Arcon Housing Association Limited

News Archive

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Tenants Forum 2010—21/06/2010

The Tenants Forum was held on Thursday 10th June 2010, and attended by tenants, the senior management team from Arcon and board members.

Tenants Forum

Tenant Consultation on Housing Services provided.

David Lovelady, Housing Director introduced the staff present and welcomed the tenants from Larkhill Court to their first Tenants Forum.

Mr Lovelady informed the meeting that the main topic for discussion was the consultation paper sent out with the invitation to the forum. He explained that the Tenant Services Authority (TSA) who are the regulators of social housing, had produced a new set of service standards that they expect all housing providers to meet in relation to service delivery and tenant involvement. Each housing provider will have to produce an annual report by October 2010 stating whether they are achieving the standards, and if not, how they aim to achieve them in the future.

The TSA also want housing providers to consult with their tenants on the standards, and also identify any further services that could be offered to tenants, which are described as a Local offer. A local offer could be an extra service provided to a specific scheme, or services provided demographically to a specific age group.

The meeting today will be the first stage of Arcon’s consultation on the service standards we currently provide, and a chance for tenants to identify possible local offers. Further consultation will take place at scheme meetings, with the Tenant Scrutiny Committee and via telephone surveys.

It was agreed to work through the consultation paper discussing each standard individually.

Tenant involvement and empowerment standard

Mr Lovelady outlined the way that Arcon provide information to tenants, and the methods of communication used. There was agreement that this was satisfactory, and a suggestion that perhaps three newsletters could be produced per year rather than two.

In terms of tenants advising Arcon of their satisfaction with the service provided, there are a wide variety of satisfaction surveys used, plus the mystery shopping exercises. It was agreed that these were very comprehensive, and there were no further suggestions for any further methods to be introduced.

Arcon offer a menu of opportunities for tenants to get involved in assessing and scrutinizing services provided. These were discussed and it was felt that they were very good and allowed tenants the opportunity to engage with Arcon at whatever level suited them.

A requirement of the standard is that the housing provider should have a complaints procedure. Whilst none the tenants have had to use this, they confirmed they knew how to make a complaint, and that the various stages with timescales to respond were acceptable and did not need to be amended.

Arcon are committed to consulting tenants if there are any proposed changes to the management of their properties. This will be done either locally on a scheme basis or across all of Arcon’s tenants. We will consult tenants every three years on how to involve them in the governance and scrutiny of services we provide. The meeting agreed that this was acceptable.

Home Standard

Jim Bradley, Property Director, introduced this section of the consultation paper, which covered a wide variety of repair and maintenance issues.

Mr Bradley outlined the day to day repairs service and the target response times given to each type of repair. He informed the meeting that the Tenant Scrutiny Committee have recently completed a scrutiny exercise on day to day repairs, and produced a report with 12 recommendations for improvement with 10 of these being implemented over the next few months. One of the recommendations rejected had been to reduce the emergency repair response rate from 24 hours to 4 hours. It was felt with the geographic spread of Arcon’s stock this would not be feasible. There was some discussion on repair response targets, and it was felt they should remain as they are. There was also discussion on an appointment system. The tenants felt that they prefer the current system where Arcon use local contractors who will contact the tenant direct to make an appointment which is suitable to them. This helps to get repairs completed on the first visit, and reduces missed calls. They rejected any proposal for a formal appointment system, which they felt was not flexible or responsive to tenants needs.

Arcon have a legal obligation to complete an annual gas service on each property. It was agreed that the current procedures in place are adequate, and it is important that Arcon ensure all gas checks are completed. There was some discussion around the replacement boiler programme, and the type of new boilers that will be installed in the future.

Mr Bradley outlined our standards on repairing empty properties, known as voids. This area of work is currently being scrutinised the by Tenant Scrutiny Committee. Arcon have reduced the average void period without major repairs to 28 days. It was agreed that any recommendations for improvement should be proposed by the Tenant Scrutiny Committee when they have completed their review on Voids. There was some discussion around whether void properties should be fully redecorated, or as Arcon currently do, provide decoration vouchers and allow the new tenant to decorate to their own tastes. There was general agreement that vouchers should be provided and tenants can then decorate to their own taste. However it was agreed that on schemes for the elderly or if a tenant was not physically able to decorate themselves, that Arcon should consider decorating the property. This could be a local offer dependent on age or physical ability to do the work.

Mr Bradley explained how the cyclical maintenance programme is planned, and with the better paint products available and replacement of wooden windows with upvc, the programme is now being spread across a 4–5 year period. This was agreed, with the proviso that if there was deterioration of a scheme, this would be considered for the cyclical work. A member of the Tenant Scrutiny Committee is now involved in the selection of contractors, the tendering process, and pre contract meetings.

