Isle of Wight Council

Social Services and Housing Directorate

HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING ADVICE IMPROVEMENT PLAN 2002

CONTENTS
PART ONE	The Improvement Plan In Full	Pages	2-10

PART ONE: CPA HOUSING INSPECTION REPORT - IMPROVEMENT PLAN IN FULL

Implementation of this improvement plan will be the responsibility of the following team of council members and senior officers:

R Mazillius (Portfolio Holder - Social Services & Housing), I Stephens (Chair of Social Services & Housing Select Committee),

R Barry (Portfolio Holder - Resources), M Miller (Chair - Planning Committee). C Waddicor (Strategic Director of Social Services & Housing until 10/02), G Garrod (Strategic Director of Social Services & Housing from 1/3/03), C Binnie (Head of Housing until 31.12.02), M Pearl (Head of Housing from 1/1/03), E D Cousins (Head of Policy, Performance & Resources), Martyn Stanley (Senior Housing Officer),

P Griffiths (Housing Initiatives Officer), A Curzon (Principal Planning Officer) Y May (Manager - Supporting People),

T Flower (Head of Property Services).

Action	Improvement Issue	Action to be taken	Who	By/When	Comments
	IMPROVE ACCESS TO SERVICES AND HELP FOR HOMELESS APPLICANTS
	Improve arrangements for preventing homelessness. Improve workload capacity within the homelessness service. Ensure that applicants with genuine priority and grounds for help are not disadvantaged by inaccurate information, inadequate preventative support or by dishonest applicants. Improve the housing office reception arrangements.	1. Agreement to be made with IHAC, Homestart and ISP to increase and co-ordinate preventative work. To be added to existing contracts. 2. Agreements to be made with housing associations and the IW Supporting People team to co-ordinate preventative work that will further limit eviction of RSL tenants. 3. A homelessness prevention officer to be appointed to the homelessness team to undertake preventative work including home visiting and investigation, and a focus on updating information and recording decisions. 4. Improve availability and quality of written prevention and support advice. For Who/When details see Action 8.2. 5. Review of staffing structures and processes. See Action 15.	C Binnie & ED Cousins C Waddicor C Binnie - -	Nov 2002 Nov 2002 Oct 2002 - -	These action points all relate to the Council’s approach to developing a coherent homelessness prevention strategy. A Homelessness Prevention Officer has already been appointed and has begun to scope the nature of the problem and how to address it. Prevention will also feature heavily in the forthcoming work on developing a new Homelessness Strategy.

Action	Improvement Issue	Action to be taken	Who	By/When	Comments
		6. New strategic manager to be in post within a satisfactory time, in order to avoid delays in change and improvement. 7. Implement new file audit and decision review process as part of improved staff supervision arrangements: 10% of all files to be audited as directed by HoHS each year. See Action 7. 8. Commence an upgrade of the housing reception area as part of a planned investment. Give priority to concern for corporate branding and visitor comfort, to a level that compares with the benchmark corporate customer services centre.	C Waddicor M.Pearl/ M.Stanley Head of Housing Services (HoHS)	Dec 2002 - April 2002	M.Pearl commenced on 01/01/03 To be in place by March 2003 Work is now underway, new doors by end of Jan
2	Ensure compliance with the Code of Guidance and procedures. Improve the earliest stages of offering advice and making homelessness decisions.	1. Improve reception and call-taking arrangements by clarifying the intentions and needs of people approaching the council for advice (change reception and interview protocols) and; 2. Implement the recording of all approaches and issue a decision on all approaches classed as ‘applications’.	M Stanley M Stanley	August 2002 April 2003	To be implemented by end of Feb 2003 To be implemented by end of Feb 2003
	REDUCE THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE IN TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION AND BED & BREAKFAST
3	Reduce the reliance of the council on long term temporary accommodation (TA) and bed and breakfast (B&B) accommodation.	1. Apply the B&B action plan and regularly monitor performance through HoHS PDP with quarterly data reporting to SMG. 2. Commence a programme of member-agreed council (corporate) working policies and strategies aimed at raising the range and level of (long-term) affordable housing. See Action 21.	HoHS & ED Cousins M.Pearl/R.Mazillius	July 2002 Complete March 2004 -	Monitoring of action plan performance is now in place To be initially developed through the new Homelessness and Housing Renewal Strategies

