'Good' rating gives multi-million pound boost for
Doncaster's homes

Dear Fellow Tenants'
We have succeeded! DMBC's St Leger Homes of Doncaster has been awarded the coveted 2 Stars with promising prospects of improvement!

We are, or soon will be in the money!

This means that this year we will be in line to replace nearly all, if not all the windows and doors right across the Borough. Six Constructors are waiting in the wings ready to go by the end of July. You will all be notified who your contractor will be in your area and when they will be coming to you.

We have three constructors on board I can now tell you they are Bramall Construction, Henry Boot and Wates Inspace they will be doing the full works on properties through out the Borough. You can go onto www.stlegerhomes.co.uk to see just when they will be getting around to your street.

It is really exciting for everyone. Obviously they have to start and finish somewhere so I am sorry that it may not be you first . I know it certainly isn't me. Anyone in a Pathfinder area is at the back of the queue! But someone has to be last don't they?

It is at this time that on your behalf, as Chair of Doncaster Federation of Tenants' & Residents, I would like to thank every single member of St Leger staff for all their effort and the willingness to enable us to achieve this outstanding award. it was very hard work, long hours, new working procedures to be learned, many aspects of improving the service to the tenants' of Doncaster. We are the ones who will benefit from this.

May I now thank most sincerely all the Hundreds, Yes! Hundreds of tenants from across Doncaster who also got involved by sitting on focus groups, by getting involved in how they wanted the service run for them. All those who spoke, obviously, positively to the Audit Commission. You all played a huge part.

As I said at the last AGM We are reaching for the stars! Well we got there! But isn't it true 2 stars just aren't quite enough are they?

So we will all go on reaching for the even further away star gleaming in the distance 3 Stars!

Then we can build more council properties and improve the service even more.

Thank you everyone. sincerely

Lyn

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The Press Release

'Good' rating gives multi-million pound boost for
Doncaster's homes

The housing services provided by St. Leger Homes of Doncaster (SLHD) are 'good' and have 'promising' prospects to improve, according to an independent report released today by the Audit Commission.

On a scale of zero to three stars, the Audit Commission inspection team awarded the service a two star, 'good' rating. This opens up extra funding of some £58 million over the next few years, rising to a potential total of £234.5 million if progress is maintained.

Graeme Foster, Audit Commission lead housing inspector said:

'SLHD has a comprehensive understanding of stock condition and is therefore in a strong position to deliver property improvements. Crucially, tenants are influencing decisions about how services are delivered, including the setting of challenging and realistic service standards. However, some services are relatively undeveloped, such as the market testing of the house maintenance service and offering a choice of housing options to people on the letting's waiting list. There are however plans in place to address these in the near future.'

The inspectors found:

• Consistent services for all tenants, including those living in rural areas.
• Decent Homes property improvements are being appropriately prioritised.
• Successes in addressing or diverting anti-social behaviour, including effective joint working with partners.
• A range of ways for tenants to be involved or consulted on service delivery.
• An awareness of service weaknesses, with steps taken to review delivery arrangements involving tenants to drive improvements. However, issues which need to be tackled include:
• The absence of a strategy to co-ordinate the delivery of access and customer care objectives.
• Limited analysis and reporting of tenant satisfaction.
• A property standard which has not been reviewed to take into account improvements in component specifications and rising tenant aspirations.
• Delays in delivering some recommendations from previous inspections.

A copy of the Audit Commission - Inspection Report is available to download by clicking here»
The St Leger Homes - Press Release»