North Wales Housing Association is an organisation dedicated to providing homes for people who cannot afford to buy or rent on the open market and are genuinely in housing need as assessed by a points system.

The Association is registered with the Welsh Assembly Government which is a public body that funds and supervises the work of Welsh Housing Associations. A Board made up of local professional people committed to the provision of housing decides on the policies implemented by the Association and employs a team of professional officers to provide a quality housing service.

Aims

• Helping to shape local housing strategies and social policy
• Ensuring adequate levels of investment in our existing homes and for new housing
• Providing a voice for the people we serve

• Seeking the views of customers on all aspects of our service
• Using our knowledge to continually improve and develop services

• Treating people as individuals – as we would wish to be treated ourselves
• Providing information on our activities and plans to those with a right to expect it
• Striving for equality of opportunity as an employer and a landlord

• Acknowledging our long-term responsibility to the people and communities we house
• Developing solutions through partnership to improve health, prosperity, security and quality of life

• Working with others to achieve common goals
• Enabling staff to make the best contribution they can, both as individuals and through working together
• Using financial and material strengths effectively to maximise available resources

• We want people to choose us for the quality of our homes
• We want people to stay with us for the quality of our service
  

The foundations of the Association were laid in 1974 by local professional people who brought their skills to the Voluntary Housing Movement. It was then known as Llandudno and North Wales Housing Trust and the predominant housing need then was for accommodation for elderly people. More than 100 new homes were developed in different coastal communities to meet this need.

Transfers from another association in Llandudno gave the Association a broader base and allowed it to develop improvement schemes in the early 1980’s in other villages for different family needs. A sister company (L. & N. W. Housing Society Ltd.) was also formed to develop ‘shared ownership’ and ‘leasehold elderly’ schemes.

In 1987 the ‘Trust’ was changed to its present name and its policies began to be related to different housing needs such as accommodation for families, single people, special needs and homelessness in different communities along the North Wales coast. We now have a housing stock of over 2100 homes.

We own and manage over 2,100 homes in north west Wales, providing a place to live for families, older people, single households and people who need support to live independently.

But we’re not just a “landlord”. Our role carries a wider responsibility to ensure that the homes we provide make a positive contribution to the quality of life in the communities where we work.

That means working to a set of values that we believe in…

The housing market is such that rising prices have put even more pressure on rented housing and on those people who cannot afford to buy, so our role has become even more important. We are also aiming to make sure that all our housing meets the Welsh Housing Quality Standard by the Assembly’s target of 2012.

Customer involvement is at the heart of our agenda. If we are to understand our customers’ needs and expectations then we have to be prepared to listen and to be open to what people tell us. If you’ve got an idea or suggestion for improving what we do, why not tell us? We’re committed to listening and learning and to continually improving and developing our services.

Last year was out 30th anniversary and, over that time, we’d like to think we’ve made a difference. But as evidence that we’re still moving forward, we have launched Clwb Seren, a rewards and incentives package for tenants. It’s a way of showing our appreciation to our best customers.

We want people to choose us for the quality of our homes. We want people to stay with us for the quality of our service.

• Working effectively for people in need
• Listening and responding to customers
• Operating with openness, fairness, integrity and respect
• Bringing benefits to individuals, the community and the environment
• Working in partnership

Our plan for the next three years is based on five critical success factors:

Developing and maintaining homes in an efficient, cost effective and sustainable way
• Work collaboratively through the Undod partnership
• Contribute to relevant local authority strategies and plans
• Develop schemes and services to make home ownership more accessible
• Ensure effective contract management
• Ensure compliance with Welsh Housing Quality Standard by the end of 2012
• Deliver responsive and planned maintenance to agreed standards
• Contribute to the economic, social and environmental sustainability of the communities where we work

Delivering customer focused services that meet people’s needs and expectations
• Ensure a range of opportunities for customer consultation and involvement in assessing satisfaction with services, evaluating our performance and forward planning
• Provide information on our homes, services and plans through a range of media
• Ensure that our services and information are provided according to customers’ language or other specific needs
• Adopt “good practice” and look for continuous improvement in services
• Aim to achieve a top quartile rating for all areas of performance
• Promote the Clwb Seren rewards and incentives scheme for tenants

Meeting the specific needs of people who require support to live independently
• Agree and implement the action plans resulting from the strategic review of supported housing and the Welsh Assembly Government performance review
• Work closely with local authorities to identify and delivery ways of preventing and responding to homelessness
• Develop a strategy on providing homes and services to older people
• Work closely with local authorities to provide a range of housing and services to people who have support needs

Securing a viable and successful future through sound business and financial management
• Develop our capacity and skills to improve performance through a Best Value framework
• Ensure that financial decisions are sound and reflect NWHA’s long term commitment to existing and future customers
• Ensure that the charges we make are reasonable and that rents are within benchmark levels
• Maximise our income through improving efficiency in collecting rents and other charges
• Ensure that efficiency is considered across all areas of NWHA’s work with a view to redirecting savings to service improvement
• Develop and implement ICT systems to improve service delivery in line with Government objectives
• Comply with NWHA’s strategy and policies for assessing and managing risk
• Promote and manage a positive image for NWHA

Developing and investing in our people to help them do the best job that they can
• Recruit and retain high quality staff who demonstrate professionalism, enthusiasm and a customer focused attitude
• Deliver high standards of leadership, management, training and development
• Recruit and support Board members who can help NWHA to meet its objectives and add value to its governance
• Promote equality and diversity in every aspect of our work
• Ensure the implementation of the NWHA Health and Safety Strategy and Policy

We believe that our work has made a real difference throughout communities in north-west Wales and we are committed to ensuring that this continues.

5 Minute Corporate Plan
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Corporate Plan 2008 - 2011
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Associations Annual Best Value Performance Plan
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