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YHN Annual Report 2009-10 - Your Homes Newcastle

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the National<br />

Standard<br />

<strong>Your</strong> <strong>Homes</strong> <strong>Newcastle</strong> <strong>Annual</strong> report and accounts <strong>2009</strong>/<strong>10</strong><br />

Our Modern <strong>Homes</strong><br />

Programme is<br />

progressing to plan<br />

(see page 6)<br />

Increasing customer<br />

satisfaction with repairs<br />

and maintenance<br />

(see page <strong>10</strong>)<br />

Customers are helping to<br />

improve estates<br />

(see page 12)


t<br />

GB Z_¨ nj Avcbvi †i›U GKvD›U (fvovi wnmve wbKvm) m¤^‡Ü| GB Z_¨ hw` A_ev Ab¨ †Kvb fvlvq<br />

cÖ‡qvRb nq Zvn‡j GB bv¤^v‡i †dvb Ki“b- 0191 278 8633<br />

airs<br />

GB Z_¨ nj Avcbvi Ni evox †givgZ Ki‡Z PvIqv m¤^‡Ü|GB Z_¨ hw` A_ev Ab¨ †Kvb fvlvq cÖ‡qvRb nq<br />

This information Zvn‡j is GB about bv¤^v‡i <strong>Your</strong> †dvb Ki“b- <strong>Homes</strong> 0191 <strong>Newcastle</strong>, 278 8633 who are responsible for managing council homes on<br />

t<br />

nt<br />

to Buy<br />

这 是 有 关 您 的 租 金 账 户 的 信 息 。 如 果 您 需 要 此 信 息 的 普 通 话 版 本 或 其 它 语 言 版 本 , 请 致 电 0191 278<br />

behalf of <strong>Newcastle</strong> GB Z_¨ nj City †Ubv›U‡`i Council, KvDw݇ji and how Ni evox we †Kbvi are doing. AwaKvi m¤^‡Ü| If you GB need Z_¨ this hw` in your language A_ev Ab¨ †Kvb or a fvlvq different<br />

8633 索 取 。<br />

language phone<br />

cÖ‡qvRb<br />

0191<br />

nq Zvn‡j<br />

278<br />

GB<br />

8633.<br />

bv¤^v‡i<br />

This<br />

†dvb<br />

information<br />

Ki“b- 0191 278<br />

is<br />

8633<br />

also available in large print, Braille and audio tape.<br />

ncy pairs GB 这 是 Z_¨ 有 关 nj 要 wbDKvm¨vj 求 维 修 您 的 KvDw݇ji 住 房 的 信 †Ubv›U 息 。 如 wnmv‡e 果 您 Avcbvi 需 要 此 `vq 信 息 `vwqZ¡ 的 普 通 m¤^‡Ü| 话 版 本 GB 或 Z_¨ 其 它 hw` 语 言 版 本 , 请 A_ev 致 电 Ab¨ 0191 †Kvb<br />

We can also arrange<br />

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for<br />

索 取 nq<br />

you<br />

。 Zvn‡j<br />

to<br />

GB<br />

see<br />

bv¤^v‡i<br />

a British<br />

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Sign<br />

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Language<br />

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interpreter.<br />

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ght to Buy<br />

这 是 有 关 租 客 有 权 购 买 他 们 的 市 政 房 屋 的 信 息 。 如 果 您 需 要 此 信 息 的 普 通 话 版 本 或 其 它 语 言 版 本 , 请 致<br />

Zvn‡j GB bv¤^v‡i †dvb Ki“b- 0191 278 8633<br />

ent general/<strong>Homes</strong> + GB 电<br />

這 是<br />

0191 Z_¨ 關 於 nj 278<br />

您 BDi 的<br />

8633<br />

租 †nvgm 金<br />

索<br />

賬<br />

取<br />

戶 wbDK¨vmj 。<br />

的 信 息 。 mg‡Ü| 如 果 您 Ges 需 要 Avgiv 此 信 wKfv‡e 息 的 廣 `vwqZ¡ 東 話 版 cvjb 本 或 KiwQ 其 它 語 †m 言 mg‡Ü| 版 本 , BDi 請 致 †nvgm 電 0191 wbDK¨vmj, 278<br />

nancy le<br />

wbDK¨vmj 这 8633 是 有 索 关 取 您 wmwU 。 作 为 KvDw݇ji 纽 卡 斯 尔 c‡ 市 政 KvDw݇ji 租 客 所 需 Ni 要 evox 承 担 e¨e¯’vcbvi 的 责 任 的 信 `vwqZ¡cÖvß| 息 。 如 果 GB 您 需 Z_¨ 要 此 hw` 信 息 的 普 通 话 A_ev 版 本 Ab¨ 或 其 †Kvb 它 语<br />

fvlvq<br />

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關 , 於 请 如 致 nq<br />

何 电 Zvn‡j<br />

要 0191 GB<br />

求 維 修 278 bv¤^v‡i<br />

您 住 8633 †dvb<br />

房 的 索 信 取 Ki“b-<br />

息 0191 278 8633<br />

。 如 果 您 需 要 此 信 息 的 廣 東 話 版 本 或 其 它 語 言 版 本 , 請 致 電 0191<br />

H 这 278 是 有 8633 关 我 索 们 取 的 。 出 租 服 务 的 信 息 。 如 果 您 需 要 此 信 息 的 普 通 话 版 本 或 其 它 语 言 版 本 , 请 致 电 0191 278<br />

ight to Buy<br />

8633 這 是 關 索 於 取 租 。 客 有 權 購 買 他 們 的 市 政 房 屋 的 信 息 。 如 果 您 需 要 此 信 息 的 廣 東 話 版 本 或 其 它 語 言 版 本 , 請 致<br />

N general / <strong>Homes</strong> + 这 電 是 0191 有 关 代 278 表 8633 纽 卡 斯 索 尔 取 市 。 政 府 (<strong>Newcastle</strong> City Council) 负 责 管 理 市 政 房 屋 的 <strong>Your</strong> <strong>Homes</strong> <strong>Newcastle</strong><br />

ople<br />

enancy<br />

( 這 您 是 的 關 纽 於 卡 您 斯 作 尔 為 住 紐 房 卡 ) 素 组 市 织 政 的 府 信 租 息 客 , 所 内 需 容 要 解 承 释 擔 了 的 我 責 们 任 是 的 如 信 何 息 运 。 作 如 。 果 如 您 果 需 您 要 需 此 要 信 此 息 信 的 息 廣 的 東 普 話 通 版 话 本 版 或 本 其 或 它 其 語<br />

它 言 téléphoner 语 版 言 本 版 , 本 請 , 致 au 请 電 0191 致 0191 电 0191 278 2788633 278 8633 8633 pour 索 取 obtenir 索 。 取 。 une traduction écrite.<br />

CH 這 是 關 於 我 們 的 出 租 服 務 的 信 息 。 如 果 您 需 要 此 信 息 的 廣 東 話 版 本 或 其 它 語 言 版 本 , 請 致 電 0191 278<br />

ewcastle Furniture 8633 Ces informations 索 取 。 concernent le service « mobilier » de <strong>Your</strong> <strong>Homes</strong> <strong>Newcastle</strong>, qui fournit du mobilier<br />

HN rvice general / <strong>Homes</strong> + 這 aux 是 locataires 關 於 <strong>Your</strong> pour <strong>Homes</strong> les <strong>Newcastle</strong>( aider à s’installer 您 的 紐 dans 卡 素 leur 住 房 logement. ) 機 構 的 信 Si 息 , vous 內 容 avez 解 釋 besoin 了 我 們 代 de 表 ces 紐 卡 素 市 政 府<br />

eople<br />

(<strong>Newcastle</strong> informations en City français Council) 負 dans 責 管 une 理 市 autre 政 房 屋 langue, 以 及 如 téléphonez 何 運 作 。 如 au 果 您 : 0191 需 要 此 278 信 息 8633. 的 廣 東 話 版 本 或 其 它<br />

ent<br />

Ces informations concernent votre loyer. Si vous avez besoin de ces informations en français ou<br />

語 言 版 本 , 請 致 電 0191 278 8633 索 取 。<br />

dans une autre langue, téléphonez au : 0191 278 8633.<br />

epairs<br />

Ces informations concernent les demandes de travaux pour votre logement. Si vous avez besoin de<br />

ces informations en français ou dans une autre langue, téléphonez au : 0191 278 8633.<br />

ight to Buy<br />

Ces informations concernent les droits des locataires relatifs à l’acquisition de leur logement social.<br />

eral / <strong>Homes</strong> +<br />

Si vous avez besoin de ces informations en français ou dans une autre langue, téléphonez au :<br />

