UK Housing Awards 2019 winners: why they won

PLENTIFIC

• A leasing property technology start-up that is disrupting the sector
• Plentific has developed a new bespoke property management platform for Notting Hill Genesis
• The company believes its platform could transform the social housing sector

Founded in November 2013, Plentific is a leading property technology start-up that has built a home improvement services marketplace through which landlords, owners and occupiers can book and pay for trade professionals. More than 54,000 residential properties are currently managed using its platform.

In 2017, Plentific entered a partnership with 32,000-home Notting Hill Genesis (then Notting Hill Housing Group), which tasked Plentific with building a bespoke property management platform for its temporary housing business. The platform has been a success: “Plentific offers a streamlined digital approach for maintaining properties that will save a great deal of valuable time and resources,” according to Andy Belton, chief operating officer at Notting Hill Genesis.

Since then, Plentific’s social housing business has continued to grow. “We leverage technology to drive more efficient operations and more profit to housing associations, while giving them full transparency about what is happening with their real estate portfolio in real-time,” Plentific says.

The start-up believes its platform, which automates all manual property management, accounting, finance and analytics processes, has the potential to transform the social housing sector.

The judges said

“We were impressed by how Plentific has disrupted the sector, as well as the speed of implementation and growth, the delivery of real beliefs, and the clarity of its offer”

This category was judged by

Luke Cross, editor, Social Housing

David McQuade, chief executive, Flagship Group

Guy Millichamp, director of finance, Yorkshire Housing

Sarah Smith, chief financial officer, Optivo

THIRTEEN

• Thirteen’s focus on its investment and maintenance team has paid dividends
• Coherent, joined-up thinking in developing its direct labour organisation (DLO)
• Performance levels and customer satisfaction have risen appreciably as a result

The investment and maintenance team at Thirteen has successfully delivered around £36m of investment and maintenance work across the organisation’s 34,000 properties, ensuring that its residents, their homes and communities are at the forefront of every decision the group makes.

This year, Thirteen has delivered several initiatives as part of its investment and maintenance improvement programme. These include a pilot project for its new home re-let standard that has led to customers receiving a much-improved service and experience; a Tradeplus programme that has introduced multiskilling across all teams; and further training and certification of the team’s work and operatives in response to the Hackitt Review.

For Thirteen, investment in its workforce is imperative, as is ensuring staff have a wealth of expertise and experience to provide this vitally important service for their customers. The group’s staff are continually developing and progressing as they maintain their commitment to the organisation.

The introduction of new initiatives and projects over the past year has been the result of listening to what customers want. This process has, in turn, seen performance levels increase significantly and has much improved levels of customer satisfaction.

The judges said

“Some really high-quality evidence of coherent and joined-up thinking in the development and growth of the DLO – as well as strong evidence of innovation for customers and employees, and a listening culture”

Highly commended

Peabody Group Maintenance

This category was judged by

Karen Cannon, senior asset manager, North West Leicester District Council

Keith Simpson, co-founder, National Housing Academy

Clive Turner, deputy director – asset management, Notting Hill Genesis

ENGIE

• Engie’s partnership with Birmingham City Council has been a success on multiple levels
• The contractor’s excellent level of service is reflected in high levels of resident satisfaction
• Engie has gone above and beyond in engaging with and building stronger communities in the city

Engie provides a unique property services package to Birmingham City Council. Around 9,000 homes per year in Birmingham receive a reliable and high-quality service through this responsive repairs, maintenance and refurbishment offering.

Thanks to Engie, the council has refurbished around 3,000 empty properties, while 94% of the 66,000 responsive repairs and 51,000 gas repairs and services provided to residents have been completed correctly at the first attempt. Homes and businesses across the city are benefiting from low-carbon energy supplied through Engie’s District Energy company and schools are enjoying reliable facilities management services.

Forty-four local people have obtained employment with Engie’s repairs and maintenance scheme since the contract began; Engie has also provided job security to employees transferred from the council’s previous contractor and 80 young people have received work-based training on the scheme. Engie continues to invest in the development of staff and subcontractors to ensure that only individuals with the greatest skills provide its services.

The community as a whole benefits from Engie’s commitment to customer care and social value, and this award recognises the company’s dedication and passion for building strong and efficient communities.

