The purpose of this strategy is to establish the scope and aims of Helena Housing’s regeneration activity. The strategy has clear links to the Company’s mission, vision, values and strategic aims as well as the Community Plan for St Helens.
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In order for this strategy to have a clear purpose and scope, it is necessary to define what is meant by regeneration. Helena Housing has defined regeneration to be:
- Activity beyond traditional core housing services which brings benefits to local communities and neighbourhoods.
The focus of our strategy is on “thriving neighbourhoods”. We believe that when we provide homes to our tenants we are providing a neighbourhood and a community as well as “bricks and mortar”. If we wish to provide homes that people want to live in, we have to look beyond the physical condition of our properties and contribute in a range of issues beyond traditional housing services.
To create a clear framework for community regeneration activity the Company has adopted the National Housing Federation’s approach of dividing activity into three themes:
These themes are then broken down into more defined areas of work. In the community regeneration action plan these themes are broken down into measurable activities.
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a. Leadership, vision and direction
The aim of this strategy is to ensure that regeneration activity has a clear purpose and strategic direction, with defined objectives and outcomes. The Company is committed to working in partnership to achieve its regeneration aims.
b. Listening to customers
Helena Housing is developing its approach to tenant participation and consultation particularly with vulnerable and “hard to reach” groups. It is supporting work on developing a borough wide approach to consultation. Regeneration work will focus on the issues that are important to our tenants.
c. Thriving neighbourhoods and communities
Helena Housing has set out its strategy for achieving thriving neighbourhoods by working towards balanced communities, providing safe, pleasant and green environments, tackling poverty caused by debt and high rents and fuel costs and providing training and jobs.
d. Services
Helena Housing is committed to improving standards and accessibility to services, including those of other providers such as the local council or health agencies.
e. Decent Homes
A key strategic aim of the company is to provide homes that are affordable, safe and healthy. It is committed to improving the physical environment of its estates as well as the energy efficiency and the security of our homes and estates. It is developing its strategy for meeting the needs of more vulnerable tenants such as older people and those with a disability.
f. Assets
In order to ensure best use of available resources, the company seeks to ensure effective planning and monitoring processes are in place to manage risk effectively and meet the requirements of its regulator and funders. The community regeneration strategy must meet these requirements by having a clear focus and by monitoring its impact in relation to desired outcomes.
g. Employees
Helena Housing recognises that regeneration activity requires dedicated resource of people with the right skills and competencies. This strategy seeks to provide a clarity of purpose and ensure effective leadership in this area of work.
h. Reputation
The company recognises that its effectiveness in delivering on its regeneration strategy will impact on its reputation with tenants, employees, partners, regulator and funders. By having a clearly defined framework and effective partnerships within which it will operate, the company seeks to ensure that its reputation in delivering on regeneration is a positive one. We aim to be a partner of choice.
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The two priorities for regeneration activity are Youth and Health. These two priorities were identified due to the following reasons:
- Feedback from residents about youths congregating on estates – this area is a high priority for residents.
- The need to address training and employment for young people.
- To support the Government’s plans to address the health of the nation, poor environments and economically deprived areas.
- The practical effect our improvement work can have on health.
- The impact our services can have on people’s mental health and well being.
Plans will be developed for youth and health which will define the scope of work, aims and targets of Helena Housing. These will then be broken down into activities that can be resourced and undertaken by the Community Initiatives and Neighbourhood Teams.
The Youth and Health plans will be fully developed during 2004 and 2005. There are already a number of activities in the Action Plan which support these agendas but a lot of development work remains to be done.
The Youth and Health plans will be developed within the context of two local plans, ‘Developing Change in Health Inequalities’ and ‘The Youth Service Plan’. Where feasible the activities in Helena Housing’s Action Plan will directly support the aims of these.
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Sustainable Communities
The Sustainable Communities Plan was launched by the government in February 2003. The key elements are:
- Sustainable communities – planning, housing and communities.
- A step change in housing supply- affordable and key worker housing.
- New housing growth areas – Thames Gateway.
- Decent Homes – Pathfinder areas and decent home standards.
