Annual Report #notjusthousing

Transcription

1 Annual Report #notjusthousing

2 Message from the Chief Executive and Chair It s been a challenging year for those involved in the Housing Sector. We have seen the introduction of Welfare Benefit Reform - which has been the biggest change to Social Housing for a generation. The Removal of the Spare Room Subsidy (better known to most of us as the Bedroom Tax ) and Benefit Cap, in particular, have had a considerable impact on our Tenants. Our strategy of building smaller homes for those people wishing to downsize has helped to reduce the effects of Benefit Reform, and 24 Tenants have already been able to downsize. We have also been working hard to make sure we give our customers good quality, efficient services which they value. We have been helping our Tenants to find jobs, access training and increase their selfconfidence as well as assisting them with money, debt and energy bills. Support Services are a major part of the work we do at Taff, and spending cuts to this funding are a threat to these services for vulnerable people. Despite this, however, this part of our work has grown and developed over the years our Support teams now help over 1,000 people each year. We want to find new ways to fund this kind of service, like our new project, Shine, which got underway this year, thanks to a Big Lottery grant of almost 1m. Taff will reach a significant milestone next year when it celebrates 40 years as a housing association. For now, we feel there is a lot for us to be thankful for and in this tough economic environment, we d particularly like to thank Staff & Board Members for their hard work, Tenants for their efforts to keep up rent payments, and partners and stakeholders for their support. Our continued success depends on all of you THANK YOU! Elaine Ballard Chief Executive Jane Pagler Chair 2

3 Outcome One Customer satisfaction is central to our thinking and we strive to make sure we get our repairs performance Right First Time and also ensuring that every pound is spent wisely. 3

4 Customer satisfaction is our main priority. We want to offer a quality service and get things Right First Time, as well as ensuring that every pound is spent wisely. Better Services 97.9% satisfaction with the repair service from our in-house teams. 98% of repairs were completed on time. 5,385 repairs carried out 98% of repairs we got right first time. 800 carbon monoxide and smoke alarms were installed last year. Happier Customers Tenant satisfaction with repairs is still high, and feedback from Tenants remains positive. 97% of Tenants say that moving into their new home has made a positive difference to their lives. 87.8% of people were satisfied with the way we dealt with their Anti-Social Behaviour problems. Rent Arrears were down from 2.16% TO 2.01% Despite the impact of welfare reform, this is the lowest Rent Arrears figure for the last 12 years. We ve employed more staff so we can take early action when payments are missed, and we ve offered help in claiming Discretionary Housing Benefit. Our new homes programme has also enabled many Tenants to move to smaller properties. Only 2 evictions were carried out for Rent Arrears. This low number was achieved by helping Tenants to manage repayments, and taking prompt action on rent arrears rather than evicting. The cost of repairing vacant properties and the length of time that they are empty have increased significantly during the year. This is due to our Tenants downsizing as a result of the bedroom tax. Increasingly it is our larger properties which are becoming empty, many of which are older and have been occupied for a long time, meaning that the works required are more extensive. 8.72% of Taff Tenants have been affected by the bedroom tax. We have managed to help our Tenants who were affected by Welfare Reform to claim 18,753 in order to clear Rent Arrears. a 4

5 Community Investment Activities Children s Eid & Christmas Parties - Thanks to Taff for another fantastic Xmas Party. The children s entertainer was great and had all the kids dancing! said Taff Tenant, Sam. Taff Allotment Jane Pagler, Taff Chair, presenting Kurtis and Connor Palmer with the Outstanding Young Person Award in 2013 A record 1,400 people from across the local communities attended the Family Fun Day in July 5