The judges said

“Engie provided consistent, high-performing key performance indicators – resident satisfaction, in particular – underpinned by excellent resident engagement. It went above and beyond the scope of its contract to meet the needs of its client”

This category was judged by

David Lingeman, director of property services, A2Dominion

Fiona MacGregor, chief executive, Regulator of Social Housing

Jane Porter, chief operating officer, Optivo

YARLINGTON HOUSING GROUP

• Last year, Yarlington Housing Group launched a new online residents’ portal, My Yarlington
• Nearly three-quarters of residents are registered with the service – thanks in part to outreach efforts
• This has freed resources, enabling Yarlington to focus on being more present in its communities

The customer is at the heart of everything Yarlington Housing Group does. Over the past year, Yarlington has undergone a transformation to better meet the needs of its customers. This has included the launch of an online services and advice portal for residents – My Yarlington.

But My Yarlington is about more than putting services online – it is a digital doorway that gives customers the freedom and flexibility to access their accounts, use Yarlington’s services, and shape the way the organisation works.

The voice of Yarlington’s customers has been at the forefront of the site’s development throughout. Knowing also that not everyone is confident getting online, the landlord has run hundreds of free digital workshops, spending time in the community to deliver this support.

What impact has this had? One year after its launch, 70% of Yarlington customers are on My Yarlington, 80% of repairs are booked online and resources have been freed up. This has enabled the investment of £500,000 to help customers to thrive. Yarlington has also been recognised as a digital leader in the sector – and, most importantly, customer satisfaction has increased.

If that’s not being a digital landlord or making a positive impact in one year, what is?

The judges said

“My Yarlington is an example of great digital practice and demonstrates a good use of customer insight and good tenant engagement”

Highly commended

London Borough of Hackney

This category was judged by

Karen Cannon, senior asset manager, North West Leicester District Council

Keith Simpson, co-founder, National Housing Academy

Clive Turner, deputy director – asset management, Notting Hill Genesis

SWAN HOUSING ASSOCIATION

• Swan has completed an impressive number of homes over the past year
• Successful partnerships have helped deliver regeneration at a serious scale
• The impressive breadth and scale of Swan’s output are matched by its focus on efficiency and quality

Swan, with its in-house developer Nu Living, is an outstanding builder of new homes. Using Stirling Prize-winning architects, the Swan/Nu Living team are building more than 6,000 homes across east London and Essex.

Collaborating with the Greater London Authority, Homes England and its eight target borough partners, Swan takes an entrepreneurial and innovative approach that is enabling regeneration on a large scale.

Critically, it reinvests all its profits into social housing and services for residents. This means that at a time when others are cutting back on investment in communities, Swan is building award-winning homes for residents of all tenures and managing these homes to the highest standard for the long-term, all while investing in the communities it creates.

The breadth and scale of its programme is outstanding: from new town centres to 27-storey cylindrical towers and stylish precision-engineered houses built from cross-laminated timber in Swan’s own factor. Its impact is maximised through in-house expertise that improves quality and efficiency while reducing costs.

Swan’s underlying social ambition – “ensuring everyone has a place to feel at home” – underpins everything it does.

The judges said

“Swan’s impressive completions of new homes during the year, supported by its development pipeline, underline its determination to use its resources as effectively as possible to help solve the housing crisis”

Highly commended

Manchester Life Development Company

This category was judged by

Ruth Davison, chief executive, Islington and Shoreditch Housing Association

Bill Fullen, group chief executive, Believe Housing

Mark Perry, chief executive, Vivid Homes

THE HYDE GROUP

• Hyde is on course to meet its target of 11,000 new homes over the next five years
• The group’s development team has earned a five-star house builder rating for its new homes
• Strong community engagement has helped the team improve neighbourhoods

Hyde is one of the largest housing associations working in England, with around 50,000 homes, and continues to grow. Last year, it built 1,285 new homes and has another 4,643 homes under construction, but the group anticipates that it will be able to deliver more than 11,000 new homes over the next five years.

These new homes are underpinned by quality and attention to detail. In the past 12 months, Hyde has achieved the equivalent of a five-star house builder customer rating for its new homes. A report commissioned by Hyde to look at the value the group’s activities add to society calculated those benefits as being worth £16,906 per social tenancy and £607m for the UK economy.

