DRAFT SERVICE DELIVERY OFFER FOR THE LANSBURY ESTATE

7.1 IMMEDIATE SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS - THE FIRST 100 DAYS

If the transfer goes ahead, Poplar HARCA will carry out a series of improvements. Some of these improvements will be completed within the first 100 days, i.e. deep cleaning all common areas, while other improvements will be ongoing.
Immediately after transfer the following services will start:

7.2 LOCAL OFFICE AND STAFF STRUCTURE

Following transfer, Poplar HARCA will have a local base from which day to day services will be coordinated. Based on current duties we initally aim to have an average housing officer patch size of 500-600 properties across Poplar HARCA. If tenants vote in favour of transfer, details will be finalised following discussions with LESG over the months following the ballot and prior to the transfer.

7.3 LOCAL MANAGEMENT OF THE ESTATE

The Neighbourhood Director who covers the Lansbury area will co-ordinate all services provided locally and ensure that high standards are maintained across all aspects of service delivery. The Neighbourhood Director will see that residents lead and shape a service that is relevant and responsive to local need.
Officers responsible for providing local services e.g. housing management, Estate cleaning, repairs and caretaking will meet with residents regularly and be accountable to the enlarged Lansbury Estate Board. Community officers will provide a one stop housing service giving residents access to a dedicated local team. They will have computer links to tenancy and other records and will be in a position to answer your enquiries 'on the spot'.
A freephone repairs 'hot line' will be available as well as a freephone service centre based at Chrisp Street. Community Officers will provide a responsive locally based housing management service as' well as linking into Poplar HARCA's specialist teams. These include:

7.4 THE HOUSING MANAGEMENT SERVICE

Poplar HARCA will provide a full range of financial and corporate services to support the local Community Housing Office, including rent accounting and service charges.

7.5 REPAIRS SERVICE

A high quality, customer orientated day-to-day local repairs service will be provided. The service will:

Local handy persons will be employed to carry out routine day-to-day repairs. They will be locally based and known to local residents and knowledgeable of the repairing needs of the Estate. Larger or more specialist repairs will be carried out by specialist contractors who are already working efficiently on Poplar HARCA Estates.
Poplar HARCA has a planned maintenance programme that will ensure the property is kept in good repair on a cyclical basis. Lansbury Estate will be included in this programme if the transfer goes ahead. Poplar HARCA will ensure that all tenants are treated equally in respect of their repair and maintenance of their homes, and that all tenants have equal access to the service.

7.6 REPORTING REPAIRS

During working hours

Repairs can be reported directly to the Repairs Team at 167a East India Dock Rd and can also be reported at your local office via the freephone service or to one of our officers. The Repairs Team operate between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday.

Out of hours

Emergency repairs during evenings, over the weekend and on public holidays can be reported to an emergency number. Repairs reported out of hours must be genuine emergencies and could include:

Anytime

Any repairs can be reported directly to the Poplar HARCA repairs team 24 hours a day Via the Poplar HARCA web site:?www.poplarharca.co.uk or by answer phone message. Receipt of web site queries will be acknowledged by email within the next working day of receipt, provided an email address has been provided.

7.7 REPAIR TYPES AND PRIORITIES

When a repair is reported Poplar HARCA will put it into one of four categories depending on how serious it is.

  1. Emergency repairs - Poplar HARCA aims to get to you within 2 hours and complete the repair within 24 hours.
  2. Urgent repairs - Poplar HARCA aims to complete the repair within 3 working days.
  3. Priority repairs will be completed within 7 working days.
  4. Non-priority repairs will be completed within 20 working days.
A separate leaflet setting out the types of repairs within each of these targets is available on request. Under certain conditions compensation may be offered for missed appointments.

Standard repairs notified out of hours (e.g. through the web site or on an answer phone) will be considered to have arrived at the time the repairs office next opens for reporting purposes.

7.8 RESPONSIVE REPAIRS CUSTOMER SERVICE STANDARDS

Poplar HARCA will ensure that all staff are aware of the organisation's repair responsibilities. Training and guidance will be given to ensure that staff can order and specify repair work accurately. Information on how to order repairs will be made available to all tenants. When ordering a repair, tenants will be given a receipt and a job number for the repair they have requested, including those reported by e-mail, if requested.

Who will carry out the repair?