0191 278 8633.<br />

enancy<br />

@ói@óäbîŠbïäaŒ@ãó÷@m‹ Ces informations concernent Šòì@óÜ@çbmŒóyŠó vos ó÷@NóäbmóØòìíäb‚@ñòìó䆋ÙØbš@üi@ðîŒaí‚a†@ðmóïäüš@ói@pòŠbió@óäbîŠbïäaŒ@ãó÷<br />

responsabilités en tant que locataire de la municipalité de<br />

Repairs<br />

<strong>Newcastle</strong>. Si vous avez Nç‹i@ñ‡äòí—q@0191 besoin de ces informations 278 8633@ðäüÑïÝm@òŠbàˆ@ói@óîóè@óÙî†@ðÙ—äbàŒ@Šóè@bî@ñ†ŠíØ@ðäbàŒ<br />

en français ou dans une autre langue,<br />

téléphonez au : 0191 278 8633.<br />

CH<br />

@ói@óäbîŠbïäaŒ@ãó÷@m‹ Ces informations concernent Šòì@óÜ@çbmŒóyŠó notre ó÷@NòŠb’@ñaŠü’@ðäbØòìíäb‚@î‹Ø@üi@çbåï“å–‹Ø@Àbà@ói@pòŠbió@óäbîŠbïäaŒ@ãó÷<br />

service de location. Si vous avez besoin de ces informations en<br />

Right to Buy<br />

français ou dans une autre Nç‹i@ñ‡äòí—q@0191 langue, téléphonez 278 au 8633@ðäüÑïÝm@òŠbàˆ@ói@óîóè@óÙî†@ðÙ—äbàŒ@Šóè@bî@ñ†ŠíØ@ðäbàŒ<br />

: 0191 278 8633.<br />

HN general / <strong>Homes</strong> + Ces informations concernent <strong>Your</strong> <strong>Homes</strong> <strong>Newcastle</strong> : qui est chargé de gérer les logements sociaux<br />

eople<br />

@m‹ au nom Šòì@óÜ@çbmŒóyŠó de la municipalité ó÷@Nóîa‡Ý—bØüïä@óÜ@Šb’@ñaŠü’@ðÙ—åï“å–‹Ø@íØòì@òí—÷@ðäbØóïmóîb‹qŠói@ói@pòŠbió@óäbîŠbïäaŒ@ãó÷<br />

de <strong>Newcastle</strong> et comment nous procédons. Si vous avez besoin de ces<br />

Tenancy<br />

informations Nç‹i@ñ‡äòí—q@0191 en français ou dans 278 une 8633@ðäüÑïÝm@òŠbàˆ@ói@óîóè@óÙî†@ðÙ—äbàŒ@Šóè@bî@ñ†ŠíØ@ðäbàŒ@ói@óäbîŠbïäaŒ@ãó÷<br />

autre langue, téléphonez au : 0191 278 8633.<br />

ou noutra língua, queira ligar para o 0191 278 8633.<br />

ent<br />

@Šóè@bî@ñ†ŠíØ@ðäbàŒ@ói@óäbîŠbïäaŒ@ãó÷@m‹ Esta informação refere-se à sua renda. Šòì@óÜ@çbmŒóyŠó Se precisar desta ó÷@Nóîóá—÷@ð–‹Ø@ðäbØómóà‚@ói@pòŠbió@óäbîŠbïäaŒ@ãó÷<br />

informação em ou noutra<br />

YCH<br />

língua, queira ligar para o 0191 278 8633.<br />

Nç‹i@ñ‡äòí—q@0191 278 8633@ðäüÑïÝm@òŠbàˆ@ói@óîóè@óÙî†@ðÙ—äbàŒ<br />

epairs<br />

Esta informação refere-se ao pedido de reparações em sua casa. Se precisar desta informação em<br />

@òìóÝ—bØüïä@ñŠb’@ñaŠü’@çóîý@óÜ@óØ@óîóØó䆋؊bØ@ðmóïäüš@ì@<strong>Your</strong> noutra língua, queira ligar para o 0191 278 <strong>Homes</strong> 8633. <strong>Newcastle</strong>@ói@pòŠbió@óäbîŠbïäaŒ@ãó÷<br />

ight HN to general Buy / <strong>Homes</strong> +<br />

@ðäbàŒ@ói@óäbîŠbïäaŒ@ãó÷@m‹ Esta informação refere-se Šòì@óÜ@çbmŒóyŠó ao direito que ó÷@NpbÙi@ðmóîaŠóiòí–Šói@Šb’@ñaŠü’@ðäbØòìíäb‚@óØ@òìaŠ‡—q@ñòìó÷@ðØŠó÷<br />

os inquilinos têm de comprar a sua habitação social. Se<br />

People precisar desta informação em ou noutra língua, queira ligar para o 0191 278 8633.<br />

enancy<br />

Esta informação refere-se às suas Nç‹i@ñ‡äòí—q@0191 responsabilidades 278 8633@ðäüÑïÝm@òŠbàˆ@ói@óîóè@óÙî†@ðÙ—äbàŒ@Šóè@bî@ñ†ŠíØ<br />

como inquilino social em <strong>Newcastle</strong>. Se<br />

precisar desta informação em ou noutra língua, queira ligar para o 0191 278 8633.<br />

CH<br />

Esta informação refere-se ao serviço de arrendamento. Se precisar desta informação em<br />

ou noutra língua, queira ligar para o 0191 278 8633.<br />

HN general / <strong>Homes</strong> +<br />

eople<br />

普 通 话 / 国 语<br />

廣 東 話 / 粵 語<br />

Bengali<br />

Chinese<br />

Simplified<br />

Chinese<br />

Traditional<br />

Farsi<br />

Français<br />

French<br />

Kurdish<br />

Português<br />

Portuguese<br />

اين اطلاعات درباره سازمان ‏«خانههاى شما در نیوکاسل»‏ و عملكرد آن است.‏ اين سازمان از سوى شهردارى نيوكاسل ،<br />

مسئوليت اداره خانه هاى دولتى را به عهده دارد.‏ در صورت نياز به اين اطلاعات به زبان فارسى يا زبان هاى ديگر با شماره تلفن<br />

٠١٩١٢٧٨٨۶٣٣ تماس بگيريد.‏<br />

Esta informação refere-se à <strong>Your</strong> <strong>Homes</strong> <strong>Newcastle</strong>, a organização responsável pela gestão da<br />

habitação social em nome do Município de <strong>Newcastle</strong>, e a nossa situação actual. Se precisar desta<br />

informação em ou noutra língua, queira ligar para o 0191 278 8633.<br />

airs<br />

ht to Buy<br />

ancy<br />

H<br />

Russian<br />

N general / <strong>Homes</strong> +<br />

ple<br />

Español<br />

Spanish<br />

idioma, llame al 0191 278 8633.<br />

Ésta es información sobre cómo pedir que se realicen reparaciones en su casa. Si necesita esta<br />

información en español o en otro idioma, llame al 0191 278 8633.<br />

Ésta es información sobre los derechos de los inquilinos a comprar su vivienda municipal. Si necesita<br />

esta información en español o en otro idioma, llame al 0191 278 8633.<br />

Ésta es información sobre sus responsabilidades como inquilino municipal de <strong>Newcastle</strong>. Si necesita<br />

esta información en español o en otro idioma, llame al 0191 278 8633.<br />

Ésta es información sobre nuestro servicio de adjudicación. Si necesita esta información en español<br />

o en otro idioma, llame al 0191 278 8633.<br />

Ésta es información sobre <strong>Your</strong> <strong>Homes</strong> de <strong>Newcastle</strong>, que es la responsable de gestionar las<br />

viviendas municipales en nombre del Ayuntamiento de <strong>Newcastle</strong>, y sobre nuestra manera de<br />

hacerlo. Si necesita esta información en español o en otro idioma, llame al 0191 278 8633.<br />

page 2


Contents<br />

Chair’s statement 4<br />

Chief Executive’s round up 6<br />

National Standards: 8-19<br />

Tenancy 8<br />

Home <strong>10</strong><br />

Neighbourhood and community 12<br />

Tenant involvement and empowerment 14<br />

Value for money 16<br />

Governance and fi nancial viability 18<br />

How we run ourselves 20<br />

<strong>Your</strong> <strong>Homes</strong> <strong>Newcastle</strong> Board <strong>2009</strong>/<strong>10</strong> 21<br />

<strong>YHN</strong> management structure 21<br />

Performance 22<br />

Financial accounts 24<br />

Building new bungalows for older<br />

tenants is freeing up larger homes<br />

across <strong>Newcastle</strong> for families like the<br />

Derbyshire’s in Throckley.<br />

www.yhn.org.uk page 3


Chair’s statement<br />

Board and its committees take a keen interest in how<br />

we are performing against Delivery Plan targets and<br />

they often discuss ways they can support staff to do<br />

things differently to achieve more. This year we have<br />

continued to do well in areas of business that I know<br />

customers are interested in such as:<br />

• reducing the time it takes us to let empty properties<br />

• reducing the amount of rent that people owe us<br />

• improving satisfaction with the way we carry out<br />

repairs and maintenance to homes, and<br />

• continuing satisfaction with our improvement<br />

programmes.<br />

I am delighted to present my second annual report. It is very much a<br />

testament to the tremendous work of everyone involved in the services<br />

we provide.<br />

My thanks are extended to:<br />

• Board, who have tussled with many challenges during the last year,<br />

• staff who continue to work hard and with enthusiasm to provide excellent services,<br />

• tenants and other customers, many of whom have contributed to improving our<br />

services through a range of activity, and of course<br />

• partners, without whom we could not have delivered many of the services we offer.<br />

