7 Achieving Value for Money1. IntroductionThe need to achieve value for money(vfm) in the housing service is a keypriority.Maximising the income wereceive and reducing expenditure onadministration, whiledelivering aneffective and efficient service is importantto ensure that we can maximiseinvestment in the existing housing stockand provide new homes.The Housing Service has embarked on atransformation programme during 2018,with the objective of achieving step-changeimprovements to the service and ensuringthat our objectives and operationalprocesses align with the East SuffolkHousing Strategy and corporate EastSuffolk Business Plan. This programme willdrive vfm in relation to economy,efficiency and effectiveness of the serviceswe deliver. There will be continuedmeasurement of tenant satisfaction toensure that management services achievehigh satisfaction levels. The reintroductionof benchmarking with similar sociallandlords will provide insightful data forthis purpose. This section of the businessplan considers these transformationalprojects that will take place over 2018 –2019 and delivers vfm.2. EconomyWe are reviewing savings to reduce costsas well as looking for opportunities that willraise revenue. Projects currently identifiedinclude:•Contracts procurement is usedinmany areas of our work to delivercost savings but we wish to refine ourapproach. We have for exampleconsidered procuring longer termcontractual arrangements (eg housingIT) that will deliver annual cash savingsand new modules on the currentcontract as well as helpus engage on longer term projects withOrchard Housing to bring potentialfuture efficiencies.•LinkingwithourGatewaytoHomechoice partners to deliver theHouse Exchange service that tenantsuse to register for, and find mutualexchanges. This has saved £2,500 eachyear as well as releasing staff time saving an additional £900 per annum.•Weareintroducingbarcodetechnology for rent payment which willbe easier to use and will bring cashsavings by removing the need forexpensive specialist payment cards. Thistechnology will also to be used fordocument management, reducing therisk of error and assuring long term safestorage with reduced costs of copying,printing and storing.3. EfficienciesWe recognise that the housing service existsin a dynamic environment, requiring us toadapt to the changing needs and demandsof our current and future tenants. We arereviewing the way we work and deliver theservice to achieve efficiencies.Projects that we are planning during thenext two years are:•Introducing mobile working to ourworkforce carrying out responsive•repairs,providing‘real-time’information and saving time forboth the operative and the officestaff. Additionally, a messagingservice notifying a tenants whenthe work operative will arrive willhelp avoid missed calls.35
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