- Countryside and local environmental protection and improvement.
The key impact on Helena Housing is the creation of nine Market Renewal Pathfinder areas. These pathfinder areas will attract the vast majority of government funding from Regional Housing Boards. This finance will replace the Approved Development Programme administered by the Housing Corporation. As the Merseyside pathfinder excludes St Helens this means it will be very difficult for Helena Housing to access grant funding.
Regional Housing Board
A radical change in the allocation of capital grants has been brought about by the creation of Regional Housing Boards. These Boards will now make investment decisions based on priorities identified within a regional context rather than local plans. This new regional approach will set considerable challenges for Helena when trying to access capital grants for St Helens.
Decent Homes Standard
The Government’s Housing Green Paper ‘Quality and Choice: A Decent Home for All’, published in April 2000, set out its commitment to bring all social housing up to a decent standard by 2010. The successful completion of the Improvement Programme including the future major and catch up repair elements will result in Helena Housing’s stock meeting the Decent Homes Standard by 2010.
The ‘Liveability’ agenda
There is a growing expectation by both the government and the Housing Corporation that RSLs will engage fully with the wider regeneration agenda. Increasingly RSLs are viewed by the government as ‘agents or drivers for regeneration’ as well as landlords. The government’s ‘Liveability agenda’ reflects this expectation. RSLs will be judged on the quality of neighbourhoods, on environmental factors such as clean footpaths, well kept open space and whether tenants feel secure in their homes, as well as the quality of mainstream services they provide.
National Housing Federation (NHF) - iN Business for Neighbourhoods
'iN Business for Neighbourhoods' was launched in 2003 to address the image and reputation of the sector which has been in decline in recent years. The aim is to heighten awareness of the work done by registered social landlords (RSLs) to sustain neighbourhoods and communities. The key focus of the campaign is to put the pride back into communities making them places that people want to live.
Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) and the Community Plan
The LSP was created in April 2002 to establish and deliver the St Helens Community Plan and the Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy. It brings together the public, private, voluntary and community sectors to provide a single local co-ordinated framework within which other, more specific local partnerships can operate.
The purpose of the Community Plan is to set local aims and objectives for the next 10 years and to agree priorities to improve the economic, social and environmental well being of the St Helens area.
Helena Housing will continue to work closely with the LSP and the Neighbourhood Renewal team and the Company’s Corporate Plan and Regeneration Strategy reflect the priorities identified in the Community Plan and Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy.
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The strategy will be delivered by concentrating our activities on the areas of work outlined below. These are divided into the themes of tenants, homes and neighbourhoods. In the community regeneration action plan these areas of work are broken down into activities. This will be used to monitor outcomes.
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1. Employment and economic prosperity
Helena Housing will maximise employment opportunities for its tenants and local people through the Company’s Investment and Maintenance Programme.
We will develop, in partnership with other agencies and organisations, employment and training initiatives which target individuals and communities who are disadvantaged and find it difficult to secure work.
Helena Housing will also work directly in partnership with its main contractors to exploit opportunities firstly for tenants and then for local people.
2. Opportunities in the wider job market
Helena Housing will work to ensure that its tenants have the opportunity to benefit from employment and training opportunities that arise in other nearby towns and cities.
Helena Housing will seek to identify opportunities in the market, work with local groups and agencies, and identify the likely skills needed by employers and raise awareness of the opportunities with our tenants. In addition the Company will work with external agencies and organisations to target specific training at unemployed members of local communities to help them secure work.
3. Investing in young people
Helena Housing’s strategy on working with young people will be developed on a proactive approach rather a reactive ‘problem-centred’ one. The Company will work with external agencies and organisations to develop a clear focus on young people’s issues based on a partnership approach.
Helena Housing will explore imaginative, practical and effective ways of engaging young people in its business and community activities.
4. Supporting the achievement of targets for improving the health of our tenants
Helena Housing will explore opportunities to help improve the health of its tenants and the wider community.
Helena Housing will work with external agencies, the Council, health authorities and partnerships to support existing and emerging strategies. We will discuss the practical ways the Company can support the work of those directly engaged in health. This may involve the use of the Company’s resources, local officers and neighbourhood teams or undertaking work to properties.
