SILVER AWARD APEX STAFF SCOOP NVQ SUCCESS BROOKHILL VOTED ONE OF UK’S BEST APEX CELEBRATE SUCCESS AT TOP NATIONAL AWARD - P5 OF STAFF MEMBERS - P8 Apex Housing Association Issue 5 Spring 2011 At the award ceremony in London’s Hilton Hotel, left to right: Fred MacAulay (Comedian/Host); Michael Mongan (Mill Race Resident); Paddy Mongan (Mill Race Resident); Lynn McLean (Apex); Derek Hanaway (An Munia Tober); Brian Harkin (Apex) and Martin Winn - Director of Professional Development with Chartered Institute of Housing Outstanding Achievement in UK Housing Award Apex Housing Association, the DSD to take over the develop- two levels - firstly from each of the 3 working closely with the Belfast ment of the proposed housing family groupings and then from travellers support group, An scheme. each individual member. Through Munia Tober, developed an Never before in Northern Ireland ongoing, direct and meaningful award winning group housing has a housing scheme for 21 trav- communication this was achieved. BREAKING NEWS scheme for 21 traveller families eller families who divide into three The completed scheme, known as at Mill Race in West Belfast. distinct family groupings been con- Mill Race, has proved very First Voluntary The scheme was first envisaged sidered. For the development to be Transfer in in 1999, when Lord Dubbs, then successful, ‘buy-in’ was needed at CONTINUES PAGE 2 Environment Minister in NI, Northern Ireland announced four pilot traveller group housing schemes would be Tenants at Rinmore Drive, Linsfort developed for locations, “where Drive, Balbane Pass and Culdaff travellers were living on sites with Gardens in the Creggan Estate, inadequate conditions at the turn Derry have voted to become Apex of the 21st century.” tenants. This paves the way for The traveller community had the transfer of 55 Housing camped on the edge of the Executive homes to Apex. Monagh Road since 1992 and at These dwellings will now be one time over 30 families substantially improved by Apex occupied the site along side a busy using private funding over the road. In 2003 Apex was asked by next two years. 2 Apex Housing Association Observer | Spring 2011 First things first Budget Impact HIGHLIGHTS Apex already seeing the affects of cutbacks COVER STORY Does anyone really know what associations will have to make 8% Award Winning 03 Best Practice News the next four years will bring for savings year on year for the next four Tenant Satisfaction Survey - Northern Ireland as we move years. Apex Housing Association will Housing Scheme towards a new Programme for not shrink in its responsibilities and Outcomes Government? The recent publica- will continue to identify opportuni- CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 tion of the draft departmental budg- ties to reduce overheads where possi- successful. A recent survey among ets indicate 40% reductions in capital ble and identify ways to modernise the residents showed a high funding and 8% in revenue funding, our business without adversely level of satisfaction. Mill Race meaning cut backs are inevitable. impacting on the delivery of services. accommodates each of the family Within the draft DSD budget, Times ahead will be challenging, groups within 21 purpose built allocation for social housing will fall but Apex is ready to embrace change bungalows in a development which 04 &05 News & Events from its current level of £160m to and pilot new ideas to bring about achieves both a sense of separateness around £95m in 2011/12. This may greater efficiency and value for and connectedness. No family group mean only 1,200 new social houses money for the public purse. This we Charter Launch feels that it has been treated less will be provided in Northern Ireland believe is the best way to continue to fairly than the other and there is a each year, although the Housing deliver high quality services while consensus all have benefited equally Executive estimate 2,500 are needed. trying to grow our business as we from the development. The We appreciate Minister Attwood’s move forward into somewhat travellers’ traditional businesses of efforts to protect vital revenue unchartered waters. scrap dealing and horse trading programmes which target the most were accommodated on site by the vulnerable households. provision of extensive yards and a Even before the next Programme stable block with a paddock. for Government, Apex is already The families selected the name Mill facing cutbacks. The current practice Race, for the scheme, and of the Western Health and Social Care recently the children designed a Trust to limit the number of care- sculpture that has been mounted at managed residential and nursing the entrance. Stepping Back in Time placements has affected the financial The judges declared that the viability of some of our schemes. Marjorie Keenan OBE scheme showed a “positive example Older People Awards Difficult choices lie ahead. We