BOLTON COMMUNITY
HOMES LTD
Interim Delivery PLAN
2007 - 2010
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Contents
1. Introduction
2. Vision and Aims
3. Housing Strategic Priorities 2007 –2010
4. Delivery Action Plan
5. Directors, Members & BCH Team structure
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1. Introduction
Established in 1992, Bolton Community Homes (BCH) is an independent strategic housing,
regeneration and service provider company limited by guarantee.
BCH is Bolton’s strategic housing partnership. It is one a number of partnerships which make up
the Local Strategic Partnership for Bolton (known as the Bolton Vision Partnership).
Registered at Companies House and with a Board of 12 Directors, BCH represents a wide ranging
cross sector partnership of the local authority, housing and regeneration service providers, service
users and developers in the Bolton area.
Collectively, individual Company Members of BCH:

Manage and maintain over 25,000 homes.

Provide support to numerous service users in supported and temporary housing

Directly employ over 1300 people in the Bolton area.

Lead on the delivery of a wide range of regeneration initiatives.

Contribute to the identification of regional objectives.
BCH links with the Councils Regeneration and Development and Adult Services Directorates
bringing together economic, physical regeneration and community services.
In addition to representation on BCH Board, the council have a management and operational
relationship with BCH Officers through the Chief Housing
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2. Vision and Aims
.
BCH has developed its vision by listening to others such as customers, communities, other
partnerships and agencies and by drawing upon The Bolton Vision Partnership’s Sustainable
Community Strategy: ‘Bolton: Our vision 2007-2017’.
BCH will work towards making Bolton the place we all want it to be by developing it as a place
which is:
 Strong and confident
 Safe
 Healthy
 Achieving
 Cleaner, Greener
 Prosperous
‘Our vision is to work in partnership with others and maximise resources both
new and existing to:
 Deliver a person-centred approach that places the customer first in
everything we do and provides value for money housing services
 Develop sustainable communities and neighbourhoods that people
choose to live in and work in.
 encourage and support communities to develop and achieve their
aspirations
 provide real housing choice in safe and cohesive neighbourhoods’
A principle objective of BCH is to influence, support and contribute to implementation and delivery
of Bolton’s Housing Strategy, and has a role in influencing National, Regional and Sub regional
policies and agendas.
Our actions and activity will include influencing and contributing to the delivery of key Council
priorities especially the Local Area Agreement and the Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy.
We will work closely with others to achieve our vision.
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3. Housing Strategic Priorities 2007 – 2010
BCH is a major influencer and delivery vehicle for the Housing Strategy.
The key objectives and priorities identified in Bolton’s Housing Strategy will form the basis of the
BCH Delivery plan. Its activities and actions will also be influenced from the Sustainable
Community Strategy and the LAA.
Priority A: To provide housing that is affordable and offers choice whilst meeting the needs
and demands of the future.
The provision of decent and affordable homes is a clear priority within Bolton’s Sustainable
Community Strategy. The cost of housing in Bolton has risen dramatically over recent years, which
has led to many people being unable to access the type of housing that they can afford and want.
This combined with a growing number of households in Bolton, has resulted in a shortage of
affordable accommodation to rent or buy.
Priority B: To create and promote communities that are sustainable and inclusive.
Ensuring that our communities and neighbourhoods are desirable places that people want to live in
and become part of, is a priority that cuts across a number of the goals in the Sustainable
Community Strategy. The challenges that Bolton faces include deprivation, fear of crime,
increasing levels of migration into Bolton and environmental issues. Residents should have an
active role in influencing how we tackle these problems and support communities to live together in
a cohesive manner.
Priority C: To improve the quality of private sector housing.
Bolton has an aging stock of private sector housing, both owner occupied and rented, which in
some cases is in poor condition. A significant proportion of these properties are occupied by older
people and those on low incomes, which means they may not have the resources to carry out the
improvements needed to improve the property. This can lead to health problems and reduce the
quality of life of the residents.
Priority D: To promote health, well-being and quality of life.
Improving the health of residents in Bolton, is a key goal set out in the Sustainable Community
Strategy. The provision of housing and support to vulnerable people has a significant impact on
health and enabling people to sustain quality of life. There is a need for adaptable, sustainable
homes, and for preventative action to stop health and independence from deteriorating.
Priority E: To strengthen our partnership approach to improve housing, services and
communities.
Housing in Bolton is based on a long tradition of partnership working and the provision of services
that best meet the needs of our customers. In the future, there will be changes in the way we
deliver services, work with each other and in customer expectations. To ensure that we continue to
provide excellent housing services in Bolton and be influential at a regional and national level, we
will need to build on our existing partnerships and relationships and continuously improve services.
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4. Delivery Plan
Housing Strategic Priority A:
To provide housing that is affordable and offers choice whilst meeting the
needs and demands of the future.
Links to Community Strategy Aim:
Stronger and Confident Bolton
Task
1.
2.
Develop Affordable Housing
Plan
 Links to New
Build/Transforming
Estates
National Affordable Housing
Programme submission
Sub tasks/Milestones
New Affordable
Supplementary Planning
Document implemented



