeen one before.

T: 0161 448 4200

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“

Kitchens over five years old were

choose the units, tiling, decoration

Stylish new bathroom suites with

tiling, flooring and decorationwere put in and downstairs toiletsgot a makeover, with them andthe wash hand basins replaced. In over 1,000 homes, we fittedupstairs toilets where there hadn't

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87%satisfactionwith overall

qualityof property

Other achievements over

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Item 5 - Page 91

Homes were rewired and securitylights fitted. If electrical workmeant redecoration was needed,vouchers to pay for it were offeredto tenants.

We upgraded heating systems andover 2,000 boilers were replaced,making them even cheaper to run.British Gas installed loft and cavitywall insulation at 4,600 homes andprovided Welfare Benefits adviceto tenants.

Homes on the Ainsford andMinehead estates and non-traditional homes in Old Moat andBurnage have a much betteroutlook after we improved theirdrives and frontages.

Six ‘difficult to let’ flats at theArrowfield estate weretransformed into two wonderfullywelcoming four-bed family homes.

Poor quality rear balconies to flatsat Arrowfield Road were replaced.

Staircases to flats at ArrowfieldRoad are being improved withmuch better access and a highlevel of security.

Plastering improvements arebeing offered to Diatomite homes.

Work has now started on poorerquality kitchens requiringimprovement work in homespreviously excluded from thepromises because the kitchenswere less than five years old.

Smart and secure new rearfencing is being put in at a rangeof locations.

Equipment and Adaptations havebeen provided for tenants whoneed them.

We are delighted to say that wehave met our 94% satisfactiontarget for internal work.Contractors are working reallyhard each month to meet theexternal work target of 97%.They’ve not always made it buttheir dedication and our remindersmean they will get there!

With the valuable help of tenantswe keep a close eye on work inprogress. Every six weeks tenantrepresentatives, Southway staffand contractors meet to discussthe improvement work. Inaddition, tenants carry out regularchecks and report back.

We know that having work donecan turn homes upside down sowe’ve worked really hard tominimise disruption.

As you can see there’s plenty tocelebrate and we make sure that’swhat we do, with tenants ofcourse! Achievements quite rightlyare celebrated together.


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Home Improvement Promise

We are delighted to say

that we have met our

94% satisfaction target

for internal work.

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Item 5 - Page 92

Kitchen Worktops - if we laid all the kitchenworktops we have fitted end to end they wouldstretch the length of the Mancunian Way 5 times

Wall Tiles - we have fittedenough wall tiles to cover theLondon 2012 Olympicswimming pool 12 times

Baths - If we stacked up allthe baths we have fittedstanding on end they wouldbe as tall as the height of25 Eiffel Towers. Ooh la la!!

Bricks - we have used enough bricks rebuildingchimneys to build 15 new houses

Glass - we have used enough glass in oursparkling new windows to cover WimbledonCentre Court 204 times

Cladding, roof tiles and flooring - If weplaced these side by side we would have fittedenough roof tiles to cover the pitch at WembleyStadium 5 times, the cladding would cover thepitch 10 times and our flooring would cover thepitch 2.5 times. A winning score surely!

Boilers - If we placed all the boilers we havefitted side by side they would stretch the lengthof 35 Jumbo Jets

T: 0161 448 4200

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x25

x35

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Item 5 - Page 93


• There would be no rentincrease with Southway untilthe first April after the date oftransfer and rent increaseswould happen only once a year

• You would continue to havetwo ‘rent free’ weeks every year


There was no rent increase untilthe first April after transfer –exactly what we said.

We have stuck to our word andtenants have only had to face onerent increase a year since transfer.

Tenants still enjoy two rent freeweeks every year.

Other achievements overthe last five years:

Totally fair – all our propertiesare at target rent because wefollowed the Government’s ‘targetrent’ formula.

New ways to pay – we’ve alwaysoffered lots of ways to pay rentand in October 2009 we addeddirect debits and paying usingyour mobile phone to make iteven easier for tenants.

We’re on your doorstep if youneed us - tenants can phone theirincome officer, make anappointment to come and seesomeone, or ask for a home visit.

We’re proud to be able to offer aservice which recognises thatmany of our tenants work and sowe now work more flexible hoursto help stay in contact with thosewho aren’t in during the day.