Hyde has also streamlined its project management process and has saved more than £1m by directly engaging with the supply chain. The group has improved neighbourhoods with effective community engagement, has exceeded its key performance indicators for the year, been named as a strategic partner with Homes England, been appointed to the London Development Panel and is working with three other housing associations as part of Evera Homes, a new development partnership working in the East of England.

The judges said

“A positive team with a strong ethos. Hyde has enacted a range of initiatives that has had a positive impact – it measures, identifies and delivers the benefits”

This category was judged by

Richard Meier, former partner, Argent (Property Development) Services

Geeta Nanda, chief executive, Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing

Sue Shirt, executive director customer experience, Stonewater

Mark Woodrow, director, BTR Partners

POPLAR HARCA

• Poplar Harca’s Open Poplar project manages and rents out more than 80 spaces in east London
• The scheme has helped 40 businesses launch or grow and the income is invested in the community
• One project run with the London College of Fashion is converting 100 disused garages into a fashion hub

Poplar Harca’s Open Poplar scheme – which locates and rents out underused assets in east London – has revolutionised the way this housing provider thinks about and manages space. It now views every square metre as an opportunity and its staff have become scouts, identifying places just waiting to be transformed.

Poplar Harca has been overwhelmed by the variety and creativity of the hundreds of proposals it has received and the appetite among members of the community to turn liabilities into assets. The scheme has supported 40 businesses to start, or grow; partners have invested £430,000 in physical improvements; and the project has generated millions of pounds-worth of positive publicity that has helped put Poplar on the map.

The annual rental income from the spaces is £67,000 and increases every year. But both it and the thousands saved in maintenance and tax liabilities is ploughed back into homes, services and opportunities for the local community.

Most eye-catching is the ground-breaking £5.5m Poplar Works project, which is converting 100 disused garages into a fashion hub with the London College of Fashion. This will bring fashion back home to east London, and create 85 local jobs and 185 training, apprenticeship and mentoring opportunities within two years.

It takes time to get started but this programme is replicable anywhere – and Poplar is a more vibrant, creative, productive and innovative place as a result.

The judges said

“Poplar Harca has recognised that the value of assets comes in different forms: physical, community and people. Its innovation comes from giving people opportunities to use space and recognising the identity of local places”

This category was judged by

Nick Atkin, chief executive, Yorkshire Housing

Anna Bishop, director of customer services, Riverside

Mark Everard, executive director of property, Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing

Andrew van Doorn, chief executive, HACT

Sponsored by

MANIFEST SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS

• Manifest focuses on helping social landlords to embrace the potential of digital transformation
• Its software is designed by engineers with experience of the housing sector and its demands
• A people-above-profit approach should help smaller organisations with limited budgets

Many housing associations are drowning in data from multiple sources, held in an array of formats and often processed by outdated legacy technology. As a result, they cannot see past these challenges to embrace digital transformation and focus on the resulting benefits.

London-based Manifest Software Solutions’ ‘universal adaptor’ (UA) provides full integration as a solution to this problem. The UA is an information systems hub that brings together all that data with full back-end integration, as well as a user-friendly front end. Designed by IT engineers with in-depth technical knowledge and long-standing experience of the housing sector’s needs, the UA generates significant efficiencies in resources and improves service levels in all the core areas of customer safety and compliance.

Keeping its clients, their end users and the wider housing sector at the front of its mind at all times means that Manifest Software Solutions is continually adapting and developing this product to work harder and smarter.

At the same time, the firm’s people-above-profits approach enables it to open up digital transformation to organisations that would not otherwise have the time or budget to undertake it.

The judges said

“Manifest has a real focus on social housing. It is looking to be a positive disruptor and to drive value and the customer experience throughout the digital journey”

This category was judged by

Nick Atkin, chief executive, Yorkshire Housing

Margaret Dodwell, chief executive, Lewisham Homes

Richard Petty, lead director – residential advisory, JLL

TAFF HOUSING ASSOCIATION

• Taff’s ‘Building Futures’ programme offers free education to tenants and the local community
• A £250 bursary helps remove the financial barriers that can stand in the way of education
• Building Futures offers a wide variety of training courses in partnership with local organisations

Housing association Taff funds a careers programme called ‘Building Futures’ that brings opportunities to tenants, service users and the local community.

