Re-inspection of Housing Management 2008
The Audit Commission is an independent watchdog, driving economy, efficiency and effectiveness in local public services to deliver better outcomes for everyone.
We were re-inspected by the Audit Commission in July 2008. They said that we provide a 'fair' one-star rating with 'excellent' prospects for improvement, and that we have made '"significant progress since since January 2007" when we were rated as a poor, zero-star service with uncertain prospects for improvement.
Ann Bennett, Lead Housing Inspector for the Audit Commission for the East Midlands, said, "Services have been improved across the board especially customer care, repairs and gas servicing, and it now has a strong foundation for further improvement."
The report highlighted our strengths in customer care, repairs and the maintenance of our estates, but it also highlighted that we have further work to do in embedding the changes we have made, monitoring diversity and tackling a backlog of non-urgent repairs.
They have recommended that we strengthen our approach to tackling anti-social behaviour, deal with the backlog of non-urgent repairs and work to compare our costs with other organisations, using the information to identify other area for improvement.
In our response to the inspection report, we said, "We viewed the Re-Inspection as an opportunity to assess how far we had travelled on our journey to excellence. In advance of the Re-Inspection we told the Audit Commission that we had made significant progress in re-building our business including securing our financial future. We also told them that the quality of our service delivery was also improving and our customers were reflecting positively on the changes that they have seen. However we reflected that we knew that the quality of our service delivery does not yet meet the standards we have set for ourselves and that we have plans in place to ensure that they continue to improve.
"We are pleased that Audit Commission’s report has endorsed this view, and
that the service has been recognised to have improved from a poor rating to now being described as fair. This shows we are on the right path, but also recognises we have more work to do, work that we are totally committed to.
"What we are particularly delighted about is that the Audit Commission have rated our prospects for improvement as “excellent”. This entirely endorses our view that we needed to address the underlying reasons that had caused our problems in order to ensure the long term sustainability of the services that we provide.
"The Audit Commission have reflected positively on the strength of the business with financial capacity, an effective planning framework, more inclusion of tenants and strengthened management and effective Board leadership under our new Chairman. We now have the tools to deliver the improvements to services that our tenants and partners desire and deserve.
"We have responded to the challenge to improve the services positively. We remain committed to continuously improving the services to our customers, further building our business and to creating a shared vision of the future. We will not be resting on our laurels. Our Corporate plan indicates our aim to be a leading service provider, employer and community agent by 2010. This report indicates we are making positive progress and have the infrastructure in place that will help us to succeed.
"Finally, we would like to thank the staff, customers, Board and partners for their contribution in delivering such a positive result from this Re-Inspection."
To see a copy of our inspection report, please visit the Audit Commission
website.