delivery plan 200910

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DeliveryPlan2009/10

2 3

Contents

Page

Foreword from Steve Murphy, Chair of Your Homes Newcastle 4

1. Introduction 6

2. What we do

• Mission statement 7

• Strategic objectives 7

• Links with Newcastle City Council 8

• YHN Board and governance 9

3. How we do it (resources, fi nance and performance)

• Our staff 11

• Our services 11

• Business and fi nancial planning 11

• Managing performance 12

• Our balanced scorecard approach 13

• Changes to targets for 2009/10 13

• Financial management 14

• Service Improvement Programme 15

4. Key Themes

• Customer service 19

• Value for money 20

• Partnership working 21

• Equality and diversity 22

• Risk Management 23

• Organisational development 24

• Information technology 25

• Environment and sustainability 26

Page

5. Looking back: what we achieved in 2008/09

• Balanced scorecard 2008/09 27

• Strategic objective achievements 27

• Investment and Modern Homes 29

• New business 32

6. Looking forward: what we aim to achieve in 2009/10

• Our ‘top 20’ targets for 2009/10 and how these were set 33

• Wider Management Team targets 2009/10 35

• Investment and Modern Homes 44

• Future business 44

Appendices

Appendix 1:

Housing Revenue Account/

Your Homes Newcastle Budgets for

2008/09 and 2009/10 45

Appendix 2:

Medium term plan to 2012/13 47

Appendix 3:

Your Homes Newcastle Service

Plan 2009/10 50

Appendix 4:

Modern Homes Programme

2009/10 112

Rent 这是有关您的租金账户的信息。如果您需要此信息的普通话版本或其它语言版本，请致电 0191 278 8633 索取。

Repairs 这是有关要求维修您的住房的信息。如果您需要此信息的普通话版本或其它语言版本，请致电 0191 278 8633 索取。

Right to Buy 这是有关租客有权购买他们的市政房屋的信息。如果您需要此信息的普通话版本或其它语言版本，请致

电 0191 278 8633 索取。 Tenancy 这是有关您作为纽卡斯尔市政租客所需要承担的责任的信息。如果您需要此信息的普通话版本或其它语

言版本，请致电 0191 278 8633 索取。 YCH 这是有关我们的出租服务的信息。如果您需要此信息的普通话版本或其它语言版本，请致电 0191 278

8633 索取。 YHN general / Homes + People

这是有关代表纽卡斯尔市政府（Newcastle City Council）负责管理市政房屋的 Your Homes Newcastle（您的纽卡斯尔住房）组织的信息，内容解释了我们是如何运作。如果您需要此信息的普通话版本或其

它语言版本，请致电 0191 278 8633 索取。

- Chinese Simplifi ed普通话／国语Rent 這是關於您的租金賬戶的信息。如果您需要此信息的廣東話版本或其它語言版本，請致電 0191 278

8633 索取。 Repairs 這是關於如何要求維修您住房的信息。如果您需要此信息的廣東話版本或其它語言版本，請致電 0191

278 8633 索取。 Right to Buy 這是關於租客有權購買他們的市政房屋的信息。如果您需要此信息的廣東話版本或其它語言版本，請致

電 0191 278 8633 索取。 Tenancy 這是關於您作為紐卡素市政府租客所需要承擔的責任的信息。如果您需要此信息的廣東話版本或其它語

言版本，請致電 0191 278 8633 索取。 YCH 這是關於我們的出租服務的信息。如果您需要此信息的廣東話版本或其它語言版本，請致電 0191 278

8633 索取。 YHN general / Homes + People

這是關於 Your Homes Newcastle（您的紐卡素住房）機構的信息，內容解釋了我們代表紐卡素市政府

（Newcastle City Council）負責管理市政房屋以及如何運作。如果您需要此信息的廣東話版本或其它

語言版本，請致電 0191 278 8633 索取。

- Chinese Traditional廣東話／粵語

0191 278 8633 †dvb K‡i Avcwb GKwU wjwLZ Abyev‡ì Rb¨ ej‡Z cv‡ib| Newcastle Furniture service

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Rent GB Z_¨ nj Avcbvi †i›U GKvD›U (fvovi wnmve wbKvm) m¤̂‡Ü| GB Z_¨ hw` <evsjvq> A_ev Ab¨ †Kvb fvlvq cÖ‡qvRb nq Zvn‡j GB bv¤^v‡i †dvb Ki“b- 0191 278 8633

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Right to Buy GB Z_¨ nj †Ubv›U‡ì KvDwÝ‡ji Ni evox †Kbvi AwaKvi m¤̂‡Ü| GB Z_¨ hw` <evsjvq> A_ev Ab¨ †Kvb fvlvq cÖ‡qvRb nq Zvn‡j GB bv¤^v‡i †dvb Ki“b- 0191 278 8633

Tenancy GB Z_¨ nj wbDKvm¨vj KvDwÝ‡ji †Ubv›U wnmv‡e Avcbvi `vq `vwqZ¡ m¤̂‡Ü| GB Z_¨ hw` <evsjvq> A_ev Ab¨ †Kvb fvlvq cÖ‡qvRb nq Zvn‡j GB bv¤^v‡i †dvb Ki“b- 0191 278 8633

YCH GB Z_¨ nj Avgv‡ì †jwUs mvwf©m( fvov welqK) m¤̂‡Ü| GB Z_¨ hw` <evsjvq> A_ev Ab¨ †Kvb fvlvq cÖ‡qvRb nq Zvn‡j GB bv¤^v‡i †dvb Ki“b- 0191 278 8633

YHN general/Homes + People

GB Z_¨ nj BDi †nvgm wbDK¨vmj mg‡Ü| Ges Avgiv wKfv‡e `vwqZ¡ cvjb KiwQ †m mg‡Ü| BDi †nvgm wbDK¨vmj, wbDK¨vmj wmwU KvDwÝ‡ji c‡¶ KvDwÝ‡ji Ni evox eë¯’vcbvi `vwqZ¡cÖvß| GB Z_¨ hw` <evsjvq> A_ev Ab¨ †Kvb fvlvq cÖ‡qvRb nq Zvn‡j GB bv¤^v‡i †dvb Ki“b- 0191 278 8633

- Bengali

YHN general / Homes + People

اسل ، نيوك شهردارى از سوى اين سازمان. عملكرد آن است و » شما در نیوکاسل هاى خانه«درباره سازمان اين اطالعات مسئوليت اداره خانه هاى دولتى را به عهده دارد. در صورت نياز به اين اطالعات به زبان فارسى يا زبان هاى ديگر با شماره تلفن

٠١٩١٢٧٨٨۶٣٣ تماس بگيريد.

- Farsi

téléphoner au 0191 278 8633 pour obtenir une traduction écrite.

Newcastle Furniture service

Ces informations concernent le service « mobilier » de Your Homes Newcastle, qui fournit du mobilier aux locataires pour les aider à s’installer dans leur logement. Si vous avez besoin de ces informations en français ou dans une autre langue, téléphonez au : 0191 278 8633.

Rent Ces informations concernent votre loyer. Si vous avez besoin de ces informations en français ou dans une autre langue, téléphonez au : 0191 278 8633.

Repairs Ces informations concernent les demandes de travaux pour votre logement. Si vous avez besoin de ces informations en français ou dans une autre langue, téléphonez au : 0191 278 8633.

Right to Buy Ces informations concernent les droits des locataires relatifs à l’acquisition de leur logement social. Si vous avez besoin de ces informations en français ou dans une autre langue, téléphonez au : 0191 278 8633.

Tenancy Ces informations concernent vos responsabilités en tant que locataire de la municipalité de Newcastle. Si vous avez besoin de ces informations en français ou dans une autre langue, téléphonez au : 0191 278 8633.

YCH Ces informations concernent notre service de location. Si vous avez besoin de ces informations en français ou dans une autre langue, téléphonez au : 0191 278 8633.


Ces informations concernent Your Homes Newcastle : qui est chargé de gérer les logements sociaux au nom de la municipalité de Newcastle et comment nous procédons. Si vous avez besoin de ces informations en français ou dans une autre langue, téléphonez au : 0191 278 8633.

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- Kurdish<português> ou noutra língua, queira ligar para o 0191 278 8633.

Rent Esta informação refere-se à sua renda. Se precisar desta informação em <português> ou noutra língua, queira ligar para o 0191 278 8633.

Repairs Esta informação refere-se ao pedido de reparações em sua casa. Se precisar desta informação em <português> ou noutra língua, queira ligar para o 0191 278 8633.

Right to Buy Esta informação refere-se ao direito que os inquilinos têm de comprar a sua habitação social. Se precisar desta informação em <português> ou noutra língua, queira ligar para o 0191 278 8633.

Tenancy Esta informação refere-se às suas responsabilidades como inquilino social em Newcastle. Se precisar desta informação em <português> ou noutra língua, queira ligar para o 0191 278 8633.

YCH Esta informação refere-se ao serviço de arrendamento. Se precisar desta informação em <português> ou noutra língua, queira ligar para o 0191 278 8633.


Esta informação refere-se à Your Homes Newcastle, a organização responsável pela gestão da habitação social em nome do Município de Newcastle, e a nossa situação actual. Se precisar desta informação em <português> ou noutra língua, queira ligar para o 0191 278 8633.

Português - Portuguese

idioma, llame al 0191 278 8633. Repairs Ésta es información sobre cómo pedir que se realicen reparaciones en su casa. Si necesita esta

información en español o en otro idioma, llame al 0191 278 8633. Right to Buy Ésta es información sobre los derechos de los inquilinos a comprar su vivienda municipal. Si necesita

esta información en español o en otro idioma, llame al 0191 278 8633. Tenancy Ésta es información sobre sus responsabilidades como inquilino municipal de Newcastle. Si necesita

esta información en español o en otro idioma, llame al 0191 278 8633. YCH Ésta es información sobre nuestro servicio de adjudicación. Si necesita esta información en español

o en otro idioma, llame al 0191 278 8633. YHN general / Homes + People

Ésta es información sobre Your Homes de Newcastle, que es la responsable de gestionar las viviendas municipales en nombre del Ayuntamiento de Newcastle, y sobre nuestra manera de hacerlo. Si necesita esta información en español o en otro idioma, llame al 0191 278 8633.

Español - Spanish

переводчика или Вы можете обратиться за предоставлением письменного перевода по тел. 0191 278 8633 .

Newcastle Furniture service

Информация о службе по обеспечению мебелью Your Homes Newcastle, которая поставляет мебель квартиросъемщикам с целью их обоснования в домах. Если Вы нуждаетесь в этой информации <на русском> или другом языке звоните по тел. 0191 278 8633.

Rent Информация о Вашем арендном счете. Если Вы нуждаетесь в этой информации <на русском> или другом языке звоните по тел. 0191 278 8633.

Repairs Информация о предоставлении помощи с ремонтными работами в Вашем доме. Если Вы нуждаетесь в этой информации <на русском> или другом языке звоните по тел. 0191 278 8633.

Right to Buy Информация о правах квартиросъемщиков на приобретение их муниципального жилья. Если Вы нуждаетесь в этой информации <на русском> или другом языке звоните по тел. 0191 278 8633.

Tenancy Информация о Ваших обязательствах в качестве муниципального квартиросъемщика в г. Ньюкасле. Если Вы нуждаетесь в этой информации <на русском> или другом языке звоните по тел. 0191 278 8633.

YCH Информация о наших услугах сдачи жилья в наем. Если Вы нуждаетесь в этой информации <на русском> или другом языке звоните по тел. 0191 278 8633.


Информация о Your Homes Newcastle, которая отвечает за управление делами муниципального жилья от имени Муниципалитета г. Ньюкасла и об общем состоянии дел.

- Russian

This information is about Your Homes Newcastle, who are responsible for managing council homes on behalf of Newcastle City Council, and how we are doing. If you need this in your language or a different language phone 0191 278 8633. This information is also available in easy read, large print, Braille and audio tape. We can also arrange for you to see a British Sign Language interpreter.

4 5

Foreword

This is my first foreword as Chair since I

replaced Bill Midgley, who retired from

the post during 2008. I want to pay

tribute to the work of my predecessor

in contributing to the achievements of

YHN over the last few years; we were

delighted to learn of his OBE in the

New Year Honours List. I am very much

looking forward to working with the

YHN Board and with staff across the

organisation to ensure that we continue

to provide and develop excellent

services.

Since 2004, YHN has made great

strides towards achieving its mission to

become the best housing provider in

the north east. This progress was given

a great boost in 2008 through the Audit

Commission inspection in which YHN

was awarded three star status, both in

terms of current service provision and

prospects for the future.

There have been many other

achievements we are proud of during

2008/09. We have launched our new

Customer Service Strategy ‘Every

Customer Matters’, and recruited a

Customer Service Manager to drive the

strategy forward. We believe this will

help us to continue delivering excellent

services during 2009/10 and in future

years.

I am very pleased to introduce this Your Homes Newcastle’s Delivery Plan for 2009/10. It provides information about the services we provide and how we provide them. It also sets out our relationship with Newcastle City Council, and identifies what we are aiming to achieve during the next year.

We held our first ‘Good Neighbour’

award ceremony with the Evening

Chronicle in September 2008, a

successful celebration of residents

who make a difference locally. We

also introduced awards to recognise

staff who have ‘gone the extra mile’ in

providing services to our customers.

An exciting development this year

has been building new homes. We

started work on 33 bungalows on

three sites spread across Newcastle in

September 2008, and these are due to

be completed between April and June

this year. Half of these bungalows will

be new council homes for rent, the first

since the 1980s in Newcastle. During

2009 we will be setting up a charitable

subsidiary to enable us to build more

properties for sale and rent over the

next few years; at a time when the

economic downturn is causing concern

for many, we want to play a full part in

promoting confidence by taking every

opportunity to build new homes and

help to keep the local economy moving.

We have taken on other new business

this year, such as establishing a Family

Intervention Project to support families

with high levels of need. We have

also developed a Financial Inclusion

Strategy and will be introducing our

Worklessness Strategy during 2009. All

of these initiatives reflect a need for us

to provide increasing levels of support

to our tenants and other customers, a

trend which is likely to increase with the

‘credit crunch’ and its consequences.

These are just a few of our

achievements during 2008 and some

of the things that will be happening

during 2009, which will be another

challenging and exciting year for YHN. I

know that through the efforts of many

people we will continue to embrace

challenges and strive to be the best

housing provider in the north east.

I would like to thank my colleagues

on the Board and Area Boards, our

tenants and leaseholders, our partners

at the city council, all YHN staff, and

others that work with us for their help

during 2008/09. I know this support

will continue in 2009/10, and I very

much look forward to reporting further

progress to you after my first full year as

Chair.

by Steve Murphy, Chair of Your Homes Newcastle

Steve Murphy, Chair of Your Homes Newcastle

6 7

Introduction1

2What we do

Your Homes Newcastle (YHN) is an Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO). We were set up in 2004 to manage council properties, to improve housing in order to meet the Government’s Decent Homes agenda, and to provide various other services for Newcastle City Council (NCC). Currently we manage around 29,000 tenanted and 1500 leasehold homes.

The services that we provide and the

way that we do this are covered by

a management agreement with the

council. Through this agreement, we

have to produce an annual Delivery Plan

which explains how we provide services.

The Delivery Plan is an opportunity for

us to say what we have achieved over

the previous year, what we intend to

achieve during the current year, and

how we contribute to meeting our own

strategic objectives and those of the city

council. This year’s Delivery Plan tells

you about:

• What our strategic objectives are;

• How we work with the city council and others;

• What services we provide and how these are paid for;

• How we manage performance;

• Key themes that guide the work we do;

• What we achieved during 2008/09;

• What we intend to achieve during 2009/10.

The Delivery Plan also includes our

Service Plan for 2009/10 as an appendix.

The Service Plan gives more detailed

information about what our individual

teams and services aim to achieve

during the coming year, and how

they contribute towards our strategic

objectives.

This is the sixth YHN Delivery Plan. Last

year we reviewed the way we develop

the plan, and we have made some

changes to it. We hope that the new

appearance and the way information is

presented clearly shows what YHN is all

about.

We are continually working towards

achieving this mission. We think that the

three star rating we received after our

Audit Commission inspection in April

2008 shows that we have come a long

way.

Strategic Objectives

We will achieve our mission by

investing in:

These objectives were introduced

in January 2007 to give focus to our

work. They determine how priorities

for YHN are set, and how performance

throughout the organisation is

measured. All of our performance

targets contribute to achieving one or

more of the strategic objectives.

• Support and care to communities

• Three star excellent services

• A quality workforce

• Refurbishing and building homes

Our mission statement is:Your Homes Newcastle intends to be the best housing provider in the North East.

These are our four strategic objectives.

8 9

Links with Newcastle City Council

NCC set up YHN as a limited company,

and the council is our one and only

shareholder. Our management

agreement with NCC explains the

services that YHN was set up to provide

on behalf of the council and also

describes the working relationship

between the two organisations. The

agreement says that NCC and YHN:

‘intend to work within a spirit of

partnership in order to continuously

improve the services and the way in

which they are delivered’.

This spirit of partnership underpins the

work that we do and the services we

provide. Ways in which this happens are

explained further in section four of this

plan.

NCC contributes to the Newcastle

Partnership, which brings together at a

strategic level a range of public, private,

community and voluntary sector groups

in order to promote effective working

and improved services. The Sustainable

Community Strategy (SCS) sets out

the partnership’s vision, aims and

priority objectives for Newcastle. The

Local Area Agreement (LAA) identifies

improvement targets and priorities

agreed with the Government to help

the partnership to achieve its aims and

objectives over a three year period

(2008-11).

Some of our work is featured in

the SCS, and we have an important

contribution to make towards meeting

the challenges within all of the themes

identified, which are:

• better economy (strengthening the economy)

• better health (wellbeing, health and independence)

• better environment (managing environmental impact)

• better places to live (creating and sustaining quality places to live)

• safe, strong communities (creating safe, inclusive, cohesive and empowered communities)

• more for young people (improving outcomes for children and young people)

We contribute directly to some of the

targets identified within the LAA,

particularly the following within the

theme of ‘creating and sustaining

quality places to live’:

• offering the homes that people want

• delivering more affordable homes

• delivering quality homes

• providing homes for older people, people with disabilities, vulnerable people and people with support needs

The City Council has developed a

number of other strategies and plans

which contribute towards the SCS, such

as the Regeneration Strategy and the

Housing Strategy. The 15 year housing

strategy, ‘Homes for a sustainable

future’ sets out a clear vision of what

the Council wants to achieve before

2021. It recognises the important role

we have in offering high quality services

to tenants and leaseholders, and

contributing to creating a good quality

of life for residents.

Our staff work in close co-operation

with staff from the council and other

partner agencies to help meet the

aims and objectives of these strategies

and plans. This relationship operates

at a number of different levels, and

continues to develop. The diagram

on page nine shows the relationship

between the different plans and

strategies that have an impact on the

work of YHN.

YHN Board and governance

We are managed by a board, which was

set up in accordance with Government

guidance. The board is made up of:

• A Chair• Six tenant members• Six independent members• Six city council nominees

The Chair is appointed after open

competition. Tenant members are

appointed through election by tenants

and leaseholders living in Newcastle.

Independent members are selected by

the board after open competition and

council nominees are appointed by NCC.

The board set up four committees with

clear terms of reference to help manage

the business of YHN. The structure

and role of these committees is being

reviewed during 2009. Currently these

committees, which meet regularly, are:

• Audit• Finance• Governance and Personnel • Property

Time limited committees are also set up by the board when required to look at specific issues in more depth.

We also have three Area Boards which cover the East, Inner West and Outer West and North areas of the city. These have the same composition of tenant and independent members and council nominees as the main board. Area Boards are responsible for monitoring service performance and investment in their areas. They are also being reviewed during 2009/10.

