Presentation by Siobhan O’Kane River Clyde Homes Introducing Customer Scrutiny Presentation by Siobhan O’Kane River Clyde Homes

What is Customer Scrutiny Intro slide Text A mechanism to hold their landlords to account for the delivery of services. Should be customer led and independent Conclusions and recommendations should be reached based on freely available information Equality and access for all customers Partnership Intro slide Text Second level text

Where has customer scrutiny come from? Intro slide Text The Housing (Scotland) Act created 2 new fundamental principles: Scottish Social Housing Charter (SSHC) Scottish Housing Regulator Intro slide Text Second level text

River Clyde Homes and Customer Scrutiny Intro slide Text At River Clyde Homes we want to implement customer scrutiny because best practice tells us it can lead to: A different relationship with our customers Improved performance and service quality A cultural change within the organisation where an ethos of “customer first and performance driven” is promoted Intro slide Text Second level text

Examples of best practice: South Oxford Housing Association (SOHA) Fairly advanced customer scrutiny and co-regulation programme Scrutiny Group, Tenant Inspectors, Mystery Shoppers, Neighbourhood Friends, Connect Club, The News Team, Readers Group etc. Is it making a difference? Tenant Empowerment Partnership – gold standard award National Federation of Tenant Management Organisations for the way residents are involved in their annual report Accreditation from the National Tenants Organisation SOHA’s Housing Impact Report for resident involvement for financial year 2011-2012 – published on the website. Intro slide Text Second level text

Examples of best practice: Newydd Housing Association Intro slide Text Some of the customer involvement programmes are the same as SOHA BUT – there are a few differences: Scrutiny Panel, Task and Finish Groups, Tenant Powered Performance, Newydd Youth Challenge Is it making a difference: Won a national award recognising its excellence as a landlord – this was the Roy Parry Landlord Excellence category at the annual TPAS Cymru Participation Awards. John Phillips, Newydd Tenant and Chair of Newydd’s community Panel states: “It is fitting that, as an organisation well known for tenant engagement , we won this award from a national tenants organisation. Newydd tenants and staff work hard in an open and honest culture to ensure that they work in partnership. In every aspect of the organisation’s activities from building homes to editing the tenants magazine, we put tenants first.” Intro slide Text Second level text

What have River Clyde Homes done… Intro slide Text March 2013 – ‘Count Me In Event’ – the idea of the Customer Scrutiny Group was put to the customers. Feedback from customers was that this was definitely something they would be interested in. Count Me In Working Group was established to take this forward. Intro slide Text Second level text

Count Me In Working Group Intro slide Text Meeting was on 28th May 2013 Arranged for TIS and TPAS to attend that meeting and give presentations. The group then selected their preferred support organisation. ‘5 Steps to Excellence’ programme announced. Intro slide Text Second level text

5 Steps to Excellence Intro slide Text Consider examples of scrutiny and how the group would like River Clyde Homes to approach customer scrutiny and involvement Intro slide Text Second level text

5 Steps to Excellence Intro slide Text Elaborating on the details and wider arrangements Look at the customer involvement methods used by other associations Intro slide Text Second level text

5 Steps to Excellence Intro slide Text Finalise arrangements for customer involvement in relation to the Scrutiny Panel Terms of Reference Code of Conduct Membership Appointment Intro slide Text Second level text

5 Steps to Excellence Intro slide Text Step 3 – Continued Terms of Reference Need to take account of the aims and objectives of the panel Who are the members and how are they recruited and appointed Operational issues How the tenant panel is accountable What safeguards are in place The relationship with the landlord and the governing body Reference to the Code of Conduct Intro slide Text Second level text

5 Steps to Excellence Intro slide Text Step 3 - Continued Code of Conduct: Equality and Diversity Commitment and conduct at meetings Declarations of Interest Confidentiality Gifts and hospitality Role and responsibilities Conflict of Interest Breaches of the Code How decisions are reached Intro slide Text Second level text

5 Steps to Excellence Intro slide Text Step 3 - Continued Membership Appointment will be designed by the group but it may be that they opt to: Ask each customer interested to submit an application form Person Specification Preferred applicants will be invited for interview Independent interview panel Intro slide Text Second level text

5 Steps to Excellence Intro slide Text Finalise arrangements for customer involvement in relation to the other panels: Terms of Reference Code of Conduct Membership Appointment Intro slide Text Second level text

5 Steps to Excellence Intro slide Text How to get customers involved: Customer incentives Customer training Staff training Intro slide Text Second level text

Link to Governance Structure Intro slide Text Co-regulation can be unsettling for the Board Have to involve them from the outset The River Clyde Homes Board have: Looked at how we can improve performance, how we can improve the relationship with customers and how we can change the culture at River Clyde Homes – best way of doing this is to support and promote co-regulation. Governance improvement working group set up – what effect co-regulation will have on governance procedures and the constitution. Intro slide Text Second level text

About Me… Intro slide Text No prior experience of customer scrutiny and co-regulation. Customers are saying that they are frustrated but they want to make a difference. Visit to centre of best practice – Salix Homes CHALLENGE – it is going to open up from an officer perspective, the things I do and the decisions I make to much more detailed scrutiny by customers. BUT – I am looking forward to having a partnership with our customers Intro slide Text Second level text

Finally… Intro slide Text The method of customer involvement is not set in stone. It is something that will continue to evolve until it works for your organisation. For this to work it has to be endorsed by everyone in the organisation and especially senior staff members. It is hugely important that the Chief Exec and leading staff are behind this. Intro slide Text Second level text