Taff works in partnership with organisations that share its commitment and offers a wide range of training courses, coupled with CV help and volunteer placements, to help individuals to succeed on their personal career journeys. The difference that Building Futures has made and will make is immeasurable.

The courses on offer are free, ensuring that everyone has access to learning – Taff had found that costs were often major barriers to people furthering their education.

The scheme also offers a £250 bursary to learners and to those seeking new employment. This ensures that financial barriers do not prevent someone furthering their education or employment journey and can help fund items such as books for higher education, Construction Skills Certification Scheme cards and Disclosure and Barring Service checks.

The judges said

“This is a great programme delivered in a diverse community in a culturally sensitive way. We particularly liked the focus on education as well as employment support. Inspiring”

Highly commended

Stockport Homes Group

This category was judged by

Julie Doyle, chief executive, Longhurst Group

Aileen Evans, chief executive, Grand Union Housing Group

Bruce Moore, chief executive, Housing & Care 21

WHG

• WHG is breaking down the barriers to employment to improve its customers’ health and well-being
• In 2017/18, WHG helped more than 1,200 of its customers to improve their job prospects
• In recognition of its success, Walsall Council made WHG its first Walsall Works Gold Partner

WHG has a clear ambition to support its customers in leading happy and fulfilled lives. It recognises that it is essential to break down the barriers to employment to fulfil its strategic aim of promoting health and prosperity.

Skills and qualification levels among adults in Walsall are generally low, so WHG recognised the need to understand each customer, identify the most vulnerable and tailor support accordingly. Engagement was key and WHG helped 1,214 customers improve their job prospects in 2017/18 through a range of innovative activities and projects.

This year, WHG has continued to build on its success. It has smashed all its targets thanks to new initiatives such as courses in schools for parents, online card-making workshops to introduce IT skills and DIY taster courses.

In the past seven months alone, WHG has supported 829 people looking to improve their employability skills, and feedback from customers illustrates the real difference the employment and training team is making to people’s lives.

In recognition of the contribution WHG makes in supporting residents into work, Walsall Council named the group its first Walsall Works Gold Partner in March.

The judges said

“We were very impressed by the community champion model, which we felt showed a real understanding of the complexity of engaging people who can be very far away from the idea of employment”

Highly commended

Tower Hamlets Homes

This category was judged by

David Mortimer, interim head of policy and communications, ERSA

Jenny Osbourne, chief executive, Tpas

Mark Washer, chief executive, Sovereign

Sponsored by

UNITED WELSH

• ‘Be like Bob’ was an outstanding campaign with clear objectives and skilful execution
• Designed to help tenants adjust to Universal Credit, it has seen a decrease in gross rent arrears
• The campaign’s low budget and largely in‑house production impressed the judges

Helping tenants to sustain their tenancies and implementing services to improve their quality of life is extremely important to United Welsh. Rent is its main source of income and its ‘Be like Bob’ campaign was designed to serve two purposes: it needed to empower its tenants to make positive changes in preparation for the roll-out of Universal Credit, but it also needed to minimise the risk of tenants falling into rent arrears because of the benefits transition.

United Welsh’s tenants faced difficult circumstances, given the introduction of full Universal Credit in their communities. But the association still saw an improvement in its gross rent arrears, which decreased by 1.2% in 2017/18 compared with the year before. This placed it below the Welsh sector average for gross arrears per social housing turnover, which was 4.5% in 2016/17 according to Community Housing Cymru.

Considering tenants’ feedback about the ‘Be like Bob’ campaign, the adoption of the campaign by other organisations across Wales and the results of the association’s corresponding business measures, ‘Be like Bob’ is a worthy winner of this award.

