East Boro Housing Trust Annual Report 2022

2022

Annual Report

PA R T O F

Report from the Chairman & Chief Executive Welcome to the East Boro Housing Trust 2022 Annual Report. April 2021 to March 2022 has again been anything but a normal year as we have lived through the second year of the Covid Pandemic. It is our second year since joining the Aster Group and a year that has seen East Boro move towards “normalising” with new ways of working and adapting to this due to the impact of both the pandemic and due to the way East Boro works with and as part of the Aster Group.

East Boro Housing Trust Annual Report 2022

The contents of this Annual Report will provide you with the many facts and figures relating to the Organisation’s performance for 21/22. However, there are a number of key points to emphasize, and these include:

•

During the year we made 50 lettings to new tenants. We have developed new homes during the year but also sold one property in Weymouth totalling 8 units and returned 2 x leased properties to Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole (BCP) Council which totalled 7 units of accommodation. So, for the first time in many years, we have had a net reduction in unit numbers over the twelve month period

•

Development during the year has seen units added in Ferndown, Weymouth and BCP. Considerable preparation work has been undertaken in the 21/22 year to build a development pipeline for the following two financial years.

This work is enabling East Boro to aim to add in excess of 100 units of accommodation to its stock over this two-year period. So, whilst we have had a modest delivery programme in 21/22, a lot of the preparation work undertaken in this year will come to fruition over the next two financial years. So strong foundations built for our pipeline and exciting development times ahead. We thank our Local Authority and Development Partners

•

Services to our existing tenants have been delivered in the most effective way possible whilst ensuring compliance with ever changing and adjusting requirements and advice. We have always complied with all Covid protocols, always keeping our customers and our staff colleagues safe by always applying appropriate procedures and Personal Protective Equipment. Our front-line delivery colleagues have been heroic again this year in delivering care, support, and re-assurance services alongside housing services across all of our housing schemes

•

A new member has joined our Board and as we welcome them, we have refreshed and set a new 5-year medium term strategy. The key aims include:

•

Complete the integration works with the Aster Group in the areas identified by the start of Quarter 2, 22/23 and move to a “business as usual” position

•

To try to attract one further small housing association to the Group (either directly or through East Boro) and approach small local Registered Providers to start this process in 22/23

•

To deliver East Boro’s development programme of 50 units per year from 22/23 and aim to increase its geographical area of operation to bring in West Hampshire, South Wiltshire, South Somerset and East Devon

•

To focus on our core services and strengths, enhancing our customer experience and improving our customer satisfaction levels

•

To continue to modernise our existing Care & Support Services across our Sheltered and Learning Disability Services, improving the services and support offered to our existing Customers

Beneath these key strategic aims are further targets which enable each to be delivered. The Board will review and refresh these aims annually whilst being mindful of the economic and operating climate and our regulatory and legal responsibilities.

Our Mission statement is “Everyone has a home and the housing related support they need for their lifetime”.

It is what we believe in passionately and we are extremely grateful to our Board and Staff Colleagues for the tremendous effort and commitment they have shown in what has been another abnormal and challenging year. We thank all of them and all our customers for their commitment and contribution over the past 12 months.

Eileen Hayward, Chairman

1

Kevin Hodder, Chief Executive

East Boro Highlights as at 31st March 2022 Approximately

42,400

hours

of combined daytime support, housing related support and individually funded care and support delivered by East Boro Staff

476

General Needs Housing

17 units

(*BCP:1, **Dorset 16)

Supported Housing

Total number of homes provided to our general needs and supported housing customers

225 units

(*BCP:91, **Dorset 134) Housing for Older People

234 units

168 estate

662 Customers used the

Handyvan service

over the last financial year ( 10 months due to Covid restrictions )

21

Social Leasehold Housing

2

Non Social Leasehold Housing

23

East Boro Housing Trust Annual Report 2022

management inspections carried out

(*BCP:44, **Dorset: 190)

Total

Leasehold Properties

*Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole Council **Dorset Council covering Weymouth & Portland, West Dorset, North Dorset, Purbeck, and East Dorset

24

Sheltered Housing East Boro continues to self-fund our Sheltered Housing support service and between April 2021 to March 2022, our Sheltered Housing Officers (SHO) carried out over 17,500 visits to tenants living in Sheltered accommodation: 9,000 to tenants living in East Dorset, Poole and Purbeck and 8,500 visits to customers living in North Dorset. To compliment these visits the SHOs made over 2,550 welfare phone calls. The service provides 336 weekly visits to all of our sheltered schemes, with 49 weekly phone calls to all sheltered schemes The Sheltered Housing Wellness Manager undertakes up to 8 face to face visits a week, providing support to residents in need of advice and assistance with correspondence. From April 2021 to March 2022, they successfully supported 13 tenants to apply for Attendance Allowance; 5 for Housing Benefit, 3 for Pension Credit and helped one person to complete their Universal Credit benefit claim.