In 2010 we started using texts tomake it easier to contact tenantswhen they missed a payment orhad problems with their HousingBenefit.

Since February 2010, every one ofour tenants has been able to takeadvantage of our really helpfulwelfare rights service.

In addition to the debt advicewhich we've offered since transferand money management advice

we've offered since 2009, fromApril this year, we have alsofunded a dedicated SouthwayCitizens Advice Bureau officer viaS-Line, to offer debt and welfarerights advice. Double the support!

Between June 2011 and March2012 more than £170,000 hadbeen secured for Southwayresidents by our Welfare RightsOfficer. That’s one HUGE amountof money.

We know that Welfare Reform islikely to make a big difference toworking age tenants in receipt ofBenefits. We have over 1240tenants who will lose someHousing Benefit from April 2013,because the Government will nolonger pay for any 'spare rooms'.We are working really hard tocontact all tenants who areaffected, to discuss with themwhat their options are and whathelp and support we can offer.

Vital contents insurance is on offerto Southway tenants, via MyHome Insurance – more details onthis affordable option areavailable by calling Connect orvisiting ourwebsite.

14


Our Birthday Report

Rent Promise

Further details about WelfareReform can be accessed on ourwebsite or by ringing Connect0161 448 4200.

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Item 5 - Page 94

T: 0161 448 4200

15

”

Financialinclusion workat Southway

enables tenants tounderstand budgeting andget advice on a range ofBenefits they might beentitled to, through theemployment of 4 extra staffat Southway.

When Southway first started,they were told in a surveythat they were soft onarrears, so they adopted afirmer position, which mayhave gone too far.

If there is more customerinvolvement in messages totenants in arrears and thosewho have changes to theirBenefit, this might lead toclearer, more supportiveaction to help tenants,without the need for aconfrontational approach.

The Jury Says

“

Our performance = 99.8(upper quartile 7/35)

Using Housemark data – comparing our performance with 34 other NorthWest Large Scale Voluntary Transfers (NWLSVT) - shows the following results

15

81%satisfaction withvalue for money

for rent

Rent collected fromtenants as % of

rent due (excludingarrears due)

Our performance = 99.8 (upper quartile 7/35)

Upper 99.8

Median 99.0

Lower 98.4

We collected 99.8% of rent due in 2011/12placing us 7th out of 35 amongst the NWLSVT

Southway

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Item 5 - Page 95



• To have a local office in thearea to provide services totenants in the area and thewider community

• To make contact by telephoneduring office opening hours

• To offer appointments to seestaff at the office or in yourown home

• To provide a range of onlineservices through the Southwaywebsite

• To provide an emergencyrepairs service at nightand weekends

• Southway would have properlytrained staff

• By consulting local people,Southway would agree a set ofservice standards through theBoard and would also be in linewith regulatory requirements

• The standards would bepublished, and used as abenchmark against whichperformance can be measured

• Each year, Southway wouldprovide all tenants with areport on how well it isdoing in meeting keyperformance targets

• Southway would have a clearcomplaints procedure, andwould investigate allcomplaints

• Southway would set up aconvenient system ofappointments for most repairs,offering 4 appointment slotsevery weekday. Appointmentswould be available up to 5pmon a weekday


We have an office in the local area,based in Didsbury which acts asa hub for our operations andprovides a range of directservices to tenants.

We know how important repairsare to our customers and sincetransfer we have put a lot of timeand effort into improving andmodernising this area of our work.

To make sure we deal with repairsrequests in the best possibleway we have target times forresponding. All requests are givenone of four priorities:

Repair ResponsePriority Timescale

Emergency 3 hours

Urgent 1-5 days(depending onthe nature ofthe repair)

Routine 10 days

Major up to 45 days

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Our Birthday Report

Service Standards Promise

We received theCustomer ServiceExcellence awardearlier this year.

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We offer five appointment timesevery working day, the additionalone being a late afternoon slot upto 6pm to help those who work.To further help those with jobsand as a result of what tenantstold us we now offer Saturdaymorning repair appointments.

We conduct regular repairssatisfaction surveys to make surewe continue to develop a servicethat operates in ways that bestsuit you.

We have developed a threeyear Board approved businessplan for the repairs service whichsets out financial and operationalperformance targets.