The judges said

“We felt this was a truly rounded campaign. The execution of ‘Be like Bob’ was hugely impressive, especially given the budget of the project and the fact that much of the work was delivered in-house”

Highly commended

Futures Housing Group

This category was judged by

Steve Hayes, head of communications, WM Housing

Alison Inman, board member, Colne Housing and Saffron Housing

Christina McGill, head of communications, Habinteg

Josie Twinning-Stroud, director of strategic marketing and communications, Chartered Institute of Housing

ONWARD HOMES

• Onward’s regeneration of the Hattersley and Mottram Estate is an example of best practice
• The area has been significantly transformed for the better since work began in 2006
• The way Onward has embedded itself in the community has been key to the project’s success

Peak Valley Housing Association, now Onward Homes, was established in 2006 to play a key role in the 20-year regeneration of the Hattersley and Mottram Estate in Greater Manchester. This involved addressing 15 objectives for the area’s regeneration, including delivering a broader mix of housing, reversing the population decline, delivering sustainable community facilities, bringing in private investment and engaging the community.

The area has been significantly transformed since then, thanks to investment in the area’s housing, combined with a range of community-led initiatives. Population decline has been reversed, satisfaction has risen to 89%, train station usage has increased by 30% and jobs have been created.

There were several outstanding aspects to this project that are best practice in estate regeneration policy and practice. A unique collaboration agreement and robust governance structures enabled long-term private sector investment while securing public sector control. Tenure diversification, coupled with restructuring of the school catchment areas, has opened up the neighbourhood.

Peak Valley sought to be a different landlord – its ‘relational’ approach with residents and partners and the way in which it embedded itself in the community were key to effective engagement and collaboration. The area is now a much improved place to live for new and existing residents.

The judges said

“The winning project showcased an all-round example of a large-scale regeneration project, delivering real transformation against an ambitious vision and an extremely challenging environment”

Highly commended

North Devon Homes

This category was judged by

Ali Akbor, chief executive, Unity Homes & Enterprise

Jill Haley, chief executive, Byker Community Trust

YOUTH SHEDZ – GRWP CYNEFIN

• Youth Shedz enables homeless young people to engage with each other and learn new skills
• Youth Shedz’s users were instrumental in refurbishing and kitting out the space
• The project is helping transform the opportunities, confidence and outlook of its users

The long-term benefits of the Youth Shedz project based in Denbigh, Wales, are profound. At a societal level, there has been a reduction in anti-social behaviour and consequent savings for the criminal justice system. There is greater engagement in training and employment of a young workforce who are less likely to become and remain dependent on benefits. The young people involved also have better mental and physical health and consequently participate in fewer risky behaviours.

However, the longer-term benefits for these ‘Shedderz’ are potentially far-reaching. The Youth Shedz project nurtures young people, who believe they are capable, their contribution is valued and their ideas are worth listening to. Shedderz learn to take responsibility for their own and their collective achievements, and are often heard talking about the project with a sense of pride that may not otherwise have been commonplace in their lives.

Furthermore, the networks and relationships built through involvement in the Youth Shedz project help them to develop resilience, compassion and commitment, all of which are highly transferable to other areas of their lives.

The judges said

“This is a great example of partnership working, with young homeless people at its centre and a powerful person-based approach. We were impressed by its innovation and the strong commitment to keep it going”

Highly commended

GM Homes Partnership

This category was judged by

David Bogle, chief executive, Hightown Housing Association

Tracey Lees, chief executive, Wandle Housing Association

JIGSAW GROUP

• Threshold’s Housing First is tackling homelessness among women with complex needs
• What began life as a pilot is now an innovative service that is changing women’s lives for the better
• The scheme has had no evictions and provides a transformative and value‑for-money service

Manchester-based Threshold – part of Jigsaw Group – has pioneered a new way of tackling homelessness in women with complex needs that has become the acid test of its ‘Housing First’ approach for this demographic.

The project is driven by a belief that we as a society can end homelessness, and that people affected by sustained trauma or institutionalised living can recover and regain control of their lives.

The results have been astonishing. Threshold’s customers have been able to turn their lives around, sustain tenancies, and address the deep-rooted traumas that led to their chaotic lifestyles.

What started as a pilot has now grown into a truly innovative service that has changed for the better the lives of everyone who has been through it.

Caseloads have deliberately been kept small to retain fidelity to the Housing First model. But although the numbers of women on the project to date have been relatively low, the model’s influence on the lives of other women across the UK and even Europe is immeasurable.

Threshold continues to share its best practices with other providers in the hope that they can offer similar services in their own communities, too.