We have signed up to the Good Governance Standard for Public Services. We have robust codes of conduct for board members and our risk management strategy underpins all key decisions. Our corporate governance arrangements are set out in a Governance Handbook, which is issued to all board members. Governance arrangements are published on our website.

The day-to-day running of the organisation is delegated to the Chief Executive and his executive team through our Scheme of Delegations.

The Chief Executive and Executive Team

are not members of the YHN Board.

10 11

One Council Improving Together (draft)

This is the City Council’s Corporate Plan.

Housing Strategy This City Council strategy shows how housing of all tenures will contribute to the

Newcastle Plan and the Regeneration Strategy.

YHN Business Strategy (draft)This provides our strategic

direction. It outlines current and future business.

YHN Delivery PlanThis plan sets out our objectives,

targets and achievements.

Service PlanThis contains team action plans

developed to achieve our four strategic objectives. It is included as an appendix

to the Delivery Plan.

YHN Service Improvement Programme This is where Prince 2 methodology is used to project manage service

improvements are. This is also included in the Delivery Plan.

Tenant Participation Strategy

This strategy sets out how NCC and YHN will work together

to put tenant and leaseholder

involvement at the heart of our housing

services.

YHN Corporate Equality Plan

This covers the six strands of equality

and diversity.

Procurement PlanThis details how we will review Service Level Agreements

(SLA’s) and our own services and how we will buy work, goods and services to ensure value for

money.

YHN Medium Term PlanThis is our key fi nancial plan – growth

and effi ciencies are set out here.

Modern Homes ProgrammeThis details the work we will carry out to improve and maintain Council housing.

Local Area Agreement This is a three year

action plan to deliver the Sustainable Community

Strategy.

Regeneration Strategy This City Council

strategy ties together all regeneration plans across

the city.

3Resources, fi nance and performanceSustainable Community Strategy

This sets out a long term vision for the City, and sets priorities to achieve this.

Our staff

We are a large organisation, with

around 830 members of staff. About

300 of our staff are based at our head

offi ce, YHN House. The rest work from a

number of locations across the city such

as community housing offi ces, the Your

Choice Homes (YCH) Property Shop,

concierge lodges and sheltered housing

schemes.

Our services

To provide services, we are split

into three directorates and a Chief

Executive’s Offi ce. The directorates are:

• Business

• Finance and Resources

• Tenancy Services

The Business Directorate is responsible

for delivering the Modern Homes

Programme, managing assets, staff

development, tenant involvement and

business strategy.

Finance and Resources is made up

mostly of central teams which provide

support to the organisation, including

human resources, information

technology and administration.

Tenancy Services is made up of teams

on the front line, including housing

management and various other services

provided to our customers.

Our Chief Executive’s Offi ce has

responsibility for equality and

diversity issues, communications, and

governance.

Further information about all of our

staff, and more detailed information

about the Directorates and the services

that they provide is available on our

website, and in the Service Plan.

Business and Financial Planning

We use a business and fi nancial

planning process to prepare our

Delivery and Service Plans, to help

plan our budgets, and to help produce

learning and development plans for our

staff. We introduced this in 2005 to help

join up service planning and fi nancial

planning, which had previously been

separate exercises. We also wanted

customers, managers, staff and partners

to all have a say in what goes into the

plans.

The process involves consultation

throughout the year with managers,

customers, staff and stakeholders. We

ask managers and staff about resource

and performance issues, and customer

service. We ask tenants and leaseholders

about what issues they think are

important, and how we should be

spending their rent and service charges.

We then produce draft plans based on

the comments, suggestions and ideas

12 13

During 2007/8 we improved the ways

in which we gather and report on

performance information. Monitoring

performance became more closely

aligned with targets and actions in

the service plan, and in our ‘balanced

scorecard’. The service plan has become

more embedded across the organisation

as a basis for directing action and

resources, and there is a strengthening

link between monitoring performance,

appraisals, and workplan meetings

within teams. Targets in the service plan

are cascaded through the organisation

so that all staff feel part of the process

of achieving the overall strategic aims

of the organisation.

We will continue to develop the

way we ‘mainstream’ performance

monitoring and management across the

organisation during 2009/10 so that all

staff feel involved in this process, and

have clear targets and actions for which

they are responsible, or to which they

contribute.

Our balanced scorecard approach

During 2008/09 and in previous years

we used a Balanced Scorecard to

demonstrate our performance. This

was designed to show how we perform

across all of our strategic objectives.

A small number of targets was chosen

each year by agreement to represent

key targets for each strategic objective,

and performance against these targets

was reported in diagrammatic form

every three months to YHN Board. By

demonstrating that we were doing well

in these key measures we were able to

give our customers assurance that we

were on track to achieve our strategic

objectives.

Information about how we performed

during 2008/09 against our balanced

scorecard targets is provided in section

five of this plan.

Changes to targets for 2009/10

During the Business and Financial

Planning process used to prepare for

this Delivery Plan, it was widely agreed

that we needed to review the way in

which we presented and monitored

key performance targets. This view

was endorsed by our new Chair who

thought that targets reported to YHN

Board should be ‘business critical’, and

more meaningful to board members

as a reflection of overall performance

covering the services we provide.

Another clear view of all those

consulted was that we had too many

targets overall. We have now adopted

that have been put forward. These draft

plans are then circulated for further

discussion before the final version of

the Delivery Plan is put forward to

the YHN Board and the city council

for agreement. Performance targets

and actions that are agreed through

the business and financial planning

process become the basis for managing

and reporting performance for the

following year.

Further information about business

and financial planning is available on

our website. This includes a diagram

showing the sequence of events which

make up the planning process, which

normally runs from May until the

following March.

Managing performance

It is essential that we manage and report on our performance to ensure that we are continuing to provide excellent services. We need to be able to demonstrate this to our customers, including the city council. We also need to show that we are continually trying to improve and that we are working towards achieving our strategic objectives.

We have a performance management framework in place which ensures that our strategic objectives are threaded though all levels of the organisation to frontline staff. It is designed to translate vision into action and to demonstrate the extent to which this occurs. The framework is used to drive improvement in services and is regularly improved to reflect customer focus, tenant priorities and local

circumstances.

The principles behind managing

performance are that we:

• Ensure all targets are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound) and are outcome focussed where possible;

• Benchmark our performance with others and look at trends to help us understand the issues;

• Produce ‘traffic light’ reports so that stakeholders can get a snapshot picture of our performance;

• Keep all stakeholders involved and informed about performance issues;

• Focus on action for recovery in areas of under-performance; and

• Operate a consistent approach to supervision, workplans and appraisals.

14 15

a new framework for reporting and

monitoring performance which we

believe combines the best aspects of

our previous arrangements with a more

focussed approach that will be easier

for customers, board members, the city

council and staff to understand. We

now have the following performance

targets:

• Our ‘Top 20’ targets. These are 20 key targets that provide an overview of how we are doing across all of our services. Performance against these targets will be reported to our Board on a quarterly basis, and will also be reported to NCC and to our customers.

• Our ‘Wider Management Team’ targets. This is an additional set of 26 targets identified by managers to represent overall performance and key actions for each service area within YHN. Performance against these and the ‘Top 20’ targets will be discussed by the team at regular meetings during 2009/10, and any action required where targets are not being met will be agreed. Wider Management Team is made up of all senior managers within YHN.

• Team Targets. This is a larger set of targets for each team within YHN which form our Service Plan, included in this Delivery Plan (Appendix 3). These targets are used as a basis for monitoring performance within teams, and link with team workplans, staff supervision, and annual staff

appraisals.

More information about targets for

2009/10 is provided in section six of this

plan, and in the introduction to the

Service Plan (Appendix 3).

Financial management

The services that we provide are paid

for through a management fee from

the Housing Revenue Account (HRA),

which we manage on behalf of the

city council. The HRA and YHN budgets

set out what services will be provided

during each year and how they will be

funded. The budgets are monitored and

reported to Finance Committee and to

the city council at Section 151 meetings.

These are meetings held every month

to discuss the YHN Management Fee

and other important financial issues.

Significant amendments to budgets are

highlighted for approval by Finance

Committee and the Board. The Board

receives quarterly updates on the latest

budget and Medium Term Plan position.

Regular meetings are held between

finance staff and service managers

to discuss budgets and spending, so

that any cost increases or new areas

of spending can be built into budget

planning. A finance manager is part

of the business and financial planning

steering group, and financial planning

links closely with business planning.

Our HRA and YHN budgets for 2008/09

and the budget set for 2009/10 are

attached to the Delivery Plan (Appendix

1). Further information about these

budgets, including details of variations

between the two years, is included in

a report to the YHN Board in January

2009 entitled ‘YHN and HRA Budgets

and Medium Term Plan update’. YHN

Board reports are available on our

website.

We are required by the city council to

produce a medium term plan which

identifies projected budgets for a five

year period. The medium term plan is

reported to our finance committee on

a monthly basis so that any projected

deficit or surplus can be discussed and

required action agreed. Appendix 2

gives the current HRA/YHN medium

term plan to 2012/13.

Service Improvement Programme

To enable us to continue to deliver

three star excellent services, one of our

strategic objectives, we have developed

a Service Improvement Programme

based on the ‘Prince 2’ project

management method.

The Programme is made up of various

projects, each of which consists of a

number of workstreams. Each project

has a project board which is headed by

a senior officer. Project leaders report

monthly on progress to a Programme

Board which is chaired by the Chief

Executive.

Workstreams are normally led by a

service manager and include a small

group of staff from across YHN and

other partnering organisations, often

chosen for their specialist knowledge in

a particular field. Workstream leaders

are expected to provide regular update

reports on the ‘products’ (specific tasks)

they are working on.

The current make up of the Programme

is shown on page 14. The programme,

which was last reviewed in April 2008,

has seven projects that reflect our

strategic objectives and some of our key

themes. These are:

• Support and care

• Three star excellent services

• A quality workforce

• Refurbishing and building homes

• Customer service

• Value for money

• Equality and diversity

16 17

Support & CareNeil Scott

Business PlanningMartyn Burn

WorklessnessLisa Ainscough

Concierge ReviewHelen Garbutt

Equality & Diversity

Simone Doyle

Information Management

TBC

PoliciesKim McMaster

Local Government Equality StandardBrian O’Doherty

Customer ServiceWilf Keilty

IT and TelephonyAlyson Bell

Customer InsightLouise Dixon

AccessMark Pearson

A Quality Workforce

Ross Atkinson

HR StrategyRon Smith

Income ManagementAnne Crute

ITGeof Ellingham

Environmental SustainabilityAndrew Lister

Investors inPeople

Sandra Archbold

Refurbishing & Building Homes

Sheila Breslin

Asset ManagementDavid Langhorne

Repairs & MaintenanceIan Gallagher

District & Group Heating

Joanne Raffo

New StockJon Mitford

Aids & AdaptionsJohn Unwin /

Jen Vinton

VFMRoss Atkinson

Effi ciencyKeith Embleton

ProcurementAsh Gibson

Un-PoolingAndrew Lister

Business Process Re-engineeringKeith McDonald

3* ExcellentNeil Scott

Tenancy ManagementTrevor Healy

Allocations and Lettings

John Urwin

VoidsJoanne Raffo

Programme Board Programme Offi ceProgramme Assurance

Programme Manager

18 19

4Key Themes

Customer service

To achieve our mission to be the best

housing provider in the North East, we

need to consistently provide excellent

customer services. We are committed to

increasing opportunities to access our

services in ways that suit the diverse

requirements of our customers and

that equip us for the future whilst

maintaining high levels of customer

care.

During 2007/08 we produced our

Customer Service Strategy called ‘Every

Customer Matters’. The strategy sets out

our vision for the future development

of customer services over the next three

years and outlines improvements that

we need to make to enable us to deliver

three star excellent customer services.

The strategy was developed around

customers’ needs and aspirations,

gathered through consultation, and

details how these will be linked to

service improvements.

Our vision for customer services, as

explained in ‘Every Customer Matters’, is

that:

“Our customers will be able to access our services at whatever time they want in a way that best suits their needs. Every time a customer comes in contact with our organisation they will receive excellent and consistent customer services, delivered by a quality workforce that is enabled by technology. Your Homes Newcastle

will be recognised as a responsive, accessible, inclusive and above all an organisation that delivers excellent

customer services”

During 2008/09 we appointed a Customer Services and Improvement Manager to drive forward our action plan in ‘Every Customer Matters’. He has set his priorities for 2009/10 which are:

• Communicating the importance and contents of our Customer Service Strategy to all YHN staff.

• Embedding the “Every Customer Matters” core value across YHN services.

• Implementing the component products, services and deliverables of the strategy in accordance with the YHN Service Improvement Programme plans and timescales.

• Monitoring the effectiveness of the strategy’s implementation through customer consultation and the continued usage and assessment of services against the Customer Service Excellence (CSE) Standard.

During 2009 we will be reviewing our comprehensive set of service standards which covers all services. This is to ensure that the standards reflect what is important to customers. All of our current service standards are included in the YHN Service Plan for 2009/10. Performance against the standards is regularly monitored and reported

to YHN Board with other service plan

targets and actions.

20 21

Value for money

Value for money is a central

requirement for any successful

organisation. Efficiency savings can be

reinvested to provide better services

for customers, provide more choice,

and ensure that needs and priorities

are met. Efficiency is not about service

reductions, but about doing more for

the same or less by raising productivity,

increasing effectiveness and getting

better value for money.

Our approach and key processes for

achieving value for money are set out in

our Efficiency Strategy. They include:-

• Benchmarking ourselves against others through the HouseMark Performance Improvement Club to identify inefficiency;

• Making sure all staff are involved in identifying savings and efficiencies through our Business and Financial planning process;

• Undertaking regular analysis of all our suppliers to identify ways to reduce costs;

• Carrying out regular service reviews of internal services;

• Reviewing all Service Level Agreements with NCC; and

• Consulting with our customers to ensure efficiency savings are reinvested in services that they want.

During 2008/09 we have:

• Generated capital savings of over £8,000,000 on our Modern Homes Investment Programme;

• Achieved savings of over £800,000 from major procurements;

• Improved processes and working practices resulting in savings of over £500,000; and

• Undertaken a number of major procurements including services and works contracts relating to aids/adaptations and lift refurbishment generating potential savings for 2009/10 and improvements for customers.

Partnership working

Partnership working is essential in

providing our services and deciding

our strategic priorities. We have close

ties with NCC for reasons explained

in section two of this plan, and this

relationship is formalised in a number

of ways:

• Newcastle Partnership: Our Chief Executive contributes to the Local Strategic Partnership, working with NCC and other local agencies to deliver the Sustainable Community Strategy and the Local Area Agreement

• The Management Agreement: this is the formal agreement that sets out the context within which the Council has delegated its responsibilities to us

• The Delivery Plan: this contains some of the key interfaces between the two organisations, including delivery plan monitoring, officer liaison meetings, and section 151 reporting meetings about our management of the HRA on behalf of the council

• Service Level Agreements: these explain the services that we purchase from the council and the regular monitoring and liaison required to manage the delivery of these services.

At an operational level we also

work closely with NCC staff across all

Directorates to assist with providing

‘joined-up’ services to customers.

As well as links with NCC, we also work

in partnership with a large number

of other organisations at a local and

citywide level. Key relationships include

those with:

• Newcastle Tenants’ Federation – which represents 85 affiliated tenants’ groups across the city;

• Northumbria Police – working together at a local and strategic level;

• The Voluntary Sector – a wide range of contacts, supporting communities, providing advice, support and other services to local people;

• Specialist partners such as the Groundwork Trust who are an environmental regeneration charity.

We are also part of a wide range of

diverse and extensive partnerships,

including the City’s housing, health

and community safety partnerships,

to name but three. These reflect the

size and importance of council housing

within the city and the scale of the

interdependencies that exist between

social housing and so many other

aspects of communities’ lives.

22 23

Equalities and diversity

We recognise that the people who

live in council homes have diverse

backgrounds, circumstances and needs.

They are all ages, disabled and non-

disabled, of different races and ethnic

backgrounds, heterosexual, lesbian, gay

and bisexual and from faith and non-

faith backgrounds.

Our Equalities Policy and Corporate

Equalities Plan (CEP) outlines our vision,

aims and targets and how we are

meeting our responsibilities:

• As an employer;

• Providing services to our customers;

• Working with other organisations;

• Involving communities; and

• As a procurer of services and contracts.

Our commitment to equality goes

beyond our legal duties and our policy

outlines the need to address equality

of opportunity through avoiding direct

and indirect discrimination, making

sure that all areas of YHN are involved

in meeting this objective. To make this

happen, responsibility for equality and

diversity rests with our Board, and our

Chief Executive acts as our corporate

champion in ensuring proper systems

are in place to put our policy into

practice.

We need to make sure that treating

everyone fairly and justly and with

respect becomes a natural part of

the way we do things at YHN. This

involves staff at all levels thinking

about whether we are being fair and

respectful to different types of people

during normal work activities. This

includes when they are:

• Delivering existing services;

• Developing new services;

• Reviewing existing policies and procedures;

• Arranging consultation events and questionnaires;

• Procuring goods and services;

• Undertaking service reviews;

• Dealing with comments and complaints.

To help us include equality and diversity

in everything we do, we carry out

Equality Impact and Needs Assessments

(EINA’s) for all areas of our business

including policies, procedures and

services, with regard to race, gender,

disability, faith, sexual orientation

and age, so that we can identify

where there may be unmet needs or

potentially discriminatory outcomes.

During 2007 we appointed a Diversity Manager to drive forward our equality and diversity agenda. We have a Diversity Project within our Service Improvement Programme, and a number of workstreams looking at specific equality and diversity issues. We also report progress quarterly to Governance and Personnel Committee and YHN Board. For the first time in 2009/10 we have included a separate section within our Service Plan for the Equality and Diversity team which

identifies corporate responsibilities.

During 2008/09 we have:

• Revised and strengthened our CEP and Equality Policy and published our Single Equality Scheme. These documents identify key diversity issues and explain the importance to YHN of addressing equality and diversity issues. The CEP and Single Equality Scheme have been developed to include objectives, actions and milestones.

• We have revised our EINA process to reflect the regulations and good practice developments that have occurred across the equality and diversity field. In addition, an assessment has been carried out to determine which policies and strategies should be impact assessed. This has resulted in a prioritised three year cycle for carrying out assessments.

• Conducted an annual review of Our Strategic Independent Advisory Group (SIAG). This group was set up in April 2007 to act as a critical friend and is made up of a broad cross section of the community. The review resulted in an agreed way forward and a developed work plan.

Risk management

YHN has a Risk Management Strategy in

place that sets out:

• Our commitment to implement an effective risk management framework;

• Our approach to risk management and how, as an organisation, we intend to embed risk management;

• Clear roles and responsibilities in the process of risk management; and

• Clear monitoring procedures at a strategic, divisional and service level.

YHN’s risk management framework

uses a top down approach starting with

the identification of risks at a strategic

level by Board Members and YHN

Management Team. When we identify

risks we assess their relative probability

and impact. This enables us to score

and prioritise the risks we face. We also

identify and assess what controls are in

place or may be required.

The above process is then repeated at

Divisional and Team levels throughout

the organisation. This approach

provides us with a comprehensive log of

strategic and operational risks.

Risks identified at a strategic level

are monitored and reviewed by Audit

Committee on a six monthly basis. Risks

identified at Divisional and Team levels

are monitored and reviewed by the

appropriate Divisions, Teams and the

Business Strategy Team also on a six

monthly basis.

24 25

Competent, skilled managers support

the growth and effective performance

of staff, so investment in a range of

options for leadership and management

development is very important.

During 2008 a three year strategy was

developed to bring together mandatory

and optional development into a

consistent framework. Longer term this

will offer managers a comprehensive

menu of options to enable them to

manage their own development more

fully. Work achieved so far includes

YHN being approved as an Institute

in Leadership and Management (ILM)

centre which offers a cost effective

way to deliver nationally accredited

management, leadership and

coaching qualifications in-house. Pilot

qualifications began in October 2008

and in January 2009 the first Leadership

and Management Development

brochure was published.