We employ a top team - allpermanent Southway operativeshave been externally skills testedto NVQ Level 2 and they all holdcurrent Construction SkillsCertification Cards.

Other achievements overthe last 5 years:

We have replaced our ageingvehicles with a modern, efficientand more environmentallysound fleet.

As requested by customers, we arenow sending text reminders theday before repair appointments –this has significantly reduced thenumber of ‘no access’ visits.

We’re well equipped! We havemodernised our supply ofmaterials to make sure that ouroperatives have all the equipmentthey need to complete as manyrepairs as possible in one visit.The staff use the latest hand-heldtechnology to receive detailed,accurate repairs requests quickly.

We have recruited four localapprentices to the repairs team.

We have launched a sophisticatedrepairs management systemwhich means we are providing amore flexible service with greatercontrol and easier and moreaccurate reporting. It also fullyintegrates with our housingmanagement system.

With so many positive stepsand investment in equipment itis no surprise that our repairsperformance since transfer hassteadily improved.

T: 0161 448 4200

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*This compares Southway’s performance against 16 other North West RSL’s of a similar size (2,550-10,000 properties)

REPAIRS PERFORMANCE INDICATOR 2008/09 Current(Aug 2012)

HousemarkUpper

Quartile11/12 Qtr 4 *

Percentage of emergency repairs done on time

Percentage of urgent repairs on time

Percentage of routine repairs on time

Percentage of repair appointments made and kept

Repairs completed first time

Customer satisfaction with repairs

99.2% 100% Top (100.0%)

98.1% 100% Top (99.6%)

93.3% 100% Top (99.2%)

97.3% 100% Top (99.4%)

80.5% 89.2% Bottom (97.5%)

85.3% 96.2% Top (94.7%)

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Item 5 - Page 97


Service Standards Promise

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NATIONAL TELEPHONE SERVICEBENCHMARKING STANDARDS

Poor Average Excellent

SOUTHWAYCONNECT

Average Speedof Answer 38 seconds 24 seconds 17 seconds 16 seconds

Calls Abandoned 10% 6% 4% 2%

CustomerSatisfaction 87% 90% 95% 95%

Complaints 9% 5% 2% 0.7%

For any organisation to achieve a ‘Compliance Plus’during a Customer Service Excellence assessment is agreat achievement. For Southway Housing to haveachieved six shows the extent of the innovations they

have put in place to support their tenants. It is also a major signof a good organisation to work for, when several of thecompliance plus areas were for the development andempowerment of staff to evolve the customer service. Welldone Southway Housing, may there be more in the future.

Amanda Whitehouse, Centre for Assessment CSE Manager

“”

Other achievements:

We developed the customercharter, a simple one pagedocument which makes itclear to our customers andstaff exactly what ourstandards are.

One of the most significantimprovements that we have madeover the last five years was tomove our contact centre in-house.

Southway Connect went ‘live’ in2009 and based on the feedbackreceived from our customers theservice has improved considerablyas a result of this transfer.

have put in place to support their tenants. It is also a major signof a good organisation to work for, when several of thecompliance plus areas were for the development andempowerment of staff to evolve the customer service. Welldone Southway Housing, may there be more in the future.

Amanda Whitehouse,

“Other achievements:

Recent benchmarking

shows us that satisfaction

levels are extremely high,

complaints very low and

our ‘speed of answer’

is one of the fastest in

the sector.

Other achievements:

We developed the customercharter, a simple one pagedocument which makes itclear to our customers andstaff exactly what ourstandards are.

Other achievements:We were commendedon our approach tousing customer feedbackwhich means that weactually listen to whatour customers want.

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Item 5 - Page 98


• Southway would act quicklyand firmly where neighbournuisance or anti-socialbehaviour was reported,providing support to alltenants who are victims ofthis behaviour

• Southway would develop alettings policy for the SouthManchester area

• Southway would continue theCity Council’s policy of helpingelderly and disabled tenantswith both gardening andsome internal decoration.Southway would review thearrangements andperformance standards forthis service

• When homes transferredto the Trust in November2007, we gave a commitmentto maintain all existingtenancy rights

• Southway would workwith tenants to review thearrangements andperformance standards forgrassed and communal areas


In partnership with tenants, wehave developed a set of servicestandards that clearly explain theway we will deal with complaintsabout anti-social behaviour.

