Chief executive’s introduction

In April 2018, Notting Hill Housing and to a renewed focus on listening to residents, challenge, and we Genesis merged to transparency, health and elected representatives will continue to work 2019 – 2024 create . This is our first safety, and scrutiny of and colleagues. hard to provide more corporate strategy as a joint entity and sets the social housing sector. affordable housing Most of our residents, as alongside government, out how, together, we will be able to do We spoke to a wide well as those who want local authorities and Corporate Strategy more for our residents and make a bigger range of stakeholders as to live in our homes and private developers. difference for those in housing need. we prepared to merge. use our services, want Their feedback has easier and more reliable Ideally we would like We are planning ahead helped to shape the services. They want a much greater supply over the next five years strategic priorities set out online access through of low-rent, secure and beyond, but our in this document, and their phones and other homes, accessible to “...do more immediate focus is on is reflected in particular mobile devices so that all who need them. successfully integrating in the promises that they can manage their We will protect what ...make a bigger our two organisations we have made both to housing needs just as we have and strive to difference” and strengthening our our residents and our they do their shopping produce additional financial position, at the colleagues. and social lives. We are social homes each year. same time as continuing working to deliver that. to deliver a good service Notting Hill Genesis is Nearly one year on to all our residents resident focused. We The housing market is from our merger, I am and supporting our value our roots and not working properly; confident that Notting colleagues. remain close to our the majority of lower- Hill Genesis has communities. We are income families and emerged as a stronger The external on the side of those many younger people organisation with a environment remains we house, and those in our communities are greater capacity to live uncertain. The full who need our services. unable to afford a home up to our mission and effects of the decision Our staff are motivated of their own. deliver our vision – to to leave the European to provide a caring, be the best housing Union are still to be compassionate, personal Although we cannot association in . determined, while the and localised service. All meet the increasing Grenfell Tower tragedy of us, from board to the levels of need on and the subsequent front line, spend time our own, we are Social Housing Green in our communities, well equipped to rise Kate Davies page Paper have rightly led working with and to today’s housing Chief executive 1 Who are we?

Providing homes for 1960s when our legacy more than 50 years organisations were established by local 2019 – 2024 Our legacy people who shared organisations – a similar vision – to Notting Hill Housing house west London’s and Genesis Housing working poor, providing Corporate Strategy Association – them with a home announced their from which to build intention to merge in themselves and their July 2017 and formally families a secure future. amalgamated to become Notting Hill Genesis Now we are one of in April 2018. We felt the largest housing that our similarities in associations in London terms of size and scope and the south-east, alongside our shared providing over 60,000 history and social homes. purpose made us a great match. Despite our size, we recognise each resident best – whether that’s accommodation and with a clear social Notting Hill Genesis as an individual. Our online or face-to-face. commercial properties. purpose means that works in the services are people- we can plan to reinvest community, providing centred and delivered More than half our We employ more surpluses to build homes for lower- at a local level. We homes are general than 2,000 people, around 20,000 new income households strive to be the best we needs properties, most of whom work homes over a 10-year in and around can, and are committed charged at social or at the heart of our period in places where London. This is our to working with our affordable rent levels. In communities, building people want to live and primary purpose and residents to ensure addition, we offer extra relationships with do our bit to tackle the everything else we do that everyone has a care and supported residents that go housing crisis. supports that aim. safe, secure and good accommodation for beyond bricks and quality home, and older people, as well mortar. We are a new access to high standard as temporary housing, organisation, but our services delivered in shared ownership, Combining a page roots reach back to the the way that suits them market rent, student commercial outlook 2

Along with the value for money is Our mission, commitments set out critical to this. in our staff promise, 2019 – 2024 our values help to guide Our social purpose vision and values our people and inform their behaviours and Our social purpose is as decision-making. important to us today Corporate Strategy They underpin the as when our parent successful delivery of organisations were our strategic objectives formed in the 1960s. As We aim to Based in the by supporting a Notting Hill Genesis, resident-focused we can do more. be the best community, service and helping housing we provide us to work together It’s increasingly successfully as one difficult to produce association homes for organisation. social and affordable housing with limited in London. lower- It is important that we government grants, but challenge and support by continuing to use income each other, and tackle surpluses generated households problems head-on so by our commercial that we can perform activities to plough in and better. back into our core social purpose, we can around The drive for profit is ensure we create the London. important to us, not right mix of Notting for its own sake, but Hill Genesis homes so we can continue – and contribute to to invest in our social addressing the housing purpose by providing crisis in and around more homes for people London. in housing need. Ensuring that each Our colleagues Our Our Our page values visio n missio n area of our business have always been gets results and delivers at the heart of our 3 communities, and we to regular business our people in creating want our merger to planning, performance our new organisation, enhance those links. monitoring and including building new Whether it’s supporting decision-making. teams and developing residents to claim the Understanding and new ways of working. correct benefits, getting achieving value for As part of this, we involved in community money is fundamental have reviewed the 2019 – 2024 events, or just being to the success of our relative performance there for a resident business and should be of similar business to talk to in times of evident in everything streams across our two need, our relationship we do. legacy organisations to Corporate Strategy with those in our identify where we can homes goes beyond A key advantage of be more competitive bricks and mortar. our merger is that we and cost-effective. That relationship has will be able, over time, always been important to reduce operating As we continue to bring for our colleagues and costs and maximise our two organisations residents and it will surpluses so that together, we will take remain so in Notting we can secure new more opportunities Hill Genesis. investment on good to raise standards, do terms and invest in more and increase Many of our new and existing efficiency. shareholders have been homes, at the same involved with us for time as providing a Risk management years, even decades, better service for our and we want to ensure residents. We have a robust that their shared and fit-for-purpose traditions and values, Over the last year, governance framework, which go back more colleagues have which creates a strong than 50 years, continue been working hard control environment. to influence how we to integrate our This ensures we can work in the future. businesses and manage risk effectively structures and to align and respond to Value for money systems and processes. changes in the external The focus has been environment as and We take a value-for- on driving greater when necessary. money approach to efficiency and value all our activities and for money, as well as page ensure that it is central on actively engaging 4