Information Technology (IT)

Like any modern organisation, YHN

makes extensive use of IT to support

staff in delivering excellent services

to customers. Increasingly, we are

also using IT to enable our customers

to get the information they want

electronically, and to communicate with

us directly, especially over the internet.

YHN uses the Northgate Housing

Management System to support our

work with tenants and leaseholders.

We are now planning to replace our

old stock condition database with

a more modern Asset Management

System which will integrate fully with

Northgate.

In addition to making use of ‘best-

of-breed’ technology, we recognise

the importance of excellent IT

service management to ensure that

information is delivered to those

that need it, when they need it, and

that problems are rectified as soon as

possible. We have therefore adopted

the IT infrastructure library (ITIL)

framework, which sets out globally

accepted standards and procedures

for the management of IT systems

and services. By using ITIL and other

compatible standards we expect to

be able to deliver a more flexible,

responsive, effective and efficient

service to the business, and to improve

our planning to meet future IT needs.

We are now looking at how to make

best use of new and existing technology

to improve the services we offer.

Our current IT Strategy anticipates

substantial new developments involving

new technologies during 2009-2014,

and we hope in 2009 to start piloting

mobile technologies (smart-phones and

other hand-held devices), and greater

use of geographical information (GIS).

We are currently reviewing whether

we could provide customers with

an improved service by investing in

customer relationship management

(CRM) software. We will continue to

improve our systems to ensure that

we make best use of the data we have

available.

Organisational Development

YHN achieved Investor in People (IiP)

status in May 2007 and is due for re-

assessment in May 2010. To retain IiP

recognition we must demonstrate

continuous improvement in the way

we lead, manage and develop our

workforce, so that they can deliver

continually improving services to

customers. We have developed an

action plan to ensure YHN retains IiP

accreditation in February 2010.

Our Organisational Development Team

ensures that all organisational and

learning and development initiatives

and opportunities are aligned to

business need. All services and

teams have their own Learning and

Development Plan which is developed

with the Organisational Development

Team. These are reviewed regularly to

ensure all learning and development

is timely, relevant and beneficial to

the organisation. Regular appraisal

and supervision ensure that all staff

understand how they contribute to our

strategic objectives.

During 2008/09 we have developed a

range of competence based training

programmes. Core business training

now incorporates on-line assessment.

Competence based assessment

is included in all training where

appropriate. Through working in

partnership with OCN (Credit4Learning),

induction, customer service and

appraisee training have all been

accredited, which means that from April

2009 participants will gain national

recognition for their learning on these

courses.

We continue to respond to current

legislation affecting our business, such

as Safeguarding Adults (SA). This year

we have participated in meetings with

partner agencies to develop a Newcastle

Safeguarding Adults Training Strategy

and plan for the delivery of multi-

agency training to our staff. We have

also reviewed our current SA policy to

ensure that it complies with the multi-

agency SA policy.

In February 2008 YHN signed the

Skills Pledge, a Government initiative

in which employers make a public

commitment to improving the skills

of their workforce. A skills audit

has been carried out and an action

plan is now being implemented

to encourage and support staff to

develop their skills and gain nationally

recognised qualifications. A particular

focus in 2009-10 will be to promote

opportunities for staff to gain numeracy

and literacy qualifications and relevant

and appropriate National Vocational

Qualifications (NVQ’s). This will be

done primarily through a brochure

distributed to all staff, also available

on the intranet, during Adult Learners’

Week (9th-15th May 2009), when

various events and activities will be

held to celebrate learning as part of a

national initiative.

26 27

We launched a new website in 2008

with more accessible features and

interactive capabilities, including video

in multiple community languages

and on-line reporting of anti-social

behaviour. The website also allows

tenants to view their rent statements

online.

We expect in the future to see a rise

in the proportion of our customers

who are “online” and wish to use new

technologies to keep in touch with

us. We are looking at ways of helping

our customers to get online if they

want to by providing direct support.

We have started providing communal

PC’s with internet connections in

sheltered accommodation, and are now

investigating ways of helping to get

other tenants to get connected to the

internet.

Environmental Sustainability

We are committed to meeting our

responsibilities for the protection of

the environment and tackling global

warming, and to develop and integrate

our policies to ensure the maximum

benefit possible from them for all our

customers. We recognise that we have

a key role to play in meeting the city

council’s sustainability objectives set

out in its Climate Change Strategy.

Major elements of the Modern Homes

Standard and other parts of the

housing capital programme deal with

key sustainability issues including the

installation of efficient central heating

and high performance double-glazed

windows.

Our environmental policies are:

• For all timber components used in refurbishment to be from sustainable sources.

• To improve the heating and insulation standard of all council housing.

• To maximise the energy efficiency and minimise the carbon footprint of our operational premises.

• To minimise the environmental impact of providing our services.

During 2008/09 we:

• Developed and implemented procedures to comply with the Energy. Performance of Buildings Directive;

• Developed a pioneering ‘Green Houses’ project with the Groundwork Trust;

• Maintained a continuous programme to improve the sustainability of our working methods and work places;

• Participated in the development of the City Council’s corporate sustainability policy and programme;

• Continued to support and implement Newcastle Warm Zone;

• Provided advice for tenants on sustainability.

5Looking back: what we achieved in 2008/09

Balanced scorecard 2008/09

The diagram on page 30 shows predicted performance for targets in our balanced scorecard for 2008/09. It shows targets that were either achieved (green) or not achieved (red). As the diagram shows, we have done well with a number of targets, but we have still got work to do in some areas of our service. It is predicted that all of our targets for our refurbishing and building homes strategic objective will be achieved, which is very good news

for our tenants and leaseholders.

Strategic objective achievements

2008/09 was another good year for us. We achieved many of all of our service targets and actions, and all teams have contributed towards meeting our strategic objectives.

Our greatest overall achievement during the year was being awarded a three star excellent rating by the Audit Commission in June 2008, following their inspection in April. This made us the first ALMO in the North East to receive such status, and reflected the progress that we have made over the last few years.

Some of our other major achievements

during the year have been:

• ‘Every Customer Matters’: our new customer service strategy was agreed by our Board in April 2008. We also appointed our first Customer Services and Improvement Manager, who has started to drive forward the strategy, and deliver customer service improvements.

• CharterMarkandCustomerServiceExcellence: we retained all of our eight Charter Marks through reviews carried out during the year. We have also developed a programme for accreditation against the Government’s new customer service award, Customer Service Excellence. We submitted our first service application in February 2009 for our Right to Buy Team, and have started preparing applications for four other services.

• GoodNeighbourAwards: at a special Oscars-style celebration on 10th September, YHN and the Newcastle Evening Chronicle presented the North East’s Number One Neighbour Awards and praised the efforts of people who have been an inspiration to those around them.

• CorporateEqualityPlan: the YHN Corporate Equality Plan was developed and agreed by the Board during 2008. This key document brings together what we want to do across the various strands of diversity. It identifies our equality and diversity duties and responsibilities both as an employer, and as a service provider to our customers.

28 29

• Housing Management Review implementation: we completed the implementation of our 2006 housing management review. We opened a new Westgate Community Housing Office early in 2008 to provide housing management to the Elswick and Avison St. areas. We also merged our Scotswood and Benwell Community Housing Offices into the West End Customer Service Centre in November 2008.

• TenancyServicesManagement:we also changed the management structure of our Tenancy Services Directorate in order to align senior management responsibilities more closely with our strategic objectives.

• Cruddas Park: we further developed partnership working to start the redevelopment of the Cruddas Park multi storey blocks.

• YHNCharitableSubsidiary: we developed proposals to establish a charitable subsidiary to enable us to build more homes during the next few years. We also started work on our first new build properties during 2008. These properties will be the first new council accommodation in Newcastle since the 1980’s.

• WorklessnessandFinancialInclusion: we produced our first Financial Inclusion and Worklessness strategies. These strategies recognise the role that YHN increasingly needs to play in providing support to our tenants and other customers.

• AchievedHASBETrecognition: our Housing and Anti-Social Behaviour Team received a national award from the Social Landlords Crime and Nuisance group. This award recognises exemplary practice in tackling anti-social behaviour.

• FamilyInterventionProject:we established a Family Intervention Project within our Young People’s Service. We think this service will make a major contribution to support families who have particular difficulties and a high level of support needs. We also produced a new Young People’s Strategy to enable the development of our support work.

This list is a summary of some of the big achievements, but all teams across the organisation have contributed towards our excellent Audit Commission rating, and towards the achievement of our strategic objectives. Some of the contributions of individual staff have been recognised in our first YHN All Stars awards event, which is a new opportunity for staff to nominate for an award colleagues whom they think have made a special contribution to

providing excellent services.

Investment and modern homes

In October 2004, YHN Board agreed a

YHN Investment Programme to meet

the Government’s Decent Homes

Standard by 2011. A group of 12

construction partners were appointed

to help us deliver the programme. These

partners have been subject to quarterly

and annual benchmarking to ensure

that only the lowest cost highest quality

constructors receive allocations of work.

Since 2004 the programme has been

revised on an annual basis to reflect

changes in allocations from the

Government and progress made during

the previous year. Proposed schemes

for 2008/09 within the YHN Modern

Homes Investment Programme were

identified to and agreed by YHN Board

in December 2007.

Good progress has been made during

2008/09 towards achieving priorities,

including completion of decent homes

‘packages’ contributing to the decency

targets. In 2008/09 decency targets have

been surpassed including delivery well

within budget.

Programmes have been required to

change due to various practical issues,

such as unexpected levels of work

identified on site. This has resulted

in some estates being deferred to

2009/10 and others replacing them, thus

providing a better fit against resources

available, and ensuring continual value

for money.

Overall progress is given below:

2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 Qtr 2 Qtr 3 Q3 2008/09 2008/09 2008/09 2008/09 Target Outturn

Number of packages 5,678 7,741 7,396 24,233 26,337 5,522 7,348 completed

Number of units made 1,063 2,074 6,113 11,227 13,015 4,093 5,447 decent

Average energy efficiency (SAP) SAP 60 SAP 61 SAP 64 SAP 64 SAP 64 SAP 65 SAP 65 rating

Annual Cumulative Current year Outturn Outturn Outturn against target

Current Progress at 31.12.2008

30 31

Your Homes Newcastle Balanced Scorecard2008 -2009 Predicted Outturn

• Supportandcaretocommunities

• Threestarexcellentservices

• Aqualityworkforce

• Refurbishingandbuildinghomes

Your Homes Newcastle intends to

be the best housing provider in the

North East. We will achieve this

by investing in our four strategic

objectives:

Three star excellent services

1. Achieve 81% satisfaction with the overall housing service by 31/3/09.

2. Achieve 70% satisfaction with opportunities for participation in management and decision making by 31/3/09.

3. 95% of complaints to be given a full written response within 10 working days during 2008/09.

4. 92% of Service Plan actions to be completed within target timescales during 2008/09.

5. 92% of YHN Programme actions to be completed during 2008/09.

6. Reduce net rent arrears to £2,800,000 by 31/3/09.

7. Achieve 3% efficiency saving on 2007/08 baseline budget by 31/3/09.

8. Achieve Level 3 of the revised local government equality standard by 31/12/2008.

5. Achieve 90% satisfaction with the investment programme by 31/03/09.

6. 97% of Modern Homes Programme spend to come within budget during 2008/09.

7. Achieve 91% satisfaction with the adaptations service by 31/03/09.

8. Achieve 92% satisfaction with the repairs and maintenance service by 31/3/09.

1. Reduce the average voids re-let time to 50 days by 31/3/09.

2. Achieve a 28.55% change in the proportion of non-decent homes by 31/3/09.

3. 5,447 homes to be made decent in 2008/09.

4. Develop two scheme proposals for new build housing during 2008/09.

Refurbishing and building homes

4. Install 1,500 child safety equipment packages by 31/03/09.

5. 90% of vulnerable young people who have support from INLINE to maintain a successful tenancy for 12 months during 2008/09.

6. Complete a support plan for all sheltered housing clients during 2008/09.

7. Achieve targets for collecting customer demographic data for ethnicity (95%), and religion and faith (40%), during 2008/09.

1. Achieve 81% BME satisfaction with the overall housing service by 31/3/09.

2. Make a difference’ involvement volunteers to be representative of the tenant and leaseholder population in terms of age, gender, ethnicity and disability by 31/3/09.

3. 55% satisfaction with the way anti-social behaviour complaints were dealt with by HASBET during 2008/09.

Support and care to communities

A quality workforce

1. Reduce the number of sickness days per FTE employee to 10.20 days by 31/3/09.

2. 4% of top 5% of staff who have a disability.

3. 4% of top 5% of staff who are from an ethnic minority.

4. 41% of top 5% of staff who are women.

5. Implement an action plan by 31/03/09 to retain Investors in People accreditation.

6. Gain external accreditation on three in house courses during 2008/09.

7. Achieve attendance at training courses of 97% during 2008/09.

32 33

6Looking forward: what we aim to achieve in 2009/10

The other capital programmes that make up the Housing Investment Programme are

summarised below.

This expenditure is for projects outside

Modern Homes work, made up of the

following:

• environments and modern homes plus

• landlord services

• meeting special needs

• redevelopment and demolitions

• improving customer services

New business

We have continued to develop existing

services and further expand our

operations and range of customers.

This includes:-

• Contracts for the provision of furniture services to Wakefield and District Housing and the ISOS Housing Group;

• Provided support and interim management services to Palatine, a supported factory business that makes beds;

• Introducing a new Family Intervention Project through a three year service level agreement with Safe Newcastle (Community Safety Partnership) in April 2008;

• Our Young People’s Service winning a three year contract to deliver home based support to young people in Newcastle from April 2008;

• Recruiting a specialist drugs and alcohol worker to our Advice and Support Team, funded by Safe Newcastle and Supporting People, to work with NECA (North East Council for Addictions) clients.

In accordance with our strategic

objectives we are also building new

properties, which is a key area of new

business for YHN. During 2008/09

our first new build project started on

site with the first scheme completion

dates due in April 2009. We have also

qualified as a Homes and Communities

Agency investment partner and are

appointing Developers to a Developer

Framework Agreement to take forward

future new build activity.

Other Capital Programmes Totals to 2011/12

At end Q3 2008/09

Current Expenditure Forecast £103.7M

Current HIP Resource Allocation £110.7M

Current Programme Excess Funding £7M

Our ‘Top 20’ targets

As explained in section three of this plan, we have changed the way in which our performance targets are prioritised and monitored for 2009/10. We have identified 20 ‘business critical’ targets which will be monitored by our board on a regular basis. We think that these targets will give a good overall picture of how we are doing during the year to our customers, the Tenants Federation, our board and Newcastle City Council. As with our previous ‘balanced scorecard’ approach, all of these key targets are aligned with our four strategic objectives. The ‘top 20’

targets for this year are:

Refurbishing and building homes

• Reduce the average void re-let time to 27 days by 31/03/2010.

• 7,683 homes to be made decent in 2009/10.

• Ensure 100% of all tender submissions to the Homes and Communities Agency completed to agreed timescales during 2009/10.

• Achieve 85% satisfaction with the internals investment programme by 31/03/2010.

• Achieve 90% satisfaction with the externals investment programme by 31/03/2010.

• 97% of Modern Homes Programme spend to come within budget during 2009/2010.

• Achieve 92% satisfaction with the repairs and maintenance service by 31/03/2010.

• Set up and administer a separate and appropriate legal entity as a Board subsidiary by 31/05/2009 to facilitate new business.

Three star excellent services

• Achieve 81% satisfaction with the overall housing service by 31/03/2010.

• Maintain a minimum Housing Revenue Account balance of £5 million by 31/03/2010.

• Reduce net rent arrears to £2,650,000 by 31/03/2010.

• Achieve a 3% efficiency saving on the 2007/08 baseline budget by 31/03/2010.

• Develop an action plan to enable us to “move towards excellence” for the revised Equality Framework for Local Government standard by 30/06/2009.

Support and care to communities

• Achieve 81% BME satisfaction with the overall housing service by 31/03/2010.

• Achieve 50% level A’s in our Quality Assessment Frameworks for Supporting People contracts during 2009/2010.

• Achieve 60% satisfaction of tenants who report anti-social behaviour during 2009/10.

• Access 10 additional sources of funding to raise £100k by 31/03/2010.

• Achieve 89% satisfaction with involvement services from involved customers by 31/3/2010.

34 35

A quality workforce

• Reduce the number of sickness days per FTE employee to 10.2 days by 31/03/2010.

• Retain Investors in People Status by 31/03/2010.

Wider Management Team targets

The targets that we have identified below are ones which our senior managers will be monitoring on a regular basis through the year. These represent key areas of work for all teams within YHN. This list of targets will enable senior managers to recognise and acknowledge things that

are going well. If any of the targets are not being met during the year, our Wider Management Team will decide what action is required to address any problems. Several of the targets are repeated in the table where these are the responsibility of more than one team.

Target Reasoning

How the top twenty targets were set

The following table provides further information about the targets and how they

were set:

Maintain a minimum Housing Revenue Account balance of £5 million pounds by 31/03/10.

Reduce net rent arrears to £2,650,000 by 31/03/10.

Achieve 3% efficiency saving on 2007/08 baseline budget by 31/03/10.

Develop an action plan to enable us to “move towards excellence” for the revised Equality Framework for Local Government standard by 30/06/09.

Achieve 81% BME satisfaction with the overall housing service by31/03/10.

Achieve 50% level A’s in our Quality Assessment Frameworks for Supporting People contracts during 2009/10.

Achieve 60% satisfaction of tenants who report anti-social behaviour in 2009/10.

Access 10 additional sources of funding to raise £100k by 31/03/2010.

Achieve 89% satisfaction with involvement services from involved customers by 31/03/10.

Reduce the number of sickness days per FTE employee to 10.2 days by 31/03/10.

Retain Investors in People Status by 31/03/10.

This is a service plan target. The minimum balance is agreed with the City Treasurer.

This is a further reduction on the target of £2.8 million in 2008/09.

This is an existing target carried forward. The target is set by central government for local authorities and YHN is expected to contribute to the city council efficiency savings.

This is a new target. The new framework comes into operation in April 2009.

This is an existing target carried forward. In 2008/09 there was a satisfaction score of 68%.

This is a new service plan target. Currently 30% of the assessments are at level A.

This is a new service plan target based on Housemark best practice.

This is a new target.

Target set to show a 2% improvement on the baseline survey result of 87%.

This is an existing target carried forward. The current projection for 2008/09 is 11.42 days.

This is a new target. YHN achieved Investors in People status in 2007 and we have to undergo a re-assessment process.

Target

Reduce the average voids re-let time to 27 days by 31/03/10.

7,683 homes to be made decent in 2009/10.

Ensure 100% of all tender submissions to the Homes and Community Agency completed to agreed timescales during 2009/10.

Achieve 85% satisfaction with the internals investment programme by 31/03/10.

Achieve 90% satisfaction with the externals investment programme by 31/03/10.

97% of Modern Homes Programme spend to come within budget during 2009/10.

Achieve 92% satisfaction with the repairs and maintenance service by 31/03/10.

Set up and administer a separate and appropriate legal entity as a Board subsidiary by 31/05/09 to facilitate new business.

Achieve 81% satisfaction with the overall housing service by 31/03/10.

Reasoning

This is a further reduction on the 2008/09 target of 50 days.

This is based on decent homes projections for 2009/10.

This is a new target and the first time YHN has been able to bid for this funding.

This is a new indicator set using baseline information from a sample of contracts. As there is more disruption for customers satisfaction rates tend to be lower for internals than externals.

This is a new indicator set using baseline information from a sample of contracts. There are a large number of non- traditional properties in the 2009/10 programme that will require scaffolding. Past experience has shown that satisfaction levels for these schemes are lower because of more disruption to residents.