The judges said

“This scheme has brought to light the hidden homelessness of women. We were particularly impressed that there had been no evictions and that it delivered a great value-for-money and soundly executed service”

Highly commended

Queens Cross Housing Association

This category was judged by

Greg Beales, director of communications, policy and campaigns, Shelter

Lord Richard Best, chair, All-Party Parliamentary Group on Housing and Care for Older People

Deborah Upton, chief executive, East Kent Housing

CONNEXUS

• Connexus provides a range of excellent services to the rural communities it serves
• A focus on building long-term relationships and embedding staff in the community is paying off
• Connexus’ team are using their knowledge and expertise to improve lives in the West of England

West of England-based Connexus has adapted its service to the local rural community, offering a one-stop shop for advice and assistance across all tenures and ages. Connexus believes its locally based ‘independent living co-ordinators’ are ambassadors, embedded in and integrated with their community and all other local services.

This scheme serves people well because it focuses on developing relationships over long periods of time. People are confident they will be well advised by someone who knows them and understands their circumstances.

The co-ordinators are specialists in older people’s support. They are known as the go-tos for advice on anything including filling in forms, debt, downsizing, adaptations, alarms, telecare, statutory services and funding options. They also know about local services such as cleaning, domiciliary care, dog walking and decluttering before a move.

Over the years, Connexus has invested in its sheltered stock, either disposing of or bringing properties up to date with adapted bathrooms and upgraded facilities. It is also extending schemes with new developments built to Housing our Ageing Population: Panel for Innovation (HAPPI) standards, to improve the viability of the valued on-site service through economies of scale.

The judges said

“Connexus provides an excellent range of services for older people. It has demonstrated passion for service delivery and has innovative funding arrangements in place”

Highly commended

Clwyd Alyn Housing Association

This category was judged by

Ken Lee, chair, CIPFA

Eamon McGoldrick, managing director, National Federation of ALMOs

Jim Strang, president, Chartered Institute of Housing

YOUR HOMES NEWCASTLE

• Your Homes Newcastle has developed a dedicated housing and support offer for refugees in the city
• The service offers support and help to families in settling and adapting to their new communities
• YHN provides a potentially challenging service in one of the country’s most deprived areas

Your Homes Newcastle (YHN) delivers mainstream tenancy and estate management services for Newcastle City Council, but has also developed a housing and support offer specifically for refugees arriving in the city.

Newcastle is committed to being a City of Sanctuary and YHN provides both quality housing for people in resettlement programmes and much-needed support to help vulnerable families settle into their tenancies and adapt to their new communities.

YHN takes a holistic approach to resettlement. It has worked hard to develop relationships with relevant organisations to ensure refugees develop the skills and confidence they need to live independently in the UK. It provides a positive immigration experience for the residents it supports and by developing strong working relationships with partner organisations over the past year, it is now in a strong position to build on this experience and continue to provide support that goes beyond statutory requirements.

This exceeds the Homes Office’s requirements and demonstrates YHN’s approach doesn’t stop when the refugee is officially ‘settled’, but continues to help them flourish.

The judges said

“Not only has Your Homes Newcastle chosen to provide these services, it has chosen to be excellent at providing them. This elevated it above the competition”

Highly commended

Look Ahead

This category was judged by

Léann Hearne, group chief executive, First Ark Group

Yoric Irving-Clarke, policy and practice research officer, Chartered Institute of Housing

Chan Kataria, chief executive, EMH Group

Jeremy Porteus, chief executive, Housing LIN

Neil Revely, chair, ADASS Housing Policy Network

TOWER HAMLETS HOMES

• Tower Hamlets Homes has reached out to its Bangladeshi residents through many channels
• Engagement and satisfaction among the Bangladeshi community has risen
• THH has played a significant role in raising the profile of diversity in the sector

The Bangladeshi community represents 39% of Tower Hamlets Homes’ (THH) residents. But its members are more likely to have significant rent arrears, live in overcrowded conditions and be dissatisfied with housing services.

To reach them, THH launched a monthly Homes and Communities show on the Bengali-language Betar Bangla radio station. The show covers housing-related issues, reaches 6,000 listeners and averages eight callers per show.

THH also relaunched its customer magazine, Open Door, to better reflect the community and revamped its social media output with more video content. Twitter followers increased by an average of 32 per month and engagement increased by one percentage point to 1.6%.

