Torridge council properties to transfer to Tarka Housing
Filed Under Country Curtain | Posted on January 12, 2008
Come December, Torridge District Councils 1,700 properties will become the responsibility of newlyformed Tarka Housing and its doing everything possible to give this baby otter a good start in life
Not everyone in the country can boast of having an otter for a landlord, but come Christmas the tenants of Torridge District Council (TDC) can do just that well, at least in name.
Tarka Housing, the new Large Scale Voluntary Transfer (LSVT) housing association that goes live on 10 December, celebrates a totemic slice of the North Devon districts literary heritage namely Tarka the Otter, written by Henry Williamson in 1927. It will be part of a new group called Westward Housing Group and working alongside the pre-existing RSL Westcountry Housing Association, based in Torquay.
In the meantime, the councils Housing Department most of which will also be transferring across to the new entity is far from resting on its laurels. As contracts manager Joshua Jackson said: In the last two years, weve made sure that weve had a programme of continuous improvement in the service in preparation for the transfer, but also to make sure that the customers the tenants and the residents are receiving the very best that we as TDC can deliver, but also that the changeover to Tarka progresses smoothly as well.
Over the last two years, the council has been implementing a wide-range of changes and continuous improvements in readiness for the changeover. This has included the recruitment of new staff, to create an expert and enthusiastic team of surveyors and support staff. Among the new staff is a specialist in value for money and development tasked with providing continuous improvement.
Since April, a new home improvement standard the Tarka Standard has been put to use in the course of void work and disabled adaptations, as well as in a pilot to 27 properties. The standard emerged from the consultation process involved in the original options appraisal and the subsequent transfer process. With Heart of England acting as the independent tenants advisor, the organisation also conducted a series of focus groups, which played a role in developing the new standard.
This is to pilot the actual delivery of the standard. Its a drop in the ocean, but it means that weve had a bit of practice at delivering the work, get the tenants used to it, and get feedback before transfer on the actual delivery, Jackson added. The vast majority of the works will be done post-transfer. One of the main reasons we are transferring is to increase the available budget to deliver the standard across all of the stock. Thats something the council hasnt been able to do for budgetary reasons, hence the decision to do the options appraisal.
John Sanders, chair of the tenants panel, said: We certainly have forward thinking, progressive staff that are transferring over. Were looking forward to transfer and the improvements that will come from that, but also to the improvements weve had certainly over the last 12 months in tenants participation and long may that continue. It helps to bring the tenants views to the forefront, especially when contracts are initiated, and its been very successful.
The Tarka Standard is too extensive to list in detail, but it includes a range of choices in bathrooms, kitchens, a range of floor vinyls. Sheltered accommodation and designated adaptable properties gain a level access shower with a full grab rail package, and all properties receive external security lighting as standard. Jackson said: The tradesmen have been delivering the Tarka Standard to void properties and have really risen to the higher specification challenge.
He added: The feedback on the Tarka Standard works that weve already done is very positive. The current satisfaction levels for the improvement works stands at nine out of ten. Its going down very well with the tenant panel, the representative tasked to look at this closely, and the residents they are all very pleased with the progress.
More than half of TDCs tenants are elderly or have some kind of special need, which means that the delivery of disabled adaptations is an especially important service. Over the last two years, the council has worked closely with the local NHS Trusts, Devon County Council Social Services occupational therapists and specialist contractors to ensure that individual needs are effectively met. Again, it is forging the partnerships and the working practice in readiness for the transfer. Tarka will be inheriting its success; currently the users are rating it at 9.8 out of ten.
Responsive repairs and voids management is a key service, of course, and the council took onboard advice from the Vanguard Systems consultancy to re-organise and subsequently improve performance. The new system has seen an average completion times across all categories (emergency 24 hour repairs, low priority works and also voids) of 7.8 days against a target of 9.2, with 91 per cent of repairs completed on the first visit. The satisfaction level stands at 9.6 out of ten.
The tradesmen are now on the frontline so that they can diagnose repairs phoned in by the tenant. They speak to the tenant directly and diagnose exactly what the problem is and 91 per cent of the time can arrive on site with everything they need to get the job done first time, Jackson said.
Sanders added: Things have moved on considerably. Were not fully there yet, but were well on the way as it were and we are happy with the way things are moving. Given the good start thats been made, this is clearly one Tarka that wont be coming to a tragic end.
Tags: 12 months, acts, ades, becom, money, participation, targetRelated posts
Leave a Reply