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Inspections
St Georges Awarded 2 Stars by Audit Commission - September 2009.
St Georges Community Housing are celebrating after achieving 2 stars from their recent inspection by the Audit Commission inspection in June this year.
St Georges were awarded the 2 stars ‘good’ rating which is a big improvement on their last inspection in January 2008, where they achieved a 1 star ‘fair’ rating. The award allows St Georges access to a potential £142 million Decent Homes government funding, for a programme of improvements which represents the culmination of all of their efforts, over the past eighteen months.
The housing organisation have particularly concentrated on improving access to all services for residents, from all areas of the business since the last inspection, in line with the key recommendations made by the Audit Commission  last year. Mark Elsworth, the Audit Commission’s Lead Housing Inspector for the East, said: ‘St Georges Community Housing responded positively to our previous inspection report and overall it is now delivering services to a good standard. In particular, residents are experiencing better customer care and the repairs service is effective.
Key strengths from the most recent inspection were,
- Information for customers is of a high standard including an effective website
- Repairs are being carried out quickly and satisfaction with the service is high
- There is effective work on preventing and dealing with anti-social behaviour
- Aids and adaptations works are well-resourced and completed quickly
- Empty homes are being repaired quickly and to a standard agreed with residents
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Chairman of St Georges John Robb OBE and members of the Tenants and Leaseholders panel celebrate the Two Star rating from the Audit Commision. |
The assessment did identify some weaknesses around strategic planning which St Georges Community Housing are already addressing. The Audit Commission therefore consider at the time, St Georges have uncertain prospects for improvement.
Interim Chief Executive for St Georges Community Housing, Steve Shynn said “This result is a highly significant milestone for St Georges Community Housing and Board Members, staff and residents alike have all worked hard to achieve key goals. We are now in a position to develop our inspection plans, with a focus on maintaining these high standards of service, but improving on them to focus on becoming a 3 star organisation in the future.”
St Georges Community Housing has applied to the government for £142m of funds to ensure that we achieve the 'Decent Homes Standard' over the next five years.
We have a 2008/9 annual service improvement plan which will be part of our Delivery Plan which includes the recommendations for improvement made by the Audit Commission.
Downloadable: SGCH Ltd - Annual Service Improvement Plan 2009/10 
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