6 Service Charge Review We undertook and completed a review of the service charges which are passed on to Tenants. One of the reasons for the review was because we understand that our Tenants finances are being squeezed during difficult times, and made worse by the welfare reforms. As a result, we standardised areas of our service charges such as window cleaning, landscaping and estates assistant services, which saved money and enabled us to reduce the majority of our charges. This has benefited a number of our Tenants financially. Getting To Know You Thank you to all our Tenants who helped us update the information we hold about them. In January, we started a new round of Profiling to make sure that we have up to date and current information about our Tenants. The exercise is important as we need to ensure that the information that we have is correct. We also use the data for future planning, for example, understanding how Welfare Benefits Changes will affect individuals, and recording how our Tenants want us to communicate with them. We only collect this data so we know who our customers are, and how best to provide a quality and tailored service for all. In a time where there are threats to our Support Services, we also need to ensure our services are affordable, viable and sustainable in order to continue to improve the lives of our most vulnerable clients. Helping Vulnerable People 1,025 service users helped by our Support teams. Floating Support Team provides tenancy related support to over 802 Tenants in their own homes in Cardiff, the Vale of Glamorgan and Newport. 186 people supported at our women s hostels. 125,000 in grants successfully obtained for Service Users. x2 1m Big Lottery Grant (over three years) for the Shine Project to help 190 young parents in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, who are homeless or at risk of homelessness 80,000 reduction in the debts of our Service Users as a result of the advice provided by our staff. 6

7 The Lighthouse Project Ty^ Seren Ty^ Seren provides supported housing to young single women. A moved into Ty^ Seren on November 2013 because her mother had asked her to leave the family home, as she could not afford to have her living there. It was clear from the start that she was very motivated and was involved in a lot of activities in Cardiff, including playing for Cardiff City ladies football team. A s engagement with the project and management of her finances resulted in a move up to a flat within the project. She enrolled on and completed a football coaching course and now coaches young people. A is also a keen singer and has entered several competitions. Since moving into Ty^ Seren, A has signed up with a charity and has raised over 800 in funds to go to South America for 6 months to work with underprivileged children. A has been an inspiration at Ty^ Seren and does not seem fazed by barriers or obstacles to her goals. A feels the stability and 24 hour support offered by the staff at Ty^ Seren has helped her to achieve her goals. She maintained a positive relationship with staff and other residents and has been appreciative of the encouragement offered by her worker. We are happy that we ve been able to offer her the support and stability to allow her to achieve her goals. The Lighthouse Project is a partnership between Newport City Council and Taff, which offers a service to provide housing-related support to people in their own homes in the Newport area. We supported J after he was referred to us following a period of homelessness. He had been allocated a flat but J had some communication and mobility issues and had not received any specialist help. We quickly got social services involved and a package of care was provided. He was also referred to the University Hospital of Wales, who diagnosed him with a degenerative neurological condition. J s flat was on the first floor and had steep steps, and it became clear that he couldn t continue to live there independently. We worked with J to improve his financial situation and find more appropriate supported accommodation. Even though J was initially devastated at having to move to a new home, his quality of life has vastly improved and he is now able to self-care, with staff always available. Further help and medication from the Hospital has enabled J to improve his physical health and he is much happier and feels secure after a long period of instability. The social worker involved stated: Thanks to Taff for everything you ve done, a happy ending to a long piece of work! You have been the driving force behind a lot of changes for J over the last few years. The team around J has been excellent and I wouldn t have known where to start with the move without you being alongside! Thank you for helping me when I had to leave my family home with nowhere to go 7

8 The Cardiff Older People s Service Ty^ Enfys Ty^ Enfys is a residential project for young, pregnant women and mothers. Y came to Ty^ Enfys with her third baby who was 3 months old and on the Child Protection Register. She had a long history of homelessness, substance misuse and domestic abuse. Her eldest child had been adopted and her second child was in foster care awaiting adoption. At Ty^ Enfys, Y turned her life around. She worked closely with her parenting worker, gained the confidence to assert herself with her partner and managed her drug rehabilitation programme so well that she no longer required specialist services. She is now living happily in her own flat. Her parenting has improved so much that her baby is no longer on the Child Protection Register and she is being assessed to have her second child returned to live with her. The Cardiff Older People s Service is for those who need support to live independently and maintain their homes and tenancies through providing help with benefits, managing money and debt, as well as liaising with other services such as social services and occupational therapists. I discovered that one of my Tenants was suffering from Parkinson s disease and did not appear to be receiving his state pension, even though he was receiving letters from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) that said he was. After getting confirmation from the Post Office that he was only getting his Disability Living Allowance and Pension Credit I contacted the DWP, and they eventually acknowledged their error and issued a back payment of 28,000. This error recently happened again and he has now been awarded another back payment of over 5,000. Nick, Tenant Support Worker for Older People Shine Project Shine has started to provide vital support to young homeless parents to help them build futures for their children. The scheme will help develop the skills and confidence they need to make the decisions for the big milestones in their babies lives. The service is delivered through the provision of local Hubs in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan. 8