There is a similar process for identifying major repairs programmes with a stock condition survey used to plan the programme over a 30 year cycle.

All social housing providers have a target to bring all of their stock up to Decent Homes Standard, as outlined by the government by December 2010. Mr Bradley confirmed that Arcon would achieve this deadline.

Arcon have an adaptations policy and procedure which has been advertised in the newsletter and is available on our website. We will work with local authorities to identify tenants that require an adaptation, and between us complete the work. Any major adaptations such as a walk in shower will need an occupational therapist’s recommendation before the work can be completed. Smaller items like grab rails or lever taps will be completed as a routine repair. There was discussion around adaptations, the costs involved and reletting an adapted property. There was agreement that Arcon provide a good service and no changes were required.

Tenancy Standard

The TSA standard requires that housing providers let their homes in a fair, transparent and efficient way. They should also assist local authorities with their strategic function. Mr Lovelady outlined how Arcon let their properties and the joint work with local authorities on common housing registers, choice based lettings schemes and by providing 50% nomination rights across our stock. There were no recommendations to change the current system.

Anne Southern, Finance Director, confirmed that Arcon meet the standard on rent setting, and that we follow the government prescribed formula.

Mr Lovelady confirmed that Arcon have policies and procedure that are reviewed and up dated. When dealing with rent arrears, Arcon offer support and advice, but will also pursue legal action if necessary. Last year only two tenants were evicted for rent arrears.

Neighbourhood and Community standard

On all of our schemes with communal areas, Arcon provide a gardening service, cleaning service, window cleaning service (where requested) and an estate services officer who will litter pick and carry our small repairs. On two schemes we provide a live on site caretaker. Each year tenants complete a satisfaction survey and the results will be discussed at scheme meetings or estate walkabouts. Where there are low levels of satisfaction, contracts can be terminated and retendered. If tenants would like extra services, these will be costed up and the tenants will be given the option of paying for the extra service. There was agreement that the contractors provide a good service, and that tenants have the opportunity to influence the service they receive. At Larkhill Court some properties have their own garden, which they maintain. However some elderly tenants are now struggling with this. It was suggested that the provision of a gardening service for tenants who are unable to do the work themselves could be made as a local offer.

Mr Lovelady confirmed that Arcon have policies and procedures on anti social behaviour (ASB) and will work with the police, warden services and local authority partnerships to combat ASB. We use a variety of preventative tools and legal powers to address ASB, and help to fund local warden services where they will help to benefit our tenants and the wider community.

General / Cross Cutting standards

Mr Lovelady confirmed that Arcon have a customer care policy which is available on our website and from the office. It sets out how Arcon will respond to customer enquiries and the standards of service they can expect to receive. This has been tested through mystery shopping exercises and has been revised to improve customer care.

In terms of equality and diversity, Arcon try to ensure that the service we provide to tenants and applicants reflect their different needs and are in accordance with the seven strands of equality. We have conducted a profiling exercise of our tenants and will use this information to tailor the services we offer to our tenants. For example we can use language line or interpreters where English is not the first language, we can get information translated, put into large font or Braille. We also have a portable hearing loop that can be used in the office or a tenant’s home. There was general agreement that Arcon are providing extra services to any minority group, and that this should continue in the future.

Mrs Southern informed the group of the work that Arcon are doing on Value for Money, to ensure that we make the best use of resources and provide a high quality service to tenants. We are members of Housemark and other benchmarking groups that allow us to compare performance and cost against other housing organisations, and see if we can improve. We regularly review our procurement procedures to ensure we are getting best value. Linked into this work is our consultation with tenants on service charges, and use of the satisfaction survey results to allow tenants to influence the services delivered.

Finally there was a discussion around Local offers that Arcon already make to our tenants. These included the live on site caretakers, the mobile warden to several of our over 55 schemes, the local surgery at Blackley, the estate services officer service, recycling facilities on most estates, opportunities for employment or training through a company called Blue Orchid, and regular visits to some of our very frail tenants.

Budgetting Exercise

Mrs Southern circulated a sample budgeting exercise which highlighted 13 different service areas that require funding from the annual budget, and tenants were asked to put these in priority order. This helped to give some idea on the different priorities that Arcon have to consider when we produce a budget. There were no right or wrong answers, just an appreciation of the difficult decisions that need to be taken. However if we can do this exercise at scheme meetings, it may give some insight into what tenants feel should be the priority in terms of future expenditure. Initial results indicate that the repairs and improvements to properties are the priority however further feedback from scheme meetings will help establish overall priorities which can then be used to inform the budget setting process for the Association in future years.

The meeting then closed.

Pinpoint—16/08/2010

The Pinpoint team

Greater Manchester housing scheme Pinpoint—the biggest sub-regional letting scheme outside London—has celebrated its second birthday this week.

