Challenge and Change Group

Welcome to the Challenge and Change Group webpage. Scrutinising the service is the role of this Group and group members explain a bit more: Scrutiny is a great system because it means residents work in partnership with Wiltshire Council and can take an in-depth, fair and balanced look at a specific part of the service and then make recommendations about how things can be even better plus there's a great social element too! We are a group of residents (tenants and leaseholders) and independents that work together to help improve services for council housing tenants and leaseholders.  This is a part of co-regulation, which means housing services self-regulates subject to challenge and scrutiny from its residents. This is a great way for us to get involved and deliver benefits to residents and their families.

We all really enjoy what we're doing and we are fortunate to have a great group of people involved in the Group, so it never feels like work! In fact, it's a great way to socialise and meet new people.

Resident involvement

Challenge and Change Group Members

Teresa Middleditch (Tenant Member)

Focuses on all sides of problems and researches solutions. Listens well, is objective, thinks positively and maintains the confidentiality of information. Has worked with vulnerable people and is a committee member of a Neighbourhood Association. Training courses have included engineering, mechanics, welding and steelwork; also engaged in Wiltshire Council's Tenant Equality and Diversity Training, TPAS Become a Better Representative and Tenant Central's Effective Meetings and participated in Shine's Money Matters; volunteers for HealthWatch, including child and adult safeguarding awareness training.

Jenny Bolwell (Tenant Member)

Volunteering is in my DNA - in addition to the Challenge and Change Group, I'm involved with Christians Against Poverty, St Michaels Community Fridge Project and Bemerton Heath Residents Association, to name just a few.  Residents' having a voice motivates me, helping to add extra weight to this fills me with pride.

Christine Cave (Tenant Member)

Philippa Heseltine (Leasehold Member - Proof Reader)

Darren Soul (Tenant Member)

Contact us

Governance and Scrutiny Officer
Wiltshire Council
Housing Management
The Council House
Bourne Hill
Salisbury
SP1 3UZ

• Working jointly with PA Housing, this was the Groups' first co-report.  The scope was: Understand the challenges faced by a variety of organisations who use and/or need volunteers, and more importantly are dependent on volunteers, with the aim of increasing scrutiny membership. Identify and understand challenges around recruitment, increase collaborative working and make full use of the available skills within the community, including innovative ways of working. Building on existing and enhancing future scrutiny projects, so they are robust and reflect diverse communities. Future proof in terms of retaining members, maintain value for money, enhance cohesion and ensure continuing delivery of effective scrutiny.

Housing management Tenant participation 

The completed reports, in the downloads section, were presented to Wiltshire Council's Housing Board by the Challenge and Change Group and include management responses.

Our scope: To examine, evaluate, comment and report upon the documentation and policies and procedures used in dealing with tenants, from the point of offer acceptance to the nine-month tenancy check visit, to determine the customer experience and satisfaction levels.

Our Reports

We've listed some of the reports that are available.  For a copy of any Challenge and Change Group report, and the service response paper (if available), please contact us using the address above, email us using Tenantparticipation@wiltshire.gov.uk (opens new window) or ask an officer to let the Resident Engagement Team know that you would like to see the document (please include the document title).  We'll then be in contact as quickly as possible.  We can provide documents in a range of formats and languages, if needed.

Introduction to a tenancy

This report was the Groups' first scrutiny.  The scope was: To examine, evaluate, comment and report upon the documentation and, policies and procedures used in dealing with tenants, from the point of offer acceptance to the 9 month tenancy check visit, to determine the customer experience and satisfaction levels.

New Ways of Working

Working jointly with PA Housing, this was the Groups' first co-report.  The scope was: Understand the challenges faced by a variety of organisations who use and/or need volunteers, and more importantly are dependent on volunteers, with the aim of increasing scrutiny membership. Identify and understand challenges around recruitment, increase collaborative working and make full use of the available skills within the community, including innovative ways of working. Building on existing and enhancing future scrutiny projects, so they are robust and reflect diverse communities. Future proof in terms of retaining members, maintain value for money, enhance cohesion and ensure continuing delivery of effective scrutiny.

Voids

Our scope: To ensure that when a property is void, the best property letting standard is applied. This is to include the importance of the decoration allowance arrangements, how inspections assist in delivering what residents and potential residents want, minimising rent loss, aiding quick service turn-around and the overall quality of a void property to the satisfaction of the resident.

Planned maintenance: kitchens and bathrooms

Our scope: To evaluate and compare current planned maintenance arrangements for the renewal of kitchens and bathrooms against resident expectations and satisfaction levels, value for money, and to consider the appropriateness of a completely new structure for service delivery, whilst maintaining high standards of quality and ensuring effective communication throughout the whole process, and to comment and report upon the cost and time effectiveness for all.