We are all more aware of how we manage our money<br />

these days and I am pleased to say that <strong>YHN</strong> is no<br />

different. We have made signifi cant efforts to make<br />

sure that our services are not only excellent but are also<br />

value for money and in doing this we have:<br />

• achieved over 3% effi ciency savings overall,<br />

• maintained a healthy £5 million revenue balance (for<br />

emergencies),<br />

• carried out 97% of all modern homes work within<br />

budget,<br />

• attracted over £700,000 of additional funding for<br />

services,<br />

• signifi cantly reduced the number of days our staff are<br />

off work ill.<br />

This is all good news but we know we can do better in<br />

some areas such as:<br />

• satisfaction with the way anti-social behaviour is<br />

dealt with,<br />

• greater satisfaction with the overall housing service,<br />

• making more homes decent, and<br />

• improving the satisfaction of those tenants who are<br />

involved in decision making.<br />

Last year I told<br />

you about <strong>YHN</strong><br />

building the fi rst<br />

council housing<br />

in <strong>Newcastle</strong> for<br />

over 30 years. I<br />

am delighted that<br />

this year we have<br />

made lots more progress. We now have a number<br />

of sites at various stages of development as well as<br />

a new charitable subsidiary of <strong>YHN</strong> called Leazes<br />

<strong>Homes</strong>, which allows us to maximise funds. These<br />

developments will provide much needed homes to<br />

families in need, those in need of additional support<br />

and those who want to buy an affordable home.<br />

page 4


Look out for what is happening at:<br />

• the Leazes, Throckley – 81 homes for rent and for<br />

sale and nearly ready for occupation,<br />

• Blakelaw - a mix of 98 affordable homes for rent and<br />

sale on the site of the former deck access fl ats,<br />

reviewed the Repairs and Maintenance contract in<br />

terms of customer satisfaction, performance and cost,<br />

Board felt confi dent that City Build were providing<br />

a value for money service that most tenants were<br />

happy with. Similarly, through a review of the fi re<br />

safety programme with Tyne and Wear Fire and<br />

Rescue Service, identifying improvements and talking<br />

to residents, Board felt that we had the appropriate<br />

measures in place to protect residents in the event of a<br />

fi re at any <strong>YHN</strong> building.<br />

• Jubilee Road in Gosforth - 19 homes designed<br />

specifi cally for young families are near completion,<br />

the fi rst ever of its type in <strong>Newcastle</strong>, and<br />

• in the early stages yet, but sites at Walkergate -<br />

homes for 17 people with learning disabilities and<br />

in Shieldfi eld - a mixed development of 25 homes<br />

catering for people with learning disabilities, family<br />

homes for rent and low cost home ownership.<br />

We haven’t, of course, forgotten about improving the<br />

homes we already manage, and are working towards<br />

the completion of our Modern <strong>Homes</strong> Programme.<br />

Over 35,000 internal and external packages have been<br />

completed so far and we are now planning how to<br />

achieve future investment. It is also pleasing to see<br />

tenants moving back into the high rise fl ats at Riverside<br />

Dene that have been transformed by the ongoing<br />

regeneration programme. This is something that Board<br />

have had to make some challenging decisions about<br />

which makes it even more satisfying when they see the<br />

difference this has made.<br />

Not all Board’s decisions about our properties were<br />

such high profi le or made such a visual impact. Having<br />

Board is proud of the services that <strong>YHN</strong> is able to<br />

provide and will support proposals for expansion of<br />

successful services where they bring signifi cant benefi ts<br />

to tenants. Agreeing the expansion of <strong>Newcastle</strong><br />

Furniture Service through a pilot partnership in the West<br />

Yorkshire area is a good example of this and where the<br />

additional revenue can be reinvested into services for<br />

our tenants.<br />

There’s never been a dull moment since I became Chair<br />

in 2008. I have learnt a lot about housing and about<br />

what our customers want. I realise that next year will<br />

be challenging as we try to deliver those better services<br />

in light of the current economic situation, but I am<br />

really looking forward to it. I hope and fully expect to<br />

be able to talk about <strong>YHN</strong>’s work in an equally upbeat<br />

and positive way this time next year.<br />

Steve Murphy<br />

Chair, <strong>Your</strong> <strong>Homes</strong> <strong>Newcastle</strong><br />

www.yhn.org.uk page 5


Chief Executive’s round up<br />

I am pleased to be able to tell you that, despite the uncertainty<br />

caused by a shifting economy and the introduction of a new<br />

government, we have continued to provide high quality services<br />

to customers. Our core services have come on leaps and bounds<br />

with improvements, new services and updates.<br />

• Board agreed the best option for our Concierge<br />

Service Review and we are now preparing to<br />

implement the physical changes to the service.<br />

• Our Telecare service launched an over 85’s project<br />

which gives residents over the age of 85, living in<br />

<strong>Newcastle</strong>, six months service for free. The service<br />

includes an alarm unit connecting you to a 24 hour<br />

response centre, a splashproof pendant alarm to<br />

wear around the wrist or neck and 24 hour response<br />

services including a mobile warden.<br />

• We launched a new handyperson scheme in<br />

partnership with the Anchor Staying Put initiative.<br />

This aims to help vulnerable and older customers<br />

with small but important household tasks not<br />

covered by our repairs service.<br />

• Our Asylum Seekers Unit celebrated its <strong>10</strong> year<br />

anniversary. We held an event at <strong>YHN</strong> House to<br />

mark the celebration and the outstanding work of<br />

the unit, which brought together stakeholders and<br />

partners from across the city.<br />

• We worked with Palatine Beds, a supported<br />

employment business, to win them a new contract to<br />

supply a range of composite doors to the city council,<br />

in addition to supplying environmentally friendly<br />

beds.<br />

• Our Housing Management service successfully<br />

retained its Charter Mark accreditation (and will<br />

soon be part of the Corporate Customer Service<br />

Excellence Assessment) and staff continue to drive<br />

up the level of customer service. This is evident from<br />

new tenant and end of tenancy surveys completed by<br />

customers and through mystery shopping exercises.<br />

An increasing number of Housing Management staff<br />

are also getting involved in community activities such<br />

as the Walker fi reworks event, ‘Week of Action’ in<br />

Byker and Cowgate and the Jubilee Magpies football<br />

team – helping to get young people off the streets<br />

and prevent vandalism on estates.<br />

We have made signifi cant progress with our new build<br />

programme, namely:<br />

• completed 34 bungalows (at April 20<strong>10</strong>), going<br />

some way to tackling the chronic lack of supply of<br />

social housing in the region. The bungalows have<br />

allowed us to release some large family houses<br />

in the local area. It’s meant a lot of work for our<br />

local community housing staff but has been a really<br />

positive, if occasionally challenging, experience for us<br />

all.<br />

• made inroads into other types of accommodation,<br />

concentrating on customer groups for whom there is<br />

a distinct lack of housing, namely learning disabled<br />

people and young families.<br />

• started to investigate options for low cost home<br />

ownership.<br />

We recognise, however, that the current arrangements<br />

for grant funding are unlikely to last forever, and are<br />

looking at how we will fund future developments.<br />

Meanwhile, our Modern <strong>Homes</strong> Programme is<br />

progressing to plan, and should be complete by 2011.<br />

Key milestones include:<br />

• over 20,000 homes now reach the government’s<br />

Decent <strong>Homes</strong> standard,<br />

• fi rst tenants moved into The Sycamores, Riverside<br />

Dene in the summer of 20<strong>10</strong>, with another two<br />

blocks becoming available towards the autumn, and<br />

page 6


• we have been an active part of the Byker Task Force<br />

that has looked at the various options for the estate.<br />

We hope to ballot tenants with an official offer in<br />

autumn 20<strong>10</strong> with a view to creating a Community<br />

Trust for Byker, although this is dependent on some<br />

key government decisions.<br />

We have updated our improvement programme so that<br />

it now includes service reviews, strategies and action<br />

plans. It’s important to retain some control over the<br />

improvements we’re striving to achieve as, without the<br />

improvement programme, I feel we’d lose sight of much<br />

of the good work that’s being carried out across the<br />

organisation.<br />

We can’t hope to improve the lives of tenants and<br />

leaseholders without a quality workforce – our staff<br />

are our most valuable resource. The training and<br />

development of our staff remains pivotally important<br />

to me and I’m encouraged by the work that we’ve<br />

done recently, particularly around leadership and<br />

management. Trying to create, at all tiers within the<br />

organisation, the relevant capability and competency<br />

from a leadership and management perspective<br />

is incredibly important. We’re also making great<br />

strides with the Investors in People award. We were<br />

reassessed in February 20<strong>10</strong> and achieved the Bronze<br />

Award level.<br />

In November <strong>2009</strong> we launched our core values, a set<br />

of five principles, or values, which guide the way we<br />

behave at work. Our core values are based on what<br />

staff, customers and our Board members told us about<br />

what <strong>Your</strong> <strong>Homes</strong> <strong>Newcastle</strong> represents for them.<br />