5. Supported housing, older people, disabled people and young people
Helena Housing will continue to use its Sheltered Services and Supported Housing Team and other resources to develop supported housing for older, disabled and young people. The Company will continue to develop very sheltered services for older people, furnished accommodation and support work for vulnerable people either setting up home or establishing a settled home in the community.
The Sheltered Services and Supported Housing Team will work with external agencies and health authorities to ensure that their services and Helena Housing’s function as a landlord are supportive and complimentary.
The creation of a new post of ‘Head of Older People’ will give further impetus and direction to this work.
6. Tackling poverty
Helena Housing’s approach is to empower tenants to manage low incomes, benefits, bills and debt so that they are equipped to manage household finances in the long term with minimal assistance.
Helena Housing will use its resources to provide practical ways to help it’s tenants. Where possible the Company will provide financial support. In addition neighbourhood teams may be used in this area of work.
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1. Housing strategy, development and partnership working
Partnership working is essential for successful regeneration. No single agency can deliver the holistic, joined-up and comprehensive approach that is required to achieve the long-term sustainability of our neighbourhoods.
Helena Housing is the largest RSL in St Helens. It has a borough-wide geographical spread and operates solely within the borough of St Helens. Due to this, and our unique relationship with the Council, the Council regards us as a key stakeholder who will play a major role in delivering its housing and neighbourhood renewal strategy to help achieve the Government’s targets for tackling social exclusion. To this end we expect to be involved in the following areas:
- Developing and implementing the Council’s private sector housing strategy with regard to clearance of unfit properties.
- Acquisition and renovation of properties.
- Re-housing of households displaced through clearance.
- The provision of new social housing to address gaps in existing provision and replacement of housing cleared because of unfitness.
Helena Housing will appraise all options to exploit the highest potential gain from our vacant sites. These options will include building social housing or selling the land to private sector developers to build houses for sale or rent. The Company will always consider the impact on the neighbourhood and will consult nearby tenants and residents.
In future, decisions on housing investment allocations to both local authorities and RSLs will be made on a regional basis by Regional Housing Boards in line with regional investment strategies. It is crucial therefore that Helena Housing works closely with the Council and takes full account of both the regional and national housing agenda in development of our own housing and regeneration strategies. To this end the Company is represented on a number of regional ‘practitioner and interest groups’ which have been established and facilitated by the Housing Federation North. These groups cover areas such as investment and regeneration, supported housing, new business and housing management and maintenance.
2. Working to reduce fuel poverty and increase the energy efficiency of our homes
Helena Housing recognises that affordable warmth and efficient homes are fundamental to the health and well being of households. To that end Helena Housing will work on behalf of its tenants to identify and maximise any opportunities to reduce fuel poverty and increase the energy efficiency of our homes.
Helena Housing will work with external agencies and energy suppliers to use our resources to their greatest effect including financial support and setting up management agreements.
In addition Helena Housing will work to reduce fuel poverty and increase the energy efficiency of its homes through the physical improvements made under the Improvement Programme.
3. Home Security
Feeling safe within both the home and the neighbourhood is fundamental to the well being and quality of life of our tenants. Helena Housing will work to reduce crime and the fear of crime through the physical improvements made to both its properties and the environment through the Improvement Programme.
4. Improvement Programme
A warm, affordable home equipped to modern standards is a corner stone of the regeneration of communities and neighbourhoods. Tenants need homes in which they are pleased to live and of which they can be proud. Helena Housing will make substantial physical improvements to its properties and the environment on its estates. The Company will achieve this through its Improvement Programme , Catch Up Repairs, Planned Maintenance and Renewal Programmes planned over the next 30 years.
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1. Community Investment and Empowerment
To successfully regenerate neighbourhoods there has to be a strong element of community involvement and empowerment, whereby individuals or groups are involved in projects which benefit the community. Helena Housing will use its own resources and finance to support community activities. The Company will also work with external agencies and organisations to help develop projects. The Company’s role in this area will not always be in direct delivery of such projects but will more often be a facilitating, supporting and promoting role. Helena Housing will identify opportunities and “broker” ideas with appropriate organisations to help establish projects and activities.
