Scrutiny of the Grounds Maintenance service provided by New Charter Homes
To report findings on the Grounds Maintenance service provided by New Charter Homes to residents
For New Charter Homes to note the findings of the Grounds Maintenance scrutiny report, accept and act upon the recommendations with immediate effect.
4.1 Financial implications: To produce value for money & create cost effective services.
4.2 Legal/Governance Implications: Tenant Scrutiny is a recommendation from the Tenant Services Authority and is considered best practice. The Board have demonstrated their commitment to using tenant scrutiny to assist them in the governance of the organisation.
4.3 Business plan implications: The undertaking of the recommendations contained in this report will meet the corporate objectives of the organisation.
4.4 Equality & Diversity Implications: Not applicable
CONTENTS
| Introduction | ||
1. INTRODUCTION
2. BACKGROUND
2.1 The TMT was established in May 2009, in response to Resident Led Self Regulation, as recommended by the Tenants Services Authority. The team consists of tenant volunteers whose role it is to scrutinise the service provision of NCH.
2.2 The aims of the TMT are:
To operate on behalf of tenants and residents, ensuring that NCH provides resident-centred services of the highest standard.
To form an effective part of the management structure of NCH together with the NCH Board and the Group Management Team.
2.3 The team’s role is:
To take an independent view of NCH performance
To establish priorities for reviewing NCH performance
To oversee scrutiny activities
To commission performance reviews to enable TMT to carry out its duties
To assess NCH performance against expected standards
To hold the NCH Board and Group Management Team to account where performance falls below expected standards
3. METHODOLOGY
3.1 The initial task was to set up a Grounds Maintenance Scrutiny Working Group comprising of members of TMT. The first role for the Working Group was to define the parameter of the scrutiny. We then decided to select 3 estates in different locations and excluded estates where TMT members lived, to ensure no personal bias. Two of the estates received the standard grounds maintenance service and one received gold standard. It was felt it was important to incorporate one sheltered housing scheme that received the gold standard.
3.2 The Working Group produced an action plan based on recommendations from the Tenant Participation Advisory Service (TPAS). This incorporated a three-stage plan. (Appendix1).
The three-stage plan comprised:
Preparation
Desktop review
Reality checking
3.3 Preparation
With the knowledge that Scrutiny must be evidence based, firstly we defined our information requirements and served notice on the Head of Grounds Maintenance to provide us with information. We also met with the Head of Grounds Maintenance and other officers to support us in our preparatory work.
3.4 Desktop Review
We reviewed the information provided by officers and also looked at the Audit Commission Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOE) for Tenancy and Estate Management. From the KLOE we selected the relevant points for Grounds Maintenance. We identified gaps within the evidence we had collected so far and this defined other evidence requirements for our scrutiny to be effective. We looked at Grounds Maintenance specification, schedule of rates, the contract for Grounds Maintenance and also job profiles for Neighbourhood Management Officers/Assistants.
3.5 Reality Checking
We commissioned Resident Inspectors to assist the Working Group with the reality checking stage. We decided to perform a variety of evidence-based surveys:
Arrange for a horticultural expert to examine 3 selected estates and ask her to give her expert opinion as to the general condition of these estates.
Perform a weed density analysis of the 3 chosen sites and compare them with what is considered to be an excellently maintained site such as Stamford Park.
Produce and distribute a detailed questionnaire to the NCH Sounding Board, consisting of 2,700 tenants and 2 estates, (Harbour Farm, Hyde and Lyne Edge, Dukinfield) approximately 450 on each area. An adapted gold standard questionnaire was sent to all residents at Birchfield sheltered accommodation, as well as all those receiving the gold standard from the sounding board (totalling 3,600). The questionnaire was to be produced in conjunction with the Environmental Panel, who will also be using the findings for their own purposes.
Hold 3 focus groups, in Astley Sports Centre, Leesfield Sheltered Housing Scheme and at Hough Community Centre where tenants were invited to come along and air their views.
Carry out a telephone survey of 100 randomly selected tenants from the NCH sounding board to introduce some personal contact.
Carry out a door knocking exercise, to ensure a face-to-face contact which will provide an instant response.
Witness a sign up procedure with NCH Neighbourhood Management staff to establish the level of grounds maintenance information provided.
No comments:
Post a Comment