Grounds maintenance (particularly grass cutting)

This was an interesting topic for the group; we got to look both general needs housing and sheltered housing.  The scope was: "Within the parameters of the Housing Revenue Account (HRA), to benchmark the outcomes delivered against the agreed specification, resident expectations and level of satisfaction. To measure against best practice identified from other Registered Providers, within a value for money framework. At the same time, being aware of the complex contractual agreement

Leaseholder involvement in Maintenance Matters and Leaseholder Handbook

We are interested in things that matter to all residents, both tenants and leaseholders.  The scope was: Clarify the current arrangements around leaseholder involvement in maintenance matters, and compare and contrast with arrangements with other local authorities and benchmark against best practice. Assess and review the leaseholder handbook with suggestions and changes for the updated 2017 edition. Clarify the differences in relation to billing, understand the challenges of resident involvement and offer suggestions for improvement, consider the current policy position with respect to leaseholders and their expected level of involvement, and include reference to what the service is legally bound to do.

'Housing Matters' publication

Our scope: To consider strengthening the focus of 'Housing Matters' on the reader, incorporating residents in the production cycle and being alert to the language register used, which would broaden, encourage and increase the level of readership.  Evaluating the layout, presentation and delivery mechanisms, in the context of a continuously evolving environment which presents potentially growing challenges including but not limited to timeliness and finances, whilst delivering high standards of quality, thereby ensuring an up-to-date and value for money publication is produced.

Anti-Social Behaviour

The scope was: Shape the future by scrutinising the services current Anti-Social Behaviour policy, its interpretation and implementation and appreciate the boundaries between HRA specific ASB and Public Protection ASB cases; compare current arrangements with those of comparable providers and understand:

• Resolution and support tools.
• Procedures.
• Processes.
• Multi-agency working.
• Expectation management.
• Communication.

Focusing on initial contact through to case closure, and with consideration for the overall resident experience and satisfaction levels, find ways to better use innovative technological solutions, within a value for money context. Assess and review suggestions for improvement and include reference to what the service is legally bound to do.

Fire Safety

(this was only an opinion piece, rather than a full report, so we can't provide any document)

Garages

The scope was: Compare and contrast the cost effectiveness of garages with repairs and maintenance works, investigate how garage revenue is used within the HRA and for what purpose, and report on current arrangements of comparable registered providers. Incorporate fit for purpose research, usage research and future potential of the site including but not limited to improving, removing, selling and developing, whilst ensuring value for money and long term impacts on the HRA Business Plan are appreciated, taking into account possible future environmental guidelines.

Local Housing Panels

The scope was: Understand recorded attendance levels, compare the services' intended purpose with residents' expectations, and measure outcomes against registered providers whom deploy the same and alternative engagement opportunities.

Include the importance of community spirit, value for money, social value and delivering outcomes through two-way communication built upon mutual respect, making recommendations focused on sustainable future arrangements tailored to the issues being raised and embrace an open attitude toward the future.

Communications in Responsive Repairs

The scope was: Look at communication from a residents' initial contact with the Responsive Repairs department through to commencement of the repairs work. Report on communication from the resident to the service, from the service to the resident, and within the service, including contractors and any relevant corporate departments; while considering measures to further improve communication, wherever an issue occurs and irrespective of where it originates.

Planned Maintenance: Key Performance Indicator (this was only an opinion piece, but we did also write a report)

The background is: The Housing Board suggested that the scrutiny group look into the applicable KPI. The Group Chair held a private meeting with the Head of Housing - Strategy and Assets, and the Contracts Manager, which outlined the project scope.

Aids and Adaptations

The scope was: Review policy arrangements around aids and adaptations of HRA properties, the use of adapted properties' once void, value for money implications of current arrangements and establish if there are different challenges in respect of general needs housing and sheltered housing. Investigate the validity of data currently held by the HRA in respect of adapted properties. Take into account the countywide policy decisions, if applicable, that are beyond the scope of our particular project.

Sheltered Housing Service Charges

The scope was: Taking the services changes to sheltered housing service charges implemented in 2019 as a starting point, investigate the benefit to the service of these changes, whether full-cost recovery has been achieved; and the impact on and viewpoints of residents.

Complaints

The scope was: Identify spikes, trends and stresses around HRA complaints (excluding Anti-Social Behaviour complaints) and analyse the frequency of identified themes and success stories of management solutions being implemented; and balance this analysis against evidence of HRA compliments. Visually illustrate the benefits of solutions past, present and future, with emphasis on Value for Money (VFM), whilst still solving the substance of the complaint.

Decant

The scope was: Consider the appropriateness of current decant arrangements, compare and contrast this with other comparable providers and work toward aligning arrangements with residents' needs, wants and desires. Within legal, organisational and regulatory constraints, determine an approach with as little disruption to residents and officer objectives, as is reasonably possible. Ensure that decants, where necessary, are considered to be Value for Money (VFM).

Anti-Social Behaviour

The scope was: Shape the future by scrutinising the services current Anti-Social Behaviour policy, its interpretation and implementation and appreciate the boundaries between HRA specific ASB and Public Protection ASB cases; compare current arrangements with those of comparable providers and understand: Communication; Expectation management; Multi-agency working; Processes; Procedures; Resolution and support tools. Focusing on initial contact through to case closure, and with consideration for the overall resident experience and satisfaction levels, find ways to better use innovative technological solutions, within a value for money context. Assess and review suggestions for improvement and include reference to what the service is legally bound to do.

Property Services Team, Voids and Certificates of Promise

The scope was: To get a better understanding of how the Voids system works, why the Voids system appears to fluctuate in the way that it does and obtain evidence of how Certificates of Promise are used, and whether it is actually working.