Decent living
Being able to show that 12 lives have been saved over the course of the decent homes programme is a pretty impressive statistic to have when it comes to negotiating our new contract with Bassetlaw Council.
So is a 28 per cent reduction in hospital admissions due to falls, a reduction in attempted burglaries at our properties and the fact that for every £1 invested in decent homes, £1.40 of spending is generated and spent in Bassetlaw.
By commissioning an impact report we are able to demonstrate to the council, Homes and Communities Agency and the government that not only have we spent the cash wisely, but that the outcomes go beyond bricks and mortar. The programme is about improving the lives, health and economy of our local communities.
What is important for us now is to build on these achievements and to keep the momentum going. There is a role for us to expand on the work with our partners in the health service, to work with clinical commissioning groups and help councils in discharging their new health responsibilities. In partnership with social services and the health authority we are now looking at the viability of providing accommodation in the form of a transitional clinical assessment centre.
By working with local magistrates and the probation service we are providing community service opportunities through our social enterprise, ‘Branching out’. This offers skills and training for offenders and delivers gardening and landscaping services across the community. Also, through a partnership with North Nottinghamshire College we are offering work experience and apprenticeship programmes.
Impact reports like this demonstrate that arm’s-length management organisations have delivered far more than was expected through the decent homes programme and, given the chance, that there will be much more to come.
Bernard Coleman is managing director of A1 Housing