Having core values means that you can be clear about<br />

the way staff should behave towards customers and<br />

each other and are an important way for us to make<br />

sure we provide excellent customer services to all.<br />

It was very important to me that this progress wasn’t<br />

undermined by the impact of Single Status phase two;<br />

this was certainly a challenge but we reached the best<br />

outcome that we possibly could, on time and will start<br />

implementation in September 20<strong>10</strong>.<br />

We should not underestimate the sterling work that<br />

we’ve made around equality and diversity issues.<br />

Within the year we have:<br />

• broken into the top <strong>10</strong>0 in the Stonewall Workforce<br />

Equality Index for the first time – Stonewall<br />

challenges organisations to demonstrate best<br />

practice in how they support lesbian, gay and<br />

bisexual employees at work,<br />

• gained the ‘achieving’ level of the new equality<br />

framework for local government, showing that we<br />

are well on the way to mainstreaming equality issues<br />

into service delivery and employment and making<br />

equality part of everyday work to help us to remove<br />

barriers that create disadvantage and discrimination,<br />

and<br />

• produced our first set of equality and diversity service<br />

standards to set out exactly what customers can<br />

expect from us and have devised specific learning<br />

packages that any member of staff can complete,<br />

that link into our core values.<br />

There is, however, still more we can do.<br />

The implications of a new government will have been at<br />

the forefront of many people’s minds in recent months<br />

and now thoughts have turned towards the new<br />

policies, strategies and financial arrangements that the<br />

coalition government will put in place. Dealing with<br />

change is never easy, but it’s become something of a<br />

way of life for us, and has actually helped us get better<br />

at what we do. I am confident that we have the right<br />

structure and the right people in place so that we can<br />

continue to improve services regardless of what level of<br />

government funding is available.<br />

This year we’ve used our <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> to explain how<br />

we’re meeting new government standards, in a way<br />

that gives you the chance to compare our performance<br />

with other housing providers.<br />

John Lee<br />

Chief Executive, <strong>Your</strong> <strong>Homes</strong> <strong>Newcastle</strong><br />

www.yhn.org.uk page 7


National standard: Tenancy<br />

“Letting homes in a fair, transparent and efficient way whilst considering the<br />

rents in line with government guidelines; providing clear information to tenants<br />

With demand for homes in <strong>Newcastle</strong> higher<br />

than ever, it is important that we let properties<br />

quickly and to an appropriate standard.<br />

The journey shown here is an example of how<br />

the allocation process for a property<br />

takes place, however events often<br />

happen in a different order<br />

which make the process<br />

longer or shorter.<br />

1<br />

Day 1<br />

Tenancy ended and keys<br />

for this three bedroom, four person<br />

house in Fenham were handed in to<br />

Fenham Community Housing Offi ce<br />

(CHO) by previous tenant.<br />

5<br />

This house received 286<br />

expressions of interest,<br />

making it one of the<br />

most popular houses we let in<br />

<strong>2009</strong>/<strong>10</strong>. Three bedroom homes<br />

can sometimes attract at least 200<br />

expressions of interest.<br />

<strong>Your</strong> Choice <strong>Homes</strong> usually advertises<br />

between 50 and 60 properties a<br />

week.<br />

Day 2<br />

2 3<br />

A Housing Services<br />

Offi cer from Fenham CHO carried<br />

out a pre-termination inspection<br />

to decide what work would need<br />

to be carried out by City Build, our<br />

partner for repairs.<br />

Days 6 - 19<br />

Days 3 - 6<br />

The house and<br />

garden were cleared of a large<br />

amount of household items<br />

and waste.<br />

The void building manager authorised a fairly large<br />

amount of work to be completed in the property after<br />

inspecting it. The cost of the work would be £3,041.28.<br />

The property was handed back to Fenham CHO. On days 7-11<br />

the property was advertised through <strong>Your</strong> Choice <strong>Homes</strong>.<br />

Properties were advertised for six days from Tuesday to the<br />

following Monday. In August 20<strong>10</strong> this changed to three days<br />

from Monday to Thursday.<br />

4<br />

The successful<br />

applicant was<br />

actually the fourth<br />

person to be offered the<br />

property. Quite unusual for<br />

a property with such a high<br />

level of demand.<br />

Days 19 - 26<br />

6 7 8<br />

The property was allocated<br />

to Mrs B and Mr A. They<br />

completed the sign up paper work<br />

and the tenancy began six days later.<br />

The household was<br />

made up of Mrs B<br />

and Mr A (as joint<br />

tenants) as well as two<br />

dependant and two non<br />

dependant occupants.<br />

Within six weeks of the<br />

tenants moving into the <strong>10</strong><br />

property, they receive a<br />

visit from the Community Housing<br />

Offi ce to make sure everything<br />

was alright.<br />

The applicants were given £215<br />

in decorating vouchers for their<br />

chosen supplier to decorate the<br />

interior of the property. We currently<br />

have two DIY suppliers tor tenants to<br />

choose from.<br />

9<br />

page 8


housing needs and aspirations of tenants and potential tenants. Setting and charging<br />

that explains how their rent and any service charge is set, and how it is changed.”<br />

Some of the activities shown opposite, such as the pre-termination inspection, minor repairs, advertising the property<br />

and shortlisting eligible applicants can take place during the one month notice period that the tenant has to give<br />

before leaving the property. The inspector can also give City Build advance notice of any major works that need to be<br />

carried out.<br />

What your rent is – and how it’s set<br />

<strong>Your</strong> rent includes ‘basic rent’ which is the price you pay<br />

for the use of your home, and other charges – these<br />

may include service charges which relate specifi cally to<br />

your property such as concierge. They can also include<br />

charges for services you may have requested like<br />

tenants insurance or a furniture pack.<br />

The government established the current scheme for<br />

setting council house rents back in April 2003. The<br />

calculation is made up of a number of elements<br />

including property value, number of bedrooms and<br />

relative manual earnings. The most the weekly rent can<br />

be increased per year is in line with infl ation plus £2.00.<br />

Average relet times for <strong>YHN</strong> homes<br />

34.8<br />

2008/09<br />

(days)<br />

27<br />

*23<br />

<strong>2009</strong>/<strong>10</strong><br />

(days)<br />

Actual<br />

Target<br />

*We exceeded<br />

our target<br />

for <strong>2009</strong>/<strong>10</strong>,<br />

meaning that it<br />

is now taking us<br />

less time to relet<br />

homes.<br />

<strong>Your</strong> Choice <strong>Homes</strong><br />

During the course of the year we let 2,737 homes through <strong>Your</strong> Choice <strong>Homes</strong> – approximately <strong>10</strong>% of our total<br />

housing stock. These were allocated to new tenants and were made up of:<br />

168 1,521 923 125<br />

Bungalows Flats Houses Maisonettes<br />

Of these 2,737 we let 795 homes to people with a priority status. Priority status is given to people who are in urgent<br />

and immediate need to move because their home or current housing situation is having a signifi cant, negative<br />

impact on them.<br />

At the end of <strong>2009</strong>/<strong>10</strong> we had just 193 lettable voids - 135 for general needs and 58 sheltered units.<br />

Average bids per property type<br />

4 79 44 18 19 73 61<br />

Sheltered Older Three storey, High rise, Multi storey, Two bedroom Three bedroom<br />

bedsit people’s two bedroom one bedroom two bedroom house house<br />

bungalow fl at fl at fl at<br />

www.yhn.org.uk page 9


<strong>2009</strong>-<strong>10</strong> per cent comparison to 2004-05<br />

National standard: Home<br />

Last year we continued to realise the benefi ts of taking an organised approach to carrying out repairs and maintenance<br />

to your homes.<br />

Repairs performance 2008-20<strong>10</strong><br />

In June 2006 we appointed City Build,<br />

<strong>Newcastle</strong> City Council’s direct labour<br />

organisation, to provide the repairs and<br />

maintenance service for the homes we manage.<br />

Together, we have worked hard to develop<br />

the service, with pleasing results - customer<br />

satisfaction for repairs and gas servicing are<br />

now 96% and 98% respectively.<br />

99%<br />

98%<br />

2008/09 - actual <strong>2009</strong>/<strong>10</strong> - target<br />

page <strong>10</strong><br />

99%<br />

Appointments<br />

made<br />

60%<br />

50%<br />

40%<br />

30%<br />

20%<br />

<strong>10</strong>%<br />

0%<br />

-<strong>10</strong>%<br />

-20%<br />

-30%<br />

6.<strong>10</strong> days<br />

“Registered providers shall ensure a prudent, planned approach to repairs<br />

Ensuring tenants’ homes meet the Decent <strong>Homes</strong> Standard by December<br />

<strong>10</strong> days<br />

5.78 days<br />

Days to complete<br />

non-urgent<br />

repairs<br />

<strong>10</strong>%<br />

9%<br />

8%<br />

Jobs raised<br />

on emergency<br />

status<br />

97%<br />

97%<br />

97%<br />

Appointments<br />

made and kept<br />

95%<br />

92%<br />

95%<br />

Customer<br />

satisfaction<br />

<strong>2009</strong>/<strong>10</strong> - actual<br />

How things have improved over the last 5 years<br />

+<br />

Appointments made<br />

Days to complete<br />

non-urgent repairs<br />

-<br />

-<br />

Jobs raised on<br />

emergency status<br />

Appointments<br />

made and kept<br />

-40%<br />

The graph above shows how our performance around repairs and<br />

appointments has improved since we were created in 2004/05. We are<br />

now making and keeping more appointments, resulting in increased<br />

customer satisfaction; whilst reducing the number of days it takes to<br />

complete non-urgent repairs and the number of outstanding gas services.<br />

+<br />

-<br />

Gas services<br />

outstanding<br />

Customer satisfaction<br />

+<br />

2004-05 figure<br />

There are lots of reasons for this, including new<br />

modern ways of working and better use of<br />

technology; staff at the Repairs Centre can now<br />

communicate with staff and supervisors that<br />

are out on the job through handheld devices,<br />

which helps get the repairs done quicker and<br />

helps staff get to their visits quicker.<br />

We’ve also given operatives more responsibility<br />

to do the work that is needed. This has meant<br />

that the number of repairs completed at fi rst<br />

visit has increased.<br />

The number of complaints (1,162) in<br />

comparison to the volume of repairs (118,986)<br />

is minimal. Formal complaints are low (220 in<br />

<strong>2009</strong>/<strong>10</strong> compared to 270 in 2008/09) and<br />

falling. We’ve made a big effort to capture<br />

informal complaints over the last couple of<br />

years, as they really help us improve the service.<br />

Percentage of budget spent on<br />

planned and responsive repairs<br />

33<br />

67<br />

2004/05 (%)<br />

Planned repairs<br />

53 47<br />

<strong>2009</strong>/<strong>10</strong> (%)<br />

Responsive repairs<br />

Increasing the proportion of the money we<br />

spend on planned repairs is important as it<br />

costs us less money if work is done as<br />

part of a batch rather than as single,<br />

unplanned repairs – and it means that<br />

more customers benefi t as well.