The partnership, made up of 34 housing organisations, has helped more than 1,300 households relocate across Greater Manchester. This has been done through local authorities, housing associations and private landlords working together.

Over the last two years, Pinpoint has aimed to make it easier for customers to move to a different area within Greater Manchester. At the moment a third of moves in Greater Manchester via Pinpoint, are to a different borough, a process made much easier by good cooperation between all the partners in Pinpoint.

A key factor in Pinpoint’s success has been a simple and effective website, www.pinpoint.org.uk, which advertises properties across the Manchester city region.

The majority of customers who filled in an online survey were pleased with the website’s service, saying that they appreciated the choice of properties available to them, and how easy it is to use.

A Pinpoint spokesman said: “Pinpoint is an excellent example of successful partnership working, and I am delighted to see the continued evolution of the partnership. It shows that, through the cooperation of all the partners, that barriers and obstacles can be removed for the benefit of our customers.

“The second anniversary of Pinpoint comes at a time of new challenges that I am sure can be met with the continued commitment of our partners and can do attitude of all involved.”

In addition to the established website, a new website has been set up, www.pinpointhousingoptions.org.uk, providing a wide variety of information on other types of affordable housing available across the region.

The two websites together offer the people of Greater Manchester increased choice, better access and more information to help make the best decision about their new home.

Larkhill Court Stock Transfer—26/03/2010

On 8th February 2010 Arcon completed the transfer of 52 rented and 10 leasehold properties at Larkhill Court in Middleton from Yorkshire Housing Association.

The transfer took around a year to complete, following a successful tenant consultation exercise, and negotiations between the Associations and the Tenant Services Authority.

Larkhill Court is in Middleton, only a few miles away from Arcon’s schemes at Avondale Court and Blackley. So when Yorkshire Housing Association contacted us to see if we would be interested in transferring the properties, we felt that we were well placed to provide a high quality local service to the tenants.

Now the transfer has been completed, we will be holding a meeting with the tenants to welcome them to Arcon and find out what priorities are in terms of future management of the estate. We hope they will have a long and happy association with Arcon.

NHIC Award—08/02/2010

For the last 15 years Arcon have been undertaking major repair schemes on its new build stock. Typically works carried out have included uPVC double glazed windows, high security entrance doors, replacement kitchens and bathrooms, replacement central heating boilers, insulation and energy efficiency works. Experience gained over the years closely coupled with tenant consultation has helped us improve the content and effectiveness of our schemes year on year.

The last scheme completed in September 2009 was at Heatley Road, Milnrow, Rochdale. This scheme not only included previously mentioned works but incorporated a higher level of insulation and energy saving works along with increased security measures. Environmental issues were also addressed to neatly accommodate additional refuse and recycling containers introduced by the local authority.

Appearing to satisfy the criteria for a national competition run by the National Home Improvement Council, the scheme was entered and we were delighted to receive the runners’ up award. Much work has gone into the major repair schemes over many years and it was gratifying to receive national recognition for its work.

Arcon receiving the NHIC award from John Healey MP

David Hutchinson and David Hallam accepting the award for Arcon from John Healey, Minister for Housing and Planning, at the award ceremony in Whitehall in December 2009.

Pinpoint 2009—27/11/2009

No boundaries to moving closer to work

Pinpoint has now been operating for 16 months. During this time nearly 900 applicants and their families have found new homes and started new lives through Pinpoint. Most of them have moved to be closer to friends, family and support. But there is a group of people who, thanks to Pinpoint, moved closer to another precious “commodity” these days: work.

With Pinpoint, applicants registered with any one of our partner landlords (34 organisations) can apply for flats and houses throughout Greater Manchester without the time-consuming process of registering separately in another authority. As Pinpoint enables customers to consider a move to a different borough, jobseekers can also spread their wings a little further and apply for work in other areas within Greater Manchester.

Robert, 29, had previously rented privately and had to move between landlords a few times before he found out about Pinpoint. As Robert is the main bread winner it was his wife who was searching for their new home and contacting different housing providers. One provider pointed her in the direction of the sub-regional letting scheme. From then on, everything went really quickly and, as Robert points out, would have been even quicker but for waiting for references from previous landlords.

“We moved from Manchester and are very happy with our new house in Bury. I live closer to work and my daughter’s way to school has halved too,” says Robert. After many moves they finally feel more settled and secure. “There are still a few small jobs to do in the house but slowly we are settling down.”

On the other side of Greater Manchester Sarah, 18, is enjoying her new flat in Stockport. She has moved a fair distance from Salford where she lived in temporary accommodation. “I was looking for something near my friends and family but most of all I wanted a secure tenancy,” explains Sarah. She had only started bidding in July this year after Salford Homesearch told her about the new Pinpoint website. A couple of months later she got the keys to her flat and…a job interview! Sarah is waiting for the outcome of the interview at the moment.