3.
Continue to Increase and
develop sustainable Town
Centre living



4.
To support Bolton’s Housing
Environmental Strategy


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Outcomes
Target

Increase affordable sustainable
provision on new sites


Identify sites
BCH & Exec Member
Reports
Submit bids
Increased provision of rented
and intermediate housing
delivered with Housing
Corporation grant funding.
Establish Town Centre
RSL zoned areas
Complete Town Centre
living survey
Negotiate on site provision
for affordable housing in
town centre
Coordinated approach to town
centre development and
management.
New build developments
maximise sustainability
measures in design &
construction
Develop an exemplar
Sustainable Homes
scheme


BCH schemes will meet
level 3 of the Code for
Sustainable Homes
Delivery of pilot scheme
150 new homes per
year
20% provision on site
Affordable housing
threshold 15 units on
new developments

Lead
Dominic Conway
Bolton’s Allocation
proportional to regional
allocation
 Match NAHP 2006/08
allocation (£4.8m
64units)
 20% provision on site
 sustainability and
occupancy measure to
be developed
Cheryl Foster

Cheryl Foster

100% of schemes meet
level 3 of Code for
sustainable homes
8 homes developed
utilising renewable
energy technology
Dominic Conway
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Housing Strategic Priority B:
To create and promote communities that are sustainable and inclusive
Links to Community Strategy Aims:
Task
Stronger & Confident, Safe, Prosperous and Achieving Bolton
Sub tasks/Milestones
Outcomes
 Consultation Brief produced
April 2007
 Research completed Sept 07
 Extension of furnished
tenancy project to include
family homes
 Support new dispersal project
 Support new Bolton Somali
Community Association in
sharing the learning from the
Accommodate Project to
develop other refugee
Community Organisations
Greater understanding of
Migrant Worker population and
the private sector
Strong cohesive network of
RCO’s that integrate into
community strategy
1.
Migrant worker and private
sector research
2.
Deliver relevant actions from
the New & Emerging
Communities Strategy Action
Plan
3.
Deliver actions identified in
the refreshed BME Housing
Action Plan
 Ensure compliance of all
partners with the new CRE
Code of Practice on Race
Equality in Housing
4.
Improve customer
engagement
 Mapping exercise of current
consultation/engagement
processes
 Identification of gaps and
exploration of solutions to
improve customer’s
involvement and influence
5
‘Respect task force’
Develop and implement
Centre of Excellence for
ASB


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
Action plan developed
Financial and business plan
approved
Respect task force
established
Target
Lead
Paula Cheung
10 Furnished family
homes per year
Rachel Hardman
Improved access to housing,
services and related support
fro BME communities.
100% compliance by all
housing partners by 2010
Faruk Kala
 Improved customer
involvement and influence
across housing services
 Housing Services that meet
customers needs and are
responsive
 Increased level of customer
satisfaction
 Increased satisfaction in
response to tackling ASB
 Greater sense of safety
 Reduced fear of crime and
ASB
 Tenant Board Member
 85% customer
satisfaction with BCH
housing services
Michelle
Horrocks
LAA Targets
Respect Action Plan
Targets
Rachel Hardman
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Task
6.
7.
Sub tasks/Milestones
Contribute to the delivery of
the new Domestic Abuse
Strategy and action plan
 Remove barriers to social
housing for domestic abuse
victims
 Evaluation of the pilot cross
tenure Domestic Abuse post
 Ensure appropriate staff
attend awareness courses
 Delivery of new domestic
abuse refuge
Transforming people‘s
economic opportunities
 Support the development of
the “world restaurant” as a
training centre/social
enterprise
 Develop further community
driving school project
 Develop apprenticeships and
training opportunities for the
development and construction
new homes
 Support the use of Bolton
WISE for environmental
works on estates
 Explore the potential to
develop a ‘skills centre’ in
partnership with Manchester
Enterprise
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Outcomes