We’ve improved the quality of thework our contractors do for usand we regularly ask our tenants

for feedback. We are absolutelydelighted you have told us thatyou think we’re doing a good job:

For the second time we are aboutto re-tender our groundsmaintenance service. Once againwe will be inviting tenants to takepart in the selection process, tomake sure we get the rightcontractor for you.

We’ve been boosting the regulargrounds maintenance work withClean and Green events and bysupporting community-ledenvironmental projects. We’venow completed a total of 27separate Clean and Green eventsacross the Southway area. Thishas included litter picking,clearing derelict land, pruningprivet hedging and skip days fortenants to get rid of unwanteditems, all of which help make thearea look much better.

We have increased both ourmuch-loved concessionarygardening and decoratingservices for older tenants andpeople with disability who qualifyfor this help (criteria applies). Lastyear, we provided literallyhundreds of tenants with helpwith their gardening – at over 420the highest number ever.

T: 0161 448 4200

19

Service Standards PromiseManagement Issues

for feedback. We are absolutely

you think we’re doing a good job:

We’ve improved the quality of the

2010/11 96% satisfaction


Customer satisfactionwith quality of workYear

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Item 5 - Page 99

All former Manchester CityCouncil tenants have been offeredthe opportunity to sign a newSouthway tenancy agreementwhich clearly sets out their rightsand responsibilities and maintainstheir rights previously held withthe Council.


We have been able to improveaccess to our services byintroducing improved mobileworking practices since 2010. Allour Neighbourhood Officers canlog onto our systems from mobiledevices, removing the need fortenants to come into Southway’soffices.

All of our main policies have beenreviewed, including Southway’sAnti-Social Behaviour policy andour Allocations policy, both ofwhich have received tenantapproval from our Residents’Consultative Group.

We have significantly improvedthe speed with which we letempty properties:

Comparing ourselves to the topperformers in the region whoaveraged 28 days to turn aproperty around for re-letting,we are doing extremely well.

This has led to people gettingre-housed more quickly and hassaved money.

We regularly ask our tenants whatthey think of our services andsatisfaction levels are high.Looking at the way we deal withanti-social behaviour, for example:

We have made very positive stepsin improving the way our tenantsthink we deal with nuisanceneighbours.

We introduced tenancy audits inJuly 2011, making sure we meetwith all of our tenants periodicallyto ensure they can maintain theirtenancy in accordance with theirtenancy agreement.

This has been successful inidentifying a number of tenantswho have needed support to helpthem maintain their tenancies.

In April 2011, we launched our LocalOffers, these are local promisesabout things that Southway will bedoing in your area.

We’ve delivered the first set ofpromises, with 45 of the 54promises we made successfullycompleted within the first year.

Now onto the second year of LocalOffers, we have a new set ofpromises to deliver against.

These are monitored at regularmeetings attended by localresidents.

Part of the Local Offer includesSouthway’s Neighbourhood ForumFund. This provides welcomefunding for local individuals ororganisations who are making avaluable difference in their area(criteria applies).

20




Customersatisfaction with

ASB servicesYear

2008/09 64 days

2009/10 42 days

2010/11 24 days

2011/12 21 days

Days taken to letpropertiesYear

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Item 5 - Page 100

T: 0161 448 4200

21

”

We would really like to see Southway staff more visibleon estates, knocking on doors and being proactive inspreading the word about the services we heard about

(some for the first time) during this scrutiny. We would also like tosee a website which is fully populated with the support whichSouthway offers with a friendly and more modern style.

Southway check new tenants for a history of arrears and nuisanceand ask for 2 references. They then allocate a tenancy for a shortperiod with less tenancy rights until the tenant has proved they area good tenant. Southway invest over £200,000 into services relatedto anti-social behaviour (ASB) each year.

Southway cannot always be as successful as they might like to be,as customers are often afraid to give evidence against fellowtenants. If Southway trained tenants as ASB champions, thosetenants could then help other tenants who are frustrated andcannot always articulate their problems to Southway. This wouldensure actions can be taken using all tools open to Southway (likeprofessional witnesses and Community Impact Statements) toincrease customer satisfaction.