Action	Improvement Issue	Action to be taken		Who	By/When	Comments
4	Re-focus and improve allocation arrangements. Speed up the housing nomination process, and improve the accuracy of information that supports decisions. Continue to improve the ‘local connection’ policy for all applicants, to ensure that needs and public concerns are balanced.	1. The Common Housing Register to include new nomination protocols between the council and RSLs, including a new points policy with greater emphasis on the needs of local people. See Actions 14.1 and 14.2. 2. Commence monitoring and reporting to members on the performance and effectiveness of new nomination protocols. 3. Investigate with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) and subsequently act on any potential for extension of the minimum wait for applicants without local connections from six months to nine months. 4. Implement six-monthly reviews of the status of housing register applicants (from yearly reviews).		M.Pearl/ M.Stanley M Stanley C Binnie & R Mazillius M Stanley	March 2003 July 2002 Sept 2003	CHR to become operative April 2003 CHR to become operative April 2003 Contact made with ODPM – the six months remains operative Due from Oct 03
5	Improve vacancy nomination arrangements for people in temporary accommodation.	1. Agree with RSLs an increase in the total proportion of nomination rights from RSLs, to a level in excess of 80%. 2. Agree with RSLs a protocol for ensuring that nominations largely meet the needs of people in temporary accommodation. 3. Agree with partners a joint monitoring process for performance in housing nomination offers as part of the new common housing register (See also Action 14.1 and 14.2).		C Waddicor C Waddicor C Waddicor	Dec 2002 Dec 2002 Dec 2002	Responded to via the Service Level Agreement for the Common Housing Register. See separate report
	IMPROVING LIVING CONDITIONS AND SUPPORT TO APPLICANTS IN TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION
6	Living space in some temporary accommodation (TA) is limited and unsuited to long-term residence. Improve co-ordination of floating support schemes		1. Undertake and conclude a review of the suitability of existing TA and identify alternatives and a course of action at the end of existing contracts. 2. Conclude arrangements with the Supporting People (SP) manager and potential providers to ensure all SP funded floating support schemes are co-ordinated effectively. 3. Merge housing and ‘Supporting People’ services and staff.	HoHS & R Mazillius HoHS & Y May C Waddicor	July 2003 March 2003 Dec 2002	Now all part of new Housing Services