Our Sheltered End of Lockdown celebrations were held in late July and early August and included Retro Rita being invited to housing schemes to entertain everyone with songs from the 50s and 60s. The redesigned Sheltered Housing Officer (SHO) service at Butts Mead, Spillers House and St Edwards Court in Shaftesbury went live in December 2021.

East Boro Housing Trust Annual Report 2022

As part of the Aster Group, East Boro want to ensure that our homes can adapt so that people can enjoy each stage of their life. East Boro’s Director of Care & Independent Living Service and the Support & Wellness Manager are working with representatives from Central & Cecil and Aster on a new over 55’s, Living Life Strategy to look at innovative solutions and how we can adapt and provide our support services to assist people to live as independently as possible. Part of the strategy wants to find out about how tenants feel about four key areas of future development: technology, services, home design and community. The first stage of this plan, saw the distribution of a survey to all of East Boro’s Sheltered tenants. In all of the four questions, tenants were asked to rank their answers in order of priority.

3

Key findings from the Survey Tenants want technology that will help them keep in contact with their friends and family and that will also keep them safe in their homes.

They would also like technology to help them get out and about in the community.

Transport was a long way ahead and Healthcare and Health & Care were second and third.

Feeling safe was the top priority when it came to the thing that makes a difference as they get older, with access to garden, nature and outdoor space second and being close to shops and things to do very close behind in third position.

Having a community that is close enough to walk to received the most points in the final question, with direct access to public transport second and having a community in the place where I live third.

65% of the tenants who responded to the survey feel that their lives are very good or good and 34% felt that their lives are OK Looking forward The Public Switch Telephone Network (PSTN) that currently powers landline telephones will switch to voice over internet protocol (VoIP) in 2025.

This means that integration and investment in technology is key to East Boro, ensuring that our services can adapt to these changes. As part of the 5G Rural Dorset project, we will be working with Dorset Council and the Internet of Things (IOT) Solutions Group on a 12 month pilot scheme monitoring 30 x Doris IOT units in homes within our sheltered housing schemes where the internet reception is either poor or non-existent. The IOT units do not require mains power, an internet connection, or WiFi, making them easy to install. The units emit a low frequency pulse which enables the unit to monitor:

•

Data on the user’s health & wellness

•

Data on a user’s activity levels - Identifies and learns typical daily patterns of behaviour

•

Data on the health of a home including temperature – with alerts if high levels of humidity are detected and therefore the property is at risk of damp/mould

Generally I am very happy were I am living - when I go away I feel the flat is secure The laundry room is superb and the car parking is fine Phyllis Feistner House resident

Handyvan Service The Handyvan service provides low level household repair jobs to people over the age of 60 who receive benefits and live in their own homes or rented accommodation in the BH1 to BH11 postcode areas of Bournemouth. Following Lockdown, the service commenced operating again in May 2021 and has carried out 717 safety repairs jobs to 662 customers

Handyvan customer profile 268 customers were aged between 80 – 89 196 customers were aged between 70 – 79 92 customers were aged between 60 – 69 52

East Boro Housing Trust Annual Report 2022

53 customers were aged between 90 – 99 declined to give their age but qualified for the service as they were over 60

1 exemption to the age criteria was made during this financial year

435 customers were Homeowners 115 lived in Local Authority accommodation 99

were Housing Association tenants

11 rented their accommodation privately 2

did not state their accommodation type

Looking forward We are working in partnership with Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council to develop this service across all three areas of BCP in the future.

4

Care & Independent Living During the 2021/2022 financial year, our Supported Living service in Weymouth provided over 26,000 daytime support hours and in Poole our Floating Support staff delivered 11,000 hours of Housing Related support and over 4,900 hours of individually funded care and support. The care and support teams also provided sleep-in and overnight emergency on call services for our Supported Living clients.

Throughout the pandemic all our staff continued to comply with Infection Control guidelines and Government guidelines and advice including undertaking the required PCR and Lateral Flow tests when delivering care and support services.

If any member of East Boro frontline staff receive a positive result they are required to stay at home and refrain from attending any of our supported living schemes until they receive two negative results.

To keep our vulnerable clients safe, our staff ensured that individuals had their medication ordered and delivered and carried out shopping and other housing related tasks that could have put some people at risk if they had had to complete these tasks themselves. The staff also helped people cope with the isolation and anxiety that Lockdown and the ending of Lockdown brought. Going out and mixing with people was very frightening for a lot of our clients, who needed extra support and reassurance to understand and deal with the continued changes coming out of Government in the weeks following the lifting of the restrictions, especially as Supported Living clients and staff had different guidance to follow to the general public and what was published by the media.