and maintenance of homes and communal areas, which represents value for money.<br />

2011 and continue to meet this standard.”<br />

Building relationships, renovating homes<br />

We’ve come a long way since we started the Modern<br />

<strong>Homes</strong> Programme in spring 2005. By the end of<br />

<strong>2009</strong>/<strong>10</strong> we had spent £425million on 35,000 separate<br />

packages of work to homes, bringing 19,000 homes<br />

to the government’s Decent <strong>Homes</strong> Standard in the<br />

process. We are still on target to complete the work in<br />

December 2011.<br />

We could not have done this without good<br />

relationships with our construction partners. We carried<br />

out annual reviews of our constructors against cost and<br />

quality, including customer satisfaction – we wanted to<br />

show that your feedback was taken into consideration<br />

and had an infl uence on our choice of contractors. We<br />

chose not to continue using some of the constructors<br />

and with others we withheld further contracts until they<br />

improved their performance. We’re now doing this every<br />

three months to keep the pressure on constructors and<br />

make savings for the programme.<br />

The change across the city is evident. At one time<br />

it would have been easy to tell private and council<br />

properties apart but this isn’t the case any more. It’s<br />

also having some interesting knock-on effects - we’d<br />

expected the number of repairs would reduce once<br />

homes had received Modern <strong>Homes</strong> work but that<br />

hasn’t been the case.<br />

We found that once work had been completed, you<br />

have been looking to improve other areas of your<br />

homes. You are taking more pride in your homes and<br />

have been reporting minor repairs that you would have<br />

perhaps left before the work took place. Once all the<br />

work is completed we expect that the number of calls<br />

to the Repairs Centre will drop again.<br />

Customer satisfaction with the Modern<br />

<strong>Homes</strong> work to their home<br />

97%<br />

satisfaction<br />

External packages<br />

87%<br />

satisfaction<br />

Internal packages<br />

www.yhn.org.uk page 11


National standard: Neighbo<br />

“Keeping neighbourhoods and communal areas clean and safe, working in<br />

relevant partners to help promote social, environmental and economic well<br />

Our HASBET (Housing, Anti-social Behaviour<br />

Enforcement Team) works hard to reduce anti-social<br />

behaviour through supporting victims and taking action<br />

against those who cause problems for their neighbours.<br />

To support this we work in partnership with <strong>Newcastle</strong><br />

City Council, Northumbria Police and Victim Support.<br />

We also work closely with ARCH (Agencies against<br />

Race Crime and Harassment) to tackle hate crime.<br />

In <strong>2009</strong>/<strong>10</strong> we achieved 75% customer satisfaction<br />

with the service and referred <strong>10</strong>0% of cases to Victim<br />

Support. We investigated a total of 226 cases during<br />

the year and of those we began 99% of investigations<br />

within our agreed timescales. These timescales were<br />

reduced this year as a result of customer feedback to:<br />

Category 1 -<br />

response the next working day (this is for the most<br />

serious types of anti-social behaviour) including<br />

harassment and intimidation, hate-related incidents,<br />

drug dealing and misuse.<br />

Category 2 -<br />

response within three working days for incidents<br />

including noise, vandalism and alcohol-related<br />

incidents.<br />

Category 3 -<br />

response within five working days for incidents<br />

including pets and animal nuisance, vehicle nuisance<br />

and fly-tipping.<br />

The team not only works to reduce anti-social<br />

behaviour across <strong>Newcastle</strong>, but also aims to prevent<br />

it from taking place. HASBET have worked closely with<br />

our Customer Involvement Team to deliver the A2B<br />

(Access to Basketball) project where we engaged with<br />

young people to teach them the importance of respect<br />

and building communities to be proud of.<br />

Reaching the finals of the UK Housing Awards<br />

‘Creating Integrated and Safe Places to Live’ category<br />

in <strong>2009</strong>, and retaining their Charter Mark status with<br />

full compliance in 20<strong>10</strong> demonstrates the ongoing,<br />

excellent work of the team.<br />

We have also made a number of referrals to our<br />

Family Intervention Project (FIP) which aims to deliver<br />

intensive support to families who, due to their antisocial<br />

behaviour, were at risk of being evicted from<br />

their home. The FIP aims to break the cycle of poor<br />

behaviour, homelessness and disadvantage; help the<br />

family to get back on its feet and help children and<br />

young people back into education, employment and<br />

training. Figures from January 20<strong>10</strong> show that it has<br />

worked with 24 families in total. 17 of these have now<br />

been closed; and they continue to work with seven.<br />

And there has been a significant reduction in the<br />

number of incidents of anti-social behaviour from those<br />

families by 80%.<br />

Customers have played their part in helping to improve<br />

the areas in which they live. By taking part in estate<br />

walkabouts, estate standards groups and the Living<br />

in Flats group they have identified several areas<br />

for improvement. The estate standards group have<br />

reduced the number of unacceptable green areas on<br />

estates across the city, and on an estate walkabout<br />

in Scotswood tenants identified general repairs,<br />

environmental maintenance and a proposal for an<br />

improvement using Area Project Fund money.<br />

During <strong>2009</strong>/<strong>10</strong> we carried out 264 block inspections<br />

and 241 passed. Where improvements were identified,<br />

actions were agreed to bring those blocks to the<br />

appropriate standard.<br />

page 12


urhood and community<br />

partnership with tenants and other providers where necessary. Co-operating with<br />

being, and with other public agencies to prevent and tackle anti-social behaviour.”<br />

HASBET aims to help people sustain their tenancies and eviction is only enforced as a last resort where a solution<br />

cannot be agreed. The team uses a multi-agency approach to tackle cases of anti-social behaviour and here is an<br />

example of one complex case which involved several partner agencies.<br />

1. Complaints were made to<br />

a Community Housing Office<br />

by a leaseholder who claimed<br />

their neighbour – a <strong>YHN</strong> tenant<br />

and her partner/carer (living<br />

at a different property on the<br />

same street) - were creating<br />

noise nuisance by arguing<br />

regularly and using foul and<br />

abusive language.<br />

2. After the Community<br />

Housing Office made initial enquiries, the<br />

leaseholder began to report incidents of<br />

retaliation from the neighbour including<br />

shouting at and threatening them.<br />

3. The case escalated<br />

when the tenants’<br />

partner was convicted<br />

of trying to “burn”<br />

the leaseholder out<br />

of their home. The<br />

Community Housing<br />

Office referred the<br />

case to HASBET.<br />

6. Throughout the<br />

case the tenant was<br />

assessed, under the<br />

Mental Health Act,<br />

several times.<br />

5. HASBET attended<br />

a number of multiagency<br />

meetings to<br />

discuss the case and<br />

the tenant was warned<br />

several times about her<br />

unacceptable behaviour.<br />

4. The tenant was bipolar and had<br />

other mental health issues, so we made<br />

a referral to Adult Services and made<br />

sure we adhered to the Prevention of<br />

Eviction Protocol to make sure they had<br />

support to sustain their tenancy.<br />

7. The tenant was served<br />

with a Notice of Seeking<br />

Possession when her<br />

behaviour failed to improve.<br />

Her partner already had a<br />

postponed Possession Order<br />

for non-payment of rent at<br />

his address.<br />

8. HASBET worked with Regulatory Services<br />

and Public Protection (RSPP) to pursue more<br />

formal enforcement action. RSPP served<br />

an Abatement Notice in respect of the<br />

nuisance towards the leaseholder. A Senior<br />

Environmental Health Officer said that the<br />

recordings of the noise nuisance were the<br />

worst they’d heard.<br />

9. HASBET also pursued<br />

possession of the<br />

tenant’s property and<br />

issued injunctions against<br />

the tenant and her<br />

partner to try and stop<br />

the anti-social behaviour.<br />

13. By the time we were granted possession over<br />

200 complaints had been made against the tenant<br />

and her partner. This case demonstrates how difficult<br />

it can be to reach a satisfactory resolution. Residents<br />

being prepared to report anti-social behaviour are<br />

vital in helping us take action against those whose<br />

behaviour makes life difficult for their neighbours. In<br />

this case the victims were prepared to take a stand<br />

and provide evidence to HASBET which meant that<br />

we could take legal action to stop the anti-social<br />

behaviour.<br />

11. <strong>YHN</strong> attended<br />

court with the<br />

support of the<br />

leaseholder,<br />

Northumbria Police<br />

and RSPP.<br />

<strong>10</strong>. The court would not<br />

grant an injunction against<br />

the tenant until another<br />

formal assessment of her<br />

mental health had been<br />

made. Her partner signed<br />

an undertaking which he<br />

went on to breach several<br />

times.<br />

12. Possession of both<br />

the tenant’s and her<br />

partner’s properties<br />

was granted and both<br />

were evicted.<br />

www.yhn.org.uk page 13


National standard: Tenant in<br />

“Providing choices, information and communication that is appropriate to the<br />

way. Offering a wide range of involvement opportunities and consulting with<br />

against the Tenant Services Authority standards. Treating all customers with<br />