Monitoring of this has only been ongoing for six months in 2008/09 and the target reflects the expected baseline position.

This is an existing target carried forward. It is expected to achieve this performance in 2008/09. It is a contractual target with the repairs and maintenance service provider.

This is a new target.

This is an existing target carried forward. In 2008/09 73% was achieved. As this is a National Indicator the aim is to be top quartile.

36 37

Headline Targets

1. 7683 homes to be made decent in 2009/10

2. Deliver 97% of projects on Planned Environmental Maintenance Schemes (PEMS), Housing Project Fund (HPF) and Structural Minor Works

3. All final accounts agreed in year to be within a 3% variance of the total budget

4. 97% of Modern Homes Programme spend to come within budget during 2009/10

1. Produce 100% of policies and procedures to approved templates within agreed timescales during 2009/10

2. Ensure 100% of all tender submissions to the Homes and Community Agency are completed to agreed timescales during 2009/10

3. Identify and deliver full research programme by 31/03/2010

1. 7683 homes to be made decent in 2009/10

2. Achieve 85% satisfaction with the internals investment programme by 31/03/2010

3. Achieve 90% satisfaction with the externals investment programme by 31/03/2010

4. 97% of Modern Homes Programme spend to come within budget during 2009/10

1. Develop a draft Leasehold Strategy by 31/03/2010

1. Complete the assessment process to retain Investor in People status by 31/03/2010

2. Develop competences for all non-managerial staff by 31/03/12010

3. Launch modular Customer Service training programme during 2009/10

1. Make sure the database of ‘make a difference’ volunteers is representative of tenant population in terms of age, gender, ethnicity and disability by 31/03/2010

2. Achieve 89% satisfaction with involvement services from involved customers by 31/03/2010

1. Set up and administer a separate and appropriate legal entity as a Board subsidiary by 31/05/2009 to facilitate new business

1. Develop an action plan to enable us to “move towards excellence” for the revised Equality Framework for Local Government standard by 30/06/2009

Team

Assets and Programming

Business Strategy Team

Investment Delivery Team

Leasehold Team

Organisational Development Team

Tenant Involvement Team

Chief Executive’s Office

Equality and Diversity

Directorate

Business Development

The targets in red in the table are ‘Top 20’ targets. These are included as they will also be monitored by the Wider Management Team.

Chief Executive’s Office

38 39

Headline Targets

No wider management team targets

1. Provide 3 employability events for City residents to raise awareness of opportunities during 2009/10

1. Maintain a minimum Housing Revenue Account (HRA) balance of £5 Million by 31/03/2010

2. Achieve a 3% efficiency saving on the 2007/08 baseline budget by 31/03/2010

3. Agree a legally compliant framework for un-pooling leasehold service charges by 31/03/2010

4. Access 10 additional sources of funding to raise £100k by 31/03/2010

1. Maintain a minimum Housing Revenue Account (HRA) balance of £5 million by 31/03/2010

1. Maintain a minimum Housing Revenue Account (HRA) balance of £5 million by 31/03/2010


1. Reduce the number of sickness days per FTE employee to 10.2 days by 31/03/10

2. Review Human Resources/Organisational Development services by 30/04/2009

1. Contribute to achieving a minimum Housing Revenue Account (HRA) balance of £5 million by 31/03/2010

2. Collect £400k of Former Tenant Arrears during 2009/10

3. Collect 96% of leasehold service charges during 2009/10



1. Project delivery: 80% of projects (and key milestones) delivered to agreed timescales during 2009/10

1. Achieve 50% level A’s in our Quality Assessment Framework (QAF) assessments for Supporting People contracts during 2009/10

2. Review the Advice and Support Service by 31/07/2009

Team

Administration and Facilities

Employment Initiatives Team

Finance Business Support

Finance Procurement and Payments

Finance Revenue

Human Resources

Income Team

Right to Buy

YHN IT

Advice and Support

Directorate

Finance and Resources

Tenancy Services/ Citywide

Services

40 41

Headline Targets


1. Achieve 50% level A’s in our Quality Assessment Framework (QAF) assessments for Supporting People contracts during 2009/10

2. Review and re-design Community Care Alarm System (CCAS) service provision (this is a target covers Sheltered and Mobile Warden Teams) by 31/03/2010

3. Achieve a 5% increase in client growth by 31/03/2010

4. Deliver a lone worker monitoring Service for all YHN front line staff by 31/12/2009

1. Complete Concierge Service review and commence implementation of agreed recommendations by 31/03/2010

1. Achieve 50% level A’s in our Quality Assessment Framework assessments for Supporting People contracts during 2009/10



1. Increase external managed tenancies by 15% by 31/03/2010


1. 95% of complaints to be given a full written response within 10 working days during 2009/10

2. To achieve the new Customer Service Excellence (CSE) standard for all existing Charter Marked services due for renewal in 2009/2010 and to achieve the new CSE standard for two new external and one new internal service during that period

3. To research and evaluate the benefits and issues relating to the introduction of a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System for YHN and to complete a costed business case for YHN Programme Board consideration by 31/12/2009

Team

Asylum Seekers Unit

Care Services

Concierge

Young People’s Services

HASBET

Rent Recovery

NFS

Your Choice Homes

Customer Service

Directorate


Services

42 43

Headline Targets

1. Reduce the average time taken to re-let properties to 27 days by 31/03/2010

2. Reduce net arrears to £2,650,000 by 31/03/2010

3. Achieve 81% Black Minority Ethnic (BME) satisfaction with the overall housing service by 31/03/2010

4. Achieve 81% satisfaction with the overall housing service by 31/03/2010

5. Achieve 60% satisfaction of tenants who report anti-social behaviour in 2009/10

1. Ensure that 90% of maintenance contracts Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) are achieved in 2009/10

2. Achieve 92% satisfaction with the Property Maintenance Service by 31/03/2010

3. Review repairs and maintenance contract by 31/12/2009

Team

Housing Management

Property Maintenance Team

Directorate


Services

Appendix 1

YHN 2008-09 Budget Position

Base Budget Probable Estimate Variation from Base budget

£ £ £ %

28,078,270 30,524,530 2,446,260 +8.7

44 45

Investment and modern homes

The modern homes partner allocations

for 2009/10 were agreed by our

Board in January 2009. The associated

programme reflects the prioritised and

programmed approach towards our

ultimate decent homes target. Our full

programme for the year is provided

as an appendix to the Delivery Plan

(Appendix 4).

The modern homes programme for

2009/10 remains significant. We

anticipate capital spend of £107

million of which £64.5 million relates

to the modern homes programme

(the remainder covers demolitions,

capitalised voids properties, Cruddas

Park regeneration, and so on).

Our key modern homes targets for

2009/10 are:

• Decent Homes work to be completed to approx. 8,351 properties by 31/03/2010.

• 7,683 homes to be made decent in 2009/10.

The second of these targets is in our

‘Top 20’ targets, and the first one is a

‘Wider Management Team’ target for

2009/10.

Future Business

Our future business will continue to

be developed through discussions with

NCC. New opportunities may arise

from the provisions of the Housing

and Regeneration Act 2008. The Act

established the Homes and Communities

Agency, which will focus on delivering

more new and affordable homes across

all tenures and will drive and invest in

regeneration. The establishment of the

Tenant Services Authority as a result

of the Act, with increased powers to

regulate social housing, may also have

an impact on what we do. Implications

of the Act and our future business

aspirations will be covered further in

our YHN Business Strategy.

Delivering new homes to meet the

high demand and low supply of decent

affordable rented housing will be a

key area of future business activity. In

partnership with NCC a number of sites

have been identified across the city

for YHN to develop both for general

needs housing and supported housing

schemes. During 2009/10 we anticipate

making a number of bid submissions to

the Homes and Communities Agency

for funding under the 2008/11 National

Affordable Housing Programme

resulting in commencement dates on

site in the last quarter of 2009/10.

We are looking to further develop our

value added activities and have taken

on the responsibility in 2009/10 for

managing Palatine, a supported factory

business that makes beds. As well as

providing opportunities to generate

improvements to customers through

vertical integration of the supply chain

it will enable us to positively contribute

to supporting people with disabilities in

the workforce.

Budget Base Budget Probable Variation from Estimate Base Budget

£ £ £ % Expenditure 121,909,160 127,137,770 +5,228,610 +4.3 Income 124,383,860cr 127,205,840cr +2,821,980cr +2.3

Surplus(cr) 2,474,700cr 68,070cr 2,406,630 n/a

YHN 2008-09 Budget Position

2. HRA Probable Estimate 2008-09 - Summary of Latest Budget Position.

HRA and YHN Budgets for 2008/09 and 2009/10

The net expenditure shown in Table 1 is funded by a HRA Management Fee.

1. 2008-09 YHN Revised Budget - Summary of Latest Budget Position

Table 1

Table 3

Increase in 2008-09 YHN Management Fee [see Table 1] £2,446,260

Less

Supporting People Grant etc. Expenditure [Funding shown in HRA] £958,760

Increased Single Status Provision £500,000

Superannuation – Increased Contribution Rate £525,010

Adjusted Management Fee Increase [+1.6%] £462,490

Management Fee: External Factors

Table 2 below details external funding and factors affecting the Management Fee

Table 2

46 47

YHN 2009-10 Budget

Base Budget Variation from Base budget

2008-09 2009-10

£ £ £ %

28,078,270 31,489,080 3,410,810 +12.15

Table 4

3. YHN Base Budget 2009-10

The YHN Base Budget for 2009-10 is summarised in the table below

The net expenditure shown in Table 4 is funded by a HRA Management Fee

Budget Base Budget Variation Base to Base Budget

2008-09 2009-10

£ £ £ % Expenditure 121,909,160 130,067,450 +8,158,290 +6.7 Income 124,383,860cr 131,442,300cr +7,058,440cr +5.7

Surplus(cr) 2,474,700Ccr 1,374,850cr 1,099,850 n/a

HRA 2009-10 Budget

4. YHN Base Budget 2009-10

The YHN Base Budget for 2009-10 is summarised in the table below

Table 6

Increase in 2009-10 YHN Management Fee [see Table 4] £3,410,810

Less

Inflation & Increments £988,630

Supporting People Grant etc. Expenditure [Funding shown in HRA] £932,540

Increased Single Status Provision £500,000

Superannuation – Increased Contribution Rate £504,110

Adjusted Management Fee Increase [+1.7%] £485,530

Management Fee: External Factors

Table 5 below details external funding and factors affecting the Management Fee

Table 5

Latest position as at January 2009

HRA / YHN Medium Term Plan to 2012-13

Description 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13

£000’s £000’s £000’s £000’s £000’s

Current Projected Surplus as at January 2009 (68) (1,375) (1,375) (1,375) (1,375)

YHN Expenditure

Running Costs Inflation - YHN (£3m net @3.3%) 99 201 307

Pay awards (£24.6m @3.5%) 861 1,752 2,674

Increments - net 200 400 600

Single Status - Protection / Backdating/ Saving (500) (1,000) (1,500)

Superannuation Fund Past Service Deficiency Additional payments 2 4 6

Increased Employers Superannuation Contribution @1% 200 200

Increased Employers NI Contribution @0.5% 100 100

Worklessness - Tenants Training 100 100 100 100

IT Projects Delivery Plan 80 124 124 124

YHN Expenditure total - 180 886 1,881 2,611

HRA Expenditure

Gas Inflation @ 20% 1,022 1,926 3,012

Electricity Inflation @ 20% 237 522 864

General / Running Costs Inflation - HRA (£12m net @3.3%] 396 805 1,228

Appendix 2Medium Term Plan to 2012/13

48 49

R & M Increased demand etc/Contribution to Responsive Repairs Fund 600 1,000 1,500 2,000

Upgrade IT Links to Offices 70 70 70 70

Community Buildings R&M 52 52 52 52

Increased Superannuation/ Backfunded costs [NCC Estimate] 150 150 150

Furniture Prudential borrowing costs 630 1,260 1,130

HRA Expenditure 0 722 3,557 6,286 8,505

Procurement Savings 0 (394) (394) (394) (394)

Other Efficency Savings 0 (139) (139) (139) (139)

HRA Income Changes

Loss of rent income from future RTB sales / Demolitions / Voids 760 2,010 3,510

Service Charge Income [Increase RPI + ½%] (270) (540) (810)

Heating Income @ 40% then 20% (700) (1,960) (3,390)

Furniture Income (350) (680) (930)

Loss of Supporting People Subsidy 90 180 270

Total income changes 0 0 (470) (990) (1,350)

Total Cost Pressures - 369 3,440 6,644 9,234

Government Guidelines

HRA Subsidy M&M 550 1,040 1,210

HRA Subsidy Notional Rent 4,440 8,870 13,060

Rent increases re Formula rent increase (5,300) (10,830) (16,620)

Compensation for individual limits to rent increases 190 (460) 170

Net Impact of Government Guidelines - - (120) (1,380) (2,180)

Net Projected HRA (Surplus)/Deficit (68) (1,006 1,945 3,889 5,679

Housing Revenue Account Working Balance

Projected Net HRA (Surplus)/Deficit (68) (1,006) 1,945 3,889 5,679

Opening Balance at 1st April - (Surplus) (9,765) (9,833) (10,839) (8,894) (5,004)

CLOSING BALANCE at 31st MARCH - (Surplus)/Deficit (9,833) (10,839) (8,894) (5,004) 674

HRA Balances

Opening Balance 01.04.08 (9,765) (9,833) (10,839) (8,894) (5,004)

Net Projected HRA (Surplus)/Deficit (68) (1,006) 1,945 3,889 5,679

Transfers to Reserves etc.

Closing Balance 31.03.09 (9,833) (10,839) (8,894) (5,004) 674

Proposed Reserves as at ; 31.03.09 31.03.10 31.03.11 31.03.12 31.03.13

Workforce Planning (2,000) (2,000) (2,000) (2,000) (2,000)

Pension Reserve (1,000) (1,000) (1,000) (1,000) (1,000)

Repairs Fund (3,000) (3,000) (3,000) (3,000) (3,000)

Major Repairs Reserve (7,640) (147) - - -

IT Renewals Fund (463) (463) (463) (463) (463)

Investment Fund (Bungalows) (4,000) (4,000) (4,000) (4,000) (4,000)

Furniture Investment (2,000) (1,000) (2,000) (2,000) (2,000)

(20,103) (11,610) (12,463) (12,463) (12,463)

TOTAL Balances as at; (29,936) (22,449) (21,357) (17,467) (11,789)

50 51

What is the Service Plan?

The service plan consists of a set of

action plans for each of our services.

It sets out how all teams contribute

to meeting the strategic objectives

identified in the Delivery Plan. Each

action plan provides information about

what the teams do, and what targets

and actions have been identified

for 2009/10. The information is in

alphabetical order on a Directorate

basis.

How is it developed?

We use a business and financial

planning process to produce service

plans. This process is described in the

delivery plan. It involves discussing team

priorities, financial issues and potential

targets and actions to achieve objectives

with managers and staff from across

the organisation. We consulted with

a cross section of staff from all teams

and sections during 2008/09. We also

spoke to service users to find out what

the important issues were for them. All

of the information produced from this

process was condensed into a list of

possible actions and targets. Through

further consultation with senior

managers, managers, staff, service users

and tenant representatives, this list was

refined further into a final plan for each

team.

What is in the plan?

The service plan is a list of actions,

targets and indicators for each of

our services. It is used as a working

document for managers and staff across

the organisation, and is developed

and refined further each year. An

organisation chart is included to show

how the individual teams fit into the

YHN structure. The targets and actions

are drawn from a wide range of

sources in addition to those identified

by managers, staff and tenants. These

include statutory or legal requirements

and YHN strategic policy documents.

The intention is that the service plan

acts as a comprehensive reference

document for staff in identifying key

targets and action areas. There is also

a link between what is in the service

plan, and what is identified in individual

workplans, appraisals and supervision

sessions within teams.

What changes have we made this year?

We have changed the format of the

information provided. This follows the

review of the Delivery Plan as a result

of comments made during our business

and financial planning consultation.

The code list at the beginning of the

service plan identifies the source of each

action and target listed. Actions and

targets are also colour coded to reflect

different categories of target which are

identified below and in Section 3 of the

Delivery Plan.

Another significant change is that there

are fewer targets in total this year-

approximately half the number there

were in 2008/09. The reduction is to

reflect the need to be more focused

around targets and actions that are

meaningful for our customers, and to

ensure we only include things we can

measure.

Also, we have separate sections this year

for our Diversity Manager and her team,

and for our customer service, reflecting

the work of our Customer Services

and Improvement Manager in driving

forward our Customer Service Strategy.

How is the plan monitored?

All of the actions and targets listed

in the service plan are monitored

through the performance management

framework. This is described in the

Delivery Plan. It involves regular liaison

with the manager of each service to

check that actions and targets are

completed by the due date. Information

about performance is reported to the

YHN Board on a quarterly basis.

Our targets have become more

structured this year in an effort to

improve accountability and introduce a

better balance and more meaning into

the way performance is reported. This is

explained in the Delivery Plan. We have

introduced:

• Our ‘Top 20’ targets. This is a list of strategic targets which replaces our previous Balanced Scorecard. These targets form the basis of performance reports to YHN Board.

They are monitored regularly by senior managers. They also appear within one or more team service plans, so that individual managers know that they have responsibility for either meeting the target, or co-ordinating performance in relation to the target

• Our ‘Wider Management Team’ targets. This is an additional set of 27 targets and actions identified by YHN Management Team to represent overall performance and key actions for each team. These are also included in the team service plans to ensure accountability, and will be discussed at regular meetings of the Wider Management Team of senior managers regularly during 2009/10

• Team Targets and Actions. These form the basis of team service plans and are used by managers to assist in guiding and focussing the work of their teams. They are used as a basis for monitoring performance within teams, and they link with staff supervision and annual staff appraisals.