Action	Improvement Issue	Action to be taken		Who	By/When	Comments
	DEVELOPING INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS ARRANGEMNTS
7	Customer care arrangements can be improved. Improve the satisfaction of service-users with the consistency of staff contact and decision-making.		1. Commence consultation with service-users for feedback on the highest priority issues in customer care improvement. Make changes that will continuously improve standards and measurable levels of customer satisfaction See Actions 8.4 and 8.5. 2. Improve service quality and consistency; commence identification of staff training, support and monitoring arrangements through annual PDPs. See Action 12.8. 3. Publish an updated and amended staff manual that reflects inspection findings, user feedback and new legislation. See Action 12.6. 4. Immediately implement the new directorate supervision strategy (2002).	M.Pearl M.Pearl, M.Stanley, I.Hookey, Y.May M.Stanley HoHS & M Stanley	Jan 2003 Jan 2003 April 2003 Aug 2002	Consultation will be a feature of homelessness and Housing Renewal Strategy Development Awaiting final Code of Guidance Implemented
8	Improve public communications and information about the service, access to advice and help, and how to complain. Improve communication with service users, particularly written contacts and updates on progress. Develop better arrangements for consultation on homelessness service, its conduct, objectives and service standards (see Action 12 below). Improve and exploit links with corporate consultation opportunities. Improve the public image of the service. Market the service to stimulate and make more accurate the ‘word of mouth’ understanding of the service within the community and especially with those most at risk.		1. Immediately implement the new directorate-wide information and communication strategy (due September 2002). 2. Commence continuous revision of leaflets and arrangements for their distribution (50% of the portfolio within 6 months). Use the resources of the communications strategy to exploit new forms of access including the internet and RSLs. High priority will be given to upgrading complaints information. 3. Agree a programme for marketing and publicising the homelessness service through corporate communications such as Wight Insight and campaigns. 4. Through audit and consultation, commence identifying the key communication needs of service users during the homelessness process and devise a new communication protocol that includes clear service standards and regular review of performance. 5. Drawing on support from the directorate’s communications strategy, commence a continuous consultation process using service-user feedback, focus groups and wider public inclusion through corporate communications arrangements. 6. Commence a six-monthly review of consultation and feedback, apply findings to the revision and updating of the homelessness service and housing advice standards; report to members. 7. Review performance against service standards, using data and service-user consultation See Action 11.2.	C Binnie P Griffiths P Griffiths & R Mazillius P Griffiths P Griffiths HoHS & P Griffiths HoHS	Sept 2002 Nov 2002 Sept 2002 April 2003 April 2003 Sept 2003 -	Linked to CHR Dec 2002 Wight Insight and Empty Property Crisis in press 1/2 Information & Communication WG delays in appointing post holder
9	Establish a dialogue with those at risk of social exclusion.		1. Commence a programme of improved regular contact with the voluntary sector by establishing a forum with the objective of preventing social exclusion through homelessness. 2. Commence a programme of officer and member attendance and support for key voluntary group and housing advice events.	C Binnie & I Stephens & R Mazillius As 9.1	Sept 2002 Sept 2002	Some work already - further progress through Homelessness Strategy
10	Improve contact arrangements with primary healthcare services that will support and protect service users.		1. Implement pilot health contact arrangements immediately. 2. Incorporate notifications to primary healthcare staff in the revised staff guidance manual. See Action 12.6.	C Binnie	Immediate	Achieved
	IMPROVING PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
11	Set and monitor more challenging corporate targets and standards for homelessness, re-housing and investment.		1. The housing strategy for 2003/08 will include challenging targets agreed with stakeholders and council members including number of new properties built to let, number of empty properties brought into use and number of properties via PPG3 2. Agree with council members a framework of challenging targets and standards for 2003/04 service plan (see also Action 8.7).	C Binnie & I Stephens & R Mazillius HoHS & I Stephens & R Mazillius	July 2002 Oct 2002 and then annually	To be reviewed annually Achieved
Action	Improvement Issue		Action to be taken	Who	By/When		Comments
12	Improve the framework of service standards and performance monitoring. Improve the performance management of staff and other resources. Update the staff guidance manual and monitor performance and compliance. Improve target-setting for managers and staff (SMARTen targets and PDPs).		1. Commence improvement in the range and scope of consultation through the information and communications strategy (see Action 8 above), leading to service user and good-practice driven service standards, with arrangements to monitor performance (see also Actions 8.7 and 11.2). 2. Commence continuous review of consultation findings and performance information to identify improvement priorities and actions (see Actions 8.6 and 8.7 above), and 3. Quarterly SMG reporting on key areas including nos. in B&B, wait time in B&B, no. of EPs brought back, new build to let, PPG 3 homes let,and % of nominations for voids from the Register. 4. Implement the directorate performance management strategy (Oct 2002) and supervision strategy (April 2002). 5. Improve performance information collection through automated data collection (see Action 14 below). 6. Publish revised staff manuals to include best practice (including guidance on the managed exercise of discretion), inspection findings and compliance with the code of guidance. 7. Implement service and team target setting aligned with the objectives of the housing service plan. See Action 11 above. 8. Including staff target setting in all completed personal development plans for 2003/04. 9. Commence updating and publishing policies, procedures and protocols on the intranet and other networks for easy access.	HoHS & P Griffiths HoHS & P Griffiths HoHS HoHS & ED Cousins - M Stanley - M Stanley P Griffiths	Oct 2003 - Dec 2002 Oct 2002 - March 2003 - May 2003 March 2003 all by 2004		Achieved In progress Achieved Work in hand Achieved Achieved Underway on target

Action

Improvement Issue

Action to be taken

Who

By/When

Comments

13

Increase the potential for service development through longer-term contracts and service level agreements. Incorporate service guidelines and compliance checks into contracting.

1. Commence applying social services contracting services and procedures to all new contracts; all existing contracts to be reviewed/audited by social services contracting by April 2005.

2. Commence investigating and where appropriate arrange for longer-term contracts for suitable contractors and partners.

M Stanley & ED Cousins

M Stanley & ED Cousins

April 2003

April 2003

In progress

14

Improve the range and quality of data collection.

Improve the recording and review of needs, actions and other information.

1. Conclude strategic and joint planning for the implementation of automated systems development including investment in new computerised systems;

a) Common Housing Register, and

b) Homelessness Recording System.

2. Have in place agreed information sharing protocols and new processes with key partners including RSL’s.

3. Transfer data administration and data quality responsibility to the directorate’s data and information co-ordinator.

4. Complete a protocol requiring the recording of diary/contact pages and decisions in the new homelessness IT system.

5. Commence staff training on business rules for electronic and data recording, to be completed before ‘switch-on’.

6. Housing services to commence submissions to a directorate library of objectives and targets networked to all managers and staff via the intranet.