The Jury Says

“

21

86%satisfaction

withoverall service

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Item 5 - Page 101

Southway Housing Trust gaveyou the following promises:

• As a minimum Southwaywould adopt the City Council’scity wide Tenant Compact(agreement)

• The Tenant Compactwould set out Southway’scommitment to consultingand involving tenants

• Southway would develop newstructures to enable tenantsand residents to monitorlocal services

• Tenants would be able toget involved at levels that bestsuit them

• Southway would continue tosupport existing tenants’ andresidents’ groups and wouldencourage and support theformation of new groups

• Southway would carry out arange of customer satisfactionsurveys in partnership withtenants on a regular basis, tomake sure that the housingservice is meeting needs.It would act on the results ofthese surveys to improve anddevelop services

We met these promisesin the following ways:

At first we adopted the CityCouncil’s agreement on tenantinvolvement, but straightafter Southway went live,the commitment to customerinvolvement was reviewed anda new Policy and Strategy wereproduced, with tenants involved insetting our priorities. New ways toget involved were set up as a result.

We developed exciting newinvolvement opportunitieswhich included three ServiceImprovement Groups (SIGs) andMystery Shopping.

We produced a leaflet explainingways to get involved.

The Steering Group which was setup by the Council to oversee thestock transfer reviewed its roleand became the Residents’Consultative Group (RCG).

The RCG group meets every sixweeks and monitors performanceand comments on policies. TheSIGs do this too so there’s adouble check.

We support tenant groups reallywell and we worked hard to set upnew ones. Since reviewing ourpriorities last year we have beenputting more emphasis onworking with existing localcommunity groups.

Southway has recentlycommissioned a STAR (Survey ofTenants And Residents) whichreplaces the STATUS Survey. TheSTATUS Survey was carried out in2008 and 2010. The results fromeach year are compared to help usto concentrate on areas where theresults suggest we need to doeven better. See page 26 for thelatest results.

Tenant satisfaction information isalso collected by individualservices, such as repairs, and isreported and discussed at SIGsmeetings.


22

Our Birthday Report

The Tenant Involvement &Empowerment Promise

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Item 5 - Page 102


We’ve organised a successfulResidents’ Conference every yearsince March 2008.

We launched our own GardeningCompetition in 2010 and now runone every year.

A number of quick and easyenvironmental improvementswere made, thanks to the well-attended consultation event thatwe organised.

A Young People’s InvolvementOfficer has been employed andwe’ve identified a group of youngpeople from our area to benefitfrom apprenticeships with ourcontractors. Young people havealso been involved in communityevents like clean up days andhave set up their own forum.

Big changes have been madeto how we work with you -we’re now joining up with thecommunity groups you alreadygo to and holding joint eventswith them.

More news – we’ve increasedthe number of tenants’newsletters from three tofour a year.

We’ve appointed the ‘TenantsJury’- their main findingsare included in this, ourbirthday report.

T: 0161 448 4200

23

The Jury SaysSouthwayemployed a YoungPeople’s Involvement

Officer in 2010. The role wasto set up a Youth Forum andprovide activities for youthsand to support youngapprenticeships. Onepartnership with ManchesterUnited Foundation (MUF) hasallowed young people tostudy Manchester United, aswell as take part in sport andrecreational activities.

The involvement team consistsof 3 staff in total, who alsoproduce the newsletter to6000 households. We wouldlike to increase involvementin every service whichSouthway delivers.

If some of the administrativetasks were removed, theinvolvement team could getout onto estates to promoteinvolvement. They would beable to spread the word onhow empowerment ofcustomers has changedservices. Other estate basedstaff could also help toprioritise this.

“

”

23

prioritise this. ”74%

satisfaction withopportunities toget involved in

decision making

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Item 5 - Page 103

Southway Housing Trust gaveyou the following promises:

• We would work in partnershipwith tenants and localcommunity organisations

• We would have a website withregularly updated information

• We would work with localpeople to develop aprogramme of environmentalimprovements

• We would develop local joband training opportunities

• We would use theimprovement programme toprovide employment andtraining opportunities for localpeople, for example throughagreements with contractors

• We would provide training fortenants and residents whowanted to be more involved inSouthway, to help themdevelop tenant participationskills and confidence

• Southway would developclose links with local schools inSouth Manchester and developa range of projects that wouldbenefit young people

We met these promisesin the following ways:

We consulted tenants about theenvironmental programme. We areable to provide additional moneyfor the programme to help providemore of what was wanted.