Poplar HARCA has its own repairs team which carry out small urgent repairs. These include small plumbing, joinery and electrical jobs.
Repairs are reported to the Repairs Team who pass the information to the repairs staff. Residents are given a date for the job to be carried out and a morning or afternoon appointment (timescales are available within our repairs leaflet). This ensures work is completed with minimal disturbance.
More complex repair requests, such as drainage and door entry system repairs are carried out by specialist contractors.

7.9 CODE OF CONDUCT

All contractors must abide by the Poplar HARCA customer care code for contractors. A full copy of this can be obtained from Poplar HARCA's head office at 167a East India Dock Road. The main requirements in this code are for contractors to:

7.10 CARETAKING AND CLEANING

Poplar HARCA recognises that the care and maintenance of an Estate by a local cleaner / caretaker can make a dramatic difference to its appearance. The caretaking staff will be fully supported through the use of proper cleaning equipment and training.

Poplar HARCA has a well-established and effective local caretaking and cleaning service on each of its Estates. This currently includes:

All of these services are performance managed with regular reporting to resident committees and sub committees.
The particular type of cleaning and other Estate maintenance will need to be agreed with the residents. The cleaning service currently provided by Poplar HARCA is documented for each Estate and residents will all know what rotas are for cleaning, horticulture and other services such as bulk rubbish removal, and what standard they should expect. Typical schedules suggested for the Lansbury Area are available on request.

7.11 MONITORING PERFORMANCE

  • Poplar HARCA Estate boards monitor performance of these services against a Service Level Agreement and perforrnance audits are undertaken daily by an officer dedicated to this function. Lansbury will have it's own Estate board which will monitor the service regularly.
  • Service delivery sub committees are involved with the detailed reports on performance in each area.
  • Estate walkabouts are held regularly with residents by our Estate Service Co-ordinators. This is undertaken to ensure continuous improvement of the service provided to Poplar HARCA residents.
  • Performance against pre agreed indicators is monitored and reported regularly internally and to resident representatives on the Estate Board. Poplar HARCA has an officer whose sole purpose is to ensure that these standards are maintained at the highest level.

    Full details of Poplar HARCA repairs service, policy and cleaning tasks, regularity and standards can be obtained via the Estate Services Manager on 020 7510 0529.

    7.12 ANTI SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR (ASB)

    Statement of Intent

    Poplar HARCA is aware that community safety is a major issue for residents on Estates proposed for transfer. Poplar HARCA already takes a stringent approach to Anti Social Behaviour and in addition to the functions carried out by the locally based staff has a dedicated anti social behaviour team.
    Poplar HARCA's approach is to see ASB as part of a wider community safety strategy, which encompasses.

    Poplar HARCA has already been successful in obtaining Anti Social Behaviour Orders against perpetrators (the first in the borough) in addition to obtaining possession against persistent offenders. Other enforcement tools such as Notices of seeking possession, injunctions and acceptable behaviour contracts are widely used.

    Poplar HARCA is committed to ensuring that all tenants and leaseholders enjoy their right to peace, quiet and security in their homes. Poplar HARCA will take firm and prompt action in dealing with disruptive tenants and any other persons causing a nuisance or harassment on Estates or in individual dwellings. Poplar HARCA recognises that anti social behaviour has a negative impact on people and neighbourhoods.

    Poplar HARCA wilt take whatever action is avaiiable to it in tackling anti social behaviour. This includes arbitration and mediation, the use of injunctions, and the use of Poplar HARCA's powers under the Housing Act 1996 and Anti-social behaviour Act 2003.

    If the anti social behaviour is persistent or acute and the perpetrator is a tenant of Poplar HARCA they will make use of the following legal and non-legal sanctions, where appropriate:

    Where the perpetrator of anti social behaviour is unidentified, Poplar HARCA will take a pro-active approach to identify them including the use of covert surveillance and professiorial witnesses where appropriate.

    Inter-Agency Approach

    Poplar HARCA works with local statutory and voluntary agencies, including the police, probation service, health authority, environmental health and social services, to develop a co-ordinated approach to problems of neighbour nuisance on its Estates. Leaseholders and Sub-Tenants

    Where a lessee or sub-tenant of the leaseholder perpetrates nuisance, Poplar HARCA will use its powers under the lease to take action against the lessee or sub-tenant. This includes the use of injunctions and, as a last resort, action for forfeiture.