“I’m really pleased with the flat. New carpets have just been fitted and I intend to stay here as long as possible. I’m already feeling settled and enjoy having my own home.”

So far, around 900 applicants and their families have been rehoused through Pinpoint. Approximately 30% of them have moved between different boroughs within Greater Manchester.

As Louise Dunsdon, Pinpoint Project Officer, explains: “Pinpoint can help people move into more secure tenancies, nearer to existing employment or new job opportunities. This can help the individual person, the household, the community and ultimately the Manchester City Region to prosper and improve”.

Click here for more information about Pinpoint.

Tenants Forum 2009—21/07/2009

The Tenants Forum was held on Thursday 11th June 2009, and attended by tenants, the senior management team from Arcon and board members.

Mystery Shopping

David Lovelady, the Housing Director, explained that Arcon had introduced mystery shopping to test the customer service that we provide, and to identify areas where improvements to the service could be made.

Several tenants have volunteered to carry out the mystery shopping and they received training in November 2008. The first mystery shopping exercise was finished in December 2008. The areas of the service that were tested included:

The results were collated and recommendations have been made to improve the service we give to our customers. These recommendations were circulated at the meeting.

Some of the key improvements have been around how staff handle telephone calls, which accounts for over 80% of contact with tenants.

These include a standard greeting where staff give their name. Also staff will try to get as much information from the caller to allow them to decide if we can assist, and if they have to pass the message onto a colleague, they will tell them what the enquiry is about to avoid the caller repeating themselves. All staff will now wear name badges to help identify who they are. It was agreed that in the future we will test the response time of Astraline, as some concerns were raised with the length of time it took to respond to calls.

A second round of mystery shopping was finished in March and further recommendations will be made to help improve the service.

If any tenants would like to get involved in the mystery shopping they should contact David Lovelady.

Tenant Inspections.

David explained that Arcon are looking to introduce tenant inspections, where tenants from one area will visit another area and carry out an inspection of the estate, completing one of Arcon’s development checks. It may also be possible to expand this to inspecting void properties to make sure our repairs void standard has been achieved. This will help to give an independent assessment of some of the services Arcon provide or the void standard that our contractors should achieve. If anyone is interested in this type of inspection role, they should contact David Lovelady.

Tenants Forum

Tenant Scrutiny Committee.

David Lovelady talked about the new role of the Tenant Scrutiny Committee. The membership of this new committee is made up primarily from the original Tenant Committee that was formed in 2002, and the mystery shoppers. The new scrutiny committee will work with an independent mentor and Arcon staff, looking at how the association performs. They will have access to performance information, and also be able to compare Arcon’s performance against other north west housing associations. Their role will be to scrutinise performance and make suggestions where necessary on areas where the association can improve its performance or services it provides. It will be part of a co-regulation approach of the association with the board. This is in line with the proposals being made by the Tenants Services Authority, the new regulator for social housing, which replaced the Housing Corporation last year. A training programme is being delivered, and the committee should start their first scrutiny exercise later this year. Again if anyone is interested in the work of the Scrutiny Committee and would like more details they should contact David Lovelady.

Improvements and Major Repairs

Jim Bradley, the Property Director, informed the forum that Arcon has a planned major repairs programme, based on a full stock condition survey. Schemes or individual properties have been identified that need major works such as boiler replacements, new kitchens and new windows and doors. A programme for replacement is set out based on the age of the components that need replacing, and the money available in the budget. Properties have also been identified that fail to meet the government’s decent homes standard, and all social landlords have been set a completion date of the end of 2010 to bring these properties up to this standard.

Peter Schilizzi, the Chief Executive, told the forum that after changes made by our regulator, Arcon can no longer use the recycled grant that is raised from the sale of some our properties to fund major repair schemes. This money can only be used for building new properties in the future. Consequently Arcon have had to cut the work in the programme, and some schemes may have to wait a little longer for the major works to be completed.

Tenants from Alder Court asked when they would have their electric storage heating system replaced. Jim Bradley confirmed that they are in the programme for replacement with a modern electric heating system in 2013/14.

Tenants from Albert Avenue asked when their schemes would benefit from the next phase of major repairs, and they were told this would be in 2013/14 when new kitchens and central heating boilers will be installed.

Jim explained that there are still some of our properties that do not have double glazing or need new boilers. While Arcon would like to finish all major repairs as quickly as possible, decisions have to be made on which properties are completed now and which will have to wait a little longer for the work.

After further discussion on individual issues the forum was brought to a close.

Sustainable Ways to Work—13/03/2009

A new and innovative service is being delivered for tenants of Arcon Housing in Manchester. Sustainable Ways to Work is available to any tenant wanting to move into employment, take up training or set up their own business in the Manchester area.