9 Outcome One Customer satisfaction is central to our thinking and we strive to make sure we get our repairs performance Right First Time and also ensuring that every pound is spent wisely. 9

10 We help our customers increase their personal, financial and economic potential. We support and guide them on their Jobs Journey by offering opportunities to develop their skills and experience to improve their employment prospects. Taff s Jobs Journey - Helping our Tenants get back into work 830 People have achieved work or commenced a Jobs Journey in the first 2 years of our 5 year Business Plan. We are doing well in helping people start or progress along their Jobs Journeys. We received funding from WCVA for the Supported Volunteering programme, and this has been successful in moving people into work. It involves a 12 week voluntary placement alongside free accredited training, employment skills training and networking opportunities. 1,850 hours volunteering contributed since the programme started in September 21 Volunteer placements created 44% gaining jobs. Collette s Jobs Journey from Volunteer to paid work Collette had struggled to find full time housing support work for several years. She became a Volunteer Housing Officer at Taff under the new Supported Volunteer Programme. She quickly found that her confidence improved and was able to develop her skills working with the housing management team. Taff has tailored my placement to suit my learning needs and interests, and I was also encouraged to apply for internal positions. Although I was initially unsuccessful, I was then offered one-to-one job skills advice, support with my CV, application form and interview techniques. I later applied for a Nights Project Assistant role at Taff s Ty^ Seren Hostel, and I was really excited when I got the job! It really suits me as it fits in well around my family life and has given me the security and stability I was looking for. Tenant Conference - The first ever Conference provided free accredited courses, volunteering opportunities and information on how Tenants can benefit from training. 10

11 Apprenticeships Our Tenants told us that they wanted help reducing their utility bills so we worked hard on improving the energy efficiency of our homes. During the year we made a decision to expand our Kitchen Team by recruiting two apprentices and widen their work to include installing internal insulation. Declan and Ryan have been working with our carpenters, Dave and Neil, to improve the energy efficiency of Tenants homes by installing more internal wall insulation in our most difficult to heat properties. This, in turn, will bring down their heating bills and make their homes warmer. Our homes are already the second most efficient of all Housing Associations in Wales, and we aim to internally insulate at least 50 of our solid wall properties a year. Get Wise to the Web In March we held a Get Wise to the Web event for our Tenants. Participants found out more about how to access benefits online and about savings to be made on price comparison websites. Cardiff Credit Union and Money Saviour were also on hand to provide some useful tips to maximise incomes. Cardiff Foyer Project The Cardiff Foyer Project is a partnership between Taff, Cardiff Community Housing Association and the YMCA, to help year olds who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and are motivated to enter education, training or gain employment. C moved into the YMCA in May 2013 as he was homeless and referred to us by the leaving care team. He had very little confidence and was in need of daily contact and reassurance from his support worker. Since then he has developed his budgeting skills, including paying his own rent; gained independence; completed a work experience placement; and is being offered interviews for employment that he has sought independently. His poor concentration, literacy and social skills could have held him back, but his motivation to achieve his goals and gain the most out of the support that he has been offered has been the key to his success. This year C received an award for his outstanding achievements at the Taff AGM Tenant Awards and this has further helped to develop his self-esteem. We have just found out that C has been accepted for the resettlement programme and will be moving into a permanent flat of his own. The Cardiff Foyer Project looks forward to supporting him through the next stage of his journey. Laptop Loan Scheme Access to the internet is now more important than ever. People with low incomes and no internet access can find it hard to access services such as online banking, price comparison websites and other services. Increasingly, people will also be expected to apply for their benefits on line in the future. The Laptop Loan scheme is a cheap and easy way to enable people to access the internet and increase their confidence with computers. Tenants can also hire dongles from us if they don t have an internet connection. 11