Chairman of engaging with a hard to reach must ensure that Apex not only group.” The judges were particularly remains financially sound, but struck by efforts to engage the highly competitive. Housing HOLD THE families’ children. FRONT PAGE! Approval for 729 Responding to Winter Crisis new dwellings Impact of recent unprecedented winter weather conditions During 2010/11 Apex received gov- For a number of years Apex has ernment approval for the delivery of had contingency plans in place 729 new dwellings. This is our largest Improving our Response to respond to issues that could development programme ever (241 We have reviewed our We have asked our out-of-hours possibly arise that would put our in 2009/10) and has been achieved Contingency Plans in place to call centre provider to review their service delivery ‘at risk’. These through committed effort and team ensure they will provide an Contingency Plans to ensure the serv- plans are reviewed and updated working across the Development, appropriate response ice our tenants receive is adequate on an ongoing basis to ensure Finance, Property Services and that we can always provide a We have increased the number We have implemented a facility Housing Departments within head satisfactory service irrespective of staff available during extreme to transfer telephone ‘voicemail’ office. This equates to an invest- of circumstances. weather conditions to ensure our messages to e-mail so staff can ment of around £100m of which In December 2010 we all response is appropriate return calls to residents / tenants £45m will be coming from private experienced the unprecedented We have implemented a ‘latest during extreme weather conditions borrowing. weather conditions and the news’ information section on our We have increased the quantities This is a huge achievement which resulting water crisis which affect- website highlighting emergency of water containers available in the will have an immediate benefit for ed many over the Christmas period. ‘out-of-office hours’ telephone event there is a water shortage in those working within the construc- These factors did impact on numbers. This can be viewed at the future tion industry and eventually for a number of our schemes. We www.apexhousing.org those on the housing waiting list. We have increased the quantity implemented our emergency plans We have increased our telephone of heaters available for Supported at the time and have since reviewed ‘voicemail’ messaging capacity Living schemes in the event that Contact the Editor them in the light of how we dealt We have increased the number there is no heating supply If you have any community news or with the situation. As a result of this events you would like the Apex of maintenance contractors avail- We are reviewing our ‘Guest we have made a number of changes Observer to cover, please get in touch: able to undertake emergency Room Policy’ at Supported Living to improve our response in future, repairs schemes to consider the availability Email: [email protected] similar circumstances which we We have asked our Measured of these services to be utilised by now list in blue. Telephone: 028 7130 4800 Term Contractor to review their staff where there are difficulties in Our aim is to work to minimise Fax: 028 7130 4801 Contingency Plans to ensure the travelling to and from work in any risk to our service which may service our tenants receive is adverse weather conditions 10 Butcher Street have an adverse impact upon on adequate Londonderry BT48 6HL our tenants. Apex Housing Association Observer | Spring 2011 3 Best practice news Tenant Satisfaction Survey - Outcomes Housing Survey shows high levels of satisfaction amongst Apex tenants In mid-2010 more than 25% of our Apex would like to thank all those tenants took part in a survey who took part in the survey. Your Tenant Contact with Apex which measured the quality of views are very important to us and services delivered by Apex. assist us in improving how we deliver Respondents were asked how satisfied they were with the response 523 tenants were contacted to services. The results have helped us they received from staff regarding queries. participate in the survey which to produce a plan which sets out how was carried out by the Housing we will improve our service delivery 87% had contacted Apex in the 12 months before the survey and of these, Executive’s Research Unit, at the to tenants over the next 3 years. 78% were very or fairly satisfied. The main reason for contact was for request of Apex. repairs (78%), 5% for rent accounting and 4% for anti-social behaviour. The remaining 7% had another reason for contacting Apex. The majority of people who contacted Apex (81%) said that staff had been able to deal Summary of Satisfaction Levels with their query. • Respondents were asked about overall satisfaction with the repairs Almost all respondents had telephoned Apex in the past 12 months.