Our strategic

priorities 2019 – 2024

Our strategy outlines what our new organisation Within each of these Although we made now we need to focus plans to achieve over the next five years and how themes, our immediate significant headway in on the introduction we will live up to our mission and deliver our focus will be on our first year, progress of the most effective Corporate Strategy vision. It is supported by our staff and resident effectively combining has been slower than structures, systems and promises, several other detailed documents, a our legacy organisations we hoped and could processes to enable our suite of measures and performance indicators, as part of an ambitious, mean we do not realise businesses to deliver our and our integration programme and governance challenging and complex all the benefits until year new operating model framework. two-year integration three. Our priorities will and our other merger programme. evolve as integration commitments. There are five core themes in the strategy: continues, but for

Our residents: services and support that our residents need We are We aim to Based in the Our residents open, be the best community, Our homes: places where our residents honest and housing we provide want to live willing to association homes for Our homes confront in London. lower- Providing more new homes: new di culties. income Our people homes for lower-income households households in and Our people: supporting our colleagues around Providing more new homes to provide the best service possible London. Our financial strength: ensuring a Our financial strength robust financial foundation to support investment and growth page 5 Our residents: Services and support that our residents need

A resident promise co-created with 2019 – 2024 residents to establish a clear and accountable service delivery framework. Corporate Strategy Digital transformation focused on simplifying access and speeding up service delivery.

Since the merger we Every resident will have worked both have a named officer with colleagues and who is responsible and residents to co-create a accountable to them new operating model, for service delivery. which takes the best This local officer will parts of both legacy be given technical organisations. support to help them to resolve complex The new model issues. Automation will has our resident be at the heart of the promise at its core services we offer, with Our customer model places and is designed so residents able to access our residents at the centre that we can deliver an increasing number of what we do. Making the WorkWise is a major the services and of services online at a most of modern automated programme to simplify, improvements that time of their choosing technologies, in conjunction standardise and automate were identified during via a bespoke portal on the consultation with our website. with personalised support, some of our key business residents in the lead- we’re able to deliver services processes, making them up to the merger. Key to the success in ways that suit individual available to colleagues and page of the promise is customer needs and lifestyles. residents online. 6

our commitment to What we want to putting residents at the achieve: heart of our business and enabling them Our main aim is to to hold us to account fulfil the commitments for the delivery of our set out in our resident commitments. Our promise, with a focus 2019 – 2024 progress will be shared on three important regularly with residents aspects: themselves as well as with our resident • Achieving a Corporate Strategy services committee consistently positive and our board. resident experience of our repairs and Our commitment to maintenance service residents includes the (also covered by the regeneration of the ‘our homes’ strategic Aylesbury Estate in theme). Southwark, Grahame Park in Barnet and • Implementing our Woodberry Down in new local operating Hackney, where we model, including the will work to improve roll-out of online self- our residents’ lives by service for repairs, providing a better home, payments and other a safe place to live, transactions. access to employment opportunities and • Embedding a culture support for their general to ensure residents wellbeing. are consistently and meaningfully involved.

Our resident involvement model puts residents at the We will agree with heart of our business. Building on lessons learned residents the specific measures of success for it ensures that resident voices are heard across the the resident promise. business, that residents are kept up to date on our work page and that they can hold us to account. 7 Our homes: Places where our residents want to live

A new investment plan for our core London communities, improving quality 2019 – 2024 and delivering more homes.