Increased access to
appropriate housing
Secure permanent funding
Improve well being of the local
community through increased
access to training and
employment
Target
Lead
100% frontline staff
attending training
Rachel Hardman
Targets be developed by
Sept 2007.
Rachel Hardman
/ Nick White
Increase ‘take up’ by 20%
100% Take-up of:a) Training
b) Apprenticeships
75% of people accessing
full time employment
following completion of
apprenticeships
Julia Glover (St.
Vincent’s H.A.)
Glynis Campbell
(Bolton at Home)
Steve Bottrill
(Bolton Wise)
Peter Smith
(St. Vincent’s
H.A.)
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Housing Strategic Priority C:
To improve the quality of private sector housing
Links to Community Strategy Aim:
Task
Stronger & Confident
Sub tasks/Milestones
1.
Support the regeneration of
targeted areas
Northern Housing Challenge Fund
bid to be submitted to Housing
Corporation in Autumn 2007
2.
Returning empty properties
back into use
IVHA pilot scheme to purchase
empty properties (Great Lever)
Support the delivery of the Empty
Property Strategy
3.
Further develop links with
private rented sector (BARLO)


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Support the Review of PRS
delivery model
Support the review of the
landlord accreditation and
management standard
Outcomes
 Regeneration of Union
Road/Yate street
neighbourhood.
 Leverage of
funding/resources to
tackle area in decline
 New form of tenure
enabling community to
share equity in
home/area.
 Reduction in empty
properties
 Increased provision of
homes
 Reduces blight pf
vacant homes in
targeted areas
 Improved quality of
Private Rented Sector
provision
 Increased choice of
tenure to meet housing
needs across the
Borough
Target
Lead
Great Places –
Peter Bojar
BCH – Dominic
Conway
Bolton at Home –
Glenys
Campbell/Paul
Thomson
 Number of Private
Sector dwellings that are
returned into occupation
or demolished as a
result of action by the
LA to 89-2007/8, 90 in
08/09 and 91 in 09/10
(as per Bolton Plan
targets)
 450 PRS properties
inspected per year.
 Increase in the number
of accredited landlords
Empty Property
Group – Glenys
Campbell
IVHA
Cath Conniffe
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Housing Strategic Priority D:
To promote health, well-being and quality of life.
Links to Community Strategy Aim:
Task
1.
Support the delivery of the
revised Homelessness Action
Plan
Healthy Bolton
Sub tasks/Milestones



NAHP bid re remodelling of
Salvation Army
Hostel Capital Improvement
Programme for Salvation Army
Increasing amount of
intermediate accommodation
for single homeless people
2.
Improving links between RSL’S
and the third sector

3.
Contribute to the development
of a comprehensive
Boroughwide HIA i.e. Fuel
poverty, Affordable warmth


Contribute to delivery of the
Joint Housing Plan for Older
People
 Develop lifetime homes
standard
 Inclusion of Assistive
technology in appropriate
schemes
 Redevelop appropriate
sheltered accommodation to be
fit for purpose/decommission as
required
 Deliver Manor Court Extra Care
scheme
 Bid for funding Autumn 2007
o NAHP
o HCIP
4.
5.
Reconfiguration/refurbishment
of Gilhead House Salvation
Army Unit.
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