M Stanley & ED Cousins

M Stanley

M Stanley & ED Cousins.

M Stanley &

ED Cousins.

M Stanley &

ED Cousins.

ED Cousins

Jan 2003

Jan 2003

April 2003

March 2003

March 2003

March 2003

Planning process complete, now in implementation phase for CHR. HRS still in development

Linked to CHR

In progress

May be delayed due to delayed Homelessness system

To be arranged

15

Investigate staff workloads and processes to ensure best value.

1. Commence investigation of workloads and processes, benchmark with other LSVT councils, re-structure staff and processes as required, report to members.

M.Pearl &

R Mazillius

March 2003 and report annually

Action	Improvement Issue	Action to be taken	Who	By/When	Comments
16	Clarify local policy on response to victims of domestic violence who have no local connection.	1. Review current domestic violence policy when the new housing code of guidance is published. Amend policies as needed within timescales set out in this plan and the housing service plan.	C Binnie & R Mazillius	July 2002 July 2003	To be included in Homelessness Strategy Review
	DEVELOPING POLICIES AND STRATEGY
17	Limit the burden of producing and working to a large number of Government-inspired strategies.	Clarify with the ODPM the potential for acting on the Audit Commission inspector’s views on achieving a reduction in the number of published housing strategies.	C Binnie & R Mazillius	Sept 2002	Achieved
18	Developing awareness of ethnic minority needs. Improving the range and scope of ethnic monitoring within the housing service and at IHAC.	1. Produce a detailed analysis of new census information and revise BME housing strategies accordingly, update annually. 2. Commence production of improved ethnicity information through new data collection systems. See Action 14. 3. Implement a contractual change that will improve ethnic monitoring and reporting at IHAC.	HoHS HoHS M Stanley	July 2003 - March 2003
19	Investigate and improve the potential for attracting housing and homelessness resources to the Island. Identify local potential for investment in housing that will alleviate housing need.	1. Report to members re: continued pressure on the Housing Corporation to re-assess the Island’s TCI banding. 2. Confirm grant conditions for the £100,000 grant payment from the Bed and Breakfast Unit. 3. Review and then monitor the HIP allocation to ensure the most effective use of the housing capital programme. 4. Transfer funds from housing regeneration budgets to a campaign for bringing empty properties into use and monitor effectiveness every six months. 5. Develop and implement a range of incentives based on best practice that will encourage private landlords to maintain tenancies that would otherwise be ended as a result of current market conditions. Review effectiveness and options annually. 6. Commence a working review of the content and style of the Housing Strategy and subsequent versions, to achieve ‘above average’ GoSE rating.	C Waddicor & R Mazillius C Binnie HoHS P Griffiths P Griffiths HoHS	Sept 2002 Sept 2002 March 2003 March 2003 March 2003 April 2003	Achieved Achieved In progress Achieved Achieved In progress
20	A comprehensive review of options for provision or contracting out of services.	1. Complete a service review as part of the council’s Best Value review programme (2004/05).	HoHS	March 2005
21	Improve corporate working and ability to make difficult decisions (planning and housing, subsidised land etc).	1. Arrange a joint policy meeting (planning and housing members) to amend council policy on PPG3. Policy issues to include; variation in affordable housing levels from 20% to 30%; variation in policy on the nature, type, density and , location of sites; commuted payments and housing tenure. 2. Commence regular reporting to members on the potential to make good use of land stock through disposal to RSLs at a discounted price.	C Binnie & R Mazillius & I Stephens & M Miller & A Curzon C Binnie & R Mazillius & R Barry & T Flower	Sept 2002 March 2003	Meeting held, however ongoing work in developing planning and affordable housing policies
22	Improve the satisfaction of stakeholders who are involved in consultation on strategy and policy development. Improvements in corporate planning.	1. Include in the Information and Communication strategy a practice guide with the requirement for stakeholder expectations to be clarified at the outset of the strategy process and for consultation feedback to be provided, to be reviewed at each I and C strategy review. 2. Ensure that housing achieves a higher profile in corporate consultation processes through the information and communications strategy. See Action 8.3.	P Griffiths -	April 2003 -	Linked to appointment of Corporate Information and Communication postholder
	= Amber = Green Items amended are in italics.