Learning from, and acting on, the feedback that<br />

customers have given us is helping us improve<br />

our services. Sometimes the changes that we’ve<br />

introduced can seem quite small. But when you<br />

put them together within a planned approach to<br />

improving the experience for customers, the results<br />

can be very effective. And so we’re pleased to report<br />

that formal complaints are falling whilst general<br />

customer satisfaction continues to rise.<br />

The changes we have introduced included;<br />

• setting up an anti-social behaviour sounding board<br />

to get customer views on how we can improve the<br />

way we deal with anti-social behaviour,<br />

• introducing the ‘complaints r us’ scrutiny panel to<br />

monitor the quality of letters sent to customers in<br />

response to a complaint, and<br />

• introducing a Readers Panel where customers can<br />

comment on pieces of literature, before they go to<br />

print, to make sure they are clear and concise.<br />

Many of the comments we’ve received have been<br />

about the ways in which customers can access our<br />

services and as a result we’ve continued to look<br />

at how we can improve existing methods as well<br />

as introduce new ways. We recently introduced a<br />

digital TV channel which allows customers to find<br />

out information on a range of services as well as an<br />

interactive ‘contact us’ form. We have also developed<br />

an online service which allows customers to view<br />

their rent statements online.<br />

We have also increased the number of ways<br />

customers can get involved. For instance, they<br />

now have the chance to influence some really big<br />

decisions like the setting of our priorities in our<br />

service plans and influencing the content and layout<br />

of our service standards.<br />

We continue to involve customers in the review of<br />

our policies and procedures, including the customer<br />

service strategy and in the design of the new<br />

customer service charter.<br />

In addition, feedback from customers has helped<br />

us to make a difference to lots of services and<br />

information that we provide.<br />

This graphic shows how setting up a tenants’ panel in June 2008,<br />

deal with complaints from 39% in 2008/09 to 58% in <strong>2009</strong>/<strong>10</strong>.<br />

and this is traditionally a difficult thing to get right.<br />

Involvement Complaints<br />

Comment & Complaints Policy introduced - April 2007<br />

600<br />

involved<br />

tenants<br />

2,352<br />

informal<br />

complaints<br />

809<br />

formal<br />

complaints<br />

Reduced timescale to respond from 15 to <strong>10</strong> - days November 2007<br />

• A group of mystery shoppers developed a welcome<br />

pack for new tenants; they told us what should<br />

be included in the packs such as basic cleaning<br />

products and cloths, and that all the products<br />

should be environmentally friendly.<br />

• Customers were involved in developing a customer<br />

training programme pilot. They told us what kind of<br />

training they’d like to attend. The pilot was a success<br />

and has resulted in an annual training programme.<br />

• The Reader’s Panel reviewed the new tenant<br />

handbook to make sure it contained relevant<br />

information and was free of jargon.<br />

85%<br />

Satisfaction<br />

of involved<br />

residents<br />

39%<br />

Satisfaction of<br />

complainants<br />

Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr<br />

2007/08<br />

page 14


volvement and empowerment<br />

diverse needs of customers and approaching complaints in a clear, simple and accessible<br />

customers, enabling them to influence policies and services and assess our performance<br />

respect; understanding diverse needs.”<br />

to focus exclusively on how we deal with complaints, has helped increase customer satisfaction with the way we<br />

It’s particularly encouraging for us, as customers are unlikely to feel particularly positive about having to make a complaint,<br />

Complaints panel introduced – June 2008<br />

2,315<br />

informal<br />

complaints<br />

1,000<br />

involved<br />

tenants<br />

Readers panel introduced – October 2008<br />

51%<br />

Satisfaction of<br />

complainants<br />

New customer service team introduced - January <strong>2009</strong><br />

ASB sounding board introduced - January <strong>2009</strong><br />

87%<br />

Satisfaction<br />

of involved<br />

Leaseholder group reviewed - November <strong>2009</strong><br />

1,200<br />

involved<br />

tenants<br />

residents 77%<br />

Satisfaction<br />

of involved<br />

residents<br />

909<br />

formal<br />

complaints<br />

2,881<br />

informal<br />

complaints<br />

58%<br />

Satisfaction of<br />

complainants<br />

638<br />

formal<br />

complaints<br />

May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul<br />

2008/09 <strong>2009</strong>/<strong>10</strong><br />

• Customers helped us to set our priorities for the year.<br />

Some of our <strong>2009</strong>/<strong>10</strong> service plan targets came as a<br />

direct result of customer feedback.<br />

As part of our efforts to ensure we treat all of<br />

our customers fairly and give everyone the same<br />

opportunities to get involved, we have consulted with<br />

several customer groups. We have:<br />

• consulted with our older customers when developing<br />

a local offer for sheltered housing residents. They told<br />

us what was important to them and agreed the local<br />

offers,<br />

• held a session with our Asylum Seeker Unit (ASU)<br />

customers to develop the ASU service standards, and<br />

• held meetings with young people to help improve<br />

services and influence the build of our new<br />

accommodation, specifically for young families,<br />

on Jubilee Road, Gosforth. They told us their most<br />

important elements for design such as car parking,<br />

play facilities and support staff, and were consulted<br />

on the choice of contractor.<br />

www.yhn.org.uk page 15


National standard: Value for<br />

“Planning how we manage our resources to provide cost-effective, efficient,<br />

Demonstrating how spending has been prioritised, how value for money has<br />

Using<br />

customer<br />

satisfaction<br />

feedback when<br />

reviewing<br />

constructors<br />

Constructors<br />

have made<br />

community<br />

improvements<br />

including new<br />

kitchens in<br />

community<br />

centres,<br />

sponsorship<br />

of local football<br />

teams and<br />

helping people<br />

into employment<br />

through<br />

apprenticeships<br />

Increase in<br />

trade at local<br />

businesses such<br />

as newsagents,<br />

bakeries and<br />

sandwich shops<br />

Switched<br />

from timber<br />

to UPVC<br />

windows<br />

Quarterly<br />

reviews of<br />

contractors to<br />

maintain high<br />

quality and value<br />

for money<br />

Withheld<br />

work from<br />

contractors until<br />

they showed an<br />

improvement<br />

Donations<br />

from constructors<br />

such as TVs and<br />

DVD players and<br />

health and<br />

safety talks in<br />

schools<br />

Gave a<br />

higher proportion<br />

of our modern<br />

homes work to<br />

our more efficient<br />

constructors<br />

page 16


money<br />

quality services and homes to meet tenants’ and potential tenants’ needs.<br />

been achieved and plans and priorities for future value for money activities.”<br />

Value for money has always been an important<br />

requirement for us. Any efficiency savings are put back<br />

into the organisation to improve the services we provide<br />

customers and offer them more choice.<br />

We also aim to make sure that customers receive excellent<br />

services that meet their needs.<br />

Our approach to achieving value for money is set out<br />

in the <strong>YHN</strong> Efficiency Strategy. The strategy has already<br />

helped us make savings across the organisation. For<br />

instance, new procurement contracts have realised<br />

significant savings in relation to the Modern <strong>Homes</strong><br />

Programme and the print and design services we buy<br />

in, and we have reviewed some of our Service Level<br />

Agreements – resulting in either better value for money<br />

from the existing provider, procuring a new provider or<br />

bringing some of the services in-house.<br />

Economic forecasts remain pessimistic for the country as<br />

a whole, but we have reached a secure financial position<br />

which means that we should be able to maintain the<br />

level of service that our tenants have come to expect, and<br />

consider developing additional services which we think<br />

will improve the lives of our customers. It also means we<br />

have some time to prepare for how we can respond to any<br />

deterioration in funding and other cost pressures.<br />

Our finance team have been working hard, behind the<br />

scenes, to plan our finances for the future but all staff play<br />

their part in helping to identify potential savings.<br />

We have carried out Business and Financial planning<br />

exercises with staff and are planning another round in<br />

the near future. These exercises aim to identify where we<br />

can make efficiency savings, improve services and develop<br />

service plans for the coming year. Some great suggestions<br />

have already been made and we hope staff will continue<br />

to identify areas where they think efficiencies can be made<br />

such as reducing paper usage, working in greener ways<br />

and the possibility of merging teams.<br />

Our staff have been working hard to improve our<br />

performance around void relet times and rent collection,<br />

both of which have made a hugely positive impact on<br />

our financial position. We have reduced the cost of<br />

providing the Housing Management Service and the cost<br />

of maintaining our properties. We regularly compare<br />

ourselves to other local housing providers to see where we<br />

can improve the value for money of our services.<br />

How we spend your money on behalf of<br />

<strong>Newcastle</strong> City Council & <strong>Your</strong> <strong>Homes</strong> <strong>Newcastle</strong><br />