Explore opportunities and links
with CLG – Future Builders
Programme
Establish Partnership Board
Agree service delivery
functions
Secure Funding
Develop Business Plan
Outcomes
Target
Lead
Reduced repeat
homelessness
Improved
accommodation and
services for Homeless
people.
Integrated service
provision and planning.
Young People enabled to
sustain independently
Increased public sector
functions delivered by
the Voluntary Sector
Improved health and
living conditions in the
private sector.
Decency achieved.
Maintain minimum levels
of repeat homelessness
of less than 10 per yr
(as per Bolton Plan
targets)
BMBC Jon
Powell
Establishment of new HIA
April 08.
Targets and measures to
be developed.
BMBC – Bryonie
Shaw
Broader Choice of
housing for older people
– cross tenure.
25% of all new units /
developments meet
lifetime homes standards.
BMBC
Bryonie Shaw
BCH – Jon Lord
BCH
Fit for purpose direct
provision
accommodation unit
40 Units of mixed tenure 2009
Places for
People
35 units for same day
access.
35 intermediate service
BCH - Dominic
Conway
Salvation Army
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
Housing Strategic Priority E:
units providing lifeskills
support. Reduction in
Repeat Homelessness
Identification of site for
intermediate service provision
To strengthen our partnership approach to improve housing, services and
communities.
Links to Community Strategy Aim:
Stronger & Confident Bolton
Task
Sub tasks/Milestones
Outcomes
1.
Develop ‘Homes for Bolton’
concept to improve local
delivery of services
2.
Review BCH/Housing
Partnership role as part of
review of the Housing system
in Bolton
3.
Deliver Neighbourhood Action
Plans (NRS/LAA Themes)
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Bolton at Home
Target
Lead
 Develop a core central
customer access point
 Develop co-ordinated
neighbourhood management
services
 Launch of new branding
 Establish strong links with
new/revised LSP
 Revise performance framework
for BCH
 Adopt theme based approach to
delivery of priorities for RSL’s
Improved access to
services and customer
satisfaction
 BCH support/provide secondee
to cover East Bolton NAPS
 Support Farnworth
Neighbourhood Management
area – St. Vincents to lead on
housing input/initiatives
 Continue to participate in Gt
Lever Neighbourhood
Management area –IVHA to
deliver UCAN Centre
 To support the continuation of
Sustainable
Communities
Targets to develop from
NAP’s
Great Places
St. Vincent’s
Secure funding streams
Contribute to achieving
targets identified in
Farnworth Neighbourhood
action plan.
Contribute to achieving
targets identified in the
Great Lever
Neighbourhood action plan
85% customer satisfaction.
Fit for purpose housing
system
Jon Lord
Jon Lord
 Tangible outcomes
monitored to ensure
VFM
IVHA
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existing UCAN Centres e.g.
Tonge, Moses Gate, Union
Road etc
 Increase the role of housing
within the LAA
4.
Maximise opportunities for
external business/funding
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– delivery of Great Lever
UCAN.
Secure 20% additional
BCH external funding
BCH / Bolton at
Home
Jon Lord
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5. Directors of Bolton Community Homes
As at the 16 March 2007 the Board of Bolton Community Homes Ltd comprises:
Representing the Council
Executive Member for Regeneration
Cllr. Akhtar Zaman
Chief Housing and Regeneration Officer
Jeff Smethurst
Representing Registered Social Landlords
Great Places Housing Group - Ashiana Housing
Munir Ahmed
Great Places Housing Group
Steven Porter
Contour Housing Association
Mike Creamer
St. Vincent’s Housing Association
Peter Smith
Irwell Valley Housing Association
Neil Baumber
Places for People Group – NBH
Kath Knowles
Salvation Army Housing Association
Stephen Holmes
William Sutton Housing Association
Wendy Pretton
Representing Bolton at Home
Cllr Noel Spencer
Gwen Crawford
Members of Bolton Community Homes
Representing Customers
Council Tenant Representative
Frank Fletcher
Representing
Providers
Voluntary
David Bagley (BIAF)
RSL Tenant Representative
Ian Handley
Service Representing the Community Sector
Mohammed Mangera
Representing Developer and Contractor Partners
Richardson Project's Limited
Alan Richardson
Durose and Gourlay Limited
Representing Adult Services
Bolton Council
John Rutherford
Representing: Adult Services
Chairperson:
Vice-Chairperson:
Company Secretary:
Auditors:
John Rutherford – Bolton Council
Mike Creamer
Peter Smith
Dominic Conway
Barlow Andrews
Registered Office: 2nd Floor, 2 Silverwell Lane, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 1QN.
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Tel:
Fax:
e-mail:
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01204-335389
01204-335365
bch@bolton.gov.uk
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BCH SERVICE / TEAM STRUCTURE
BCH BOARD
DEVELOPMENT &
REGENERATION DEPARTMENT
ADULT SERVICES
DEPARTMENT
HEAD OF COMMUNITY
HOUSING/BCH
COMMUNITY HOUSING
SERVICES MANAGER
•HomesforYou
•Homeless Welfare
•HAS
•Home Ownership
•Benjamin Court
•Furnished Tenancies
•Lease management Team
•Property Team
•Money Skills – for Corporate
Debt/CLS
•Domestic Violence
•Private Rented Sector
Accreditation and Joint Services
PARTNERSHIP & DEVELOPMENT
MANAGER
•Refugee / Asylum Service
•Mediation Service
•Community Development Project
Officer
(Support to RCO’S and Unity Centre
Management Support)
•Gypsy Liaison
•Migrant Worker Project
•High risk /Offender Management /
Community Safety
•Money Skills Service
•Regional Choice Based Lettings
Project
•Housing Public Health
•Secretary to Head of Community
Housing/BCH and Community
Housing Services Manager
• Partnership & Development Officer
( section 106, AHP, Business Plan,
Board Support etc.)
•BCH Project Officer
(Access, Accommodation Services,
Advice and IT)
•BCH Project Officer /Best Value
(Communication, Improvement,
Planning, service Development)
•BCH Community Safety and Inclusion
Officer *
(ASB, Community Safety / Housing
Joint Work, DV)
BCH Project Officer (Private Rented
Sector)
* Jointly managed by DC/CC
MSO Team x 2
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