In
Joiners and Leavers
Birthday’s/Good News
Operational Updates
Meet the Team
Perkbox Recognition
Dates for the diary
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If you have something that you would like to be included in the next edition, please send an email to reece.kyte@aster.co.uk
Dani Stenhouse has since returned from a 9 months secondment from the Sales Team as a Sales Progressor to the Business Support Team. Dani had a great experience on her secondment, and we welcome her back with open arms to help support the PFI team and the rest of the business.
BST are excited to welcome Julie Griffin on the 1st March 2023 who will be replacing Flo’s permanent position within the team. Julie will be responsible for the support of the Group Health and Safety Panel as well as helping to manage our Service Now area, Signing and Sealing duties and SARS.
Wishing you all a Happy birthday from GAD
March
On the 1st Feb, the Governance Team held its first “in person” team meeting since before the pandemic. We discussed how we can support the outcome of the governance review and, as a team building exercise defused a few bombs (and blew Liam up three times). We also learned we had an Author, an Indian Head Masseuse and a Landscape Photographer in our midst. Andy was so inspired he shared his Pied Piper musical with the team - not everyone laughed either, result…
Adrian and Martin have been delivering working at height training to our trades operatives, ensuring competence and demonstrating the TETRA systems being introduced. So far since Oct 2022, 170 trades have completed the ‘General awareness of WAH training’ and 55 have so far completed the follow on course ‘Leaning ladder and pitch roof training’ which started in Jan 2023. Great job by Adrian, Martin & Rachel, this has been a real team effort.
Rachel Clark has been doing a lot of face fitting recently. About 30 or more operatives. I always think it’s a positive thing to have the opportunity to meet trades, discuss respiratory health and show them how to use their mask and how to put it on. A number had the wrong size masks, the wrong type of mask and filters that were out of date. This raises an issue that this needs to be monitored better by managers, but I feel that it is a positive that those operatives left with kit that will keep them safer on their next job.
February is Data Protection Month, and halfway through the month there have been nearly 500 views of the various articles shared with colleagues on AsterNet. We worked with colleagues in IT Infrastructure and Tech adoption to bring forward a range of DP related topics and perspectives during the month.
Aster continues to offer IOSH Managing Safely to all Leaders at all levels FOR FREE, we are also now Licenced to deliver IOSH Managing Safely Refresher Course that should be taken after 3 years of completing the IOSH MS to keep you relevant & up to date with Health & Safety Legislation changes.
Congratulations to Ronny Moreno on the birth of her Daughter Teresa.
If you would like to share a good news story, then please email reece.kyte@aster.co.uk
It’s been a busy month for information requests, with 6 Subject Access Requests (SARs) live at one stage. Several other requests have been received and considered but have been referred into other teams, as the information requested wasn’t aligned with the scope of a SAR. Linked to this, the team have been working on a review of the ‘ad-hoc’ request for information procedure, working with a wide range of colleagues and teams to design processes that support working towards a resolution for the customer.
We’d had a number of enquiries relating to colleagues being videoed or recorded during their work and are considering this in the ongoing review of our surveillance procedure and guidance. The development of Sharepoint continues, building an electronic document repository that can support all colleagues to access the information they need to deliver effective services, with strong information governance principles with privacy and data protection by design.
With maternity leave in the team, we’ve had a shift of some of the partnering arrangements for risk, compliance and assurance. The team are having handovers, making introductions and getting to know the new services and functions they’re now supporting and enabling.
In addition to the normal activities and focus, it’s a peak period for governing body meetings and reporting, drafting copy for end of financial year reporting and cyclical events, such as contributing to the mountain of form filling for the group insurance policy renewal, which this year, is a full tender.
Integration remains the message running through the stick of rock across almost anything that is touched, with the need to explore and understand the current status of practical alignment of processes and controls and drive these where it is lacking.
•Continuing to support with Enham integration.
•Pulling together research to assist with Enham’s future strategy.
•Working across the business to finalise the Corporate Performance Framework for the next financial year.
•Pulling together a new property compliance dashboard.
•A briefing on the Consumer Regulation Implementation Plan.
•A paper for the Customer Experience Panel on the Better Social Housing Review to help share best practice.
•Creating a paper for the Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group to share updates and best practice.
•Working with the Development team to draft a consultation response to the National Planning Policy Framework Consultation.