<strong>YHN</strong> Property<br />

Maintenance;<br />

£28.7m<br />

Renewal<br />

Charges;<br />

£19.6m<br />

22%<br />

Reserves;<br />

£12.4m<br />

15%<br />

9% 11%<br />

<strong>YHN</strong> Tenancy<br />

Services; £14.6m<br />

22%<br />

<strong>YHN</strong> Care<br />

Services; £6.3m<br />

Other<br />

Management<br />

Costs;<br />

£20.5m<br />

Investment & Loan<br />

Charges; £28.7m<br />

Tenancy services: Otherwise known as ‘the frontline’. This includes<br />

our network of Housing Offices, Concierge service, Leasehold team,<br />

<strong>Newcastle</strong> Furniture Service. The figures also include costs related<br />

to Ground Maintenance, District and Group Heating schemes, and a<br />

specialist Customer Service and Improvement team that works with<br />

staff to ensure that they give the best possible service to customers.<br />

Property maintenance: Maintenance and improvement of homes.<br />

Care services: Support services for older and vulnerable<br />

customers. Includes Sheltered Housing, Mobile Wardens, Homeless<br />

Accommodation, Asylum Seekers Unit, Young People’s Service, and our<br />

Advice and Support team.<br />

Other management costs: Sometimes termed ‘back office services’<br />

this figure includes staff and structural costs associated with the<br />

provision of services for our staff. This includes teams that make up<br />

our Directorates for Finance and Resources (such as Finance, IT) and<br />

Business Strategy (such as Organisational Development, Customer<br />

Involvement).<br />

Investment and loan charges: Interest payable on loans and<br />

investment income.<br />

Renewal charges: The depreciation and impairment costs<br />

associated with the Housing Revenue Account stock. Impairment costs<br />

reflect the difference between the cost of the Council’s assets in the<br />

accounts and its estimated value. This years figure reflects the fall in<br />

general house prices.<br />

Reserves: Provisions we’ve made for future years’ expenditure<br />

- to cover potential shortfalls in funding for our Modern <strong>Homes</strong><br />

programme, for example.<br />

5%<br />

16%<br />

www.yhn.org.uk page 17


National standard: Governanc<br />

“Providing arrangements which adhere to relevant legislation, are accountable<br />

the reputation of the sector. Managing resources effectively to ensure viability is<br />

Value for money continued<br />

By establishing our charitable subsidiary, Leazes <strong>Homes</strong>,<br />

we have been able to maximise funds to drive our new<br />

build programme of development. We have also accessed<br />

other grant funding to subsidise the programme, which is<br />

helping to ease the pressure on demand for social housing<br />

in the city whilst generating more rental income and<br />

allowing us to make improvements to tenants’ homes that<br />

help to reduce fuel bills and improve energy effi ciency.<br />

Most of the funding for our Support and Care services<br />

comes from contracts we have secured from Supporting<br />

People. We are required, under those contracts, to<br />

demonstrate that we run those contracts effi ciently and<br />

effectively, and that the additional activity is producing<br />

positive outcomes for customers. Results to date clearly<br />

show that these services are helping our customers<br />

manage their debts and access any relevant benefi ts,<br />

which gives them a better chance of sustaining their<br />

tenancies. This helps us collect as much rent as possible<br />

and reduces the number of evictions for rent arrears that<br />

we have to make.<br />

We are also able to reinvest money from services that<br />

operate at a surplus such as NFS, our furniture service,<br />

back into the core services that we provide to customers.<br />

This allows us to continue to improve those services,<br />

enhancing the overall experience for our customers.<br />

Part of our overall improvement programme is to review<br />

all <strong>YHN</strong> services to make sure that they are the best they<br />

can be for the best possible price. Where the service being<br />

reviewed is provided to tenants, they are involved in the<br />

review process through consultation. By involving tenants<br />

we can check whether the services are meeting their<br />

needs.<br />

During <strong>2009</strong>, <strong>YHN</strong> reviewed the concierge service. Tenants<br />

were consulted about the review and given information<br />

about the options available for future service provision,<br />

and the cost of those options. Following the consultation<br />

changes to the service were agreed, including the<br />

introduction of a central control room to monitor CCTV<br />

and door entry systems, with onsite and responsive staff to<br />

deal with tenants’ issues.<br />

Value for money is and continues to be a priority for <strong>YHN</strong>.<br />

We feel that we are in a strong position to adapt in the<br />

face of spending cuts and will continue to encourage staff<br />

and customers to put forward their suggestions for further<br />

effi ciency savings and areas for improvement to services.<br />

Judith<br />

Common:<br />

Independent<br />

Board Member<br />

Who am I?<br />

For the last 30 years I’ve<br />

worked in the Northumbria<br />

area as a police offi cer and<br />

that brought me into contact with a range of people<br />

across the Tyne and Wear region. I’ve worked in both<br />

the east and west of the city and therefore feel a<br />

strong connection to <strong>Newcastle</strong> and the people living<br />

in it.<br />

When I retired from the police service I felt that I still<br />

wanted to, and still could, give something back to<br />

<strong>Newcastle</strong>.<br />

Why I joined the <strong>YHN</strong> Board<br />

Whilst working for the police I got to meet a lot of<br />

different people and interact with the community.<br />

I often saw people when they were at their most<br />

vulnerable and for them, their home and having<br />

stability are very important to them. I wanted to be<br />

part of <strong>YHN</strong>’s board because they don’t just provide<br />

somebody with a house, they provide a home and offer<br />

structure and support mechanisms to enable them to<br />

live in that home. It really does make a difference to<br />

how people manage their lives, and that’s what I liked<br />

about <strong>YHN</strong>. Being on the board also enables me to use<br />

my past experiences to good effect.<br />

How did I become a board member and<br />

what’s involved?<br />

I applied to become a board member and went<br />

through quite a rigorous interview process. It is<br />

important that people are joining the board for all the<br />

right reasons and bring the right skills to the board, so<br />

that each person adds value to the work the board is<br />

involved in.<br />

page 18


e and financial viability<br />

to tenants, the TSA and other stakeholders and safeguard taxpayers’ interests and<br />

maintained.”<br />

I came here two years ago and I’ve just been reinterviewed<br />

for a place on the board for another<br />

three years. There’s a significant time commitment<br />

to being a board member, which is made clear<br />

at the outset. There are many ways that a board<br />

member can get involved in <strong>YHN</strong> but the board<br />

meetings themselves take place every six weeks<br />

and are the main mechanism for decision making.<br />

So, I think it’s important that you attend as many<br />

board meetings as you can throughout the year.<br />

As well as board meetings there are other meetings<br />

to attend and committees that service the main<br />

board. Most board members are also members<br />

of other committees. I chair the Performance<br />

Committee which has been running for a year. In<br />

simple terms this makes sure that <strong>YHN</strong> delivers<br />

what it says it’s going to deliver.<br />

A day in the life…<br />

You can’t just go to a board meeting and make<br />

multi million pound decisions without all the<br />

background information to hand.<br />

I receive board papers one week before the board<br />

meeting takes place so if there is something on the<br />

agenda that I don’t know the background to, I have<br />

the chance to find out more. This might be through<br />

talking to key stakeholders about their views and<br />

expectations. It’s important that I increase my<br />

awareness and understanding of an issue so that<br />

when the time comes to make a decision, I’m<br />

fully informed and in a good position to give my<br />

opinion.<br />

Before the meeting takes place I will have read<br />

and analysed papers, spoken to officers for more<br />

information and gone to the area in question to see<br />

how our decisions are going to affect the people<br />

who live there. It’s about making decisions that<br />

affect real people and making sure that you take<br />

their views into account, as well as the views of the<br />

organisation and other stakeholders.<br />

I have recently completed the intermediate<br />

governance award through <strong>YHN</strong> and I’m going<br />

on to do the advanced award. I do this in my<br />

own time. I have learnt a lot about governance,<br />

which in turn makes me more confident about the<br />

organisation, which enables me to carry out my<br />

role successfully.<br />

What I enjoy about being a board<br />

member<br />

I’m really committed to <strong>Newcastle</strong> and the people<br />

of <strong>Newcastle</strong>. Having the ability to make decisions<br />

that impact upon the lives of the people living in<br />

the city, and to help people who are vulnerable,<br />

means a lot to me.<br />

It’s the interaction of <strong>YHN</strong> with other organisations<br />

in the city that’s of particular interest and having<br />

involvement with other organisations to create<br />

community cohesion.<br />

What have I learnt?<br />

There’s a lot more to housing than I originally<br />

thought! These last two years have really brought<br />

home to me how dynamic and forward thinking<br />

<strong>YHN</strong> is, how privileged I am to be part of that<br />

organisation and just how broad their role is.<br />

<strong>YHN</strong> is a really progressive, proactive organisation<br />

that’s constantly looking at the future and<br />

constantly looking at how it can do better for the<br />

people in the city. And the drive has to come from<br />

the board. We have to look after the interests<br />

of the people of <strong>Newcastle</strong>, making sure they’re<br />

getting excellent services that are value for money.<br />

www.yhn.org.uk page 19


How we run ourselves<br />

<strong>Your</strong> <strong>Homes</strong> <strong>Newcastle</strong> is run by a board of 19<br />

people. In accordance with government guidance<br />

for the setting of ALMOs, the organisation’s board<br />

of non-executive directors has equal representation<br />

of tenant, independent and council members. Six<br />

tenants, six council nominees, six independent people.<br />

The Board is led by an independent Chair; this<br />

position sits outside of the three constituent groups of<br />

board members.<br />

The Board is responsible for:<br />

• Setting our vision and our strategic objectives<br />

• Agreeing how we deliver services<br />

• Setting the budget each year and making sure that<br />

we spend it wisely<br />

• Agreeing improvements to services and homes<br />

• Monitoring all of our work to make sure that we<br />

meet our objectives<br />

Following a review of the committee structure, we<br />

set up five committees in September <strong>2009</strong> to look<br />

at particular issues in more depth and provide a<br />

less formal environment to develop work before it is<br />

presented to the Board. The committees are:<br />

• Audit<br />

• Customer and Service Delivery<br />

• Finance and Resources<br />

• Performance<br />

• Remuneration<br />

Following a review of our area boards we have<br />

replaced these with a programme of themed meetings<br />

which complement the comprehensive range of<br />

existing opportunities for involving and engaging<br />

with tenants and residents across the city. Themed<br />

meetings are carried out in different ways to reflect<br />

the subject matter and the needs of the local<br />

community.<br />

<strong>Your</strong> <strong>Homes</strong> <strong>Newcastle</strong> Board <strong>2009</strong>/<strong>10</strong><br />