Appendix 3The YHN Service Plan to 2009/10

52 53

Target Type Colour

YHN Top 20 and wider management team P

Wider management team Pi

Team target Y

Team action G

Equality and diversity target B

Chief Executive

Director of Tenancy Services

Care and Support Services

- Advice and Support

- Asylum Seekers’ Unit

- Community Care Alarm Service and Sheltered Housing

- Concierge Service

- Young People’s Services

Citywide Services

- Anti Social Behaviour (HASBET) and Rent Recovery

- Newcastle Furniture Service and Garden Care

- Your Choice Homes

Customer Service

Housing Management

Property Maintenance

Assets and Programming

Business Strategy

Investment Delivery

Leasehold Service

Organisational Development

Tenant Involvement

Central Services

Finance

Human Resources

Income

Right to Buy

YHN IT

Assistant Chief Executive and

Director of Business

Director of Finance

and Resources

Communications Equality & Diversity

Governance Management

Support

Strategy Code

Support and care to communities 1

Three star excellent services 2

A quality workforce 3

Refurbishing and building homes 4

Corporate Equality Plan 5

Service standard 6

Corporate Procurement Strategy 7

Customer Service Strategy 8

Income Management Strategy 9

Learning and Development Strategy 10

Telecare Strategy 11

Void Strategy 12

YHN IT Strategy 13

How we spend your rent – tenant focus group 14

Business and fi nancial planning – managers suggestion 15

Business and fi nancial planning – staff suggestion 16

Legal requirement 17

Equality impact and needs assessment 18

Local area agreement 19

Environmental maintenance 20

National Indicator 21

Service Plan Code List and Colour Key

54 55

Directorate: Business DevelopmentTeam: Assets and Programming

• Asset Management strategy

• Preparation, monitoring and control of all aspects of the YHN Investment Programme

• Business strategic planning including eco management and audit scheme (environmental maintenance)

• Business planning information and analysis including sustainability assessments

• Controlling the delegated decision process

• Consortia working

• Construction procurements

• Development and management of the 30 year investment plan

• Monitoring works completed or required and disseminating information as relevant to other IT systems – eg warranties, decency tracking, adaptations, website, PS Team contract monitoring

• Management and development of Stock Condition information

• Construction related Health and Safety including asbestos monitoring

• Identifying sites for development of housing new build

4 • 7,683 homes to be made decent in 2009/10

4 • 97% of Modern Homes Programme spend to come within budget during 2009/10

16 • Deliver 97% of projects on Planned Environmental Maintenance Schemes (PEMS), Housing Project Fund (HPF) and Structural Minor Works during 2009/10

2 • All final accounts agreed in year to be within a 3% variance of the total budget

21 • 24.6% of non-decent homes by 31/03/2010

4 • Complete independent internal works surveys for all remaining properties in the Modern Homes Programme to allow better forward planning, cost management and decency/HHSRS monitoring by 31/03/2010

4 • Quarterly cost and quality benchmarking of construction partners to take place in 2009/10

16 • Dependant upon funding approval, all asbestos surveys to be incorporated in new Asset Management IT System by 31/03/2010

Key work areas:

Ref

Ref

16 • 70% of orders for HPF and PEMS to be placed by 31/12/2009

16 • All HPF and PEMS works to be identified by 30/09/2009

16 • Carry out quarterly reviews of minor works on expenditure against budget during 2009/10

16 • Detailed design of proposed warehouse to be completed by 31/03/2010

16 • Provide technical advice on all remaining Modern Homes Programme schemes by 31/12/2009

2 • Implement an IT system and process for the collection of customer satisfaction information by 30/04/2009

15 • Submit report to YHN Management Team for the approval to undertake a ‘Tenant’s and Leaseholders Priority Investment Survey’ by 31/05/2009

15 • 100% of capital project submissions to be processed via the Priority Investment Calculator (PIC) to enable prioritisation during 2009/10

4 • Monitor our construction partners to ensure that they meet the following Modern Homes Programme targets:

- Decent Homes work to be completed to 8,351 properties by 31/03/2010

- Average Standard Assessment Procedure rating of local authority owned dwellings of 69 by 31/03/2010

4 • Produce quarterly update report on Modern Homes Programme for Property Committee during 2009/10

17 • Address Disability Discrimination Act compliance issues within Asset Management Strategy during 2009/10

2 • Monitor and measure construction partners outcomes against agreed Key Performance Indicators to reflect the diversity of the community in respect of both services provided and as employers during 2009/10

18 • Ensure that all service actions within Equality Impact Needs Assessment (EINA) are completed to deadline during 2009/10

P

Pi

Y

Y

G

B

56 57

Directorate: Business DevelopmentTeam: Business Strategy

• Establish, develop and implement performance management and monitoring frameworks

• Formulate and develop policy and strategy

• Support operational teams

• Manage the YHN service improvement programme

• Strategic, Divisional and team risk management

• Evaluate business propositions

• Carry out research for YHN and ensure there is a comprehensive understanding of our customer base

• Work on key procurements

• Support the delivery of the Efficiency Strategy

• Will embed a robust contract management structure for all Service Level Agreements

4 • Ensure 100% of all tender submissions to the Homes and Communities Agency completed to agreed timescales during 2009/10

2 • Produce 100% of policies, strategies and procedures to approved templates within agreed timescales during 2009/10

6 • Identify and deliver a full research programme by 31/03/2010

6 • 100% of performance reports produced on time to agreed templates for Main and Area Boards, Committees and Newcastle City Council during 2009/10

16 • Deliver 100% of key procurements to agreed timescales during 2009/10

16 • Contribute to 100% of Benchmarking exercises agreed by management team during 2009/10

6 • Ensure that all draft Service Level Agreements (SLA’s) for 2010/11 are formulated by 31/03/2010

6 • Two risk management update sessions delivered to YHN Board, Audit Committee and each Senior Management Team during 2009/10

Key work areas:

Ref

Ref

6 • Monitor YHN Programme actions and report to programme board on a quarterly basis during 2009/10

15 • Develop all business cases agreed by management team during 2009/10

14 • Ensure all Neighbourhood Services SLA’s have a robust management structure by 31/03/2010

16 • Deliver Business Strategy Team (to incorporate demographic information collection) awareness sessions to 12 key frontline teams during 2009/10

16 • Introduce a process for collating tenant financial information by 31/10/2009

7 • Ensure all aspects of Newcastle City’s Regeneration Strategy are considered in procurement policies and activities during 2009/10

7 • Ensure that in-house service reviews, SLA reviews and external procurements focus on the needs of the service during 2009/10

19 • Ensure that new build schemes reflect the demand for social housing in the City of Newcastle during 2009/10

6 • Produce an organisational wide policy briefing every two months during 2009/10

6 • Produce an annual service and delivery plan for Your Homes Newcastle

2 • Facilitate 6 national award applications for service areas of YHN during 2009/10


18 • Complete 12 month review of Business Strategy EINA by 31/10/2009

9 • Monitor the process for ensuring that YHN collects demographic information during 2009/10

15 • Produce 4 report updates on customer demographic information to management team during 2009/10

15 • Ensure equality and diversity considerations are built into tendering process during 2009/10

P

Pi

Y

G

B

58 59

Directorate: Business DevelopmentTeam: Investment Delivery

Ref

2 • Carry out interim customer satisfaction surveys within six weeks of a scheme starting throughout 2009/10. The result will be discussed in site meetings to continually improve Constructors performance

2 • Carry out a customer satisfaction survey on all of our completed schemes to assess the quality of the work and service during 2009/10. We will inform tenants about what we have found and what we are going to do about any problems

4 • 8,351 improvement packages to be delivered during 2009/10

2 • Produce quarterly satisfaction reports to Property Committee during 2009/10

4 • Commence procurements where necessary for all ‘one off’ elements involved in removals during 2009/10

2 • Complete customer satisfaction surveys within three months of project completion during 2009/10

16 • Review City Design SLA to assess work that could be allocated to new Technical Team by 31/03/2010

16 • Investigate the feasibility of selling Relocation Team services to external organisations by 31/03/2010

15 • Explore the possibility of joint working and sharing best practice with Strategic Housing in relation to the project management delivery to the private sector by 31/03/2010

15 • Explore the possibility of offering Modern Homes work to private owners with a management fee by 31/03/2010

2 • Complete the Adaptations review by 31/03/2010

3 • Review Workforce Planning by 31/12/2009

8 • Achieve Customer Service Excellence Award by 31/12/2009

15 • Re-issue posters addressing Equality and Diversity issues in all key community buildings by 31/08/2009

15 • Develop Equality and Diversity KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators) for construction partners by 31/03/2010


• Delivery of all aspects of the YHN Investment Programme

• Commissioning of YHN Investment Delivery including procurement, delivery and cyclical repairs such as painting programmes

• Consultation with residents and stakeholders on programmes and the business plan

• Resident consultation and support services for each project

• Affordable Warmth, Newcastle Warm Zone and Home Energy Conservation Act strategy and delivery

• Project management of regeneration schemes and programmes

• Commissioning and delivery of adaptations for people in council housing

• Involvement in induction for YHN staff

• Developing new regeneration schemes

• Relocation of residents as required within regeneration areas

• Identifying and applying for new and existing sources of funding

Key work areas:

4 • 7,683 homes to be made decent during 2009/10

6 • 90% of customers to be satisfied with the external work we have done on the Modern Homes Programme during 2009/10

6 • 85% of customers to be satisfied with the internal work we have done on the Modern Homes Programme during 2009/10

4 • 97% of Modern Homes spend to come within budget during 2009/10

6 • Send a welcome letter to 100% of new adaptations service users within 28 days of a referral being received by the Adaptations Team during 2009/10

2 • Achieve a 92% customer satisfaction rate for the service provided by Adaptations staff during 2009/10

14 • Write to all tenants to inform them of any work we are planning for their home at least three months before work is due to start during 2009/10

2 • Hold an information event on our Talk to us Bus, which travels from place to place giving information, before we start work on an estate under the Modern Homes Programme during 2009/10

Ref

P

Y

Y

G

B

60 61

Directorate: Business DevelopmentTeam: Leasehold Section

• Manage all issues relating to leasehold property ownership

• Issue annual service charge invoices and manage individual accounts

• Consult with customers on proposed capital works schemes

• Provide statistical and management information in line with statutory requirements

• Resolve issues and provide advice in relation to the leasehold management process

Key work areas:

2 • Develop a draft leasehold strategy by 31/03/2010

6 • Send all new tenants a welcome pack as soon as we are told that they have bought their home during 2009/10

6 • Send all leasehold tenants a leasehold newsletter twice a year during 2009/10

6 • Invite all leasehold tenants to a leaseholders’ forum during 2009/10

6 • Consult tenants at least 30 days before we carry out any major work to their home during 2009/10

2 • Issue all tenants with an annual report including demographic information during 2009/10

2 • Monitor internal performance indicators for the leasehold service throughout 2009/10 and include a performance update in the annual report

2 • Achieve 70% customer satisfaction for leaseholder tenants during 2009/10

2 • Participate in Housing Quality Network (HQN) Benchmarking pilot throughout 2009/10

2 • Produce manual of office processes and procedures by 31/03/2010

16 • Investigate the possibility of charging landlords for permissions and other functions carried out by the team not currently charged for by 31/03/2010

16 • Review current staffing capacity and implement any necessary changes by 31/03/2010

Ref

Ref

15 • Review the Management fee to include the costs of decentralised services such as the Income Team, Investment Delivery, HASBET, Housing Management by 31/03/2010

15 • Explore options to charge for paperwork such as copy leases and duplicate invoices by 31/03/2010

15 • Explore the possibility of charging for tracing owner occupiers by 31/03/2010

15 • Monitor loan/payment option uptake by ethnic group on a quarterly basis during 2009/10


Pi

Y

G

G

B

62 63

Directorate: Business Team: Organisational Development

• Support staff and managers in identifying and prioritising team and individual learning and development needs

• Plan, develop, deliver and commission appropriate learning and development responses to prioritised needs

• Manage, monitor, review and report on learning and development activities to demonstrate return on investment

• Design and facilitate the implementation of organisational development and initiatives

• Ensure all learning and development activities are aligned to business need

Key work areas:

3 • Complete the assessment process to retain Investor in People (IIP) status by 31/03/2010

3 • Develop competences for all non-managerial staff by 31/03/2010

3 • Launch modular Customer Service training programme during 2009/10

3 • Engage 30% of staff in Adult Learners Week during 2009/10

3 • Produce promotional materials to encourage and support staff to achieve numeracy and literacy, and appropriate NVQ’s by 31/06/2009

6 • Develop annual team learning and development plans for all service areas by 30/06/2009

3 • Update our learning and development prospectus in June 09, September 09, December 09 and March 2010

6 • Update the induction framework in June 09, September 09, December 09 and March 2010

6 • Develop and deliver in consultation with the Chair and other Main Board members a learning and development plan for Main Board by 30/09/2009

3 • Implement a range of relevant blended learning opportunities for staff by 31/03/2010

16 • Promote the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) accredited programmes to external organisations and gain £4000 income through non YHN learners attending programmes by 31/03/2010

Ref

Ref

15 • Develop a comprehensive evaluation framework that measures training outcomes for external customers by 31/03/2010

10 • Create an annual Organisational Learning and Development plan that meets identified and prioritised needs for all staff by 31/03/2010

15 • Develop a methodology to utilise staff demographic profile to inform organisational learning and development programmes by 31/03/2010


P

Pi

Y

G

B

G

64 65

Ref

6 • Implement the 2009/10 Compact action plan by 31/03/2010

16 • Deliver one in-house Readers Panel training session by 31/03/2010

15 • Consult with customers and review involvement methods offered, by 31/03/2010

7 • Ensure that the opportunities for involving tenants in procurement activities are fully explored and in accordance with the Citywide Tenant and Leaseholder Involvement Strategy and Citywide Tenant and Leasehold Involvement compact by 31/03/2010

1 • Introduce a programme to provide access to training for individual tenants by 30/09/2009

1 • Acquire £10,000 sponsorship for diversionary/leisure activities by 31/03/2010

1 • Deliver six different diversionary/leisure activities for tenants by 31/03/2010

1 • Produce a strategy outlining YHN’s approach to diversionary/leisure activities by 31/03/2010

18 • Ensure that all service actions within the Equality Impact Needs Assessment (EINA) are completed to deadline during 2009/10

Directorate: BusinessTeam: Tenant Involvement Team

• Develop a wide range of good quality and effective involvement and feedback methods

• Support other service areas to make YHN a customer - focused organisation where customers drive forward service improvements

• Ensure that involved customers are representative of the YHN customer base

• Deliver a structured programme of leisure and diversionary activities

Key work areas:

2 • Achieve 89% satisfaction with involvement services from involved customers by 31/03/2010

2 • Make sure the database of ‘make a difference’ volunteers is representative of tenant population in terms of age, gender, ethnicity and disability by 31/03/2010

15 • 80 involvement activities to be delivered by 31/03/2010

2 • Deliver eight service user workshops during 2009/10

2 • Deliver six mystery shopping exercises during 2009/10

15 • Monitor improvements to services in relation to involvement activity outcomes on a quarterly basis during 2009/10

12 • Continue to carry out a mystery shopping programme on empty properties to ensure properties meet agreed standard during 2009/10

2 • Feed back outcomes to 100% of participants from involvement events held during 2009/10

Ref

P

Pi

Y

B

G

66 67

The Chief Executive’s Office incorporates the following functions: management support and executive assistance, equalities and diversity, company administration and board support and communications. We:

• Assist the Chief Executive and Management Team in the delivery of executive projects

• Facilitate and develop the organisations decision making processes

• Make sure that effective Governance processes and procedures are in place

• Ensure compliance with all statutory requirements relating to governance

• Provide Board/Area support and manage the support provided to committees through Service Level Agreements

• Provide administration and secretarial support to Management Team and Board as required

• Provide general and specialist advice to internal and external customers

• Manage and maintain effective data information systems

• Develop a wide range of good quality and effective communications

• Support internal and external customers to make YHN a customer - focused organisation where customers drive forward service improvements

• Organise events on behalf of YHN

Equality and diversity key work areas are provided in the separate service plan for the Equality and Diversity Team

Key work areas:

4 • Set up and administer a separate and appropriate legal entity as a Board subsidiary by 31/05/2009 to facilitate new business

1 • Carry out four targeted activities to enable better representation of tenant population on the Board by 31/03/2010

2 • Respond to 95% of management team correspondence within agreed timescales during 2009/10

2 • Carry out 98% of planned organisation wide telephone monitoring during 2009/10

2 • Achieve a 15% increase in traffic to the YHN website by 31/03/2010

6 • 75 pro active press releases with 75% of all media coverage being of a positive nature during 2009/10

Ref

Directorate: Chief Executive’s Office Team: Chief Executive’s Office

Ref

2 • Type and circulate Divisional Senior Management Team minutes within five working days during 2009/10

2 • Distribute Board papers within one week of date of meeting during 2009/10

6 • Produce and deliver Homes+People four times to every tenant and leaseholder during 2009/10

2 • Carry out information production and web based projects and tasks within agreed published timescales during 2009/10

2 • Review the communications strategy and draft an action plan by 31/03/2010

15 • Review Communications Service Level Agreement (SLA) with Newcastle City Council (NCC) by 31/03/2010

2 • Review Democratic services SLA with NCC by 31/03/2010

15 • Meet quarterly with Homes and People Editorial Board to ensure content is relevant and of interest to tenants and leaseholders during 2009/10

2 • Pass on 97% of complaints to central team within 24hrs during 2009/10

2 • Issue 10 editions of Housing Service News during 2009/10

3 • Deliver eight Team Briefs to staff in 2009/10

2 • Ensure optimum decision making capability and representation on the Board by recruiting new Board members in line with the requirement for tenant and independent members to stand down by the annual general meeting 2009


1 • Ensure all customers can access accurate information in formats appropriate to their needs by:

- providing requested information in a range of appropriate alternative formats (review range by 31/03/2010)

- improving processes for providing regular or targeted information where customers have a recorded need by 31/03/2010

- reviewing website content to ensure accuracy twice during 2009/10 (by 31/10/2009 and 31/03/2010)Y

P

Y

G

B

68 69

• Ensure that all equality and diversity responsibilities of the organisation are met

• Lead on mainstreaming the equality and diversity agenda within YHN with specific reference to:

- Equality Framework for Local Government

- Audit Commission Diversity KLOE (Key Lines of Enquiry)

- Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) – Code of practice on Racial Equality in Housing

- Compliance with all equalities legislation

- Act as lead on the diversity project within YHN’s Service Improvement Programme

Key work areas:

15 • Develop an action plan to enable us to achieve the ‘moving towards excellence’ level of the revised Equality Framework for Local Government standard by 30/06/2009

5 • Ensure that all Corporate Equality Plan targets for 2009/2010 are achieved

5 • Produce a statement of compliance with the CRE code of practice on activities undertaken during 2009/10

1 • Ensure that all identified equality and diversity actions are delivered within the Service Improvement Programme for 2009/10

2 • Participate in a Northern region housing specific equality and diversity benchmarking forum by 30/06/2009

1 • Attend two equality and diversity specific community events (Pink Parade/Mela) by 31/03/2010

18 • Review our Equality Impact and Needs Assessment (EINA) and Disability Actions Plans (DAPS) processes to ensure that our services meet the different needs of our diverse communities by 31/3/2010

Ref

Directorate: Chief Executive’s Office Team: Equality and Diversity

Ref

1 • Work with Stonewall and other external organisations to increase our reputation as an employer of choice for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) communities up to 31/03/2010

2 • Introduce a training programme which ensures that equality and diversity obligations are at the core of procurement processes by 30/09/2009

3 • Hold one annual equality and diversity briefing session for YHN employees by 31/03/2010

5 • Introduce an annual review of DAPS by 31/03/2010

P

G

G

Y

70 71

Directorate: Finance and Resources Team: Administration and Facilities

Administration:

• Provide general and specialist information and advice to internal and external customers

• Manage the room booking and catering functions for YHN House

• Assist the work of YHN through the provision of clerical, administrative and support functions

• Manage and maintain effective data information systems in relation to Potential Risk Indicators, incident and accident reporting

• Provide statistical and management information to management teams and in line with statutory requirements

Facilities Management:

• Arrange and manage planned and responsive maintenance to YHN House and grounds

• Arrange and manage planned and responsive cleaning within YHN House

• Deliver a daily courier service

• Collect and recycle materials

Key work areas:

Administration:

2 • Ensure 96% compliance with the completion of weekly internal performance reports on telephone calls during 2009/10

3 • 96% entering of Potential Risk Indicator referrals onto the Northgate system within two working days during 2009/10

16 • 95% of all travel/accommodation requests processed within two days of receipt during 2009/10

16 • 95% of all administration pool requests responded to within two days of receipt during 2009/10

6 • Collect and deliver internal post at YHN House twice each working day during 2009/10

6 • Manage and maintain the flexible working time management system at YHN House. All adjustments forms will be input to the system during the working week received, and an up to date weekly report will be produced for all managers during 2009/10

6 • Manage all meeting room bookings at YHN house and confirm arrangements within one working day during 2009/10

6 • Maintain a stock of YHN leaflets published for the public and respond to requests for supplies within five working days during 2009/10

Ref

Ref


3 • 96% for completion of a Health and Safety review of YHN House and the grounds twice each day during 2009/10

6 • Daily courier service to be provided for YHN House, decentralised teams and the Civic Centre. 98% target during 2009/10

20 • Provide a daily re-cycling collection service for YHN House and decentralised services. 98% target during 2009/10

6 • Deliver all correctly addressed goods received at YHN House to sections within one working day. 95% target for 2009/10

6 • Review the security of YHN House and all service contracts during 2009/10

Document and record management service:

6 • Deliver 98% of any documents requested within one working day of a request being made during 2009/10

Administration:

15 • Review the current administration pool to reduce numbers of agency staff by 31/07/2009

6 • Provide a reception service at YHN House between 07:00 and 18:00 on each working day during 2009/10


15 • Review transport used by Facilities Management by 31/03/2010

15 • Review routes used by Facilities Management by 31/03/2010

15 • Review frequency of courier service by 31/03/2010

16 • Purchase shredders for each office/section to reduce confidential waste shredding/disposal costs, by 31/07/2009

18 • Ensure that all service actions within equality impact needs requirement assessment (EINA) are completed to deadline during 2009/10

3 • Review Disability Action Plan for YHN House by 31/03/2010

Y

B

G

Y

72 73

Directorate: Finance and Resources Team: Employment Initiatives

• Engage all schools through activities, events and challenges

• Promote YHN activities and opportunities to school pupils

• Facilitate young people into construction apprenticeships

• Implement trainee and placement programmes

Key work areas:

1 • Provide three employability events for City residents to raise awareness of opportunities during 2009/10

1 • 30 person days of training to be provided (commissioned or delivered) during 2009/10

1 • 50 young people from secondary schools to be engaged during 2009/10

1 • 50 young people from primary schools to be engaged during 2009/10

1 • One additional school to be added to ‘provide curriculum activity’ provision during 2009/10

1 • Provide curriculum activity to secondary schools’ during 2009/10

1 • Challenge events to be offered to schools. One primary and one secondary by 31/10/2009 and a further primary and secondary by 31/03/2010

1 • Shadow Boards to be continued at two establishments during 2009/10

1 • Two young people to be facilitated into craft apprenticeship interviews during 2009/10

1 • Four curriculum related activities to be provided to each of two schools during 2009/10

1 • Ensure training, assess and moderate all candidates on the above award during 2009/10

1 • 10 unemployed residents coached in employability skills during 2009/10

1 • Five work placements provided during 2009/10

1 • Three personal meetings with a representative of each partner during 2009/10

1 • Two additional partners to be added during 2009/10

Ref

Ref

1 • Liaise with partners to signpost clients to opportunities during 2009/10

1 • Liaise with two buddy schools and one other school about partnership working during 2009/10

1 • Involve three YHN staff in providing activities during 2009/10

1 • Offer signposting to increase employability of YHN tenants during 2009/10

1 • Facilitate work placement opportunities for four people with disabilities by 31/03/2010


Y

Pi

B

G

74 75

Directorate: Finance and Resources Team: Finance Business Support

• Interface with Newcastle City Council (NCC) on technical finance issues

• Prepare financial information for Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and YHN Business and Medium Term plans

• Monitor and report timely, accurate and robust financial information relating to the HRA Capital Investment Programme and provide financial support and advice to enable decisions to be made at the earliest opportunity in order that the programme can be delivered within agreed financial constraints so as to minimise the impact on HRA Reserves.

