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Top Marks for Berneslai Homes
Berneslai Homes are celebrating after being awarded three stars – excellent with excellent prospects for improvement by the Audit Commission following their recent inspection. This score is the highest rating given and makes Berneslai Homes the first Yorkshire ALMO to receive the top mark.
Over two weeks in February the inspectors carried out a thorough inspection of all services provided by Berneslai Homes. This involved many interviews with customers, staff, the Council and partners. They also shadowed staff carrying out their normal daily duties, inspected repairs, improvements and empty properties, visited estates and buildings, observed meetings and visited individual customers.
In awarding top marks for Berneslai Homes they found that the company has a strong commitment to customer care, the Decent Homes programme involved customers, the choice based lettings scheme is easy to understand and use, housing management supports people to manage their tenancies, and Berneslai Homes delivers value for money with low costs, high quality and high customer satisfaction.
The inspectors also identified areas for further improvement and the Board, senior managers and staff will be working with customers to consider these recommendations which include improving access to services, and improve services provided to vulnerable people and leaseholders.
Berneslai Homes Chief Executive Helen Jaggar says, “I am absolutely delighted that we have received three stars - excellent. We thrive on learning and responding to our customers and going the extra mile for them and we believe that we deliver excellent customer focused services. It’s great that we have been recognised for doing this by the Audit Commission.”
Barnsley Federation of Tenants and Residents Association Chair Barry McGowan adds, "The Federation are thrilled that the service to tenants has massively improved over the years and working in partnership with Berneslai Homes I am pleased that we have played our part in helping to achieve this."
Councillor Bill Newman, Cabinet spokesperson for Development for Barnsley Council , says “The council and Berneslai Homes have always worked together in order to achieve the best possible outcomes for our council tenants and residents. This excellent result is a positive endorsement of the decision made by the council in 2007 to extend the contract with Berneslai Homes."
“They have achieved the highest possible rating awarded by the Housing Inspectorate and I would like to add my congratulations to everyone involved: staff, tenants and residents, and all the partner services and agencies that have played a part in helping to achieve this outcome for Barnsley.”
Berneslai Homes Chair Suzy Brain England concludes, “I am extremely proud of this achievement and I would like to thank the staff, board and our partners for their hard work in making this happen.”
You can download the Berneslai Homes Inspection Report 2009 or contact our Customer Service Team on Tel: 01226 772720 and we will send you a copy in the post.
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Editors notes:
Berneslai Homes ALMO was set up by Barnsley Council in 2002 to manage its housing estates and bring the homes up to the government decent homes standards by 2010. The organisation is run by a board comprising of a Chair; three councillors, three independents and three tenant members. Berneslai Homes manages approximately 20,000 properties and employs 600 employees. Berneslai Homes were last inspected by the Audit Commission in 2005 and were awarded two stars with promising prospects.
Audit Inspection – The Audit Commission is an independent watchdog that delivers better outcomes for everyone and value for money for tax payers by driving economy, efficiency and effectiveness in local public services. The inspection recognised good performance and promotes excellence as well as identifying weaknesses and improving poor performance.