In April 2021, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Local Authority carried out Covid-19 quality Assurance checks and East Boro received Green in all of the following areas: Infection control, Health & Safety, Staffing, Wellbeing, Covid and Safeguarding/Quality Complaints

Care & Support Satisfaction Survey distributed May 2021 67%

of clients living in the Poole and Weymouth Supported Living Services responded to the annual

East Boro Housing Trust Annual Report 2022

Support Service Customer Satisfaction Survey:

•

100%

•

100% of clients felt that staff had helped clients understand how to stay safe during lockdown

•

91%

of clients think that their support staff care about them

•

91%

said that staff wear masks when they support them in their homes

•

89% felt that East Boro support workers dealt with their needs quickly

•

89% are happy with their current support plans

•

87%

think that their support staff listen to them

•

87%

of client feel that the support team provides them with enough information

•

85% of clients would know how to make a complaint

•

85%

•

85% replied that staff helped them to understand why it is important for people to wear masks

•

84%

of clients reported that staff wear PPE when they are working close to them

•

82%

responded that staff remind them to wear a mask when they go out

•

76% know how to get their support plan changed

•

75%

•

71% said support staff had spent enough time with them talking about the concerns they

of the responses replied that support staff treated them in a polite and respectful way

said staff remind them to keep their distance from other people when they go out and other personal protective clothing

of clients report that staff wear masks when they are outside had about Covid-19

Overall:

•

5

87%

felt East Boro support services had improved or stayed the same over the last year

East Boro Housing Trust Annual Report 2022

“

Where I live in supported living is my home and my second family - I’m very happy

”

Resident of Longfleet Lodge, Poole

6

Letting our Homes We aim to make the best use of all our properties and will let our homes as quickly as possible to avoid loss of rent, vandalism, or squatting and to promote settled communities. The legacy of the Covid-19 pandemic coupled with the difficulties faced by care providers in the recruitment of support/care staff had a major impact on the number of days it took to re-let our homes. We were unable to re-let homes as quickly as we would have wanted.

Average re-let time (days) Housing Type Housing for Older People Supported Housing General Needs Housing

2021/22

2020/21

2019/20

49

65*

42

109**

79*

84

49

84*

40

* Impacted by Covid-19 ** impacted by legacy of Covid-19

Highlights of 2021/22 •

50 properties were let. 13 new homes were first let, and 37 existing homes were re-let.

•

90% customer satisfaction with Lettings Service

•

Rent lost due to empty properties was against a target of 3%

•

Embedded our new Lettings

•

Embedded our new

2.09%

Service Standard

Relet Standard

Looking forward •

We aim to reduce the average re-let times (days) by 10%

Supporting our Customers We aim to build trusting relationships with customers, treating them with respect, so we can engage in more positive and meaningful ways. This will help us shape efficient services, tailored to meet customers’ needs, as we continue on our journey to become truly customer-driven. This ambition will be supported by investment in digital services, increasing engagement and giving customers more control.

East Boro Housing Trust Annual Report 2022

Highlights of 2021/22 •

Embedded our new Customer

•

100% of customers found it easy to report a repair

•

92%

of customers are satisfied with the overall service provided by East Boro (2020/21: 88%)

•

90% of customers feels that we treat them fairly

Service Standard

and with respect

Looking forward • Make greater use of data and digital technology to move

from a process based on documents to a process driven by data

7

Building trusting relationships means that we engage in more positive and meaningful ways with our customers

Both the Housing Concierge and Sheltered Housing Officer are always so courteous and friendly when they visit and a joy to see around, their efforts are appreciated by other residents here and myself Resident of Bartley Court Average Weekly Rents 2021/22

2020/21

£108.16

£107.68

Studio Sheltered

£81.10

£79.75

1 x bed Sheltered

£90.52

£89.34

2 x bed Sheltered

£107.66

£106.44

£84.80

£84.09

General Needs

Room in shared house

** All figures exclude service charges

Collecting Rent ‘We are committed to working directly with residents to reduce rent arrears, supporting residents to stay out of debt and maximise their income.’

The majority of customers pay their rent according to what is required.

However, a number of customers unfortunately do fall into arrears for various reasons. We work closely with those customers in arrears to devise a manageable repayment plan, helping them sustain their tenancy. We work in partnership to support customers to take control of their finances and maximise their income through budgeting and welfare benefit support.

We work closely in partnership with the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) to assist our customers with their welfare benefits. Last year, we helped around 120 customers with income and benefits advice and secured thousands of pounds of additional income for them.

Our Sheltered Housing customers all have a dedicated Sheltered Housing Officer who can help with claims for housing benefit. These officers work with customers, support providers, and third-party advocates to help customers access the support they need to pay their rent.

