Looking to the future

A recent report from the National Housing Federation revealed the East Midlands is facing the fastest
household growth in England. Midlands Housing found out how Futures Housing Group is meeting the challenge to support local communities

There are now more than 136,000 households on waiting lists for social housing in the East Midlands and house prices continue to outstrip average salaries by around eight times.

This is fuelling the demand for more affordable housing, but it also serves to highlight the importance of training, education and support to meet a wide range of welfare needs.

Such a stark situation certainly presents some important challenges for Futures Housing Group as it provides affordable homes and neighbourhood services across the region.

The group owns and manages 8,700 properties and is developing new homes at a rate of around 50 a year.

Homes and services are provided via its two local companies – Amber Valley Housing and Daventry & District Housing – which are equipped to respond to the particular needs of their local communities in Derbyshire and Northamptonshire respectively.

With a two-star, promising rating from the Audit Commission at Amber Valley Housing and a rating soon to be announced at Daventry & District Housing, the group has built up a strong track record for sound management and top quality performance.

This success is, in part, due to effective management and good governance and the ability to share best practice across the group to realise efficiencies that customers notice.

“Creating the group structure alone helped us to make £700,000 worth of savings which has given us solid foundations on which to build. The structure is also enabling the sharing of best practice to deliver high quality services that our tenants notice,” said Lindsey Williams, chief executive.

“For example, the success of our major improvement programme at Amber Valley meant that home improvements could get underway from day one at Daventry. Programmes remain on track with promises being delivered ahead of target.

“From the start at Amber Valley six years ago, the focus has been on strong leadership – at board and management – with close performance management and monitoring. We continue to attract and retain the best people to enable us to deliver what our customers and communities need.”

Neighbourhood Forums are helping residents take control of their communities and set the priorities and budgets needed to make it happen. And new approaches are being found to provide new homes amidst the economic downturn.

The group has been working with Erewash and Amber Valley borough councils to buy and refurbish empty homes to let to those in housing need. By supporting the councils’ empty homes strategies, Futures Housing Group is increasing the supply of affordable homes while helping to remove the blight of empty homes in these communities.

Latest new developments include a scheme of six affordable homes originally started by a private developer.

Work at the site, near the village of Ironville in Derbyshire, had stalled due to the downturn. But Futures Housing Group was able to work with the developer to kick start the build – ensuring the homes met the enhanced design and environmental standards needed for social housing.

To maximise community benefits, the contract included a condition to appoint a young apprentice, which has helped to boost employment and training.

Mark Pryor, who had been out of work since leaving school, took up the placement and is now going onto pursue further training in the construction industry.

He said: “I wanted to go into the construction industry but there weren’t many jobs around. This has given me the chance to try different things like plumbing, carpentry and building.”

The group has a track record of apprenticeships, with programmes in place to support its major home improvement work. This has helped the group’s work in Daventry be recognised as part of the first Skills Academy in the East Midlands. The Skills Academy programme is a Government initiative, led by the Learning and Skills Council and designed to drive up the standard of industry training.

One in six construction workers have no formal qualifications and two thirds of employers report problems finding sufficiently skilled and experienced staff. Research also shows that 75 per cent of the industry does not have any training, and the training that does happen is not evenly spread across the supply chain.

Williams said: “Skills Academies provide training on and off site and help workers to gain qualifications through work-based learning. This is something that fits with our ethos – particularly our values for reaching our potential – and we are delighted to be a part of the East Midlands academy.

“Social housing providers can offer so much more when it comes to local employment, training and career progression, which has a knock-on effect in terms of the region’s social and economic development.”

This work is extending to the next generation, with a programme of Construction Challenge days in local schools to help children find out about careers in construction, which ranges from trades to site management.

A dedicated work experience ambassador is also helping to develop placements for pupils across a range of housing association functions.

The group has a clear objective to ‘make a positive impact in local communities’ and this informs ongoing projects and new initiatives. Recent projects include an educational programme to communicate the messages of the RESPECT agenda, involving performing arts students, and use of ground source heating to improve energy efficiency and tackle financial exclusion.

Williams said: “Our vision is to be a strong, forward thinking regional housing group with its heart in the community. Achieving that vision means putting communities first and ensuring all those delivering frontline services are empowered and equipped to make a positive impact.”