2. Tackling crime and disorder
Feeling safe at home and within neighbourhoods is fundamental to the quality of life of our tenants. Helena Housing will work with external agencies, the Council, the Police and local communities to support and develop initiatives to reduce crime, anti-social behaviour, and fear of crime.
Helena Housing will also continue to use its own resources to develop services which combat anti-social behaviour.
In addition Helena Housing will work to reduce crime and the fear of crime and disorder through the physical improvements made to both its properties and the environment through the Improvement programme.
3. Borough Community Plan
Helena Housing will play a key role in the delivery of the Borough Community Plan. To do this the Company will continue to be represented on the Local Strategic Partnership Advisory Group and on all the lead strategic groups and partnerships that have been established. These groups have been charged with the development and delivery of the objectives of the plan.
4. Developing our approach to neighbourhood management
Helena Housing is committed to developing its services from that of a pure landlord function to incorporate a broad range of complementary services which will benefit neighbourhoods as a whole. To do this the Company will develop its local housing officer teams into Neighbourhood Teams who will carry out both specialist tasks and carry out more general community based activities in addition to their landlord role.
Also Helena Housing will work with external agencies and RSL partners to develop services for neighbourhoods and to secure finance to fund initiatives.
5. Improving access to the services of others
Helena Housing is exploring ways to develop its gateway service in local offices. The aim is to open up access for tenants to services beyond the core functions of the Company. This process will be called ‘Community Sign Posting’ and will provide up to date information to applicants and existing tenants. Examples of this could be information on employment opportunities, local schools and nurseries, colleges, shops, post offices and transport links. Other developments will be access to payment facilities, joint use of offices and remote access points for local information. In addition Helena Housing’s Neighbourhood Teams will take on the role of ‘sign posting’ customers to other services.
6. Making local environments more pleasant and safe
Helena recognises that creating a good place in which to live means more than providing an affordable, warm home equipped to modern standards. Equally important is the environment in which the home is situated. Helena Housing is committed to improving the environment on its estates. It will do this by delivering local environmental improvements on a small scale which will focus on issues particular to one road, cul-de-sac or area and estate based environmental improvements that will tackle issues on an estate scale.
Helena Housing will also seek to secure external grants to finance environmental improvements and work with external agencies and the Council to develop joint initiatives.
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The community regeneration action plan will be developed and monitored by the Regeneration and Community Initiatives Team. Priorities for action will be identified by the Board and Senior Management Team and through consultation with tenants. The Action Plan will evolve as the year progresses and will be sufficiently flexible to incorporate further activities arising out of new opportunities from national, regional or local initiatives. Helena Housing will consult tenant groups on the plan to ensure their priorities are accounted for.
Potential projects will be appraised against the priorities set out in the strategy and clear outcomes identified before inclusion in the annual action plan.
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The action plan will form the basis of a progress report and be reviewed at bi monthly meetings with the Chief Executive, Director of Neighbourhood and Property Services, Head of Neighbourhood Services, Head of Property Services, the Regeneration Manager and Area Managers.
The action plan will be reported to Helena’s Board of Management on an annual basis.
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A key aim of the recent visioning work has been to resource the new Neighbourhood Teams to enable them to take part in local regeneration activities. It is envisaged that the contribution of these teams will develop during 2004/05.
In addition much of the planning and research, as well as activities in the Action Plan will be undertaken by the Regeneration and Community Initiatives Team. A number of other activities will be delivered by the Sheltered Services and Supported Housing and Anti-Nuisance Teams.
Budget Summary of Direct Resourcing
Staff
- Regeneration & Com. Initiatives Manager
- Snr Community Initiatives Officer
- Community Initiatives Officer
- Tenant Participation Officers
Budget: £188,000 has been committed for 2004/5. This will be reviewed on an annual basis.
The Community Initiatives and Regeneration Team are based at the Duke Street Office in the Town Centre. You can call them on 01744 675678.
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