We didn’t meet our performance target for minimising customer arrears last year, our target was to keep arrears at or below 3%. We achieved a performance of 3.89%. Due to non-payment of rent and lack of engagement, we evicted 1 customer. This is always as a last resort and our aim is to have zero evictions.

Highlights of 2021/22 •

Embedded our new

•

Working with DWP, 120 customers were helped with income and benefits advice and we secured thousands of pounds of additional income for them

•

The overall number of evictions for non-payment of rent: One

Income Management Service Standard East Boro Housing Trust Annual Report 2022

The prevention and management of rent arrears will always be a priority for us. We fully recognise the stress and upset debt problems can cause our customers.

We actively encourage customers to share their financial concerns with us as soon as possible to assist them in resolving and managing them effectively.

Eviction is always as a last resort

Looking forward •

We aim to achieve our target for current arrears

8

100% of our customer complaints were resolved at Stage 1

Working to improve Complaints Handling We believe that a complaint is an opportunity that can actually result in the customer having a more positive view of our organisation after a complaint is resolved than before they ever had a problem. Being able to assess and address customer complaints efficiently is key to making this happen. We aim to ensure that complaints are dealt with promptly and fairly. Our new complaints policy responds to the Housing Ombudsman’s new Complaint Handling Code. Customers can use an informal or a formal process, with a 10 working day response target.

Highlights of 2021/22 •

Implemented a new complaints policy

•

100%

•

69%

of complaints were resolved at stage 1

of customers are satisfied with our approach to complaint handling

We received 4 compliments from customers most of which were positive feedback on our staff’s conduct and helpfulness.

We received 6 formal complaints from customers

East Boro Housing Trust Annual Report 2022

Looking forward

9

•

Continue to publicise our new approach to complaints handling

•

The lessons we learn from complaints help us to improve our services. We will review our complaints and publish a new quarterly complaints review about the lessons we have learnt

•

Introduce a transactional customer feedback survey to obtain information from customers about our complaints handling process

•

Set a target for satisfaction with our handling of complaints

zero

and complaints were still open at year end.

I feel East Boro generally provide a good service.

Many thanks to the staff for their care and consideration Resident of East Borough

Continue to improve Customer Engagement Listening to residents is at the heart of what we do. Residents help to shape our services and improve what we do as an Organisation. Our engagement with customers is more than a regulatory requirement, it’s deeply rooted in our history, and we are determined to put people first and remember that is what drives us as an Organisation. Our aim is to ensure that the customer’s voice is heard and to ensure that they have a range of opportunities to engage, all of which contributes to improving services. This engagement will be inclusive, have impact and be relevant. The pandemic has had an impact on face to face engagement, both one to one and in large groups; however, we have still managed to engage with our customers.

Highlights of 2021/22 •

Embedded our new

•

Published East Boro News for customers (3 editions in the year)

•

33% of customers responded to our annual satisfaction survey (2020/21: 24%)

•

Introduced an

•

Introduced a transactional

Repairs Service Feedback Survey

•

Introduced a transactional

Allocation Service Feedback Survey

•

Held 4 Consultative Meetings with customers where they scrutinised services including repairs, planned maintenance, ASB, gardening and grounds maintenance

•

Reviewed the Consultative Committee member application, role description, and terms of reference

•

Consulted customers on changes to the sheltered housing support service

•

More than

•

78% satisfaction that we listen and act on your behalf (2020/21: 74%)

Tenant Participation Service Standard

Easy Read version of our newsletter

160 customers got involved in helping improve our services

•

Refresh our engagement channels

•

Re-launch our Consultative Committee for our customers with a learning disability now that it is safe to do so following Covid 19

•

We will review and refresh our knowledge of our customers and undertake customer profiling to ensure that the data we hold is accurate

Above images: Resident’s entries in the annual East Boro in Bloom competition

10

East Boro Housing Trust Annual Report 2022

Looking forward

Responsible Neighbourhood Management We believe that our homes and estates should be where people like living and feel safe. No one should feel intimidated or harassed in the place where they live.

Estate Management We aim to deliver effective and pro-active estate management and provide safe, clean, and well-maintained environments. We have a dedicated team providing the gardening and cleaning to the communal areas at our schemes.

Highlights of 2021/22

Looking forward

•

•

We are looking to improve the standard of our communal services and will be making some changes to the management structure of our communal services team

•

Increase estate health & safety inspections

•

Introduce 6 monthly customer feedback survey for communal services

•

Set targets for customer satisfaction with communal services

Embedded our new

Estate Management Service Standard

•

168 estate management inspections carried out and published the results in our customer newsletter (East Boro News)

•

83% customer satisfaction that we keep our communal areas clean, safe and well maintained

Maintaining our Homes We aim to have good quality homes and ensure that they are maintained to the highest standards.