• Prepare YHN and HRA statutory accounts for submission in accordance with statutory deadlines.

• Liaise with the Company’s external auditors to ensure there is no qualification of the accounts

• Support Audit Committee

• Prepare and submit HRA Subsidy returns and Prepare Supporting People performance returns and maintain and maintain Supporting People financial information.

• Provide a financial and business planning consultation service including taxation issues

• Prepare and submit statistical data to external organisations

• Carry out assessment and appraisal of consultations affecting the HRA and ALMO finance

• Co-ordinate grant claims and procedures

• Interface with NCC on technical finance issues

• Prepare financial information for HRA and YHN Business and Medium Term plans

Key work areas:

2 • Maintain a minimum Housing Revenue Account (HRA) balance of £5 Million by 31/03/2010

2 • Achieve 3% efficiency saving on 2007/08 baseline budget by 31/03/2010

2 • Access 10 additional sources of funding to raise £100k by 31/03/2010

17 • Agree a legally compliant framework for un-pooling leasehold service charges by 31/03/2010

Ref

Ref

2 • HRA Subsidy 2009/10 claims to be submitted to the Department of Communities and Local Government timetable and without subsequent amendment of value greater than £420,000

2 • Maintain and monitor the NCC budget monitoring tool for HRA and YHN budget holders and achieve accountancy actions clearance of 95% for red and 90% for non-red during 2009/10

6 • Provide an investment programme monthly monitor for managers during 2009/10

6 • Provide monthly revenue and investment reports for YHN finance committee during 2009/10

6 • Process Right to buy cost floor calculations within 15 days of receiving the request during 2009/10

6 • Produce audited YHN annual financial statements for the YHN annual general meeting

17 • Produce YHN and HRA company accounts to agreed timetable and without auditor’s qualification during 2009/10

2 • Answer all S151 technical issues raised at S151 meetings to NCC satisfaction prior to next meeting during 2009/10

2 • Produce financial information for the 30 year HRA Business Plan by 31/03/2010

16 • Explore more grant opportunities through the active use of grant finder etc. by 31/03/2010

16 • Develop FAMIS to take new structures by 31/03/2010

16 • Develop a rents system for separate YHN organisation by 31/03/2010

16 • Develop a Leaseholder Service Accounts system by 31/03/2010


P

Pi

B

G

Y

76 77

Directorate: Finance and ResourcesTeam: Procurement and Payments Team

• Enable staff and managers to procure correctly on behalf of YHN and the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) by developing, implementing and maintaining effective systems and processes and ensuring adherence to financial regulations.

• Co-ordinate the closedown of Financial Systems to enable the preparation of the year end accounts in accordance with statutory deadline and codes of practice.

• Develop and deliver financial training courses for staff and managers relating to POPS, financial regulations and procurement.

• Support staff and managers with all payment related services.

• Act as the gatekeeper in the procurement process.

Key work areas:

2 • Maintain a minimum Housing Revenue Account (HRA) balance of £5 million by 31/03/2010

16 • 95% of invoices to be paid on time during 2009/10

17 • Comply with Newcastle City Council’s (NCC’s) statutory deadlines for closure of accounts during 2009/10

3 • Train new staff and supply security access to the POP system within one month of being notified of their payroll ID number during 2009/10

16 • Reduce confirmation orders from 11.2% to 8% of total orders raised during 2009/10

16 • Contracts to be authorised and sent to supplier/service manager within 20 working days of receipt during 2009/10

16 • Request for tender/quotation to be sent to potential supplier within five working days during 2009/10

7 • Monitor and report Corporate Procurement Strategy action plan to finance committee on a quarterly basis during 2009/10

2 • Monitor and report Efficiency Strategy action plan to finance committee on a quarterly basis during 2009/10

16 • Identify and review priorities for 2010/11 by 31/03/2010

2 • Deliver reviews / procurements of externally delivered services as recommended by annual spend analysis during 2009/10

Ref

Ref

7 • Establish performance management framework for procurement by 31/03/2010

7 • Improve networking with Procurement Champions from NCC Directorates during 2009/10

7 • Explore the scope for procuring Fairtrade products during 2009/10

2 • Establish partnership arrangements with other procurement consortia during 2009/10

2 • Improve communication and information on contracts and tenders through the YHN website during 2009/10

2 • Identify methods of support for potential suppliers to meet equality and diversity criteria by 31/03/2010

17 • Ensure that all new procured services reflect the YHN equality policy and legal codes of practice during 2009/10


P

Y

G

B

G

78 79

Directorate: Finance and ResourcesTeam: Finance Revenue

• Produce, revise and monitor an annual budget complying with statutory deadlines and codes of practice

• Implement a five year medium term financial planning process to help plan the effective application of resources to meet YHN’s objectives

• The preparation and production of revenue YHN and Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budgets and the Medium Term Plan including agreement of the YHN Management Fee;

• Production of monthly Revenue Budget Monitor to Finance Committee and the City Treasurer (S151);

• Monthly budget monitoring of all revenue budget heads and support to all budget managers, via the Budget Monitoring Tool, including review of business plans;

• Monthly monitoring and reconciliation of YHN Payroll and maintenance of YHN establishment;

• To support and drive the business and financial planning process.

Key work areas: Ref

17 • Produce, revise and monitor an annual budget complying with statutory deadlines and codes of practice, during 2009/10

2 • Implement a five year medium term financial planning process to help plan the effective application of resources to meet YHN’s objectives, during 2009/10

2 • Answer all revenue issues raised at S151 meetings to NCC satisfaction prior to next meeting during 2009/10

2 • Support Business and Financial Planning, providing support with all aspects relating to finance, during 2009/10


Ref

2 • Maintain a minimum Housing Revenue Account (HRA) balance of £5 million by 31/03/2010


2 • Achieve 97% accuracy of YHN Management Fee expenditure, revised outturn budgets to actual during 2009/10

2 • Achieve 97% accuracy of HRA supervision and management expenditure revised outturn budgets to actual during 2009/10

17 • Comply with Newcastle City Council’s (NCC) statutory deadlines for closure of accounts during 2009/10

2 • Achieve targets of accountancy actions clearance of 95% for red and 90% for non-red flags during 2009/10 for the NCC Budget Monitoring Tool for HRA and YHN budget holders

6 • Provide bi-monthly revenue budget monitors for managers during 2009/10 Y

Pi

P

B

G

80 81

Directorate: Finance and Resources Team: Human Resources

Develop and implement company HR policy and strategy. We monitor and evaluate the delivery of HR services, including:

• recruitment and selection

• conditions of service/single status

• employee welfare/absence management

• employment law

• employee relations

• advice & research

• workforce planning strategies

• HR information systems/DHS

• 360 degree feedback

Key work areas:

3 • Reduce number of sickness absence days per full time equivalent to 10.2 days by 31/03/2010

16 • Review Human Resources/Organisational Development services by 30/04/2009

3 • Purchase and implement Gauge Job Evaluation system by 30/06/2009

6 • Provide advice and support to managers on sickness absence within three working days of receiving a request during 2009/10

6 • Attend all stage one and two sickness reviews to give advice and support to managers and those hearing the case during 2009/10

6 • Review all sickness cases that have been referred to occupational health on a monthly basis during 2009/10

6 • Advise and assist managers on disciplinary issues within one working day of receiving the request during 2009/10

6 • When requested, attend disciplinary hearings to give support to managers presenting and those hearing the case during 2009/10

6 • Provide advice on policy and procedures to all staff within three working days of receiving a request during 2009/10

Ref

Ref

6 • When there are major changes in legislation that affect our policy and procedures we will organise and deliver briefing sessions for all managers before the changes come into effect. Minor changes will be communicated to managers by e-mail within 5 working days during 2009/10

6 • Arrange a briefing for managers on recruitment and selection within ten working days of receiving a request during 2009/10

6 • Monitor on a quarterly basis and review on an annual basis the service level agreements we have with Newcastle City Council on Occupational Health, Organisational Development and Human Resources Administration within City Services during 2009/10

6 • Publish an organisational chart on the internet which will be updated and reviewed every six months during 2009/10

6 • If there is a major restructure of the organisation we will update the organisational chart within ten working days during 2009/10

Recruitment Service Standards

6 • Advertise a vacancy in line with advertising deadlines, but this will be no later than 10 days of receiving notification of a vacancy during 2009/10

6 • Once a vacancy has closed, the short-list pack will be returned to the appointing manager within two working days of the closing date during 2009/10

6 • The completed short-list pack will be requested from the appointing manager (if it has not already been received) two weeks after the closing date during 2009/10

6 • Unless otherwise indicated, references will be requested prior to interview during 2009/10

6 • Invite letters will be sent to candidates within three working days of receiving the short-list during 2009/10

6 • Conditional, unsuccessful and hold letters will be sent out within 5 working days of receiving the information during 2009/10


P

Pi

YB

Y

82 83

Directorate: Finance and Resources Team: Income

Income Team

• Delivering excellent services by providing a rental administration service to approximately 28,500 tenants and 1,500 leaseholders

• Complying with Government policies and codes of practice such as Rent Reform and Convergence

• Reconciling weekly/annual balance of rent accounts and income received

• Developing and maintaining the rents module of the Northgate system

• Providing accurate and effective advice and information to external and internal customers

• Produce rent and service charge estimates, budget monitors and year end accounts

• Calculate rent and service charges in accordance with government guidelines

• Prepare quarterly Income and Arrears monitor to Finance Committee and the City Treasurer [S151]

• Liaise with Newcastle City Council and District auditors

• Maximise income by providing and administering a variety of cost effective payment methods

• Develop and maintain the Rent and Service Charge Modules of the Northgate system

Debt Recovery Team:

• Manage the recovery of YHN debt including:

- Former Tenant Arrears

- Leasehold Rent and Service Charges

- Major Works

- Re-chargeable works

• Develop new debt recovery services through working with partners and outside agencies

Key work areas:

2 • Contribute to achieving a minimum Housing Revenue Account Balance of £5 million by 31/03/2010

2 • Collect £400k of Former Tenants Arrears during 2009/10

2 • Collect 96% of leasehold service charges during 2009/10


Ref

Ref

17 • Deliver rent increase notifications to tenants by legal deadline (08/03/2010)

2 • Charge approved rent and service charge levels from the first Monday in April (06/04/2009)

2 • Increase number of direct debit payers by 500 during 2009/10

1 • Increase percentage of tenants on tenant’s contents insurance scheme to 25% by 31/03/2010

2 • Process any relevant gross rent changes on a weekly basis during 2009/10

6 • Re-calculate rents within five working days of being notified of any change during 2009/10

2 • Ensure all rental income collected during 2009/10 is allocated and reconciled correctly

Income Accounts team:

6 • Check all tenancies that have been created or terminated and action adjustments within five working days during 2009/10

6 • Respond to requests for rent account printouts for current tenants within two working days during 2009/10

6 • Respond to a request for a direct debit information pack within two working days during 2009/10

6 • Ensure refund requests are ready for processing by the Income Controls Team within two working days during 2009/10

6 • Make sure scheme allowances requests are ready for processing by the Income Controls Team within five working days during 2009/10

Income Controls Team:

6 • Respond to requests for insurance leaflets and application forms within two working days during 2009/10

6 • Process requests for refunds received from the Accounts Team within five working days during 2009/10

6 • Process all payments within two working days except those from the Department of Work and Pensions which will be processed within five working days during 2009/10

6 • Calculate and process all Asylum Seeker accommodation payments on a five weekly cycle during 2009/10

Pi

P

Y

84 85

Ref

Debt Recovery Team:

6 • Action any information received within five working days during 2009/10

6 • Respond to requests for an account history for former tenants within five working days during 2009/10

2 • Review the Exchequer Services Income Service Level Agreement (SLA) by 30/09/2009

17 • Calculation of rent and service charges within the Governments Rent Reform and Convergence Guidelines during 2009/10

2 • Ensuring all rental income collected is allocated and reconciled correctly. Providing quarterly reports on this to YHN Finance Committee during 2009/10

2 • Complete a rent and service charge setting policy by 30/06/2009

2 • Produce and publicise a procedure document detailing how we will keep our tenants informed of changes to rent and service charges by 30/09/2009

2 • Complete and produce publications clearly describing the rent and service charge setting policy by 30/09/2009

1 • Run advertising campaigns in resident newsletters and in the local community housing offices promoting the house contents insurance scheme and highlighting the benefits of having insurance, by 30/06/2009

14 • Investigate the delay in rent payments being credited to accounts if paid via the post office or Paypoint system by 31/03/2010


Directorate: Finance and Resources Team: Right to Buy

We provide tenants an affordable opportunity to become home owners by:

• Administering the Right To Buy process

• Providing statistical and management information to management teams in line with statutory requirements

• Providing general and specialist information and advice to internal and external customers

• Resolving conflicts that arise from the Right To Buy process

• Providing Right To Buy and technical property Information

• Interpreting current legislation and developing procedures in line with this

Key work areas:

2 • Achieve 95% compliance with statutory timescales during 2009/10

2 • No successful Right to Buy 6’s and 8’s served during 2009/10

2 • Offer home visits to 100% of applicants on request during 2009/10

6 • Where all information is available, we will send RTB2 notices to 95% of customers within four weeks during 2009/10

6 • Following an RTB2 notice, we will send offer notices to 95% of customers:

- within eight weeks from the date of the RTB2 if you are buying a freehold property (normally a house); or

- within 12 weeks from the date of the RTB2 if you are buying a leasehold property (normally a flat or maisonette)

6 • Respond to 95% of customers who have sent us an initial notice of delay form within one calendar month during 2009/10

16 • Turn around 90% of property valuations within 10 days during 2009/10

16 • Monitor the number of days taken to return valuations on a quarterly basis during 2009/10

2 • Achieve customer satisfaction of 80% by 31/03/2010

16 • Review Legal Services SLA charges and explore the possibility of being charged per application, by 31/03/2010

16 • Review Property Services SLA by 31/03/2010

15 • Explore the possibility of re-purchasing former council homes for other authorities by 31/03/2010


Ref

B

G

Y

B

G

Y

86 87

Directorate: Finance and ResourcesTeam: YHN IT (Information Technology)

• Operate a service desk to provide help and advice on the use of the Northgate housing management system and other IT systems

• Ensure that third party organisations (including Newcastle IT) with responsibility for second and third line support meet their obligations to our customers

• Provide support to YHN services in defining the requirements for changes to the service they receive from us

• Provide advice, project management and technical support for changes to the Northgate system and other IT services, and for the procurement and implementation of new IT services

• Support the testing of all system changes, prior to release

• Procure IT hardware and software, including inventory and licensing arrangements

• Manage upgrades and other infrastructure changes

• Administer Outlook accounts and control access to the network and shared folders

• Build and maintain standard reports from the Northgate system, and ad-hoc reports for individual services when needed

• Ensure that the Northgate system and other core IT services is available and fit for purpose

• Provide technical support to Organisational Development for the training of end-users in the use of the system

• Work with Newcastle IT and other suppliers to ensure that their services meet the needs of our customers

• Maintain appropriate levels of knowledge and skills through training, and attendance at Northgate user groups and other events

• Monitor and manage elements of the IT Service Level Agreement with Newcastle IT

• Develop the YHN IT Strategy and governance policies for IT-enabled change

2 • Project delivery: 80% of projects (and key milestones) delivered to agreed timescale during 2009/10

2 • 85% overall satisfaction from YHN Services for 2009/10 (measured by snapshot survey in January 2010)

2 • An average rating of four (good) or above for individual service desk calls at least 85% of the time during 2009/10

2 • Service levels achieved for 80% of requests and incidents during 2009/10

Key work areas: Ref

Ref

2 • Change management: 80% of service and system changes delivered to agreed timescale during 2009/10

15 • Reduction of 10% in number of new incidents raised with the service desk over time during 2009/10

15 • Audit and upgrade where necessary network connections to YHN offices and remote sites by 30/09/2009

15 • Migrate YHN to the IT Newcastle corporate Outlook system by 31/12/2009

15 • Migrate YHN to Active Directory by 31/03/2010

2 • Continue Northgate implementation and introduce additional modules as required by YHN management team during 2009/10

3 • Upgrade the Northgate system for each new release and support Organisational Development in the provision of end user training during 2009/10

3 • Work with Organisational Development to implement e-learning for Microsoft Office products by 31/03/2010

15 • Carry out feasibility work to understand the potential market for supplying IT support, training and other services to smaller providers of social housing by 31/03/2010

3 • Provide technical support to Organisational Development in respect of the introduction of periodic competence based assessment on Northgate modules through E-learning by 31/12/2009

16 • Agree Service Level Agreements for all key IT services by 30/06/2009

3 • Complete a project to deliver a streamlined and largely automated IT processes for new starters by 30/09/2009

1 • Develop a programme of initiatives to increase tenant’s web access in tower blocks by 31/03/2010

8 • Investigate opportunities and run selected pilots to enable customers to access information and accounts via libraries, street kiosks, internet cafes, SMS, digital TV networks and other access channels by 31/03/2010

1 • Investigate options and run selected pilots to give additional support to older customers (or other groups who are statistically less likely to have IT experience) who would like to use our online services but lack confidence and/or knowledge, by 31/03/2010


Pi

YB

G

Y

88 89

Directorate: Tenancy Services Team: Advice and Support

We give advice and support to current and prospective tenants around housing and financial issues. We aim to ensure that tenancies are maintained and that prospective tenants succeed in new tenancies.

