Improving lives Incommunities NHC Scrutiny Conference 6th December 2016 Alison Leech Policy & Performance Manager Alex Brown Chair, Community Trust Panel From LMT to CTP ….. The Incommunities Scrutiny Journey A journey in Acronyms in true housing style Not necessarlity the right, or the only way – just sharing our experience and some learning Improving lives Incommunities

What we are covering today Our journey from LMT (Local Management Trust) to CTP (Community Trust Panel) Our strategy and revised approach How this provides board with assurance Your experience…

About Incommunities 22000 stock in West Yorkshire Originally six housing associations 2003 became a single entity Now 2 housing associations Incommunities (Bradford council stock transfer) – main office in Shipley. Stock spread in city, market towns and rural areas Sadeh Lok – BME housing association mainly Kirklees (West Yorkshire) based- joined 2015 A journey in Acronyms in true housing style Not necessarlity the right, or the only way – just sharing our experience and some learning

Mindful of our duty to minimise interference, our fundamental objective of supporting the provision of social housing and our commitment to proportionate regulation, we take a co-regulatory approach. This means: we regard board members and councillors as responsible for ensuring that providers’ businesses are managed effectively and that providers comply with all regulatory requirements providers must support tenants to shape and scrutinise service delivery and to hold boards and councillors to account we operate as an assurance-based regulator, seeking assurance from providers as to compliance with the standards. In other words, the onus is on providers to demonstrate their compliance to the regulator. Where we lack the requisite assurance, this will be reflected in the judgements we reach. HCA Regulating the standards July 2016 p.6

Our journey

Involvement pre- 2016 No single scrutiny panel Four local management trusts (tenants and independents) Combination of scrutiny and neighbourhood work Centrally located involvement team Customer inspectors reported in to all four LMT Commitment in 2015- 18 Involvement Strategy to review

What might need to change? Discussion What might need to change? Why?

The Drivers New scrutiny approach Unclear decision making role Four legacy trusts – hybrid? Waste, cost and duplication Unclear decision making role Evidence true co-regulation Clearer commissioning route for inspections Group structure and future proofing

July 2015 Budget 1% rent cut Staff restructuring and voluntary redundancies Reduced involvement resource Scrutiny, inspectors and equality groups retained at centre Neighbourhoods to cover Community resilience (new) Tenants groups and grants Neighbourhood ‘forums’ Some grey areas …?

The journey so far… Membership sub group established Developed draft Terms of Reference Consultation with wider LMT (01/16) Incommunities Ltd. Approved 05/16 Group 06/16 (links to PPC) Recruitment 08/16 First meeting 09/16 Sadeh Lok approved 09/16 Review Autumn 2017

Terms of Reference Consultation We asked ….What do you think should be In Out Binned We made clear which elements were essential for regulatory or budget reasons

Our new approach

The Structure Group Board Neighbourhoods Housing Association Boards and Performance and Policy Committee Community Groups Aire Wharfe Neighbourhoods Community Trust Panel CTP Headway Neighbourhoods NEST Neighbourhoods West City Neighbourhoods Scrutiny – Customer inspectors Tenant & Resident Associations

The journey so far… Membership sub group established Developed draft Terms of Reference Consultation with wider LMT (01/16) Incommunities Ltd. Approved 05/16 Group 06/16 (links to PPC) Recruitment 08/16 First meeting 09/16 Sadeh Lok approved 09/16 Review Autumn 2017

Functionial Split Community Trust: Focus on local issues Scrutiny Policy Review Commission Inspections Service Standards and Performance Part of Governance Structure - Supported by Policy and Performance team in Governance Directorate Neighbourhood Groups: Focus on local issues Neighbourhood plans & local area budgets Supported by the Neighbourhood Team (including Community resilience) Open to all to attend Committee of 3 or more Sadeh Lok – separate approach The overarching objective of the team is ‘to help improve the life chances of our residents especially those most affected by welfare reform’   How will we do this? Principles Assess the needs and barriers our residents face, identify realistic opportunities supporting a pathway to employment and self-reliance Working with Community based organisations, TARA’s and other stakeholders who share our aims, supporting them to develop their effectiveness and service offer. Empowering residents to help themselves and others in their community to become more self-reliant, focusing on digital inclusion/ICT training, financial management/debt advice and employability services. Agree a common and shared understanding of the community resilience role within Neighbourhoods, so that Neighbourhood officers actively support the principles of this strategy in their day to day work. Whilst our priority will be to support our residents we will work with those who live within the wider community where we have significant stock.

Community Resilience Resilience to changing environment Individuals and communities With not for 2 dedicated officers Act as catalyst Analysis of existing community centres and services 19 centres established so far Prioritised on a number of external and internal factors Employment Rent arrears ASB Educational attainment Discussions with NHO

Resilience in practice Our Partnership offer to centres Employment trainee community worker Funding Work clubs – at centres 121 support for individuals Free access to community insight data In return: Use of centre facilities as community base Example – slovakian looking for work, qualified chef – help with CV

Discussion What changes has your organisation made to scrutiny and involvement structures Why?