Training was provided to TenantBoard members and training forinvolved tenants as requested.

Southway’s Young People’sInvolvement Officer has builtstrong and important links withsome schools.

More than 100 local people willhave gained NVQ 2 and 3qualifications in trade andconstruction services by Marchnext year thanks to one of ourvaluable initiatives focused ontraining and employment. Withthe help of our contractors we’veused our Home Improvement

Programme to achieve thissignificant result.

We set up and maintained themuch-needed WestcroftCommunity Project in Burnage.Important organisations such asManchester City Council,Manchester Adult EducationService, Work Solutions, CitizensAdvice Bureau, National CareersService and local communitygroups are all using it, so peoplein the area have a variety ofsupport, advice and leisureactivities on their doorstep.

Quality is where emphasis hasbeen placed when we haveselected contractors’ servicesand materials.

We exceeded theDecent Homes Standard.

We are very aware of the pressuresthe economic downturn andchanges to the benefits system aremaking, so we provided financialand debt advice and brought inexpert agencies to provide a rangeof new services.

Our website was relaunched in2010 with a new look and feel andmore up to date information.

And we have made lots of otherachievements over the lastfive years:

Our Community Benefitprogramme has helped over170 exciting initiatives whichhave been supported by ourcontractors, ranging fromfunding contributions and kitchenrefurbishments for communityhalls to participation in showsand open days.

24


Our Birthday Report

Your Community Promise

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Item 5 - Page 104

In its first year WestcroftCommunity Project helped 2,929people – that works out at morethan eight every day of the year!Its services include advice aboutjobs and training and supportwith finance and debt.

These much appreciated servicesare being rolled out to two morecentres being supported bySouthway, one in Old Moat andone in Chorlton Park.

Adding to our efforts to helppeople into work, we offerWestcroft to Job Centre Plusand other agencies to runemployment schemes.

In addition to the employmentcreated by the HomeImprovement Programme,we have provided fourapprenticeships in ourProperty Services Team.

We have provided valuable workexperience opportunities for awide range of people, includingpupils, ex-offenders, maturepeople and college learners.

We work with the City Council torun an IT suite for 12 learnersat a time.

Over the last five years wehave continually developed

and maintained healthypartnerships with other agenciesand organisations and involvedlocal people in our plans anddecisions about the area.

We’re proud to say that donationstotalling an amazing £48,446 andover 1,396 worth of staff hourshave been volunteered to localgood causes.

We have established a forward-thinking ‘Futures Team’ whichincludes specialist staff to supportlocal organisations and particularsections of the community.

These staff include:

• A Funding Officer to supportlocal groups with identifyingand submitting funding bids.Barlow Moor CommunityAssociation (BMCA),Community Minded andChorlton Central Church allhave been helped

• An Older Person’s ProjectOfficer to help make the areamore age friendly by leadingon the delivery of our AgeFriendly Strategy

• A Sustainability Officer toimprove the energy efficiencyof our homes and the way wework. Support is given totenants to help them to reducefuel bills. Projects currentlyunderway include the supplyof over 700 energy monitorsand efficiency improvementsto the Westcroft RoadCommunity Centre

A key role of the Futures Team willbe to increase the number andrange of affordable homes in thearea. The first properties are nowacquired - 19 older persons flatsat Holland Court in Chorlton andfour individual properties. Theaim is to acquire around 20 moreproperties by March 2013.

In addition, a wonderful newcommunity centre in BarlowMoor is being provided aspart of a scheme of 13 newaffordable flats.

T: 0161 448 4200

25

”

The WestcroftCentre and2 Centres at

Chorlton Park and Old Moatare supported by Southwayand help customers accessresources and signpostingfor employment, training andvolunteering and have targetsto advise 200 tenants andhelp 30 tenants achieveemployment.

Not everyone knows aboutthe services available atthe Centres. Southwayneed to ensure more robustagreements with theircontractors to turn workexperiences into jobs.

Southway should share moreinformation about thepurpose of the centres locally.