Key work areas:

1 • Achieve 50% level A’s in our Quality Assessment Framework assessments for Supporting People contracts during 2009/10

2 • Review the Advice and Support Service by 31/07/2009

6 • Interview all new referrals within 10 working days during 2009/10. 92% target for 2009/10

6 • Make a support plan all of our clients during 2009/10

6 • Develop a support plan during the first interview for 90% of all new clients during 2009/10

Refugee move on team:

1 • 100 service users assisted to claim welfare benefits following a positive decision during 2009/10

Pathways team:

1 • 100 service users moved to independent tenancies and supported housing as part of the pathways process during 2009/10

1 • 40 hospital discharges assisted through the pathways process during 2009/10

1 • Define a base target for the number rehabilitation households to be assisted into a tenancy during 2009/10

Outreach team:

1 • 97% of our customers assisted to sustain a tenancy during 2009/10

1 • 90% service users in independent tenancies still living independently after one year during 2009/10

1 • Raise £1,000,000 in charitable grants and additional income from benefits during 2009/10

6 • 90% of our customers to be satisfied with staff from the advice and support service during 2009/10

Ref

Ref

2 • Hold an annual Advice and Support Worker service user meeting during 2009/10

16 • Explore the feasibility of acquiring a universal log in to access Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) information by 31/03/2010

16 • Investigate options to charge registered social landlords for advice and support, by 31/03/2010

16 • Develop an agreement with external partners and support agencies outlining responsibilities, by 31/03/2010

15 • Explore possibilities of developing a partnership with Older Peoples Advice and Advocacy group by 31/03/2010


Y

Pi

P

B

G

90 91

Directorate: Tenancy Services Team: Asylum Seekers Unit

We are a dedicated team who work with a range of partners to provide accommodation and support to people who have claimed asylum and are dispersed to us by the Home Office. We are also commissioned to provide accommodation and support to clients by Adult and Children’s Services Directorates on referral.

Key work areas:

2 • Maintain 90% customer satisfaction by 31/03/2010

6 • 95% of Service standards achieved during 2009/10. These standards are:

- If a tenant receives support from Adult/Children’s Services, we will provide them with financial support payments on Tuesday mornings at the Civic Centre

- Within one day of a tenant arriving at their accommodation, we will give them a welcome pack which gives them important information about living in Newcastle, including advice about the support that is available to help them

- Within seven days of a tenant arriving at their accommodation, we will arrange for them to see a doctor

- Consult with tenants twice a year to find out how they think we can continue to improve and develop the services we provide

- Visit tenants at least once a month to check the property and see if they have any problems

2 • Contract management:

- 100% of contract Key Performance Indicator (KPI) returns completed on time during 2009/10

- Minimise exposure to penalties under the contract and in any event to contain penalties within 0.5% during 2009/10

- Commit 95% of budget during 2009/10

1 • Provide a ‘surgery’ every month for each patch during 2009/10

16 • Carry out awareness sessions for all Asylum Seekers Unit (ASU) staff about all heating systems used within YHN properties by 31/03/2010

16 • Advise all users about energy saving and usage by 30/09/2009. Also identify high users of energy, and high use properties in order to address energy consumption issues with them by 31/12/2009

Ref

Ref

16 • Review the procedure for replacing furniture and appliances by 31/03/2010

16 • Review referral process, with Move on Team by 30/06/2009

2 • Produce three newsletters for clients during 2009/10

2 • Produce Annual Report by 31/10/2009

15 • Meet with Adult and Children’s Services to discuss performance under the Service Level Agreement (SLA) twice yearly during 2009/10

15 • Review ‘Use and occupation’ charges by 30/09/2009

18 • Ensure that all service actions within the Equality Impact Needs Assessment (EINA) are completed to deadline during 2009/10

Y

G

B

G

92 93

Directorate: Tenancy ServicesTeam: Care Services

We provide integrated housing management and mobile warden services for residents of Newcastle. Services are provided to:

• Residents of city council sheltered housing schemes

• Residents of registered social landlord sheltered housing schemes

• Users of the hard-wired alarm systems

• Dispersed alarm users of all tenures

• Vulnerable clients (monitoring only)

We also:

• Complete individual support plans for clients

• Operate Repair Call and Envirocall out of hours services

• Operate 24 hour racist and homophobic incident reporting

• Provide a Jontek ‘Out of Hours’ service

• Carry out lone-worker monitoring for Enterprise 5

• Provide Telecare services to enable people to remain at home and promote independence

• Provide an out of hours housing telephone service

Key work areas:


14 • Review and re-design Community care Alarm System (CCAS) service provision (this target covers sheltered and Mobile Wardens Teams), by 31/03/2010

15 • Achieve 5% increase in client growth by 31/03/2010

3 • Deliver a lone worker monitoring service for all YHN frontline staff by 31/12/09

2 • Achieve 90% user satisfaction during 2009/10

6 • Answer 98.5% of all calls to the service within one minute during 2009/10

Response Services:

6 • 90% of all emergency calls will have a mobile warden on site within 30 minutes

6 • Visit clients during 2009/10 to complete an annual support plan

16 • On completion of service eligibility checks and referral acceptance, 100% of basic community care alarms will be installed within 48 hours

15 • Increase client base by 350 by 31/03/2010

Ref

Ref

Telecare Services

1 • Monitor separately the number of basic and telecare installations and terminations to establish a baseline by 30/06/2009

1 • Collect information to establish a baseline figure for length of time from referral to completion of installation for basic and complex telecare referrals by 30/06/2009

2 • We will make contact with the client within two working days to book the initial appointment. Our target for doing this is 90% during 2009/10

Sheltered Housing Service

6 • Visit all clients during 2009/10 to complete a support plan. We will also carry out a six monthly review of all support plans

6 • Reduce the number of empty properties in sheltered schemes by 5% by 31/03/2010

6 • Reduce rent arrears for current tenancies in our sheltered schemes by 5% by 31/03/2010

15 • Reduce void re-let time to 50 days by 31/03/2010

16 • All Sheltered Housing Officers to be trained on Jontek by 31/02/2010

2 • Programme five citywide events and deliver an East End activities programme during 2009/10

2 • Extend access to “non hardwired” telecare installations from five to seven days per week by 31/03/2010

2 • 90% of reported faults on dispersed alarms and telecare will be repaired or replaced within 24 hours (excluding hardwired equipment)

2 • Monitor the number of terminations against new tenancies to gauge turnover in sheltered accommodation during 2009/10


P

Pi

Y

B

G

Y

94 95

Directorate: Tenancy Services Team: Concierge

• Provide a 24 hour responsive service for YHN tenants who receive the Concierge service

• Provide reception and security services, including 24 hour monitoring of CCTV and smoke alarms

• Provide building cleaning services in specific locations

• Perform a range of good neighbour duties to add value to the role

• Carry out regular inspections of building cleanliness, including sites where the cleaning service is provided by our service provider

• Liaise with our service provider to monitor performance within the building cleaning service level agreement, to ensure that any improvement actions plans are completed.

• Carry out regular safety and security inspections of YHN properties

• Provide customers with 24 hour access to the service via a free phone

Key work areas:

2 • Complete Concierge Service review and commence implementation of agreed recommendations by 31/03/2010

3 • 95% of one to one meetings to be carried out with all staff on a bi- monthly basis during 2009/10

3 • 65% of all staff to attend service team meetings on a quarterly basis during 2009/10

6 • Provide 90% of all new tenants with a welcome pack within seven days of moving in during 2009/10

6 • Inspect all concierge buildings every three months during 2009/10 to make sure our service provider is keeping to our cleaning standard

6 • Display our cleaning work schedule in buildings with a concierge service during 2009/10

6 • Invite tenants’ representatives to all our inspections and make the results available to tenants if requested, during 2009/10

6 • Offer all new tenants an introduction to the Concierge Service during 2009/10

6 • During 2009/10 undertake all tenant introductions within 7 days of receiving the request unless a later date is specified by the customer

6 • Carry out safety and security checks for all Concierge blocks every day during 2009/10

Ref

Ref

2 • Consult customers on the future of the Concierge Service by 30/06/2009

2 • Review signage in blocks covered by the Concierge Service, by 31/12/2009

1 • Ensure hard to reach groups have an opportunity to become involved in the Service Review by 30/06/2009

18 • Ensure that all service actions within equality impact needs requirement assessment (EINA) are completed to deadline during 2009/10

Y

Pi

B

G

96 97

Directorate: Tenancy Services Team: Young People’s Service

• Aim to prevent homelessness for 50% of 16 and 17 year olds in Newcastle by carrying out assessment of needs and family reconciliation

• Provide supported accommodation for homeless young people aged 16-21 through direct access into a 24 hour staffed hostel.

• Provide support in our block of 16 semi-independent tenancies with on site support during office hours, following re-furbishment.

• Provide intensive floating support for up to two years for young people aged 16-25.

• Provide support to our families who are at risk of eviction.

• Provide opportunities for young people and families to be involved in decision making on an individual basis and through youth voice and contribute to strategic plans within Newcastle.

• Provide opportunities to volunteer

Key work areas:


6 • Assess the needs of more than 50% of the 16 and 17 year-olds who need accommodation and apply through the Housing Advice Centre or Your Choice Homes. We will do this by offering a family reconciliation service to prevent people becoming homeless during 2009/10

6 • Ensure 100% of under 18’s are assessed through CAF (Common Assessment Framework) and that young people maintain independence in line with Supporting People targets which are 95% for floating support and 86% for hostel and supported accommodation during 2009/10

6 • Provide advice and information so that young people know their rights, and encourage 25% of young people to take part in their community and volunteer with Youth Voice during 2009/10

6 • Ensure that 90% of young people supported in tenancies are fully involved in the decisions that affect their lives during 2009/10

6 • Provide an accreditation service so that 75% of young people supported in tenancies can gain recognition and qualifications for the skills and abilities they have and can rejoin education and get qualifications for their skills and experience during 2009/10

2 • Achieve 50% customer satisfaction during 2009/10 from young people involved in the homeless prevention service

Ref

Ref

2 • Achieve 90% customer satisfaction for the quality of support received by young people and families involved in the hostel, floating support, supported accommodation and Family Intervention Project during 2009/10

6 • Provide every one accepted to YPS with a support plan during 2009/10

1 • Complete a support plan review for 95% of residents; within six weeks of the initial support plan in our hostel accommodation and Family Intervention Project, and within three months for service users in North Kenton flats and the floating support service during 2009/10

1 • All children and young people we support will be assisted to achieve their potential within the `Every Child Matters` framework during 2009/10

1 • 50% of Young People’s Service tenants will attend education and training during 2009/10

15 • Monitor the following on a quarterly basis during 2009/10:

- Number of young people presently in need of accommodation

- Which areas of the city young people in need of accommodation are based

- The outcome for all young people who utilise the service

- How many young people are teenage parents

- How many young people have priorities and what type of priority they have

- How long young people wait for tenancies

15 • Monitor the following on a quarterly basis during 2009/10:

- How many under 25’s have utilised the Young People’s Service

- How many under 25’s are still using Young People’s Service

- How many under 25’s using the Young People’s Service are still in tenancies 1 year later

1 • Hold an annual event for users of Young Peoples Services during 2009/10

2 • Produce one outcome report in response to customer satisfaction surveys during 2009/10 for each aspect of the service

1 • Ensure that 100% of young people supported by our services are given information on sexual health, contraception and issues around teenage pregnancy during 2009/10

Y

P

G

Y

98 99

Ref

1 • Provide teenage pregnancy peer education in one school in each of the hot spot areas of Westgate and Walker and two or more youth groups during 2009/10

1 • Work with the Employment Initiatives Team to overcome employment barriers faced by service users of the Young People’s Service through developing volunteering and work placements, during 2009/10

15 • Equality and Diversity Targets/ Actions will be met from the Equality impact action plan. This will be discussed at team meetings on a quarterly basis


Directorate: Tenancy Services Team: HASBET (Housing Anti-Social Behaviour Enforcement Team)

• Work in partnership with other agencies and support multi-agency working

• Work with local teams to tackle anti-social behaviour

• Address breaches of tenancy

Key work areas:

2 • Achieve customer satisfaction rating of 75% for all cases of anti-social behaviour referred to HASBET using customer satisfaction surveys sent to all victims by 31/03/2010

2 • 97% of 1, 5 and 10 day cases referred to Housing Anti-Social Behaviour and Enforcement Team (HASBET) to have commenced investigations within agreed timescales during 2009/10

15 • Monitor and benchmark anti-social behaviour against core Housemark benchmarking activities on a quarterly basis during 2009/10

6 • When a tenant reports anti-social behaviour to us we will confirm that we have received their complaint in writing within five working days during 2009/10

6 • When anti-social behaviour is reported to us, we will send the tenant details of our Victim Support Officer in writing within five working days during 2009/10

6 • Contact tenants within the following times to offer a face-to-face interview or an interview by phone, or by e-mail if they would prefer. The timescales are based on how serious the antisocial behaviour is:

- the next working day if the antisocial behaviour is very serious

- within five working days if the antisocial behaviour is serious but does not need an immediate response

- within 10 working days for less serious types of antisocial behaviour

6 • Contact the person reported to have carried out the anti-social behaviour within five working days of the timescales above. This will help us investigate the complaint. We will only do this with the permission of the person who reported the behaviour. In certain circumstances it may not be appropriate to contact them and we will explain the reasons for this to the person who reported the behaviour.

16 • Install surveillance equipment within five working days after receiving RIPA authorisation, during 2009/10

15 • Generate £24,000 income through private sector housing enforcement by March 2010 to enable programme to continue

1 • Refer 100% of cases to Victim Support during 2009/10

Ref

G

B

Y

100 101

Ref

2 • Review HASBET service standards by 30/09/2009

2 • Review the performance of Newcastle City Council’s (NCC) legal services in respect of the preparation of legal documentation for ASB and examine how quickly papers are lodged at Court, by 31/03/2010

3 • Deliver four quarterly HASBET briefings to all housing service managers and staff to raise awareness and clarify procedures, during 2009/10

14 • Publicise Court Orders and evictions against perpetrators of antisocial behaviour, by 31/03/2010

1 • Explore more ways to work in partnership with support agencies such as play and youth, and alcohol and drug workers, by 31/03/10

16 • Explore the possibility of offering HASBET services to private sector social landlords and lettings agencies by 31/03/2010

16 • Review communication and referral procedures with Community Housing Office’s by 31/03/2010.

15 • Interface effectively with the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership new TAGISH IT system by 31/03/2010

14 • Complete review of arrangements for the reporting of ASB and investigate methods which will make the process easier for tenants by 31/03/2010.

1 • Explore three new ways to work in partnership with young people to address antisocial behaviour by 31/03/2010

1 • Review and evaluate YHN’s procedures for dealing with complaints of nuisance where incidents may be related to cultural, religious or other diversity issues to overcome potential misunderstanding through the use of mediation services, by 31/03/2010


1 • Carry out a review of the information provided to YHN by ARCH to help identify trends and hot spots of hate crime across the City by 31/03/2010

Directorate: Tenancy Services Team: Rent Recovery Team

• Implement quality assurance in rent arrears recovery

• Help maximise income of tenants

• Work with courts in targeting ‘won’t pay’ tenants

• Work in partnership with Community Housing Teams to recover rent

Key work areas:

6 • Process 97% of referrals for court action within timescales outlined below during 2009/10:

- Produce Particular of Claims (POC) within five working days of receiving a Court referral and a copy of the Notice of Seeking Possession (NOSP) during 2009/10

- Lodge papers at Court within five days of receiving a NOSP and producing the POC’s during 2009/10

- Check and action if necessary all referrals for a warrant of eviction within five working days of receiving the request during 2009/10

6 • Attend Court for 100% of listed rent arrears cases during 2009/10

6 • Check and action if necessary all adjourned rent arrears cases every two weeks during 2009/10

6 • Provide help and advice on current procedures and legislation in relation to possession proceedings for rent arrears within five working days of request during 2009/10

6 • Analyse our stakeholder feedback and provide evidence of service improvements within one month of receipt during 2009/10

16 • Ensure that costs are claimed for 100% of cases that go to court where a possession order is sought during 2009/10

2 • Achieve 65% user satisfaction during 2009/10

15 • Generate £58,000 savings in Court costs through using Possession Claims Online (PCOL) during 2009/10

6 • Send out a covering letter, witness statement and fact sheet to defendants 10 working days prior to court hearings in 100% of cases, in order to comply with the pre-action protocol for rent arrears, during 2009/10

Ref

B

G

Y

102 103

Ref

2 • Review Rent Recovery Team service standards by 30/09/2009

16 • Use demographic information to explore the relationship between repossession cases and social groups/city areas by 31/03/2010

15 • Explore the possibility of offering a court representative service to additional services within YHN by 31/03/2010

16 • Develop use of demographic information about customers in arrears to target poster campaigns during 2009/10


15 • Carry out a review of our rent recovery process during 2009/10, to ensure that procedures treat all customers fairly and equally and do not discriminate against any person or group

Directorate: Tenancy Services Team: NFS

• Provide a comprehensive furniture service to the City Council, other housing providers and charities in the region and in addition operate a child safety equipment scheme for Newcastle residents in partnership with the Primary Care Trust.

• Provide the YHN garden care maintenance service, which is available to all tenants.

• Provide a document management service for YHN.

Key work areas:

2 • Increase external managed tenancies by 15% by 31/03/2010

2 • Achieve 95.5% satisfaction with services by 31/03/2010

Furniture service:

2 • Increase income from external contracts by 15% by 31/03/2010

6 • Deliver furniture to YHN tenants within five working days of request. We aim to do this for 93% of all deliveries during 2009/10

2 • Collect furniture from YHN tenants within three working days of request. We aim to do this for 93% of all collections during 2009/10

6 • Visit tenants within eight weeks of delivering their furniture to make sure everything is all right during 2009/10

6 • Repair or replace any faulty cooker we have supplied to tenants within two working days of being informed about it during 2009/10

Child safety equipment scheme:

6 • Install safety equipment within eight weeks of request during 2009/10

1 • Install 1500 child safety equipment packages by 31/03/2010

6 • All questions answered within two working days during 2009/10

Gardening service:

6 • Visit tenants 11 times a year (eight summer visits and three winter visits) during 2009/10

2 • 1200 tenants to be signed up for the YHN garden care service by 31/03/2010

6 • All questions answered within two working days during 2009/10

Ref

B

G

Pi

Y

104 105

Ref

Furniture service:

2 • Run three stakeholder groups during 2009/10

16 • Build/acquire a new warehouse by 31/12/2009

16 • Investigate the feasibility of selling products to tenants through rent accounts by 31/03/2010

16 • Investigate the feasibility of fitting key guards to vacant properties by 31/03/2010

16 • Explore the feasibility of collecting and re-using furniture from void properties by 31/03/2010

14 • Review current charging arrangements by 31/03/2010

16 • Explore the possibility of providing record management to Newcastle City Council and other external organisations by 31/03/2010

Gardening service:

16 • Explore the possibility of expanding the garden service to other providers by 31/03/2010

14 • Extend the garden service to cover communal garden areas within sheltered housing schemes by 31/03/2010


Directorate: Tenancy Services Team: Your Choice Homes

We manage the council’s lettings policy on their behalf. This is a partnership with

other housing providers. We market homes, monitor performance and ensure the

service is delivered in an open, fair and consistent way.

We operate from a city centre location, where our Health and Welfare Team,

provided in partnership with Health and Social Services, assess the housing needs

of our customers to help them to maintain their independence.