Routine Repairs Service Repair Category Target

Target

2021/22

2020/21

2019/20

All

92%

85%

91%

95%

Emergency

95%

90%

95%

96%

Urgent

90%

82%

97%

96%

Routine

90%

86%

88%

94%

We understand that repairs are important to customers, and we want to get it right first time.

East Boro Housing Trust Annual Report 2022

Highlights of 2021/22

11

•

2,281 repairs completed

•

91% overall satisfaction with repairs service against at target of 75% (2020/21: 85%)

•

Average time to complete repairs:

•

Introduced a transactional

•

Embedded our new Repairs and Maintenance Service Standard

17 days

Repairs Customer Feedback Survey

Looking forward •

We will continue to work with our contractors to improve on how quickly we repair our homes

The legacy of the Covid-19 pandemic with contractors struggling to deal with the demand for their services coupled with staff absences and difficulties in recruitment of new staff had a major impact on the number of days it took to repair our homes. We were unable to repair homes as quickly as we would have wanted during 2021/22. This is a key improvement target for us going forwards.

15

ASB cases were dealt with this year in our schemes Category of ASB

Impact Rating

2021 /22

2020 /21

2019 /20

Category A

High

1

0

0

Category B

Medium

7

3

3

Category C

Low

7

2

5

15

5

8

Total Cases

Antisocial Behaviour (ASB)

Highlights of 2021/22

Looking forward

•

Implemented a new

•

•

Embedded our new

•

Zero evictions as a result of ASB

We’re committed to tackling ASB in our communities and will develop relationships with external partners in areas where we have higher levels of ASB. We have contacted an ASB specialist to coach and develop our staff to ensure serious cases are managed swiftly and effectively

•

93% of our customers (All needs

•

Introduce a transactional customer satisfaction survey to obtain feedback about experience of our ASB service

•

Set a target for satisfaction with ASB service

ASB Policy Antisocial Behaviour Service Standard

categories) were satisfied with their neighbourhood as a place to live, against our

88% target

East Boro Housing Trust Annual Report 2022

Anti-social behaviour (ASB) encompasses a wide range of behaviours that cause nuisance and harm to others. We encourage residents to be aware of how their behaviour can impact their neighbours.

We work with Local Authorities and the Police and share responsibility for tackling ASB at a local level.

As a social landlord, we play our part alongside other agencies in creating safe and sustainable communities.

We can achieve this in partnership with other organisations and residents to deliver a comprehensive approach to local problems and priorities.

12

Improving the Quality of our Homes We aim to improve our homes by carrying out our planned component replacement programme. This year we have managed to complete improvement works in 102 properties. In the next 12 months we aim to complete outstanding work from this year in addition to completing the work programmed for next year.

This will be a challenge for our Property Investment Team organising and supervising this programme of work.

Highlights of 2021/22

Looking forward

•

•

We will deliver the 2022/23 capital improvement programme

•

Implement PIMSS, a comprehensive Asset Management system

•

Use results of the stock condition survey to inform the future capital improvement programmes and financial plan

•

Introduce transactional customer feedback survey for capital improvement works

•

Set target for satisfaction with the delivery of capital improvement works

98 properties received completed improvement works, costing a total of £295,056

•

We’ve commissioned

•

89% customer satisfaction that we provide a home that is well-maintained and safe to live in

•

We carried out improvement works in our homes (shown opposite, page 14)

100% stock condition survey

Improving the Safety of our Homes On the 31 March 2022, our properties were 100% compliant with building safety legislation in respect of gas, fire, electric, asbestos, water hygiene, lifts and lifting equipment.

East Boro Housing Trust Annual Report 2022

Highlights from 2021/22

13

•

254 gas appliances had a valid landlord

•

454

•

57 schemes had an in-date fire risk

•

37 properties/schemes with total 49 items

•

24

•

33

•

Keeping You Safe In Your Home Service Standard

•

84% satisfaction that communal areas are clean, safe and well-maintained

gas safety record (100% compliant)

properties had a valid electrical test report (100% compliant) assessment (100% compliant)

East Boro are committed to providing safe homes for all

of lifts/lifting equipment installed had in-date annual service and inspection (100% compliant)

properties had asbestos management survey and in-date re-inspection (100% compliant)

properties had monthly water hygiene temperature check and tap flush (100% compliant)

Embedded our new

Looking forward •

East Boro will undertake a complete review of fire risk and safety across our housing portfolio - to identify whether any improvements are required

