Adult Social Care and Housing Overview and Scrutiny
Committee:
21st May 2009
AGENDA ITEM 5
BLACKPOOL COASTAL HOUSING UPDATE ON AUDIT COMMISSION
INSPECTION RECOMMENDATIONS
1.0
Matter for consideration
1.1
The Committee to consider update information relating to the findings of the Audit
Commission during their inspection of Housing Services in November 2007.
2.0
Recommendation(s)
2.1
To consider the report, asking questions and making any recommendations that are
considered appropriate.
3.0
Summary of key issues
3.1
The Committee has been presented with previous reports on progress towards
meeting the recommendations resulting from the Audit Commission’s inspection of
Housing services in November 2007.
Recommendation 1
3.2
The Audit Commission recommended that Blackpool Coastal Housing further improve
performance management to:
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3.3
Bring a consistent approach to standards across services and reinforce customer
focus;
Ensure consistent approach to staff monitoring and ensure that plans support
continuous improvement.
In response to the recommendations Blackpool Coastal Housing has:
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Reviewed all Service Standards for measurability and accuracy and to facilitate
more consistent monitoring;
Refocused Service Standards on outcomes rather than process measurement as
part of the review;
Developed a standard method of capturing customer satisfaction data from across
the organisation;
Reviewed and amended Team Plan and Operational Strategy templates to capture
information about resources and also self assessment information;
Established a consistent, monitored and managed process for staff one to one
meetings including a new Supervision Policy.
Recommendation 2
3.4
The Audit Commission recommended that Blackpool Coastal Housing further develop
the approach to diversity to:

3.5
Ensure a consistent approach to fully understanding the needs of community.
In response to the recommendations Blackpool Coastal Housing has:
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Made a commitment to a customer intelligence led approach to service
development;
Developed standard equality data collection categories to ensure a systematic
approach to the collection of diversity data, and to clarify the consideration of
equality and diversity issues in service improvement;
Specified data requirements that have facilitated the diversity analysis of the
STATUS customer satisfaction exercise;
Recruited an Equality and Communications Officer;
Ensured that policy and equality and diversity staff have received training on the
Equality Bill and new Local Government Equality Framework to support a timely
response to legislative change and required practice;
Restructured Equality & Diversity policy to ensure a better balance between Staff
related Equality & Diversity policy and Customer related Equality & Diversity policy.
Recommendation 3
3.6
The Audit Commission recommended that Blackpool Coastal Housing develop the
income management service to be responsive to customers and reflect the needs of a
modern service to:

3.7
Ensure that the service will has a greater customer focus and is pro active rather
than focused on sanctions.
In response to the recommendations Blackpool Coastal Housing has:
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Reviewed the operation of the Income & Debt Prevention Team using a whole
systems approach and developed more efficient processes and procedures that
support a more effective and efficient management of cases;
Developed a customer profile that enables action to reduce to debt to be targeted.
Investigated the profile of people most likely to be in debt or get into debt;
Benchmarked methods of payment with three other ALMOs to ensure that BCH is
cost effective;
Investigated the costs of the methods that tenants use to pay their rent and
compared this with the profile of payment methods to ensure cost effectiveness;
Worked closely with Blackpool Council Housing benefit staff to ensure Housing
Benefit are processed in a timely fashion to avoid arrears accruing;
Developed an incentive scheme whereby customers with clear rent accounts are
entered into a draw to win a TV.
Recommendation 4
3.8
The Audit Commission recommended that Blackpool Coastal Housing further develop
governance and management capacity to:

3.9
Ensure that the organisation has a strong and consistent framework on which to
further develop itself and its service to customers.
In response to these recommendations Blackpool Coastal Housing has:
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Put in place a 360 appraisal system for Board members;
Put mechanisms in place for Board member training and development needs to be
captured;
Put in place an appraisal process for Board assessment of the performance of the
CEO and Executive Directors;
Established a strategic management development programme for all senior
managers;
Established a consistent, monitored and managed process for staff one to one
meetings.
3.10
Work towards meeting the recommendations from the inspection is now completed.
However it is envisaged that further improvements with regard to Recommendations 1,
2 and 3 will be possible as a result of improved information management which will be
provided by the replacement housing IT system that is planned before BCH is next
inspected.
4.0
Witnesses / representatives
4.1
As requested by the Committee members, the following persons have been invited to
attend the meeting to speak on the matter:

Peter Jefferson, Chief Executive of Blackpool Coastal Housing
Relevant officer:
Peter Jefferson, Chief Executive Blackpool Coastal Housing
Tel: (01253) 477988, e-mail peter.jefferson@bch.co.uk
Appendices attached:
None
Background papers:
None
Websites and e-mail links for further information:
Audit Commission - Housing Inspection
Glossary:
Not applicable