Key work areas:

2 • Improve satisfaction of service by 5% from 82% by 31/03/2010

2 • 95% of appeals to be dealt with within 21 days during 2009/10

2 • Carry out six briefing sessions to external stakeholders regarding the lettings policy by 31/03/2010

6 • Answer all phone calls within five rings during 2009/10

6 • Reply to written correspondence within 10 working days during 2009/10

6 • Register all Your Choice Homes (YCH) applications within five working days. We will write to all applicants to confirm this during 2009/10

6 • If an applicant does not qualify to join Your Choice Homes, we will write to them, during 2009/10, to tell them:

– why this is;

– what information we have considered; and

– what can be done to quality. This will include what support will be available to them.

15 • Complete all requests for priority assessments within 10 days of receiving all relevant information during 2009/10

2 • Produce monthly nominations performance information and report to Newcastle City Council (NCC) for action during 2009/10

15 • 100% Housing Association Nominations to new build developments during 2009/10

15 • 60% Housing Association Nominations to existing properties during 2009/10

15 • Work with Newcastle City Council (NCC) to appoint a Project Manager to work on Sub Regional Choice Based Lettings (CBL) by 31/05/2009

Ref

B

G

Y

G

106 107

Ref

15 •DevelopaninformationandcostsharingprotocolwithSubRegional partnersby31/07/2009

15 •Introduceamutualexchangesystemforthesubregioninpartnership withTyneandWearChoiceBasedLettings(CBL)groupby30/06/2009

2 •Completeall2009/10actionsinYCHAllocationsandLettingsForward Planby31/03/2010

15 •EnsurealltargetsaremetinrelationtotheintroductionofaHousing Optionsapproachandchangestothelettingspolicyduring2009/10

1 •Introduceanincentiveschemetotackleunderoccupationby31/07/2009

2 •IntroduceaprocessforHousingManagementstafftocarryoutmultiple viewingsby31/07/2009

16 •Reviewandstreamlinethehealthassessmentprocessby31/07/2009

3 •IntroducenewHealthandHousingtrainingforstaffby31/07/2009

16 •Reviewmonitoringofhealthassessmentstoimproveresponsetimesby 31/07/2009

15 •Ensurethatlinkbetweenhealthtargetsandhousingareconsideredand alignedby31/03/2010

15 •Generate3%efficiencysavingsduring2009/10throughintroductionofa regionalCBLscheme

15 •Introduceaprocessforusingdemographicinformationtoassesswhois notaccessingtheservice,identifyreasonsandadaptservicetoaddress theissueby31/03/2010

2 •Review‘ProspectsInformation’tocustomersby31/03/2010

1 •InconjunctionwithNewcastleCityCouncil,reviewourexisting arrangementstobestmatchhousingwithexistingadaptationswith customersrequiringtheseby31/03/2010

1 •Reviewpriorityprocesstoidentifyareasofinconsistencyinorderto improveservicetovulnerablecustomersandinformthelettingspolicy 31/03/2010

1 •Analysecorrelationbetweenapplicationsandbidsforpropertyinorder toidentifygapsinserviceprovisionforvulnerablepeople,by31/03/2010

18 •EnsurethatallserviceactionswithinEqualityImpactNeedsAssessment (EINA)arecompletedtodeadlineduring2009/10

1 •WorkwithDiversityManagertodevelopaDisabilityActionPlan(DAP) fornewofficepremisesby31/03/2010

Directorate: Tenancy Services Team: Customer Service

WeareresponsibleformanagingandcoordinatingtheimplementationofYHNs

CustomerServiceStrategy“EveryCustomerMatters”acrossourbusinessareas.

Wewillachievethisthroughcollaborationwithallourservicemanagersandstaff

andbydeliveryofourCustomerServiceProjectunderYHNProgrammeBoard

Governance.TheYHNCustomerServiceProjectiscomprisedoffourkeyWork

Streams:-

• Workforce

• Access

• Insight

• ITandTelephony

InadditiontheCustomerServiceTeamwillmanageandcoordinateallactivities

andreportingrelatingto:

• YHNComplaintsPolicyandProcess

• YHNCustomerServiceExcellenceProgramme

Keyworkareas:

6 •95%ofcomplaintstobegivenafullwrittenresponsewithin10working daysduring2009/10

2 •ToachievethenewCustomerServiceExcellence(CSE)standardforall existingCharterMarkedservicesdueforrenewalin2009/2010andto achievethenewCSEstandardfortwonewexternalandonenew internalserviceduringthatperiod

8 •Toresearchandevaluatethebenefitsandissuesrelatingtothe introductionofaCustomerRelationshipManagement(CRM)System forYHNandtocompleteacostedbusinesscaseforYHNProgramme Boardconsiderationby31/12/2009

8 •AllservicestocomplywithrelevantactionsidentifiedintheCustomer ServicesStrategyActionPlanandassociatedprojectplansduring 2009/2010

6 •Answer90%ofphonecallswithinfiveringsduring2009/10

6 •VisitorswillbeseentowithinfiveminutesofarrivingatanyYHN receptionareaduring2009/10

2 •Workwithinvestigatingofficersprovidingadviceandsupportinorderto ensureformalcomplaintsaregivenafullwrittenresponsebythemin10 workingdaysduring2009/10

Ref

G

BY

Pi

108 109

Ref

2 •Investigatingofficerstoachieve50%satisfactioninhowcomplaintsare handledin2009/10

2 •Acknowledge90%offormalcomplaintswithinthreeworkingdays during2009/10

2 •Send90%offormalcomplaintstoinvestigatingofficerswithintwo workingdaysofreceiptincomplaintsduring2009/10

2 •Reportallactiveformalcomplaintsonaweeklybasistoallmanagers during2009/10

2 •Reportoncomplimentsandcomplaintsonaquarterlybasistosectionsof YourHomesNewcastleduring2009/10

2 •ReportcomplaintsperformancetoBoardeveryquarterduring2009/10

2 •HoldComplaintsChampionsmeetingseveryquartertolearnfrom complimentsandcomplaintsduring2009/10

6 •FeedbacktocustomersoncomplaintseveryquarterinHomes&People during2009/10

2 •HoldtheComplaints‘R’UsScrutinypanelwithtenantsandleaseholders everyquartertoreviewthequalityofstepthreecomplaintsduring 2009/10

2 •AgreetimetableforcorporateCSEapplicationwithManagementTeam by31/12/2009

2 •Continuetoanalysedemographicsfrominformalandformalcomplaints andincludethisinformationinthequarterlyBoardreportduring 2009/10

2 •WorkwithYoungPersonsServiceswithinYourHomesNewcastleto makethecomplaintsprocessaccessibletoallyoungpeopleusingour servicesandproviderepresentativedemographicinformationtoreflect thisinquarterlyboardreportsduring2009/10

2 •ReportonsexualorientationoncomplaintsinlinewithYourHomes Newcastle’scollectionofdataonNorthgateandreflectthisquarterlyin boardreportsduring2009/10

2 •ContinuetoactivelyengageintheEINAActionPlanandprocesswiththe EqualitiesandDiversityTeamcompletingtheCustomerServicesStrategy EINAandallsubsequentactionsby31/10/2009


Directorate: Tenancy ServicesTeam: Housing Management

WeprovideanexcellentcustomerfocusedHousingManagementServicetothe

council’s30,000rentedpropertiesandcross-tenurecommunities.Thisserviceis

deliveredviaeightfullserviceCommunityHousingOffices,twosatelliteoffices

andfourCustomerServiceCentres.Theseservicesare:

• Estatemanagement

• Tenancyenforcementincludingdealingwithanti-socialbehaviourandrentarrears

• Themanagementofvoidproperties

• Lettings

• Reporting&monitoringrepairs

• Workinginpartnershipwithotheragencies,especiallyNewcastleCityCouncil

• Workingwithleaseholdersandtheprivatesector

• Contributingtoregenerationanddevelopment

• Sustainingandsupportingtenanciesandcommunities

• AssistinginthedeliveryoftheModernHomesProgramme

Keyworkareas:

2 •Reducetheaveragetimetakentore-letpropertiesto27daysby 31/03/2010

2 •Reducenetrentarrearsto£2,650,000by31/03/2010

21 •Achieve81%customersatisfactionwiththeoverallhousingserviceby 31/03/2010

15 •Achieve60%satisfactionoftenantswhoreportanti-socialbehaviourby 31/03/2010

2 •Achieve81%BlackMinorityEthnic(BME)satisfactionwiththeoverall housingserviceby31/03/2010

1 •Reducethepercentageoftenantsevictedforrentarrearstonomore than0.45%by31/03/2010

6 •EnsureallYourChoiceHomesapplicationsreceivedatCommunity HousingOfficesareregisteredwithinfiveworkingdaysduring2009/10

6 •Provideallnewtenantswithacopyofourstandardforemptyhomes andtellthemwhatworkwewilldototheirhomebeforetheymove in.Ourtargetistomeetthestandardforatleast95%ofnewtenancies during2009/10

6 •Visitallnewtenantsathomewithinsixweeksofmovingin,todiscuss anyproblemstheymayhave,includingpayingtheirrent,during2009/10

Ref

Y

G

BY

P

110 111

Ref

6 •Offeralltenantstheserviceofanadviceandsupportworkeriftheyare havingdifficultypayingtheirrentandowealargeamountofrent during2009/10

6 •Respond,inwriting,toallreportsofanti-socialbehaviourwithinfive workingdaysduring2009/10

6 •Contactalltenantswhoreportanti-socialbehaviourwithinthefollowing timestoofferthemface-to-faceintervieworaninterviewbyphone,or bye-mailiftheywouldpreferduring2009/10.Thetimescalesarebased onhowserioustheanti-socialbehaviouris:

−thenextworkingdayiftheanti-socialbehaviourisveryserious;

−withinfiveworkingdaysiftheanti-socialbehaviourisseriousbutdoes notneedanimmediateresponse;

−within10workingdaysforlessserioustypesofanti-socialbehaviour.

6 •Receptionstaffwillseetoallcustomerswithinfiveminutesofarrivingat aCommunityHousingOfficeduring2009/10

6 •Answerallphonecallswithinfiveringsduring2009/10

6 •Replytoallwrittenquerieswithin10workingdaysduring2009/10

6 •Inspectallestatestwiceayearduring2009/10

6 •Invitealltenantstoattendestatewalkaboutswhichwillbeheldtwice yearlyduring2009/10

2 •Respondtoallcomplaintswithin10workingdaysduring2009/10

2 •100%ofHousingProjectFundSchemesfor2009/10tobeorderedby 31/12/2009

16 •Reviewexistingdecorationallowanceschemefornewtenantsby 30/09/2009

16 •ReviewtheoptionofrecruitingapoolofHousingServiceassistants toworkflexiblyacrossofficesasafloatingresourcetocoverstaff absences,by31/03/2010

2 •ReviewHousingManagementServiceStandardsby30/09/2009

1 •EnsureallCommunityHousingOfficesDisabilityActionPlanStatements arereviewedduring2009/10andallrequiredworksaredelivered

3 •CarryouttwoawarenesssessionsforCHOstaffoninitiativestosupport vulnerablecustomersduring2009/10(e.g.Typetalk,inductionloops, minicomandNationalInterpretingService)


Directorate: Tenancy ServicesTeam: Property Maintenance Team

ThePropertyMaintenanceTeamistheYHNClientTeammanagingallaspectsof

repairsandmaintenance,voidreinstatement,minorworksandprogrammedand

cyclicalmaintenanceforNewcastleCityCouncilshousingstock.

ThesectionalsogivestechnicalsupporttoInvestmentDelivery,Leasehold

Management,CommunityHousingManagement,theAsylumSeekersUnitand

FacilitiesManagement.

Wehaveoverallcontractmanagementresponsibilityfortherepairsservice

providedbyCityBuildandotherContractorstoNewcastleCityCouncilHomes.

Keyworkareas:

2 •Achieve92%satisfactionwiththePropertyMaintenanceServiceby 31/03/2010

2 •Ensurethat90%ofmaintenancecontractsKeyPerformanceIndicators’s (KPI)areachievedin2009/10

2 •Reviewrepairsandmaintenancecontractby31/12/2009

2 •ImplementrelevantactionsfromtheRepairsandMaintenancestrategy by31/03/2010

6 •Foremergencyrepairswesaywewillcarryoutwithinfourhours,weaim tocarryout99%ofthoserepairswithinthattimeduring2009/10

6 •Forurgentrepairswesaywewillcarryoutwithinthreeworkingdays, weaimtocarryout98%ofthoserepairswithinthattimeduring2009/10

6 •Forrepairswesaywewillcarryoutwithinsevendays,weaimtocarry out98%ofthoserepairswithinthattimeduring2009/10

6 •Forrepairswesaywewillcarryoutwithin20days,weaimtocarryout 98%ofthoserepairswithinthattimeduring2009/10

6 •Weaimtocompleteatleast98%repairsatthefirstvisitwhenever possibleduring2009/10

16 •Exploreoptionstoprovideenergyperformancecertificatestoother localALMOsandhousingorganisationsby31/03/2010

15 •Developrobustrecoverableproceduresfortenant’sdamageby31/03/2010

14 •Reviewneedtocarryoutannualpropertyinspections/propertyMOTto avoiddeteriorationofpropertiesthroughneglectby31/03/2010


Ref

Y

G

B

P

Pi

Y

G

B

112 113

Programme Programme No of Programme Programme Ref Name Properties Year Type

10 ACQUIRED PROPERTY/HIGH CROSS 92 2009/10 Internal

11 ACQUIRED PROPERTY/RYE HILL WEST 72 2009/10 Paint

105 BENTINCK ESTATE 46 2009/10 Internal

105 BENTINCK ESTATE 65 2009/10 Paint

107 MILL LANE/BENTINCK STREET 16 2009/10 Paint

112 BUDDLE ROAD(VIOLET ST DEVPT) 52 2009/10 Internal

115 UPPER DELAVAL(BENWELL DENE) 35 2009/10 Internal

117 FERGUSONS LANE 25 2009/10 Paint

119 DENESIDE(STONE ROW) 16 2009/10 External

125 PENDOWER 371 2009/10 Internal

125 PENDOWER 384 2009/10 Paint

129 RYE HILL (BEECH GROVE RD) 25 2009/10 Paint

136 ST PAULS ESTATE 180 2009/10 Paint

139 ACQUIRED PROPERTY/ELSWICK TRIANGLE 38 2009/10 External

204 PITT STREET/BUCKINGHAM STREET (CPA S 1 & 2) 11 2009/10 Internal

223 LEAZES COURT 84 2009/10 Paint

234 WESTGATE ROAD MULTIS 355 2009/10 Internal

236 AVISON STREET 1972 HOUSES 26 2009/10 Internal

239 ARTHURS HILL REDVP SHLTD/ HAMILTON CRESCENT 31 2009/10 External

315 COXLODGE LOW RISE 51 2009/10 External

319 FAWDON BUNGALOWS 17 2009/10 Paint

321 FAWDON NO FINES MID RISE 109 2009/10 External

337 KENTON NO FINES 77 2009/10 Internal

337.1 KENTON NO FINES Steps 16 2009/10 Combined

341 MONTAGU 224 2009/10 Internal

Appendix 42009/10 Modern Homes and Painting Programme(as at February 2009 – subject to review and change)


342 MONTAGU MID RISE 118 2009/10 Internal

344 MONTAGU WEST BUNGALOWS 20 2009/10 Internal

345 MONTAGU WEST 91 2009/10 Internal

346 MONTAGU WEST MID RISE 26 2009/10 Combined

356 COWGATE 1930s 42 2009/10 External

356 COWGATE 1930s 243 2009/10 Part Paint

406.1 CHURCH ROAD EST 6 2009/10 Internal

408 CHURCH ROAD EST NON TRAD 28 2009/10 External

410 COXLODGE - KENTON ROAD/ LAMBERT SQUARE 56 2009/10 External

426 KINGSTON PARK 50 2009/10 Internal

502 CLAREMONT/SUGLEY DENE 124 2009/10 External

503 CLAREMONT/LEMINGTON 15 2009/10 External

505 HARESIDE MID RISE 190 2009/10 External

509 LEAZES NON TRADS 31 2009/10 Internal

509 LEAZES NON TRADS 30 2009/10 Paint

529 THROCKLEY CENTRAL POSTWAR 18 2009/10 External

533 THROCKLEY CENTRAL HADRIAN HOUSE 41 2009/10 Combined

544 LEAZES 5 2009/10 Internal

551 DUNBLANE CRES 60 2009/10 External

552 WEST DENTON/MULTIS 164 2009/10 Internal

562 MOUNT PLEASANT 37 2009/10 External

601 ACQUIRED PROPERTY/MISC PRE 1919 7 2009/10 Paint

602 ACQUIRED PROPERTY/MISC POST 1919 29 2009/10 External

605 CRESSWELL STREET 113 2009/10 Combined

606 BENSON ROAD 71 2009/10 Combined

608 BYKER DUNN TERRACE SHELTERED 53 2009/10 Internal

617 BYKER - BOLAM AYTON RISE 222 2009/10 External

114 115


620 BYKER - KENDAL GREEN/

BROCK SQUARE 245 2009/10 Combined

621 BYKER - HEADLAM GREEN/ CHIRTON WYND 137 2009/10 External

625 BYKER CARVILLE SHLTD/ MT PLEASANT 25 2009/10 External

629 BYKER - CHEVIOT/ ST MICHAELS MOUNT 180 2009/10 External

634 GREENFORD ROAD MULTIS 268 2009/10 External

638.1 CHURCHWALK(WALKER REDEVPT) 90 2009/10 External

638.2 CHURCHWALK(WALKER REDEVPT) 90 2009/10 External

640 DAISY HILL 386 2009/10 Paint

648 HEXHAM AVENUE(WALKER) DUOSLABS 50 2009/10 Paint

652 WALKER/STH OF WHARRIER STREET 112 2009/10 Internal

652 WALKER/STH OF WHARRIER STREET 102 2009/10 Paint

657 ROMAN AVENUE/ORPINGTON AVENUE BISF 37 2009/10 Internal

659 ROMAN AVENUE/ ORPINGTON AVENUE 16 2009/10 External

661 ST ANTHONYS/NTH OF BIRDS NEST RD 360 2009/10 Internal

661 ST ANTHONYS/NTH OF BIRDS NEST RD 107 2009/10 Paint

663 THE GREENS 89 2009/10 Internal

666.2 ST ANTHONYS/STH OF BIRDS NEST RD 271 2009/10 Paint

667 ST ANTHONYS-ST ANTHONYS ROAD 80 2009/10 Internal

669 POTTERY BANK 1936 212 2009/10 External

676 WALKER/NTH OF GRASMERE AVE 62 2009/10 Internal

677 WALKER/NTH OF GRASMERE AVE 61 2009/10 Internal

696 GRASMERE AVE (ACQUIRED PROPERTY) 5 2009/10 Internal


697 HEXHAM AVENUE(WALKER) TRADS 85 2009/10 Paint

701 ACQUIRED PROP/HEATON RAILWAY STR 80 2009/10 External

705 ACQUIRED PROPERTY/HEATON 141 2009/10 Internal

714 HIGH HEATON - OVER SHOPS 4 2009/10 Combined

717 CITY ROAD(BEDFORD STREET) 104 2009/10 External

722 HIGH HEATON/THE SPINNEY 97 2009/10 Internal

725.1 SHIELDFIELD/VALE HOUSE 127 2009/10 External

725.2 SHIELDFIELD/VALE HOUSE 138 2009/10 External

729 MILTON ST SHELTERED/ SHIELD COURT 42 2009/10 Internal

730 FAIRWAYS 53 2009/10 Internal

738 BREAMISH STREET 35 2009/10 External

1141 CRUDDAS PARK MULTIS PART A 262 2009/10 External

116 116

Your Homes Newcastle Limited. Registered in England and Wales. Registration number

5076256. Registered office: Newcastle Civic Centre, Barras Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne

NE1 8PR. A company controlled by Newcastle City Council.

For more information log ontowww.yhn.org.uk

delivery plan 200910

Documents