    7.12.1 HARRASSMENT

    Poplar HARCA is committed to combating all forms of harassment including

  • Racial harassment
  • Sexual harassment
  • Harassment against people living with HIV or AIDS
  • Harassment of gay and lesbian residents
  • Harassment on grounds of age, disability or religious belief This policy is intended to cover a1I forms of harassment.

    Poplar HARCA believes in equality, and is committed to ensuring that its residents are able to live without fear of harassment, intimidation or attack. Poplar HARCA is opposed to all forms of harassment, and will use its powers and resources to take action against any individual involved in an incident, where either the victim or the perpetrator is a resident of the Association.

    Work in partnership with the community

    Poplar HARCA's strategy will be to work in partnership with the Council, local community groups, voluntary agencies and the police to develop initiatives to combat all forms of harassment. Poplar HARCA will adopt practices, which will contribute towards the development of harmonious communities in the Borough.

    Victim-Centred Approach

    Poplar HARCA will take a victim centred approach in responding to cases of harassment. Poplar HARCA will be guided by the victim in determining the most appropriate course of action in responding to an incident of harassment.

    Monitoring and Taking Improvement Action

    All complaints received will be monitored, and details recorded of the date received, the nature of the complaint, the date action was taken and the nature of the action taken. Poplar HARCA's Director of Neighbourhood Services and its Service Delivery Committee will regularly review complaints received and consider appropriate action to tackle problems that are persistently raised, reporting their findings to the Board.

    7.13 COMPLAINTS POLICY

    Poplar HARCA is committed to providing high quality, efficient and effective services to all its residents and applicants for housing. However, Poplar HARCA recognises that, from time to time, people may have cause for dissatisfaction with its services. Poplar HARCA is keen to obtain feedback from residents and applicants for housing, and to hear their views, in order that it can review the services it provides and the way in which it provides them in light of such views. Poplar HARCA wilt therefore operate clear and well- publicised procedures for receiving and dealing with complaints.
    Such enquiries will be considered within agreed timescales in a three stage internal process. Whilst most complaints are resolved at an early stage complainants may ultimately take issues to a sub group of the main board.
    Should you still be dissatisfied you can take your complaint to the Ombudsman. The Independent Housing Ombudsman is an independent and impartial organisation, which has the authority to investigate whether or not a Registered Social Landlord has acted unfairly or if a complaint has been caused by maladministration. Once the Ombudsman accepts the complaint it will be investigated. If the ombudsinan decides that injustice has been caused by maladministration he will make recommendations to the Poplar HARCA. The recommendations will be accepted and implemented.
    Poplar HARCA recognises that customer feedback is invaluable because it lets the organisation know what residents like and dislike about the services provided. That is why Poplar HARCA is introducing continuous feedback systems for its key services. One method adopted is the regular customer satisfaction survey undertaken; details of the results of the most recent survey undertaken can be obtained via Andrew Hargreaves on 020 7510 0504.

    7.14 RESIDENT INVOLVEMENT

    Poplar HARCA believes that a real commitment to resident involvement is essential to ensure that the views of residents are heard and acted upon. Resident involvement is central to everything Poplar HARCA does. A resident empowerment team of seven staff supports resident directors and resident representatives on the Estate Boards and Joint Estate Panel.

    Estate Boards: Each area has an Estate Board that meets regularly to discuss issues relevant to them. Many have established sub-groups to work on specific issues such as major works.

    Poplar HARCA proposes that, if the transfer goes ahead an Estate Board would be established for Lansbury South with it's own resident director. This Lansbury South Estate Board would manage and monitor all of the services delivered on your Estate to which key managers would be fully accountable.

    Poplar HARCA also has a Leaseholder Steering Group, which is made up of leaseholders from all Poplar HARCA Estates and looks at leaseholder specific issues, such as service charges and major works charges, the Leaseholder Steering Group also elects one of its members to be the leasehold resident director.

    Each Estate Board and the LSG elects members to the Joint Estate Panel, which in turn elects seven resident directors to sit on the Poplar HARCA Board and sub committees of the main board, which also includes elected councillors and independent members.