£ Spent

Windows

7

4,704

External doors

6

3,871

29

8,704

Gas supply pipe upgrades

8

33,715

Gas Boilers/ Electric heating

23

104,178

Kitchens

7

41,567

Bathrooms

1

6,960

Door entry systems

4

3,192

Fire alarm systems

4

14,766

Roofing

1

14,652

Balcony replacement

8

58,747

Total

98

295,056

Electrical upgrades

East Boro Housing Trust Annual Report 2022

No. of schemes/ properties

Component

An excellent job was done by the men brought in to change our heating Resident of Cyril Wood Court

14

Helping to Address Climate Change

East Boro Housing Trust Annual Report 2022

We are committed to reducing the environmental impact of the services that we provide and we aim to ensure all of our homes have an EPC rating of C or above before the Government target date. In practical terms this means we have approximately 144 homes that we will need to improve the energy efficiency of before the Government target date. Our priority will be a fabric first approach to optimise the thermal efficiency of the external fabric and once this has been tackled consideration will be given to renewables and alternative fuel source conversions.

Highlights of 2021/22

Looking forward

•

70%

of our housing stock met or exceeded the government target for energy efficiency

•

We will deliver our planned programme of thermal improvements

•

We agreed on a plan to improve the thermal performance of our existing homes

•

Audit major sites to identify where there is potential for carbon reduction

East Boro are committed to meeting the government’s target of net-zero carbon emissions before the government target date 15

The Waverley Community Hub The Waverley Community Hub provides a safe space where people can access a range of activities to help prevent loneliness and the impact issues that loneliness and isolation have on people’s health and wellbeing. We currently run a selection of activities throughout the week that are open to the community.

As well as staff run activities, The Waverley is also used for private hire. The Snug is perfect for book clubs, chess or board games, small craft circles, support groups or for meet and greet groups (max capacity 10 people). For groups of up to 20, The Poppy Room offers light and airy space for pottery, knitting, and craft work.

The Nest Café in The Waverley is open Monday to Thursday for drinks, snacks and light lunches. Members of the Nest Community Shop also receive subsidised meals from the café.

East Boro are working in partnership with The Nest Community Shop (photo insert below) which is based at the Waverley. It is open on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, 10am to 2pm and members can visit once a week.

The Nest is not a foodbank, it is a ‘Social Supermarket’ helping to combat the cost of living crisis by providing affordable food. Customers need to be members.

Art Group

East Boro Housing Trust Annual Report 2022

The Arts & Craft Group provides a safe and friendly environment for adults with a Learning Disability and/or Autism who are encouraged to be creative with projects geared to their individual abilities. East Boro’s Arts & Craft Coordinator reopened the Art group at the end of April 2021. To keep everyone safe and comply with social distancing guidelines, sessions were offered to small groups and in November 2021 we were able to extend the sessions and have two groups running at the same time. For the period June 2021 to March 2022, East Boro have held 745 Art and Craft sessions for our customers. Art groups run each Tuesday and Thursday from 10am to 4pm.

Looking forward The Art & Craft group will be working on various projects including birds of prey, with a visit by live birds to the studio arranged so the group can experience meeting the beautiful creatures.

The group are also hoping to take part in more community projects and will be displaying their art work during future Open Days.

16

Developments in Development Working within the Aster Group we are consolidating our established position as a respected developer of both general needs and specialised supported housing across Dorset, BCP and the surrounding area.

During the year we completed the remodelling of a former NHS property at Coburg Court, Dorchester.

Phase two of the remodelling provided four self-contained 1 x bedroom flats and a shared house for adults with learning disabilities, providing each tenant with their own bedroom with ensuite and large shared internal and external areas. We also completed the construction of two self-contained homes as an extension to an existing housing scheme for adults with learning disabilities in Weymouth, also in partnership with NHS England.

This year also saw the sale of the final low cost 75% in perpetuity home at Old Quarry Close, Worth Matravers.

The scheme has been extremely popular providing 4 homes for low-cost sale and 5 for affordable rent to local people/families in Purbeck.

We provided five bungalows through our Transforming Care Programme partnership with Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole Council (BCP), Dorset Council and NHS England. This overall partnership with NHS England over three financial years has so far resulted in NHSE grant funding of over £2.5million and the provision of seven bungalows for people with severe learning disabilities who, following the Winterbourne View scandal, might otherwise remain in long term hospital or residential care placements. 6 of these bungalows are in BCP with one in Weymouth. Work is continuing the final 3 homes in this programme and will see the provision of 2 further homes in BCP and one in West Moors, Dorset during 2022/23.

As a member of the Aster Group, East Boro is part of the Homes England Strategic Partnership Programme.

This has enabled us to expand our development programme to help to meet local housing needs in the communities throughout the areas in which we operate.