Placements with contractorsshould have beenemphasised on a more locallevel, as this would haveensured that the investmentbenefitted Southwaycustomers.

The Jury Says

“

25

82%satisfactionwith areaas a place

to live

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Item 5 - Page 105

Earlier this year Southwaycommissioned a tenant satisfactionsurvey. It was the third tenantsatisfaction survey of its kind thatwe have done, with earlier onescompleted in 2010 and 2008.

The survey, called STAR, includedquestions on satisfaction withkey areas of services such asrepairs, staff contact, dealingwith anti-social behaviour,communication and consultationas well as collecting basic profilinginformation.

A census approach was usedso all 5,834 Southway householdswere invited to take part inthe research.

A total of 1,158 householdscompleted the questionnaire.The data accuracy of ±2.6% forthe overall results means we canconfidently use the findings.

There has been a continuousincrease in the proportion oftenants who say that they arevery satisfied with the key areasof service.

The 2012 survey findings confirmthat the services provided bySouthway meet the needs ofthe majority of tenants. The fullsurvey can be accessed on ourwebsite.

The survey, called STAR, includedquestions on satisfaction with key areas of services such asrepairs, staff contact, dealing with anti-social behaviour,communication and consultationas well as collecting basic profilinginformation.

confidently use the findings.Southway meet the needs of the majority of tenants. The fullsurvey can be accessed on ourwebsite.


26

93.1%

89%

96%74%85%

say they were treated withrespect and sensitivity when theylast contacted Southway

say that staff were helpful when theylast contacted Southway

say that literature and correspondenceprovided by Southway was clearand easy to understand

say they are satisfied with opportunitiesto get involved with decision making

say the website is easy to use

Atotal

of 1,158householdscompletedthe survey

Our Birthday Report

What do our Tenants Think?

Star Survey

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Item 5 - Page 106

Key Survey Results

Overall service

Overall satisfaction with area as a place to live

Satisfaction with overall quality of property

Overall satisfaction with repairs service

Satisfaction with general condition of property

Satisfaction with value for money for rent

Satisfaction that Southway listens to tenants’views and act upon them

Rating Southway as good at keeping tenants informed

% Respondents expressing satisfaction (verysatisfied/ fairly satisfied combined)/rating asgood (very good/fairly good combined)

2012 2010 2008

86% 85% 79%

82% 80% 78%

87% 84% 70%

85% 85% 79%

83% 79% 65%

81% 78% 75%

75% 72% 72%

86% 84% 79%

Better each year

Wherever possible comparisonsbetween previous surveys and the2012 results have been made.

It is encouraging to report furtherimprovements in tenants’satisfaction with key service areas,when compared to the 2010 and2008 surveys.

T: 0161 448 4200

27

Year on Year Comparison: Overall satisfaction (very satisfied/fairly satisfied combined) with key areas

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Item 5 - Page 107

28


We are pleasedto see tenantson the Southway

Board and involved in thepolicies, strategies and theway the money is spent as acustomer voice.

We have concerns aboutthe turnover of tenants onthe Board.

If Southway could do moreactive, open recruitment andexplain the role in a clearerway and provide support forTenant Board Members toair their issues, we feel theymay stay longer.

The Jury Says

“

Our PromiseSouthway said that they would berun by a voluntary managementboard made up of tenants,independent people andManchester City Council nominees.

Our Board is madeup of 12 members with a range ofskills. Four are tenants, four areindependent with specialist skillsand knowledge and four arenominated from the Council. Theywork with our Chief Executive andDirectors to manage our financeand set our strategic direction, aimsand objectives.

The Board is crucial in ensuringthat we deliver our promises.

From the outset we said that therewould be local people makingdecisions and so our four tenantBoard Members are chosen by othertenants and share the decisionmaking responsibilities with otherBoard members.

We also said that performancewould be measured and the resultsmonitored and published.

This is done by the Board and ourResidents’Consultative Group andwe have now established a ScrutinyPanel made up of tenants who willexamine our performance in evengreater detail.

ManagementFrameworkDuring the last five years we havegone above and beyond thepromises we made at our launch -delivering large scale investmentin homes and improving the wayour properties are managed andmaintained - all for less moneythan originally planned.

