AUDIT COMMISSION REPORT PUBLISHED

Please CLICK HERE here to view the Audit Commission's Report on our Housing Management Services

The Audit Commission has now published their Report on their recent Inspection of Christian Action’s Housing Management Services.

We are very pleased that they have scored our services as Good (Two Stars) with Promising prospects for improvement.

As a relatively small, traditional, Housing Association, we are delighted to have achieved a Two star rating in our first Audit Commission inspection.

We believe this reflects the commitment of our staff and their dedication to providing a high quality service. It also reflects the support of our residents, and our partners in the statutory, voluntary and private sectors.

We welcome the Audit Commission’s recommendations for further improvement.

The following is an extract from the Audit Commission’s Press Release:

“The Audit Commission inspection team gave the service two stars out of a possible three because there were detailed service standards for communicating with customers and complaints are handled well.

The association provides a good service to its communities in the area of domestic violence. Homes are in a good state of repair, repairs easy to report and gas servicing performance excellent. Estates are exceptionally well maintained, clean of litter and graffiti is removed quickly.

A positive approach has been taken to meeting the requirements of the government's Respect Agenda and a neighbourhood warden service for dealing with anti social behaviour is providing positive reassurance for tenants. However the diversity information on the individual needs of tenants is not fully comprehensive in all areas and the aids and adaptations service is not well advertised.

The association is financially stable and there is comprehensive monitoring of savings and efficiencies. But performance on collection of rent and rent arrears for the supported housing service overall is weak.

Hugh Boatswain, Audit Commission senior manager said: ’The Christian Action (Enfield) Housing Association provides a service that is influenced by residents to meet their needs and homes are in a good state of repair on estates exceptionally clean and tidy. The association benefits from being financially stable and is beginning to adopt a more structured approach to value for money. However, it needs to expand its action plan on Race Equality and Diversity to cover all strands of diversity and improve its performance on collecting rent and arrears for supporting housing.’

16th August 2007