    Poplar HARCA's commitment to resident involvement - and in effect a constitutional guarantee of tenant representation - is shown by Poplar HARCA's plans for the future:

    In addition to these structured ways of involving residents, Poplar HARCA is keen to involve local people as much as possible in activities and projects that affect your communities.

    7.15 CHOICE BASED LETTING?

    Common Housing Register

    The Council operates a Common Housing Register and all RSLs with stock in Tower Hamlets are invited to participate. A choice-based lettings policy was introduced in July 2002, which means that vacant properties, including those RSL properties to which the Council has nomination rights, are advertised and bids invited by applicants waiting to be rehoused. Reasonable preference is determined through the use of banding into a number of priority groups.

    Full membership of the Common Register by partner RSLs means that their tenants have access to the full range of empty properties on an equal basis with council tenants on the transfer list. The Council believes that tenants should not have their opportunities of moving diminished by stock transfer and will therefore expect all RSLs that receive stock by Housing Choice to join the Common Housing Register.

    Poplar HARCA is already a full member of the common housing register. Poplar HARCA will assist tenants to obtain accommodation with other Registered Social Landlords and will participate in mobility schemes such as HOMES (Housing Organisations Mobility and Exchange Scheme) to assist tenants who wish to move out of Tower Hamlets.

    7.16 HOMELESSNESS

    The Council will ensure the proposed transfer will not affect the supply of accommodation to help vulnerable households. As well as ensuring that those accepted as homeless and in priority need are able to access the Choice Based Lettings System, there will continue to be close monitoring to ensure that homes from all transfer landloids continue to be available to this client group. Empty homes in blocks that are being decanted as part of regeneration programmes continue to be used as valuable temporary accommodation as part of the strategy to end the use of Bed and Breakfast as temporary accommodation.

    7.17 WHAT WOULD BE THE ROLE OF THE COUNCIL FOLLOWING TRANSFER?

    If the transfer goes ahead, the Council would enter into a legal agreement with Poplar HARCA. Poplar HARCA would be bound to keep the promises set out in this document and the Council could take legal action against them if they do not.
    Following transfer the Council will continue to nominate some if its councillors to Poplar HARCA Board as it does now.
    Following transfer, the Council would continue to work in partnership with Poplar HARCA. The Council would continue to have a strategic housing role even if the Estate did transfer to Poplar HARCA which would include, for example, maintaining its duties to the homeless under the homelessness legislation and maintaining the Common Housing Register.
    The council would continue to be responsible for non-housing services supplied to the Lansbury Estate such as highways, refuse collection and planning. Lansbury residents would still be able to contact them in the usual way. Residents would still be required to pay their council tax in the same way as they do now. (The council would also continue to be responsible for administering housing benefit).

    7.18 HOW THE COUNCIL WOULD MANAGE YOUR HOME IF TRANSFER DOESN'T PROCEED

    Investment
    The Council cannot generate all of the investment needed in all of its homes in the foreseeable future. The Council has included the following major repair schemes in its current 4 year investment programme for the Lansbury Area.

    THIS INFORMATION IS CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

    Scheme DetailsProvision in ProgrammeYear when works proposed
        
        
        
        
        
    TOTAL   
    As this work programme is based on an estimate of the money that the Council will have available in the future, it cannot guarantee it will be able to carry out the work identified in the timescale proposed. This will depend on the Council having the anticipated amount of money identified and other more urgent work not having to take priority in the Council's Housing Investment Programme.

    Day-to-Day Management

    If the transfer does not proceed, the Council will in future provide Estate Management Services from larger centres, which will also provide a wide range of other Council services. Estate management services will include tenancy management, rents, leaseholder services and technical services. The current provision of local housing offices will change as a result of this move which is intended to result in more efficient and effective services. The Council will provide tenancy services from a reduced number of locations in future. These larger centres will have a dedicated reception service that will be able to deal with most of your queries. Where specialist services and advice are needed the reception service will pass your query onto the specialist team to address. You will also in future be able to contact a customer contact centre, which will be able to deal with a wide range of housing enquiries including repairs. There will continue to be a local caretaking presence and the proposed arrangements are intended to enable Estate staffto spend more time on Estates, carrying out Estate inspections and home visits.
    The Council will continue to provide the current range of services subject to any changes requested by residents e.g. concierge services, however, the location and ways of contacting the Council to receive these services will change.
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