As a result of this targeted approach, Bangladeshi residents’ satisfaction with regards to feeling informed has increased from 84% to 94%.

THH was also behind #HousingDiversityDay, which it managed on behalf of the Housing Diversity Network. This Twitter campaign reached 836,000 people and more than 300 people and organisations took part.

This work has placed diversity at THH’s heart, with real benefits to customers. The provider has also played a significant part in raising diversity’s profile in the housing sector.

The judges said

“Tower Hamlets Homes impressed us by demonstrating action and progress against every equality and diversity strand. We were particularly impressed by its women’s leadership programme. A very worthy winner in a high-calibre category”

Highly commended

Nottingham City Council’s selective licensing team

This category was judged by

Sasha Deepwell, chief executive, Irwell Valley Housing Association

Raj Patel, chief executive, Housing Diversity Network

Claire Posaner, executive director people, Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing

STOKE-ON-TRENT CITY COUNCIL

• Stoke City Council is providing quality housing solutions across tenures and the city
• It is also working with vulnerable groups to improve their lives and opportunities
• The council’s strategy is high-quality and far-reaching across all areas of housing need

Stoke-on-Trent’s housing market is one of the fastest-growing in the UK and the city’s population is predicted to reach 255,800 people by 2020. To address this need and provide a quality home for every stage of life, Stoke-on-Trent City Council is embarking on an ambitious programme of masterplanning and regeneration on a major city centre housing estate, with support from institutional investors and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

The housing team is working with colleagues in children’s services on the innovative ‘House Project’, enabling young people in care to refurbish and occupy previously empty properties. It is also working alongside adult social care colleagues on a bespoke development for people with learning disabilities.

The council is delivering new housing through its wholly owned company Fortior Homes, which is building high-quality, private rented homes across the city, and is enabling high-end, self-build design projects, too.

Stoke is also creating high-quality supported housing for older people at its newly built, multimillion-pound, extra care villages, and is investing in the redevelopment of three of its own brownfield sites, building 242 new apartments for older people.

The council is also supporting Stoke’s homeless population by spearheading a homelessness hub to provide emergency accommodation and support services under one roof.

The judges said

“This entry offered a complete and high-quality solution across tenures, intervening to correct market failure. This authority is both enabling and delivering to meet housing need”

Highly commended

Essex County Council

This category was judged by

Emma Maier, portfolio director, Inside Housing, Social Housing and HousingExpert

Brian Reynolds, head of public sector partnerships, Neat Developments

Eloise Shepherd, head of housing and planning policy, London Councils

TOWER HAMLETS HOMES

• THH works with some of the most disadvantaged communities and has made impressive progress
• The landlord has improved customer satisfaction and made a real dent in anti-social behaviour
• It has supported tenants’ and residents’ associations, showing real commitment to tenant involvement

Tower Hamlets Homes (THH) provides services for some of the most disadvantaged communities in the country. Two-thirds of its 21,000 residents are from a BAME community, more than a fifth are recorded as being vulnerable and almost half of residents registered for rehousing live in overcrowded homes. Half of THH’s residents are leaseholders.

THH’s improvement programme, driven in partnership with residents, saw resident satisfaction rise in all categories, including a highest ever overall satisfaction of 83% – an outstanding achievement in a borough where deprivation levels are among the highest in the country.

New initiatives under way include a holistic anti-social behaviour (ASB) service, in which two police teams are tasked by the landlord’s ASB manager and intensive work is carried out with young people at risk of ASB. This has resulted in a halving of reported ASB in the three most-targeted neighbourhoods, with reductions of nearly a fifth in other neighbourhoods.

THH has also opened a new financial health centre. This has so far seen 475 people, resulting in £155,000 of debt being consolidated, more than £306,000 of benefits applied for and 24 people supported into work.

The judges said

“In an area of significant deprivation, Tower Hamlets Homes recognised it needed to do something different. This landlord has demonstrated it is courageous, community-led and focused on delivering outcomes that make a real difference”

This category was judged by

Terrie Alafat, chief executive, Chartered Institute of Housing

Martin Hilditch, editor, Inside Housing

Sally Thomas, chief executive, Scottish Federation of Housing Associations

In 2019, Inside Housing and the Chartered Institute of Housing worked with more than 60 of the most prominent housing experts to judge 329 entries across 19 categories.