Ensuring all homes are great places to live. Corporate Strategy Before After We provide a range want to ensure that our of good quality, services are tailored to affordable and well- best meet the needs of maintained homes. each resident and that Since our merger, our homes will be safe we have reviewed and cost-effectively how we invest in maintained. and maintain our properties alongside What we want to our resident services. achieve Our plan is based on what residents have • Establishing a told us matters to them repairs service that a 12-point plan and improving a manageable – repairs and safety, as complements our developed by our the quality of our geographic footprint well as being involved new operating model fire safety task force homes by changing and redevelop homes in our investment and enables simple to respond to the our approach to where that delivers plans. repairs to be booked recommendations investment in our a better outcome for online so that local of the recent properties and to our residents. We want to be sector- teams can prioritise independent Hackitt our programme leading, and the best improving the Review of building of regular cyclical • We will do all we can we can be so that we resident experience. regulations and fire repairs. to retain low-cost achieve more for our safety. rental housing in residents and our • Ensuring our homes • Through strategic inner London. partners and can create are safe places to live • A greater focus on asset management, page great places to live. We by implementing involving residents we will establish 8

relationship with the Providing local authority and where we already have a sufficient level of more new homes to ensure cost- effective management. 2019 – 2024 homes: We will increasingly New homes for lower-income households secure more new- build projects through joint ventures and Corporate Strategy Increased investment capacity supported partnerships and are through strategic partnerships to deliver keen to continue to more homes. work with others who share our ambitions. Greater influence over public-sector policy Our larger size as a to provide more low-cost homes. merged entity will enable us to make the most of the opportunities offered by town centre and There is a housing growth. We will work estate regeneration shortage in London. towards a programme projects. Household income of building around has not kept pace with 20,000 new homes over What we want to housing costs and a 10-year period, but the achieve the limited supply of speed of the programme new homes is far short will be scaled according • Mixed-tenure of what is needed. to prevailing market developments Providing more conditions. We will build which promote genuinely affordable a range of high quality sustainable and housing is both more homes our residents vibrant communities, challenging than ever enjoy living in. offer choice to and more urgent and our residents necessary. We will prioritise and enhance opportunities to neighbourhoods in We plan to continue to develop in boroughs terms of design and expand our business where we have an build quality. page through development existing strong 9

• An increase in the • We will continue number of new with our major homes. We will aim regeneration projects to build around at the Aylesbury 20,000 homes over Estate and Grahame 10 years, with the Park to provide a majority being long-term pipeline 2019 – 2024 affordable tenures to of new affordable reflect our business homes. priorities. This growth target will • We are keen to Corporate Strategy be achieved through create successful a combination of partnerships with our development, local authorities, regeneration and quality private-sector asset investment providers and other programmes. housing associations if that can help us • We will operate produce more new primarily in London, homes. in areas where we can offer a range of affordable tenures and where sales values are attractive to owner-occupiers. We will also look to provide more affordable housing in our heartlands of north and west London.

page 10 Our people: Supporting our colleagues to provide the best service possible 2019 – 2024

We strive to develop colleagues in designing an engaged, diverse services and creating Corporate Strategy and skilled workforce the new organisation. reflecting the communities we serve. Delivering the promise We want to create will be a two-way to the Greater London What we want to the most of new high-performing and process in which we Authority Leadership achieve ways of working and collaborative teams, all have a part to play 2025 programme, technology. who deliver great and for which we hold which encourages • We will develop personalised services joint responsibility. organisations to create leadership and • We will build on the and ways of working How we behave, how more ethnically diverse workforce capability commitments in that are valued by our we communicate and leadership across the to ensure we our staff promise, residents. how we work together housing sector. deliver our services creating a trusted, will be crucial in and respond to highly motivated and Our staff promise sets achieving the aims of Building on our organisational engaged team. out our commitment the promise. inclusive culture, we will change well. to colleagues as we go continue to invest and • We will ensure through integration Our colleagues come develop the capability • We will create a colleagues are and beyond to ensure from very different and talent of our people, great working supported through that Notting Hill backgrounds, with ensuring colleagues environment where a clear and strong Genesis is a place varied outlooks. We have the right skills, people want to focus on health, where we all want value these differences approach and tools to work, contributions safety and wellbeing. to work. It forms the and will continue to deliver excellent services are valued, and foundation for all the embrace them. We and put our residents at colleagues can grow • We are committed to work we need to do want to ensure that the heart of everything and thrive. having a diverse and around our people our organisation, we do. inclusive workforce as we bring our two at all levels, reflects • We will embed that reflects the former organisations the communities we a responsive, communities we together. A key aspect serve. As part of that, efficient, and flexible serve. page of this is involving we have committed workforce that makes 11

Our financial

strength: et e Ensuring a robust financial foundation to t 2019 – 2024 support investment and growth Corporate Strategy

S Providing homes The purpose of homes for lower- a for lower-income

r our merger was to income households. e households bring together two in and around o already substantial It is important that London organisations to make a we maintain our fully e r new, stronger housing compliant regulatory association. ratings to continue p p to inspire business r Being financially confidence and trust. We at e strong gives us the want investors to choose a t e a t re independence to make to partner with us. are choices about our future and provide new homes What we want to despite the challenging achieve economic, political and with commercial • We will make £20 • We will make a social climate. • We will continue divisions making million full-year surplus of at least to use surpluses larger surpluses than savings from April £500 million over Efficiency and value generated by our social ones. 2020 as a result of the the next five years. At for money will be at commercial activities merger. least £1.5 billion will the heart of everything to plough back • By being financially be invested over these we do. Our staff into our core social robust we will be five years in providing are committed to purpose. able to maintain new homes. achieving this; they our commitment to understand that all • We want all of our building more new the money we make is individual business homes. page reinvested in providing to generate a profit, 12