12 In July, Carl Sargeant AM, Minister for Housing and Regeneration, opened our new Picton Place scheme in Canton which included smaller houses and flats. Customer satisfaction is central to our thinking and we strive to make sure we get our repairs performance Right First Time and also ensuring that every pound is spent wisely. 12

13 Our development programme not only produces new affordable homes, it also contributes very significantly to the local economy and provides jobs for people in the area. 50million will have been injected into the local economy by 2017 as a result of our building work. 80% of labour on each development is from the Cardiff area. As we have built more new homes than originally planned, we have increased our 5 year target for homes from 150 TO % of Tenants we housed last year said that their home made a positive difference to their lives. 66 new properties have already been built, and a further 70 are currently being built on site. Meeting demand for smaller homes Welfare reform changes have increased demand for smaller homes, and we have recognised that it is more important than ever for us to build appropriate property types. Our new homes have helped many people downsize to homes that are more affordable. We are also helping to regenerate neighbourhoods by building on former petrol stations, car parks, pubs and derelict areas of land. Better off following downsizing Christine had been a Taff Tenant at a property nearby for 13 years. Her children were born there and she felt very settled, but when the welfare reform changes were announced, she realised that there would be a 25% drop in her housing benefit. She concluded that it wasn t affordable in the long term, and ultimately decided to move. Taff helped her register on a downsizing priority waiting list and offered her and her son a new two bed home in Picton Place.Christine feels that a weight has been lifted from her shoulders now that she doesn t have to think about making up the shortfall in rent. 13

14 Customer satisfaction is central to our thinking and we strive to make sure we get our repairs performance Right First Time and also ensuring that every pound is spent wisely. 14

15 The decision to grow our business and diversify was based on the desire to create new sources of income for the benefit of Taff s customers. We have started two new ventures. Adore Lettings Agency It is still in its early days of development, but with a steady flow of landlords and tenants it is already getting excellent feedback. The impact from testimonials is proving positive, and new landlords gain confidence from its connection with Taff and like the idea of re-investment into the community. In 2 years time we think it will be making enough profit to fund some of our community events, like the Family Fun Day. As it grows, the money available for this sort of thing will increase a win-win situation! Thanks to Joe and his team at Adore for solving my letting problem quickly and efficiently. My flat was empty for 4 months and Joe found the perfect tenant in 24 hours. I wish Joe and Adore all the best for the future. Mrs Smith Landlady, Canton - 4th February 2014 Innovative Web Solutions Our second venture is an investment in a software company. This company develops innovative web solutions which are transforming the way organisations manage their businesses and collaborate with partners. It is already returning a small dividend to Taff. 15

16 Customer satisfaction is central to our thinking and we strive to make sure we get our repairs performance Right First Time and also ensuring that every pound is spent wisely. 16

17 Our fantastic staff continue to deliver excellent customer services. We invest in our staff s professional development, and in their health, and their wellbeing. We ensure that we have the right systems in place to deliver for our customers and that we remain financially secure as a business. Taff really is a Great Place to Work This year, we ve been ranked 20th Best Workplace in the UK (Medium Size). This was awarded by the Great Place to Work Institute who carried out a staff satisfaction survey and assessed the work that we do with our staff. A whopping 87% of our Staff completed the survey THANK YOU We take part in the survey every 3 years to assess if we re living our values and delivering on the Taff deal for staff: You deliver excellent customer service, and we ll make this a Great Place to Work. Thank you to our Staff and Board for their hard work during a challenging time Elaine Ballard Members of Staff Tim Entwistle, Nia Bennett, Jane Evans and Kevin Hart attending the Great Place to Work Awards Ceremony. 17

