The following is taken from Lewisham Homes' website. You can download the Audit Commission's Draft Report on Lewisham's Housing 2007 on our Appendix page here.
Introduction
Lewisham Homes was set up as an Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) on 22 January 2007. It is responsible for managing Council housing services on behalf of Lewisham Council. The Council is still the landlord.
Lewisham Homes is being inspected by the Audit Commission in June 2010 and we are aiming to achieve a two star rating or good service rating.
Who are the Audit Commission?
The Audit Commission is an independent organisation set up to drive efficiency and effectiveness in local public services. They work across local government, health, housing, community safety and fire and rescue service. For more information visit the Audit Commission website.
When will the inspection take place?
The on-site inspection will take place over two weeks beginning on Monday, 21 June through to Friday 2 July.
What does the inspection involve?
Inspectors from the Audit Commission will meet with Lewisham Homes staff, our Residents, the Council and our contractors to assess the quality of housing services being provided. They will also assess whether there is potential for services to continue to improve for residents.
How does the Audit Commission score the service?
The Audit Commission makes 2 judgements:
1. ‘How good is the service?’ (also known as Judgement One)
2. ‘What are the prospects for improvement?’ (also known as Judgement Two).
The first judgement is scored by a three star rating system. Stars are awarded depending on how well the housing service perform.
0 star rating = poor service
1 star rating = fair service
2 star rating = good service
3 star rating = excellent service
The second judgement is an indication of how well we are set up to provide continuous improvement:
* Poor
* Uncertain
* Promising
* Excellent
What is the Audit Commission's current star rating of Lewisham Homes?
This will be Lewisham Homes first inspection since it was set up in 2007. In November 2008 we invited the Audit Commission to carry out a voluntary mock inspection in preparations for the real inspection in June 2010. This inspection was not rated. The Mock Inspection report is available to download from our website. (It is pretty damning - Crosswhatfields)
What will the inspection mean for Lewisham Homes residents?
We are aiming for a two star rating which will enable us to access funding which will be used to bring all homes up to the Decent Homes Standard (DHS). A guide to the Decent Homes Standard is available from the Communities and Local Government website.
The Government has advised all Arms Length Management Organisations making applications in Round 6, including Lewisham Homes, which had not yet got a two star rating by the Audit Commission, that they would not be able to access Decent Homes funding until 2011/12. This announcement means a delay in the commencement of work in Lewisham by about six months. To access this funding we must get two stars in our inspection in June 2010.
When will Lewisham Homes know the result of the inspection?
Following the inspection, the Audit Commission will write a report that highlights the strengths of the services we provide and will make recommendations of the areas we need to make further improvements. The report is expected to be available by the end of August 2010 and will be published on our website and in our resident magazine.
Your views on the services provided by Lewisham Homes are welcome on the Crosswhatfields website.
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