We expect to borrow a maximumof £80m which is £10m less thananticipated. Our businessplan now includes an additional£5m to be spent on developingand buying properties. This hasbeen made possible byconsiderable savings andefficiencies.

We have received a good reportfrom our external auditors eachyear, outlining our financial positionas satisfactory. This has beenconfirmed by our regulator, theHomes and Communities Agency.

In the financial year to March 2012we made a surplus of £3.9m.Everyone benefits from surplusesas they are reinvested into homes,improving services to tenantsand the wider community.

Managing our performance

We have a strong system in placefor checking our performance.Key statistics are reportedmonthly to our directors andquarterly to our Board.

Our achievements are measuredagainst the targets set for eacharea of the business and theresults, which include tenants’satisfaction levels, are published

on our website. Our performanceand costs are compared to othersimilar landlords to see whetherwe provide value for money.

”

Our Birthday Report

Governance, Financial Viability & Performance

To access the full accounts goto our website or ring Connecton 0161 448 4200.

Manchester City Council nominees.

Our Board is madeOur Board is madeup of 12 members with a range of

than originally planned.

We expect to borrow a maximumof £80m which is £10m less thananticipated. Our business

Our Board is made

Board members playan important role inensuring that Southwayis well managed andfinancially viable.

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Item 5 - Page 108

YOU COULD WIN £50! Complete and return this FREEPOST page by 31st January2013 and you could be the lucky winner of one of five shopping vouchers.The Jury have highlighted a number of priorities they would like to see Southway focus on over thenext few years and they are listed below. We would like you to tick the 5 that you most agree withand then in the blank spaces below please tell us up to 3 more things that you think should be apriority for Southway. Once you’ve completed this questionnaire, please use the enclosed FREEPOSTenvelope to return this questionnaire to us.

Southway’s Future Promises

Resident Involvement1) More opportunities for involvement

in every service area.2) Make more use of the Internet and

social media, for example Facebook.

Home Improvements1) Reduce the waiting time for adaptations.

Environmental Improvements andCommunal Gardening1) Involve tenants in selecting the contractor.2) Introduce regular estate walkabouts

with staff and tenants.

Concessionary Gardening & Decorating1) Signpost tenants who do not qualify

for the service.2) Consider introducing a small charge.3) Use surveys to test the satisfaction of

everyone in receipt of the service.

Anti-social Behaviour1) Enforce the ‘Zero Tolerance’ policy on

drugs and vandalism.2) Introduce a buddying scheme and train

tenants to support other tenants who areexperiencing neighbour nuisance.

Repairs and Appointments1) Introduce an affordable ‘Handy Person’

service to carry out small jobs.2) Develop a planned maintenance

programme to ensure homes remain ingood condition.

Rents1) Ensure new tenants have enough time to

take up their tenancy to reduce the risk offalling into financial difficulty.

Customer Service1) Ensure all information is clear and

jargon free.2) Introduce a buddying system for tenants

going through the complaints process.

Community1) Work with local employers to secure local

jobs and work experience.2) Build links with local community

organisations and supportlocal businesses. .

Your Own Priorities1)

2)

3)

Please print your:Name:

Address:

Telephone number:Email address:

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Item 5 - Page 109

ResourceHousingReg.No.2111

AreyouaffectedbyWelfareReform?IfyesandyouwouldlikeadvicefromSouthwaypleasetickhere

Wouldyouliketogetinvolvedinwhatwedo?Ifyespleasetickhere.

Fold along here and place this form in the pre-paid envelope supplied

YOU COULD WIN £50!Complete and return thisFREEPOST page by 31st January2013 and you could be thelucky winner of one of fiveshopping vouchers.

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Item 5 - Page 110

Tel: 0161 448 4200 Fax: 0161 448 4334 Textphone: 0161 448 4349Email: [email protected] Web: www.southwayhousing.co.ukSMS: 07554 400781 (include your address and no more than 160 characters please)

Bangla

Chinese

Farsi

French

Hindi

KurdishPushtoSomaliTurkish

Urdu

Arabic

If you would like this information in another languageor style please contact us.

Southway Housing TrustAspen House, 825 Wilmslow Road, M20 2SN

Resource Housing Reg. No. 2111

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Item 5 - Page 111

Showing our Commitmentto our Community

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Item 5 - Page 112

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