The project has already been delivering this service over the last year to tenants of a number of other housing providers. To date project staff have seen over 230 people, helped 15 people into jobs, started over 80 people on courses and also assisted over 15 residents into self-employment.

Here is just one example of how a tenant has been helped.

Colin joined the Sustainable Ways to Work scheme in June 2008. James explained the programme and Colin enrolled onto a part time course with Work Solutions, which lasted eight weeks (3-days per week).

Colin took a very brave step forward and took a chance on his career. He received financial advice and support from James and in addition he has built up his confidence and self-esteem to get back into the workplace, after 20 years of unemployment.

Since then Colin worked very closely with James Gilbert, Sustainable Ways to Work Advisor with Places for People and has been employed by Tesco since Sep 2008. Colin has gained several awards for achievements whilst being at Tesco and this has helped boost his confidence of being back in the workplace.

Colin came across many hurdles along his path. However, with the help and support of a successful scheme like the Sustainable Ways to Work project, he was able to live his dreams. It was a very positive way forward for him.

This experience has given Colin hope that he can make a successful career for himself and he would like to help the younger generation of 19-21 year olds realise how important school and education is for their future.

Colin has really enjoyed being involved in this fantastic scheme and has really enjoyed his experiences with working with Tesco. Colin’s plans for the future involve working with young people and also to further his education so that he can progress even more!

Colin would like to thank everyone involved in this successful scheme for all their hard work.

So if you are looking to start a new job, update your CV, undertake some training or get help with job application forms, please ring James Gilbert on 0161 875 1461 or 07966 695 114. Remember this is a free service for tenants of Arcon Housing in Manchester so call now for an appointment.

Leaseholder Survey 2008—10/03/2009

Thank you to all the leaseholders who returned their completed surveys—your feedback is very important to us.

The results have now been collated and are presented below.

To make a comment or discuss in more detail, please contact Lisa Crannage. Lisa works Monday to Wednesday and can be contacted on 0161 214 4151 or by email to lisa.crannage@arcon.org.uk.

Introduction

The 2008 survey was sent to all leaseholders and shared owners. It was to follow up a survey carried out in 2006 and although the format was slightly different, many of the questions were the same.

The main aims of the survey were to:

Response Rate

In 2008, 44.2% of leaseholders responded, compared to 34.9% in 2006.

Overall Satisfaction with Arcon Housing Association

It is very encouraging that 65.2% of the leaseholders that responded are satisfied with the services provided by Arcon, compared to 53.3% in 2006. This is an increase of just over 10%.

Satisfaction with Services

56.5% are satisfied with the cleaning and upkeep of the communal areas.

34.8% are satisfied with the rent and service charge information provided.

60.9% are satisfied with the external building and maintenance.

Value for Money of Services

Almost 50% of leaseholders are satisfied that both cleaning and external building and maintenance represent value for money but feel improvement is needed with the provision of rent and service charge information.

Neighbourhoods

87% of those who responded are satisfied with their home.

86.4% of leaseholders are satisfied with their neighbourhood as a place to live, which is slightly less than in 2006. Despite this nearly a quarter of leaseholders reported that their neighbourhood has improved in some way over the last three years.

The main problems cited include car parking issues, drunk and rowdy behaviour from neighbours and street crime in general. These results are still very low, with the majority still reporting little or no problems.

Repairs

Overall, 63.6% are happy with the way Arcon deals with repairs and maintenance.

57.1% have reported a repair to the communal area in the last 12 months. A positive response was received to being told when workers would call, the time taken before the work is started, keeping mess to a minimum and the attitude of workers.

The overall satisfaction with the quality of repair work has increased by nearly 15% from 2006 to 2008.

Contact and Staff Service

86.4% of leaseholders have contacted Arcon in the last 12 months compared to 66.7% in 2006. This is a very positive result as communication is an important factor. The main contact is still by telephone but the use of email is increasing as you would expect in today’s society.

70% found staff helpful when they last contacted Arcon while 65% found it easy to get hold of the right person.

80% reported that staff were able to deal with their problem and 60% were satisfied with the final outcome.

Communication and Consultation

40% of leaseholders feel satisfied that their views are being taken into account by Arcon.

59.1% feel that Arcon is good at keeping them informed about things that may affect them as a home owner.

47.1% believe that they receive too little consultation when service charges are set whilst 23.5% report it is just right.

Information

50% of leaseholders are satisfied with the information provided in the leaseholder guidance pack and the clarity of the service charge statement.

Over 60% are satisfied with the Arcon Newsletter and the complaints procedure.

27.8% are satisfied with the information provided on the website while just under 70% do not express an opinion.

The majority of leaseholders still prefer to receive information in writing and this is also by far the most popular method for consultation along with questionnaires.

Sales Process

This question was specifically aimed at leaseholders or shared owners who have purchased their home or a share of their home within the last 3 years.