Practicalities and linkages Communication and links to wider governance structure Issue logs and tracking of outcomes Workplan Academy, capacity building and support

CTP development Basics/Induction National and local policy context E.g. code of conduct, safeguarding, data protection National and local policy context Understanding policy process Workplan related Service area specifics VFM Regulation Individual development needs + ‘CTD’ , conferences Academy strands One to one discussions Joint training with inspectors Mainly in house Experienced involved tenants but we went basics

How our inspectors work

Our inspector team Integral part of the scrutiny approach Three major ‘customer interventions’ completed Voids Repairs Incomes Demand Capture Strategic Plan20 13-17 : Focus on improving our service using systems thinking methodology to reduce waste and improve efficiency and effectiveness

Improving lives Incommunities Why a systems approach? Improving lives Incommunities Our Plan Focus on improving our service using systems thinking methodology to reduce waste and improve efficiency and effectiveness

Change & System Thinking “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them” Albert Einstein Why we use a systems thinking approach – the link to thinking is what can drive the system, understanding and changing the thinking can lead to a better service for the customer Conclude by talking around the changes that need to come from our thinking differently – no right way to do the wrong thing etc etc etc Doing similar but (hopefully) better things, with no change in the underlying thinking is more or less the same thing. There’s no right way, to do the wrong thing!

Purpose ..Something to guide you, give you direction & structure “Repair my home first time at a time convenient to me” Repairs Intervention “To provide a safe and effective heating & hot water system, when needed” Gas Intervention “Help me find a suitable home when I need it” Voids and Allocations Intervention “Help me to affordably obtain, dispose or transport furnishings that are safe & suitable for my home when I need them” Furniture Intervention “Help me to live well and enjoy my home and neighbourhood responsibly, by offering support and ensuring that the duties of the landlord are fulfilled” Neighbourhood Services Intervention Purposes for all services that have gone through a System review

What is it? Systems Thinking Taking a customer perspective Consider the whole system Measuring what matters to our customer Everyone is included in the journey, staff and customer Design services to meet demand and to create value for our customers No Targets: Seek perfection through continuous improvement Systems Thinking In it's simplest terms Systems Thinking can be defined as a way of looking at a system, it’s a management methodology which promotes common sense thinking, adaptability in the face of change and the elimination of waste in work processes. Taking a customer perspective – establishing purpose with the customer – understanding what it is that we are here for. Consider the whole system: Moving away from a traditional and often fragmented processes and sile working that often creates and also hides ineffective practice Measure what matters to the customer

The Framework A continuous cycle of change and learning Guides you, to encourage the THINKING 27

Model for check 1 Customers Purpose 2 We need to see the system through the eyes of the customer The customers is the person or persons the system is there to serve 1 Purpose What is it that we are here to do for the customer? What are customers asking for? What do customers need from us? 2 7 Stages to Check 1 – 5: Tell us what is happening 6 & 7: Tell us why Demand: Value & Failure – Type & Frequency What matters to the customers – what are they asking for? Are they asking because we failed to do or get something right in the first place? 3 System Conditions What do we have to do as a Landlord to meet our legal & regulatory requirements? 6 Capability of Response Measures: What does good look like? How well are we performing? What should we measure to establish if we are getting it right for the customer? 4 Explain each aspect of the model for check Focus on Understanding Customer and Demand – design and roll in depend upon this Check is the most important stage of the framework, it’s the foundation for everything that follows 1 – 5 tell us what is happening 6 & 7 tell us why! Flow: Value work & Waste What does the journey for the customer look like? How does it flow? Thinking What’s the organisation’s thinking? 7 5 28

Customer intervention process Demand Capture Establish purpose Map flow Emerging issues Develop action plan Report back Demand Capture Local management trusts identified priority areas Map flow Identify emerging issues Develop action plan with management Report back presentation title

Other current/planned inspection work Sheltered housing – following a customer complaint Next inspection … new contact centre Inspection of Sadeh Lok customer care (to prepare for customer excellence inspection) presentation title

Recent changes Single Scrutiny panel established- Community Trust Panel Previously 4 LMT brought together to Commission Inspection reports will go to CTP Commissioning and prioritisation protocols need clarifying

Learning and reflection

Benefits of new structure More effective links with Performance and Policy Committee and board structures Experienced panel Outcome focus Reduced duplication Clarity of roles Links with inspectors and equality groups Flexible approach to training and development via academy Emerging profile in organisation is good ? We will be able to evidence impact…..

Issues and challenges Panel drawn from existing LMT- refocus Terms of reference Gaining trust regarding escalation of issues Develop relationship with inspectors Resourcing without dedicated officer Neighbourhoods still in development Adjusting protocols and procedures to reflect new structures

Customer assurance - checklist Involve customers in development – not just sign off Listen first hand - strong links with board via Policy and Performance Committee Agile training programme – current issues & consolidation Issues logs [tracking important!] Sound agenda planning linked to organisational and customer priorities – our inspectors listen to customer demands rather than viewing documentation supplied by officers presentation title

Recent developments Integrate Sadeh Lok – Panel Group wide Continue roll out of Academy Consolidate relationship with Policy and Performance Committee Regular meetings with Chair To do ……. Develop protocols for Issues From Neighbourhoods/To PPC Commissioning and prioritising inspections in new model Prepare for 2017 review!

What next…? What does the Autumn statement and the new government mean for Incommunities customers? Customer contact & communication Sustainability strategy

Thank you Any Questions Contact Policy and Performance Manager: Alison Leech 01274 257311 alison.leech@incommunities.co.uk