Involving And Empowering Communities: Winner

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1 Involving And Empowering Communities: Winner Salix Homes: The Salix Homes Customer Senate Summary The Salix Homes Customer Senate has been heralded as best practice nationwide for leading the way in the move towards resident-led selfregulation (RLSR). The Senate is made up of 14 customers, selected from the 7 Service Specific Panels and neighbourhoods across central Salford to scrutinise any area of the business. It now sits as an integral part of Salix Homes governance structure, putting customers at the heart of the organisation. The introduction of the Senate, launched in July 2009, marked a major step in Salix Homes journey towards RLSR. The organisation had already made significant strides in improving involvement in the city and the Senate added the final piece to an innovative resident involvement infrastructure that was created by customers, for customers. Over 80 applications were received for the seven neighbourhood positions, many from customers who had not previously been involved. One successful applicant stated It appealed to me, because of the concept of being able to

2 scrutinise the work of Salix Homes as a customer of the service. Customer led scrutiny is the most potent method of ensuring that the tenant voice is heard. What did you set out to achieve? The initial aims of the project were to establish RLSR across Salix Homes, ensure that we were accountable to the wider customer body and embed scrutiny within the customer involvement architecture. In order to achieve these aims a rigorous selection process was established which aimed to select a group which had collective competencies including team work, decision making and analysing data. In order to establish independent scrutiny across the business it was necessary for the senate to have its own governance arrangements with the board. These were put in place with a working protocol with the board to ensure that proper reporting mechanisms were in place to enable the senate to feedback on scrutiny projects. Clear processes were established to give a degree of continuity and consistency to the senate s scrutiny activities. These processes include a standard 12 week period for scrutiny to be completed within. Each piece of scrutiny follows a set process which starts typically with a position statement from Salix Homes which sets out where we think we are up to in terms of our performance in that area of the business. The senate then undertakes a desk top review of the business area, interviews staff, uses customer inspectors to test the service and finally writes a report complete with recommendations. The findings are reported to the board and a response to the recommendations is formulated. By following these practical steps the project has been able to realise its original aims. How were these aims and objectives met? The senate met the original aims it had set out, which were to establish RLSR across Salix Homes, ensure that we were accountable to the wider customer body and embed scrutiny within the customer involvement architecture. This was achieved by laying out robust processes to be followed in order to facilitate scrutiny. The senate has achieved much more than its original aims including consideration of what should constitute a community call for action and the appointment of an independent mentor. The senate have also devised a system for selecting transparently and according to business intelligence which areas of the organisation may warrant scrutiny. They now hold a prominent and central role within Salix Homes for holding the organisation to account through consideration of unfettered access to information. The senate has exceeded it's original aims.

3 What challenges did the project face, and what lessons were learned? The second piece of scrutiny tried to encompass too wide a remit as it looked at the organisation s service standards. The key lesson learned from this exercise was to make the area of work manageable and focused. For example, for the following piece of scrutiny the senate looked at repairs appointments and whether appointment times were kept, which was a very specific area of the business. This proved to be more manageable in terms of senate members being able to scrutinise it to the required detail. Another issue was training and the capacity building of individuals who may have no prior knowledge of the area of business they were scrutinising and hence needing continued support. How was the success of the project measured? There are several ways the senate has its success measured and evaluated including the production of an action plan which is derived from the recommendations it makes to the board in its report. These action plans have specific time frames and are monitored by senators. The senate are also accountable to the board in that they are subjected to an annual review in order to check they are fit for purpose in their current form. What were the key positive outcomes? To date the Senate have scrutinised a number of areas. A review of the telephone contact centre, Salix Direct, has resulted in significant improvements, including a new out of hours service to deal with Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) and Domestic Abuse incidents, new customer access arrangements and improved satisfaction with Salix Direct. As a direct result of the improvements, 50,000 of savings for the organisation has been achieved. Their second area of scrutiny on service standards is reviewing how information is shared and monitored by customers. How did the project demonstrate positive practice in equality and diversity? The senate was recruited via a customer selection panel which ensured that its make up reflected the customer base it would represent and undertake scrutiny for. The senate has adopted a robust terms of reference which outlines in detail the criteria needed in terms of its membership, to ensure it is transparent, inclusive and fit for purpose. It is vital that the membership of the Senate is collectively competent. Measures that ensure that this is achieved include:

4 Adoption of a rigorous selection process which focuses on skills, commitment and group competence. Inclusion of a suitably qualified mentor, sourced externally or from within Salix Homes. Priority given to achieving a composition that, as far as possible, reflects the customer demographic. Restricting membership to 14 places, mirroring the Salix board and resembling a lay jury. Giving due consideration to the inclusion of independent and/or co-opted members in order to achieve greater balance and competence. Development of a succession planning strategy. What elements of the project could be replicated by others? Word of Salix Homes innovative approach to RLSR has spread far and wide. The Customer Senate joined TPAS on a nationwide tour to share the good practice. Salix Homes has been invited to talk at national housing conferences and been cited in the TSA s New Regulatory Framework as good practice. The TSA have also made a film about the Customer Senate, which sits proudly on their website. The Senate has even been referenced in the House of Commons and in February 2010 and Salix Homes was awarded the TPAS accreditation which stated the Senate was the first example I have seen of true resident led surveying. How have you worked in partnership with local service providers and communities? To ensure the wider body of customers can influence the areas scrutinised, the Senate have also developed a Community Call for Action, allowing customers to directly approach the Senate about services they are dissatisfied with. The 'Community Call for Action'is advertised on the Salix Homes website and in the customer newsletter 'Limelight'and the customer Senate have a dedicated inbox, or they can be contacted via a Salix Homes officer. How will you ensure that your approach to community cohesion is sustainable? Following the scrutiny of a service area the Senate submit their recommendations to the Board. Action plans for the service area are developed and monitored by the appropriate committee and customer panel.

5 Crucially, should the monitoring reveal that these recommendations are not being delivered; the Senate are able to serve a Notice of Intent on the Salix Homes board, allowing them to seek the support of the council.