Of these leaseholders, 72.7% were satisfied overall with the sales process.

However, most would have liked the sale to have gone through quicker and would have liked to have liked to have been kept more informed throughout the sale.

60% of leaseholders would have liked to be told more about what happens when they come to sell the property and also about the local area. 40% would have liked more information about the service charges and the responsibilities for maintenance.

Financial Issues

Just under a quarter of leaseholders reported having financial difficulties in the last 12 months, mainly due to the fact that the cost of owning their own home has been higher than expected.

Over 30% of leaseholders said they would turn to their bank or building society for help, resolve the matter themselves or ask friends and family for help.

Future Plans

Only a small number of leaseholders are considering moving in the near future, with the main obstacle being financial issues.

Conclusion

Although the survey highlights an increase in satisfaction since the 2006 survey, there is still much room for improvement.

More information needs to be provided in terms of service charges and the value for money aspect also needs to be considered.

Leaseholders still feel that there is not enough consultation and this is again something that needs to be addressed.

Follow Up

The results from the 2008 survey will be built into the leaseholder action plan which is ongoing. Since the 2006 survey, positive improvements include:

Energy Action Week—13/10/2008

Arcon Housing Association joined over 100 housing associations across the country in Energy Action Week (1–5 September) lobbying their local MPs about unfair prepayment meter charges.

People on pre-payment meters, who are often on low incomes, can pay a premium of up to £90 a year more for gas or electricity than quarterly billed consumers. Citizens Advice also warned,

“We are seeing cases where people are pushed into debt when their meters have not been recalibrated, this despite the fact that in many cases they have opted for a prepayment meter to help them avoid debt.”

Too often, the poorest in society end up paying more for the kind of services most people take for granted.

The prepayment meter premium is an example of this and it needs to end. Housing associations are campaigning for energy suppliers to stop charging prepayment meter customers more than customers who pay by quarterly bill.

In response Minister of State for Energy, Malcolm Wicks MP, said that Ofgem, the energy regulator, was looking at the situation. If Ofgem found that customers were being treated unfairly and the energy suppliers could not resolve the situation by this winter, then the government would legislate to reduce the disadvantage.

Housing associations along with Energywatch are also pressing the government to approve a mandate for smart meters to replace all old meters in England. Smart meters allow suppliers to update the meters remotely so customers will be paying the correct amount for their energy and not go into debt.

On 6th October 2008 published its Energy Supply Probe - Initial Findings Report. The chief executive of Ofgem said:

“Initial findings from our energy market probe give us grounds to demand that companies end practices that hinder customers, especially the vulnerable, from getting the best deal.”

Ofgem has given the companies until December to voluntarily drop prices for prepayment customers.

Tenants Forum June 2008—22/07/2008

Arcon held its annual Tenants Forum which was attended by tenants, the senior management team from Arcon and several board members. The agenda for what proved to be a successful and informative meeting was as follows.

Newsletter

Everyone was happy with the changes that have been made to the format and editorial content of the newsletter following comments made at last year’s forum. There are now two members of the Tenant Committee on the editorial panel and this has helped to make the newsletter more customer focused.

Status Survey

The Chief Executive gave an overview of the status survey results which were very encouraging. A selection of key driver questions was included and these have helped to identify what is most important to our tenants. Not surprisingly these were improvements to the property such as new upvc double glazed windows, replacement boilers and new kitchens. Arcon has a planned programme of improvements that we have been implementing for several years now, and we will continue fund this work in the future to improve the properties for our tenants.

Mobile Warden Service

Following on from last years forum when we discussed ways in which we can help to support our older and more vulnerable tenants, Arcon have introduced a pilot scheme for a mobile warden at two of our over 55s schemes at Thompson and Wilton Court. The warden service is provided by Johnnie Johnson Housing Association who specialise in provision for the elderly. The up take of the service has been encouraging and we will review this at the end of the six month trail period and decide whether to keep the service and even expand the provision to other schemes in the future.

Financial Inclusion

Arcon have been working on a variety of projects to help promote financial inclusion. They include promoting the Manchester Credit Union, and setting up a referral service with the Citizens Advice Bureau so tenants can access free and independent advice on financial matters. Other initiatives are being investigated, eg alternative utility suppliers, and will be promoted via our newsletter and website in the future.

STATUS Survey 2007—03/04/2008

Thank you to all our tenants who completed the STATUS Survey at the end of 2007. The response rate of 47% was much better than previously achieved. Kwest Research has now collated the results and produced the final report.

It was very encouraging to note that the overall satisfaction with our services as a landlord has improved from 90% in 2005 to 91%. Other results were very positive and for all areas Arcon was above average and in many cases in the top 20% surveyed by Kwest*.