•Monthly market intel briefing and continuing to keep an eye on news and relevant market intelligence.
The Governance Team was pleased to present the findings of Deloitte’s review of the Group’s Governance arrangements. While the outcomes are positive, there is always room for improvement. The outcomes will now be developed into an action plan for delivery by October 2023. It’s going to be a busy 2023!
The Business Support Team provides effective, flexible support to colleagues around the business with the aim to release capacity back to key delivering areas. The Facilitators co-ordinate and support collaborative working with colleagues, customers, and stakeholders.
Being a facilitator was my first full time role after university however I didn’t even know what Outlook was when I first started! Fast forward 5 years and I have been lucky enough to stay in the team and become the Business Support Team Lead. I help to organise tasks of the team, capacity, recruitment, advertisement, supplier and stakeholder management, wellbeing, expanding the services delivered in line with the business’s needs, performance management, development of the team and of course helping with the day to day roles and responsibilities. You can come to me for requests for support, big or small – I am always more than happy to help
I joined Aster in December 2018. In my role I support the team in day-today tasks such as the Operational Panels, identify individual and team development requirements, facilitate training within the team, provide feedback and coaching conversations, as well as support in training new starters up as seamlessly as possible.
Come to me for anything to do with Concur, Operational Panels, if you need a proof reader!
I first joined Aster in September 2017 starting in the contact Centre before moving to BST in January 2019. I support a number of meetings with minute support on a regular basis, manage the Purchase Orders for the IT Team, pick up and complete Service now requests of all variety daily, Complete the signing and sealing process and POA. I also support the Governance and Risk Director with general admin and tasks.
Come to me for anything to do with Concur and Signing and Sealing
I first joined Aster in November 2018 in the Contact Centre. I then joined BST in June 2021 on a secondment, becoming permanent in December 2022.
I support the CXP as well as STP meetings. I do a lot of work on Concur for PO raising & as credit card management. I also book a lot of train tickets and hotels, along with catering requests. Signing and sealing is a weekly role and I am regularly in Sarsen Court.
Contact Hollie for anything to do with Customer Experience Panel
I joined Aster in 2019 and joined BST in 2020. I have just taken 10 months on a secondment in the Sales and Marketing team, now back with BST to get stuck in again.
I minute for several meetings such as the Customer overview group, the Sub-contractor Operational Project Board and Sub-Contractor Update meeting. I also pick up invoices, book hotels and trains, arrange food for meetings and prepare and complete signing and sealing.
I joined Aster in 2017 working in the call centre. I left in 2019 and pursued a different job before returning to Aster in June 2021 in BST. My main job role is supporting the Group Investment & Assets Panel, I also support the monthly New Development Aftercare meeting as well as the quarterly Monarch meeting. My daily job role consists of transport and hotel bookings, invoice and credit card management, catering and venue bookings and singing and sealing.
Come to me for any Group Investment & Assets Panel queries.
Julie Griffin will be starting on the 1st March 2023 who will be replacing Flo’s permanent position within the team.
Julie will be responsible for the support of the Group Health and Safety Panel as well as helping to manage our Service Now area, Signing and Sealing duties and SARS.
Danielle Stenhouse Business Support Facilitator
Hollie Maslen Business Support Facilitator
Gabrielle Kinder Business Support Facilitator
Julie Griffin Business Support Facilitator
Georgia Crowe Business Support Facilitator
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT FOR THE NEXT NEWSLETTER THEN PLEASE GET IN TOUCH OR USE THE RECOGNITION TOOL ON PERKBOX
Thank you both for your support and assistance in dealing with a very complex and sensitive matter.
Gladys has demonstrated her amazing commitment to developing and growing, securing a place on the Aster sponsored programme to develop Board Members of the future for the social housing sector. Well done ��
Since starting with Aster in Jan 2022, Reece has been a constant pillar of support to me, always making himself available to help if needed and never judging. I just wanted to say Thank you to Reece and recognise his support publicly, You made starting a new job so much easier.
fantastic support with designing a spec and dealing with contracts issues. thank you
Gladys Kenyanjui recognised by Nicola Miller Alex Young & Claire Allsop recognised by Rhona Lydon Reece Kyte recognised by Richard Green John Kearns recognised by Julie CridlandIf you have anything you would like to share on one of the collaborative calls, then please email the relevant Chair