East Boro Housing Trust Annual Report 2022

We are working on a number of general needs and specialised housing schemes that will provide supported and general needs housing to people in need of good quality, affordable homes. We continue to actively seek development opportunities and much of the 21/22 year has been spent populating and forming our development programme for 22/23 and 23/24. East Boro anticipates a development programme of around 50 homes a year from 22/23 and some of our key opportunities include:

•

•

17

Sleight Lane, Corfe Mullen, where the purchase of the site has been completed and the reserved matters planning application granted paving the way for the development of nine new homes, a mix of social rented and shared ownership properties Working to acquire the S106 quota component of developments across Dorset in partnership with Developers. The acquisition of over 38 homes on five sites across Dorset have been agreed, subject to contact. We specialise in smaller sites with under 20 units of affordable housing on them

•

Following completion of the Worth Matravers scheme, a number of additional rural exception site developments are being negotiated. We are working with local landowners to acquire sites near Wimborne and Wareham with option agreements agreed subject to planning permission in order to develop a further twenty homes. Tenure would be a mixture of affordable rented homes and shared ownership homes

•

Developing Aster Group small vacant sites to obtain land enhancement for both Aster and East Boro.

Planning permission has been achieved to develop two new houses on Portland on a site like this and further opportunities are being assessed

•

A range of other land led opportunities are under consideration including partnership working with Community Land Trusts and the remodelling of a redundant commercial site in Weymouth

Finally, East Boro is working in partnership with Aster Homes and Dorset Council to help to deliver a large extra care scheme and keyworker housing in Western Dorset.

We thank our Local Authority and Developer Partners for their support throughout the 21/22 year and we look forward to working with and delivering many more homes in the future.

This financial year East Boro have delivered new homes and prepared strong foundations for our expanding development programme

East Boro have worked closely with the NHS, Occupational Therapists, Social Workers and Care Providers in order to purchase bungalows in suitable locations for specific end users.

One client required a kitchen using Tough Furniture, with all appliances integral and doors and cupboards lockable.

The photo above left, shows the completed kitchen which we think looks great.

Another of our schemes at Cranford Avenue in Weymouth (shown above) was completed in February, 2022.

It was constructed by Chris Norcott Building Ltd. and consists of 2, one x bedroom houses with carer’s accommodation between the two properties.

At the viewing by a service user’s parents and the care providers they expressed how delighted they were with the properties and commented on the high quality of finish and spacious bedrooms and en-suites. The ground floors have cloakrooms and a well fitted kitchen with sliding doors to the lounge-diner.

18

East Boro Housing Trust Annual Report 2022

The photo on the right is of another bespoke refurbishment underway in the Bournemouth area.

Statement of Comprehensive Income for year ended 31 March 2022 2022

2021

£000

£000

4,901

5,481

(4,396)

(5,043)

(Loss) / profit on disposal of housing property, plant and equipment

(10)

98

Operating profit

495

536

Loss on disposal of other property, plant and equipment

(27)

(4)

Profit before interest and taxation

468

532

1

-

Interest payable and similar charges

(172)

(229)

Net finance expense

(171)

(229)

297

303

-

-

297

303

Turnover Operating expenditure before impairment

Interest receivable and similar income

Profit before taxation Tax on profit Profit / Surplus for the year

Statement of Changes in Reserves for year ended 31 March 2022 2022 Balance at 1 April 2021 Transfer from restricted reserve Profit for the year Balance as of 31 March 2022

2021 Balance at 1 April 2020 East Boro Housing Trust Annual Report 2022

Transfer from restricted reserve Profit for the year Balance at 31 March 2021

Profit & loss reserve £000

Merger reserve £000

Restricted reserve £000

Total reserves £000

11,822

462

68

12,352

38

-

(38)

-

297

-

-

297

12,157

462

30

12,649

Profit & loss reserve £000

Merger reserve £000

Restricted reserve £000

Total reserves £000

11,501

462

86

12,049

18

-

(18)

-

303

-

-

303

11,822

462

68

12,352

Strong foundations on which we will build and exciting development times ahead!

19

Statement of Financial Position as at 31 March 2022 2022

2021

£000

£000

32,541

30,270

360

144

4

4

-

-

32,905

30,418

485

483

Fixed assets Property, plant and equipment (social housing) Property, plant and equipment (other assets) Inventories Investments in subsidiaries

Debtors: amounts falling due within one year Properties held for sale Cash and cash equivalents

Creditors: amounts falling due within one year Net current assets Total assets less current liabilities

42

93

5,434

6,574

5,961

7,150

(2,383)

(800)

3,578

6,350

36,483

36,768

(23,834)

(24,416)

12,649

12,352

East Boro Housing Trust Annual Report 2022

Current assets

Non current liabilities Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year Net assets Capital and reserves Called up share capital