Judges were drawn from a wide range of organisations and institutions, including the House of Lords, the Regulator of Social Housing, the voluntary sector, and representative organisations such as the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations.

Each category was assessed by a panel of relevant experts, who drew up a shortlist.

Finalists from each category were required to present their entries to judges in a tough face-to-face interview. This process gave our judges a unique opportunity to put every organisation through its paces and to find the best performers.

When the UK Housing Awards were launched more than two decades ago, they were the first in the sector to recognise and celebrate excellence. Today they remain the largest and most prestigious awards across the housing world.

Our rigorous judging process ensures the winners really are the best of the best.

Ali Akbor, chief executive, Unity Homes & Enterprise

Terrie Alafat, chief executive, Chartered Institute of Housing

Gina Amoh, chief executive, Inquilab Housing Association

Nick Atkin, chief executive, Yorkshire Housing

Greg Beales, director of communications, policy and campaigns, Shelter

Lord Richard Best, chair, All-Party Parliamentary Group on Housing and Care for Older People

Anna Bishop, director of customer services, Riverside

David Bogle, chief executive, Hightown Housing Association

Karen Cannon, senior asset manager, North West Leicester District Council

Luke Cross, editor, Social Housing

Ruth Davison, chief executive, Islington and Shoreditch Housing Association

Sasha Deepwell, chief executive, Irwell Valley Housing Association

Margaret Dodwell, chief executive, Lewisham Homes

Julie Doyle, chief executive, Longhurst Group

Aileen Evans, chief executive, Grand Union Housing Group

Mark Everard, executive director of property, Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing

Bill Fullen, group chief executive, Believe Housing

Andrew Grant, chief executive, Aylesbury Vale District Council

Jill Haley, chief executive, Byker Community Trust

Glenn Harris, chief executive, Midland Heart

Liz Haworth, chief operations and transformation officer, Torus

Steve Hayes, head of communications, WM Housing

Léann Hearne, group chief executive, First Ark Group

Martin Hilditch, editor, Inside Housing

Alison Inman, board member, Colne Housing and Saffron Housing

Yoric Irving-Clarke, policy and practice research officer, Chartered Institute of Housing

Chan Kataria, chief executive, EMH Group

Ken Lee, chair, CIPFA

Tracey Lees, chief executive, Wandle Housing Association

David Lingeman, director of property services, A2Dominion

Emma Maier, portfolio director, Inside Housing, Social Housing and HousingExpert

Christina McGill, head of communications, Habinteg

Eamon McGoldrick, managing director, National Federation of ALMOs

Fiona MacGregor, chief executive, Regulator of Social Housing

David McQuade, chief executive, Flagship Group

Richard Meier, former partner, Argent (Property Development) Services

Guy Millichamp, director of finance, Yorkshire Housing

Bruce Moore, chief executive, Housing & Care 21

David Mortimer, interim head of policy and communications, ERSA

Geeta Nanda, chief executive, Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing

Jenny Osbourne, chief executive, Tpas

Raj Patel, chief executive, Housing Diversity Network

Mark Perry, chief executive, Vivid Homes

Richard Petty, lead director – residential advisory, JLL

Jane Porter, chief operating officer, Optivo

Jeremy Porteus, chief executive, Housing LIN

Claire Posaner, executive director people, Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing

Neil Revely, chair, ADASS Housing Policy Network

Brian Reynolds, head of public sector partnerships, Neat Developments

Eloise Shepherd, head of housing and planning policy, London Councils

Sue Shirt, executive director – customer experience, Stonewater

Keith Simpson, co-founder, National Housing Academy

Sarah Smith, chief financial officer, Optivo

Jim Strang, president, Chartered Institute of Housing

Sally Thomas, chief executive, Scottish Federation of Housing Associations

Clive Turner, deputy director – asset management, Notting Hill Genesis

Josie Twinning-Stroud, director of strategic marketing and communications, Chartered Institute of Housing

Deborah Upton, chief executive, East Kent Housing

Andrew van Doorn, chief executive, HACT

Nick Walkley, chief executive, Homes England

Mark Washer, chief executive, Sovereign

Mark Woodrow, director, BTR Partners