In March, Arcon’s Board considered the report’s findings and took the recommendations into account when setting the budget and business plan for 2008 and beyond.

The overriding view of tenants on how we can best improve our service was for continued investment in modernising windows, kitchens and bathrooms. The new business plan reflects this with over £1.5m allocated to major repair and improvement works in 2008/9.

The report is available for download and the Association is preparing an action plan to implement, where practical, the report’s recommendations.

*Kwest Research has undertaken more than 650 surveys for around 300 organisations in the housing sector.

Gender Equality Action Plan—01/04/2008

The Gender Equality Duty came into force in April 2007 as part of the Equality Act 2006 and placed a general duty on all public authorities. Whilst the Housing Corporation recognises that this public duty does not apply directly to Housing Associations, it expects Associations to develop gender equality action plans whose aims should be to

Arcon already has a comprehensive Equal Opportunities Policy and Procedure and has recently up-dated and re-issued its staff handbook. The Association also offers a free and confidential counselling service to staff who have any problems whether they are work related or personal. In terms of service provision Arcon has a range of Policies and Procedures that cover Harassment, Relationship Breakdown including Domestic Violence, Anti-Social Behaviour and Vulnerable Tenants. The Gender Equality Action Plan will complement these existing Policies and Procedures and the action plan is proportionate to the size and complexity of the organisation. Arcon also works with one of our specialist housing agents to provide a gender specific, mother and baby hostel for young vulnerable women.

Our vision for gender equality is that:

Arcon’s Gender Equality Action Plan will be implemented and reviewed over the next two years.

Disability Equality Scheme—21/12/2007

The Housing Corporation expects housing associations to be able to demonstrate how their activities promote disability equality.

Arcon has produced a Disability Equality Scheme with an action plan that we will implement during 2008. We will review and amend the plan to help meet the changing needs of out tenants.

Upton Priory School Garden—17/12/2007

Children at the Upton Priory School in Macclesfield can test out their green fingers thanks to a cheque from Arcon Housing Association.

Arcon, which owns Fir Court and Chantry Court in the area, has donated £500 to the school to help develop two special gardens.

Using a plot at the front of the school, work has started developing a vegetable plot using the money to pay for plants and equipment. Here the children will prepare the land, as well as plant, tend to and harvest the vegetables over the coming seasons.

A second piece of land will transform into a sensory garden, full of plants of different scents and textures.

Year 1 teacher Nikola Valentine commented, “We are thrilled to receive this money to help us kick start these projects. Many of our children live in nearby flats and don’t have gardens, so this provides them with a new opportunity to tend to a garden and grow their own food.

“In addition we have a number of children with learning difficulties and behavioural problems, and by developing the sensory garden we hope to provide them with a positive and calming environment.”

Peter Schilizzi from Arcon added, “We are delighted to be able to give something back to the local area in this way. This project will have a real impact on the young people involved, and we look forward to seeing their gardening skills develop.”

Centenary Celebrations—24/07/2008

The James Ainsworth Almshouses in Heaton Norris, Stockport celebrated their centenary with a garden party on 24th July. The residents, their friends, relatives and invited guests enjoyed a picnic lunch provided by Arcon Housing Association, the new Trustees of the James Ainsworth Charity.

The Lord Mayor of Stockport, Councillor June Somekh gave a short speech and cut the ribbon on a “centenary bench”. Peter Hatfield, a long time voluntary member of the local committee and restoring architect, gave a brief history of the Charity, its founder and key moments in the first hundred years. He paid tribute to the Order Of Malta Homes Trust and the Housing Corporation for rescuing this wonderful group of twelve almshouses from near dereliction in 1989. John Connolly, chair of Arcon Housing Association, closed by thanking all involved and pledged the Association’s commitment to the future care and well being of the residents.

The almshouses are a local landmark, arranged in a crescent with Jacobean turrets to each end and a flourish of Edwardian detail. There are formal gardens to the front and a sweep of lawn to the rear, providing an excellent standard of accommodation for the elderly residents for one hundred years past and many more to come.

Dragon Boat Race 2007—22/07/2007

Arcon Housing Association joined forces with Tung Sing Housing Group and Arena Group to take part in the annual Dragon Boat Race at Salford Quays on Sunday 22nd July 2007.

There were 36 teams each consisting of 16 paddlers, a drummer and captain. Even though most of our team had never met before the race, we won all three heats, qualifying for the semi-finals. Unfortunately we were not quick enough to get to the finals, despite coming third in the semi-final. However, we were the highest placed Housing Association team and more importantly we raised nearly £400 for Cancer Research UK.

Tenants Forum 2007—12/07/2007

The Tenants forum was held on the 14th June 2007 at the Cross Street Chapel in Manchester.

Newsletter

The forum discussed how to improve the Arcon newsletter.