18 Compliments and Complaints There were a total of 21 complaints, 16 of which were informal complaints dealt with before the formal stage. There were 5 complaints that were dealt with at the first stage of the formal complaints procedure, no complaints went to the appeals stage and there were no Ombudsman complaints. There were a total of 21 complaints. We have also received 12 formal compliments. Thank you for all your help over the past few months. Your skills as a Housing Officer are second to none. You have made a positive impact on both their lives, and he thanks you for your patience. From a Tenant to one of our Housing Officers Taff Housing Association is an excellent landlord, their customer service is at a high standard and their maintenance department are efficient and always happy to help. Also when speaking to the reception staff they are always friendly. Thank you so much for referring me back to the Lighthouse Project. I would not have known what to do without the Lighthouse Project. It has made such a difference towards my life, health & well-being. I d like to say a big thanks to reception for always giving me good advice when needed, you were always very friendly and helpful, keep it up! Welsh Language Scheme We aim to deliver a high standard of service in both Welsh and English. The delivery of our Welsh Language service links directly to our Customer Care and Customer Involvement Strategies, which commit (wherever practically possible) to communicating with customers in the format and language of their choice. Full details of our scheme along with the annual monitoring report are published on our website 18

19 Equality and Diversity We are committed to equality & diversity. We ve worked with Tai Pawb to look at Housing Allocations across Cardiff. We ve introduced an Equality Toolkit for Staff to use when developing policy or organising events, to make sure that equality and diversity are at the core of what we do. During the year we ve also worked with the BME community in Cardiff to promote employability by holding a series of job information roadshows; and linked with Stonewall and other Housing Associations to look at establishing a LGTB staff network and mentoring scheme. BME Roadshow Roadshows were held around Cardiff in March to help people from Black, Minority and Ethnic (BME) communities to access jobs, training and volunteering opportunities. It s another PASS for Taff s finances Taff has yet again been judged to be a sustainable and sound business according to the Welsh Government s Housing Directorate. Every Association is rated annually in March, with a pass rating the best possible judgement. Another Award Healthy Staff, Better Services The wellbeing of our staff is central to delivering excellent customer service. In March, the Welsh Government awarded us the Silver Corporate Health Standard in recognition of our work in this area. Thank you to the dedicated Staff on our Health & Wellbeing Group for helping us to achieve this standard

20 Annual Report INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT for the year ended 31 March 2014 Notes Turnover 3 9,966 9,424 Operating Costs 3 (7,513) (7,179) 2,453 2, Operating Surplus Surplus on Disposal of Fixed Assets 8 Interest Receivable Interest Payable and Similar Charges 9 Surplus for the Year Transfer to Restricted/Designated Reserves (1,353) (1,356) 1,259 1,323 (95) 18 (83) Revenue Reserves brought forward 6,206 4,966 Revenue Reserves carried forward 7,370 6,206 Continuing Operations None of the Association s activities were acquired or discontinued during the above two financial years. BALANCE SHEET Notes Tangible Fixed Assets Housing Properties 11 Gross Cost Less Depreciation Less Social Housing & Other Grants 99,189 (62,813) 95,423 (60,551) Investments 12 36,376 1,273 Other Fixed Assets 13 2,047 2,102 39,696 38,214 Current Assets Debtors Cash at Bank and In-hand 14 Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year 1,620 2,134 3,754 1, , (2,502) (2,484) Net Current Liabilities Total Assets Less Current Liabilities Creditors: Amounts Falling Due After One Year Capital & Reserves Restricted Reserves Designated Reserves Revenue Reserves 16 1,252 40,948 (774) 37,440 (32,403) (30,154) 8,545 7, ,370 8, ,206 7, & 18 The financial statements were approved by the Board of Management on 24th July ,872 1,240