CIH Scrutiny Conference 2014

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Scrutiny – the Cottsway Way

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Local Stock Voluntary Transfer March 2001 from West Oxfordshire District Council

Current stock 4225 General needs 225 Sheltered residents335 Leaseholders & Shared owners

Very rural stock – 4 primary towns

Primary stock in West Oxfordshire spread over 276 square miles

Cottsway Housing Association

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Top Ten Tips for a Successful Scrutiny

1. Looking at what matters to residents2. Clear, realistic and achievable goals3. Open-mindedness 4. Investment in quality training5. Independent from Cottsway 6. Team-building & team-work 7. Buy-in from Cottsway’s Board & staff8. The ACT team’s support9. Robust Governance 10.Findings based on facts and evidence – ‘triangulate’ evidence

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What to Scrutinize…

Our key questions/drivers

What will make a

difference to

Residents

What will make a

difference to Cottsway

Consider additional work for Cottsway

Staff

What is manageable

and achievable

Residents feedback

from Surveys

Value for Money

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Scrutiny in Action

Scoping Meeting

Process Mapping

Desk-top Review

Staff Interviews

Resident Interviews

Focus Groups

Stakeholder Interviews

Job Shadowing

Bench Marking Audit Moderation

MeetingWriting Report

Present Report to

Board

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First 3 Scrutinies

Lettings Repairs ASB

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Accountability to CHA and Residents

Chair/Vice-Chair

Role Profiles

RSP Members Terms of Reference

Code of ConductAnnual reviews

Interview Process

Monthly RSP Meetings

Budget expenditure monitored each month

by

Finance sub-group

ProgressShared with Board and CHA Staff in Scrutiny

Liaison Group

Scrutiny Reportsgo directly to

Cottsway’s Board

Communication to Residents

Home PageWebsite

Scrutiny Reports

Available to anyone upon request

RSP Annual Report

Governance

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To pay…or not to pay?

1. Increases Accountability2. Credibility3. Scrutiny is not just a ‘tea and biscuits’ resident group4. Minimum level of expectation5. Annual Review 6. Attract different types of resident 7. Ask more of the Panel…not beholden to them8. Why not?

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Read about us…

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2012 Cottsway ACT Award• Group of the Year

TPAS 2013 WINNER (South Region)• Excellence in Tenant-Led Scrutiny

TPAS 2013 National Finalist (Top 3) • Excellence in Tenant-Led Scrutiny

2013 Cottsway ACT Award• Group of the Year

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Measuring the Impact of Scrutiny

Impact

Residents

Staff

VFMChange

Quality

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Lessons LearnedThe Time Commitment

Retaining Panel Members

Recruitment & Succession Planning

Maintaining the Bar

Keeping the Momentum

Being Realistic!

On-going Training

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Next Steps… Succession Planning Finance sub-group Project manager/team

leader Managing change

group dynamics Impact group Annual away-day –

team building Networking & Sharing

Best Practice Development Improvement cycle

Document current

processes

Review & Analysis

Explore Alternatives

Design revised

processes

Implement new

Processes

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Leslie ChannonEmail : [email protected]

@LeslieChannon

Thank you for listening…