-

-

Profit and loss reserve

12,157

11,822

462

462

Merger reserve Restricted reserve Total capital and reserves

30

68

12,649

12,352

20

Value for Money Metrics 2021/2022 2021/22

2020/21

2019/20

8.2%

8.6%

11.1%

12.3%

16.8%

19.5%

Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation, Amortisation, Major Repairs Included (EBITDA MRI) Interest Cover %

308.1%

211.7%

14.8%

Operating Margin % (Overall)

3.8%

1.5%

0.0%

Operating Margin % (Social Housing Lettings Only)

10.1%

9.8%

3.5%

1.3%

1.7%

0.6%

New Supply Delivered % (Social Housing Units)

0.6%

1.5%

10.4%

New Supply Delivered % (Non-Social Housing Units)

0.0%

0.0%

16.7%

Efficiency Reinvestment % Gearing %

Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) Effectiveness

Economy Headline social housing cost per unit

£8,088.18

£9,668.67 £8,461.87

East Boro Housing Trust Annual Report 2022

Where each £ comes from

Comments: Reinvestment into our properties comparable to Aster group, relative to size of organisation.

EBHT remains low geared and in good position.

Increase in EBITDA of £45,000 combined with reduction of £57,000 in interest payable in the year has significantly improved level of interest cover. Social housing expenditure includes centralised costs which explains the low %.

Increased operating profit due to increases in rental and service charge income combined with reduction in depreciation as a result of aligning with Aster’s deprecation policy.

ROCE: The £10 million funding from the Aster Group has increased current assets in Cash/Bank balance at year end and reduced current liabilities with the repayment of loans.

Supply of new units is comparable year on year. FY19/20 included mergers with Cyril Wood Memorial Trust and King Alfred Housing Association, which increased unit numbers significantly.

There were no Non-Social Housing units delivered in 2021/22. Cost per unit is performing as expected due to higher supported housing tenure.

Where each £ is spent

Rent 45p

Staff costs 43p

Service Charge 18p

Service Charge Costs 12p

Support & Care Contracts 23p Open Market Property sales 4p Other 10p

Repairs and Maintenance 9p Interest 4p Depreciation 11p Housing Management 17p Other 4p

21

Senior Managent Team, Board Members and Colleague Awards During the 2021/2022 year our Senior Management Team has remained consistent with all colleagues in post throughout the year. However in April 2022 our Director of Finance, Sarah Ball, left East Boro after many years of first class service.

Everyone at East Boro thanks and wishes her every success for the future.

Again we have faced the challenge of remote working but have, at different times of the year, been able to meet in small groups. All Board meetings were again held remotely but we were able to hold our strategic Board Away Day in February 2022 as a face to face event in Dorchester, Dorset.

Donna Varley East Boro Colleague of the Year 2021

The Board have continued to conduct the business of East Boro effectively and efficiently via Microsoft Teams. In November 2021 the Board was joined by Tracey Peters, who brings a wealth of Housing Association, business/ people and customer experience/tenant services knowledge to the Board. 2021 as also the first year of our East Boro Colleague Awards with categories including Colleague of the Year and Team of the Year as two key areas. Many nominations were made by colleague staff members and after a selection process, Donna Varley, (pictured top right) East Boro’s Letting Officer was selected as the Colleague of the Year for her excellent customer services efforts whilst undertaking her lettings duties despite the challenge of the Covid pandemic. Both the Weymouth Supported Living and Poole Supported Living staff teams were jointly selected as the Team of the Year due to their heroic efforts in providing personal care and support services and keeping our tenants with learning disabilities as safe as possible.

East Boro Housing Trust Senior Management Team

Kevin Hodder Chief Executive

Cara Lewis PA to Chief Executive

Mary Stepin Director of Care & Independent Living

Karen Allan Director of Housing Services

Sarah Ball Director of Finance

Eileen Hayward Chair of Board

Jacki O’Shea Vice Chair

Malcolm Baker Chair of Finance Committee

David Doyle Vice Chair of Finance Committee

Kate Dukes

Val Bagnall

Tracey Peters (appointed Nov 2021)

Ray Evans

Cyril Lanch

Gerald Duke

East Boro Housing Trust Annual Report 2022

East Boro Housing Trust Board Members

22

East Boro Head Office: Faulkner House, 31 West Street, Wimborne, Dorset BH21 1JS Tel: 01202 883 503 Email: info@ebht.org.uk Weymouth Office: No. 2, The Waverley, 121 Abbotsbury Road, Weymouth DT4 0JX Tel: 01305 750 403 Email: info@ebht.org.uk

East Boro Housing Trust is a Charitable Registered Society under the Co operative and Community Benefits Societies Act 2014 No. 16946R Registered Provider with the Regulator of Social Housing No. L0519

PA R T O F