There were proposals to reduce its size to the more manageable A4 and to make it less formal.

Other ideas included more information about Arcon’s existing properties as well as new developments, more information about staff changes, more photographs, articles written by tenants, and lighter items such as recipes, quizzes and competitions.

The proposals will be considered by the Tenant Committee for future newsletters.

Services for elderly tenants

Arcon have several schemes for the over 55s, which have many tenants much older than 55. There was a proposal to investigate the provision of more services for the elderly or vulnerable.

This included providing more dispersed community alarm systems and the provision of a mobile warden who could visit especially vulnerable tenants and ensure that the appropriate external agencies were providing support where required.

It was agreed that Arcon should investigate this further and raise it at scheme meetings to gauge demand for these services.

Annual forum

The forum agreed to meet annually, as tenants can attend scheme meetings or join the Tenant Committee if they wish to be involved in decisions that effect where they live or in changes to Arcon’s policies and procedures, on a more regular basis.

If anyone would like more information on the Tenants Committee please contact David Lovelady on 0161 214 4120.

Fifty Plus—31/05/2007

Mrs Jackson has recently been appointed as the first tenant to serve full time on Arcon’s Board. Formerly Chair of the Tenant Committee before handing over to Leslin Simmons, Mrs Jackson has been a tenant of the Association since 1979.

As well as serving on Arcon’s Board, Mrs Jackson is also Chairman of a group in Trafford called 50+ Voice Network which has just celebrated its first anniversary at a recent launch event at Lancashire Cricket Club which was attended by nearly 200 people.

50+ Voice Network is a place for people aged 50 and over in Trafford to regularly find out about and discuss local issues, such as community safety, intergenerational activity, assistive technology, housing, and maximising income, directly with people from Trafford Council and local NHS. It brings together both individuals and existing groups so that people aged 50+ have a combined voice.

Mrs Jackson hopes more people in Trafford will join the group to ensure that those who are not yet 50 will have a better future. For more information contact Gillian Armstrong (50+ Involvement Officer, Park House, 73 Northenden Road, Sale, M33 2DG, telephone: 0161 973 5741)

Payzone—12/02/2007

As from 12th February 2007, you can now use your plastic payment card to pay your rent at any Payzone outlet, as well as at the Post Office. All you need to do is use your card in exactly the same way as at the Post Office.

Payzone is the UK’s largest network of branded payment sites with outlets selected for their long opening hours and ability to serve the local community. Customers in urban areas are never more than 1 mile from a Payzone outlet, or 5 miles in rural areas.

Just look out for the Payzone logo (at newsagents, petrol stations, etc), which will make paying your rent easier and more convenient for you.

If you do not have a plastic payment card and wish to pay your rent using this method then please contact the Finance Department.

Charitable Conversion—12/01/2007

In June 2005 the Board made the “in principle” decision to convert to charitable status subject to tenant consultation.

The consultation process was in three stages with discussion firstly at the Tenant Committee meeting held in August 2005 followed secondly by a presentation by Alistair Fletcher of Bremners and Paul Wainwright of Mitchell Charlesworth at the Tenants Forum held in September 2005. At both meetings the tenants were without exception in favour of conversion and were of the opinion that it was for the long term benefit of the Association.

In November 2005, letters were sent out to all tenants and leaseholders of the Association asking for their opinion on the conversion and all tenants who expressed their opinion either by letter, email or telephone were responded to. In total 44 responses were received of which 32 were unconditionally in favour and the rest were in favour subject to confirmation and reassurance that tenants would suffer no loss in respect of matters such as security of tenure, housing benefit entitlement and rent levels.

The Board called an extraordinary meeting at the end of January 2006 at which it considered the results of the consultation and has now agreed to proceed with the steps necessary to achieve conversion. This will include approval from the Housing Corporation and the adoption of Charitable Rules. At a Special General Meeting held on 5th September 2006, the shareholding membership approved the adoption of charitable rules and these were then registered by the Financial Services Authority on 9th October 2006. Confirmation was then received from HM Revenue & Customs in December 2006 that Arcon is a registered Charity for tax purposes.

BME Strategy—03/10/2006

Arcon has recently launched its Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Housing Strategy which is the culmination of 12 months work with tenants, staff and Board members.

Arcon recognise that we work in areas where there is a diverse population and we are committed to ensuring our services meet the differing needs of the community. Arcon aim to promote equality of access, respect diversity ensuring that we provide a high standard of service to all of our customers.

A dedicated BME strategy will not only ensure that we met regulatory guidance, it will help us to respond to the needs of customers and provide a service to communities of different ethnic backgrounds; ultimately allowing access to services for everyone.

Arcon’s strategy includes action plans which will be put into place in order that we deliver a much improved and responsive service, ensuring satisfaction levels from customers remain high.

Download the BME Housing Strategy here.

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