During the year George Allison, P J Morrissey and Margaret O’Callaghan stood down from the Board. John Cuthbertson<br />

also retired from the Board in September <strong>2009</strong> and we would like to thank those board members for the contributions<br />

they have made to <strong>YHN</strong>.<br />

During<br />

<strong>2009</strong>/<strong>10</strong> there<br />

were a number<br />

of changes<br />

to Board<br />

membership.<br />

Steve Murphy (Chair)<br />

Bill Bowman Judith Common Bill Drury<br />

Veronica Dunn<br />

Roger Harral Rob Higgins Gerry Keating Gordon Knox<br />

page 20


<strong>YHN</strong> Management structure<br />

John Lee<br />

Chief Executive<br />

• Communications<br />

• Equality and Diversity<br />

• Governance and Board Support<br />

Sheila Breslin<br />

Assistant Chief Executive<br />

and Director of Business<br />

Neil Scott<br />

Director of Tenancy Services<br />

• Assets & Programming<br />

• Business Strategy<br />

• Investment Delivery<br />

• Organisational Development<br />

• Customer Involvement<br />

• Citywide Services<br />

• Customer Service<br />

• Housing Management<br />

• Property Maintenance<br />

• Support and Care<br />

Ross Atkinson<br />

Director of Finance and<br />

Resources and Company<br />

Secretary<br />

• Finance (Business support; Income; Revenue)<br />

• Procurement<br />

• Right to Buy<br />

• Central Administration<br />

• Information Technology<br />

• Human Resources<br />

We also welcomed Veronica Dunn, Mike Lynch and Mary McMahon to the Board.<br />

Mike Lynch<br />

Jim McLaughlin<br />

Mary McMahon<br />

Ammar Mirza<br />

Margaret O’Callaghan<br />

John James Reid<br />

Bob Renton<br />

Nitin Shukla David Slesenger Lynn Stephenson<br />

www.yhn.org.uk page 21


Performance<br />

We collect a large amount of performance information<br />

to tell us and others how well we do, compared to<br />

what we set out to achieve and in comparison to other<br />

organisations. The information is used to celebrate<br />

success and to identify areas where we need to do<br />

better.<br />

Some performance indicators are set by the<br />

government, while others are our own, designed to<br />

show whether we are doing what is right for our<br />

priorities.<br />

In <strong>2009</strong>/<strong>10</strong> we exceeded targets including:<br />

• satisfaction with the repairs and maintenance<br />

service,<br />

• number of days sickness (per full time employee),<br />

and<br />

• net rent arrears.<br />

Even though we’ve improved on the previous year’s<br />

performance with our Modern <strong>Homes</strong> Programme,<br />

we did not meet our <strong>2009</strong>/<strong>10</strong> target. This was largely<br />

due to the introduction of a new way of appointing<br />

contractors to carry out the programme which is<br />

starting to realise cost savings without compromising<br />

quality.<br />

Performance around rent collection was particularly<br />

strong this year. As we exceeded our targets in<br />

2008/09 we expected a slight increase during <strong>2009</strong>/<strong>10</strong><br />

but we are pleased to report that we exceeded the<br />

<strong>2009</strong>/<strong>10</strong> target and rent arrears are now at their<br />

lowest since <strong>YHN</strong> was created.<br />

We need to improve in some areas including:<br />

• satisfaction with the overall housing service,<br />

• number of homes made decent.<br />

A snapshot of our performance in some key areas is below and opposite.<br />

Performance indicator 2008/09 <strong>2009</strong>/<strong>10</strong> <strong>2009</strong>/<strong>10</strong><br />

outturn target outturn<br />

Satisfaction with overall housing service 73.1% 81% 79.1%<br />

Number of homes made decent 5885 7683 6137<br />

Satisfaction with the repairs and maintenance service 95% 92% 95%<br />

Number of days sickness (per full time employee) 11.45 <strong>10</strong>.2 <strong>10</strong>.11<br />

Average void relet time 34.8 days 27 days 23 days<br />

Net rent arrears £2,473,741 £2,650,000 £2,076,388.18<br />

page 22


73.1%<br />

81% 7683<br />

79.1%<br />

5885<br />

6137<br />

08/09<br />

outturn<br />

09/<strong>10</strong><br />

target<br />

09/<strong>10</strong><br />

outturn<br />

08/09<br />

outturn<br />

09/<strong>10</strong><br />

target<br />

09/<strong>10</strong><br />

outturn<br />

Satisfaction with overall housing service<br />

Number of homes made decent<br />

95%<br />

92%<br />

95%<br />

11.45<br />

<strong>10</strong>.2<br />

<strong>10</strong>.11<br />

08/09<br />

outturn<br />

09/<strong>10</strong><br />

target<br />

09/<strong>10</strong><br />

outturn<br />

08/09<br />

outturn<br />

09/<strong>10</strong><br />

target<br />

09/<strong>10</strong><br />

outturn<br />

Satisfaction with the repairs<br />

and maintenance service<br />

Number of days sickness (per full time employee)<br />

34.8 days<br />

£2,473,741<br />

£2,650,000<br />

£2,076,388.18<br />

27 days<br />

23 days<br />

08/09<br />

outturn<br />

09/<strong>10</strong><br />

target<br />

09/<strong>10</strong><br />

outturn<br />

08/09<br />

outturn<br />

09/<strong>10</strong><br />

target<br />

09/<strong>10</strong><br />

outturn<br />

Average void relet time<br />

Net rent arrears<br />

www.yhn.org.uk page 23


Financial accounts<br />

Independent auditors’ report to the member of<br />

<strong>Your</strong> <strong>Homes</strong> <strong>Newcastle</strong> Limited<br />

We have audited the financial<br />

statements of <strong>Your</strong> <strong>Homes</strong> <strong>Newcastle</strong><br />

Limited for the year ended 31 March<br />

20<strong>10</strong> which comprise the Group<br />

and Parent Company Income and<br />

Expenditure Accounts, the Group<br />

and Parent Company Balance Sheets,<br />

the Group Cash Flow Statement,<br />

and the related notes 1 to 18. The<br />

financial reporting framework that<br />

has been applied in their preparation<br />

is applicable law and United<br />

Kingdom Accounting Standards<br />

(United Kingdom Generally Accepted<br />

Accounting Practice).<br />

This report is made solely to the<br />

company’s members, as a body, in<br />

accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16<br />

of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit<br />

work has been undertaken so that we<br />

might state to the company’s members<br />

those matters we are required to state<br />

to them in an auditor’s report and for<br />

no other purpose. To the fullest extent<br />

permitted by law, we do not accept<br />

or assume responsibility to anyone<br />

other than the company and the<br />

company’s members as a body, for our<br />

audit work, for this report, or for the<br />

opinions we have formed.<br />

Respective responsibilities<br />

of directors and auditors<br />

responsible for the preparation of the<br />

financial statements and for being<br />

satisfied that they give a true and fair<br />

view. Our responsibility is to audit the<br />

financial statements in accordance<br />

with applicable law and International<br />

Standards on Auditing (UK and<br />

Ireland). Those standards require us<br />

to comply with the Auditing Practices<br />

Board’s (APB’s) Ethical Standards for<br />

Auditors.<br />

Scope of the audit of the<br />

financial statements<br />

An audit involves obtaining evidence<br />

about the amounts and disclosures<br />

in the financial statements sufficient<br />

to give reasonable assurance that<br />

the financial statements are free<br />

from material misstatement, whether<br />

caused by fraud or error. This includes<br />

an assessment of: whether the<br />

accounting policies are appropriate to<br />

the group’s and the parent company’s<br />

circumstances and have been<br />

consistently applied and adequately<br />

disclosed; the reasonableness of<br />

significant accounting estimates<br />

made by the directors; and the<br />

overall presentation of the financial<br />

statements.<br />

As explained more fully in<br />

the Statement of Directors’<br />

Responsibilities the directors are<br />

page 24


Financial accounts<br />

Independent auditors’ report to the member of<br />

<strong>Your</strong> <strong>Homes</strong> <strong>Newcastle</strong> Limited (continued)<br />

Opinion on financial<br />

statements<br />

In our opinion the financial<br />

statements:<br />

• give a true and fair view of the<br />

state of the group’s and the parent<br />

company’s affairs as at 31 March<br />

20<strong>10</strong> and of the group’s and the<br />

parent company’s surplus for the<br />

year then ended,<br />

• have been properly prepared in<br />

accordance with United Kingdom<br />

Generally Accepted Accounting<br />

Practice, and<br />

• have been prepared in accordance<br />

with the requirements of the<br />

Companies Act 2006.<br />

Opinion on other matter<br />

prescribed by the<br />

Companies Act 2006<br />

In our opinion the information given<br />

in the Directors’ <strong>Report</strong> for the<br />

financial year for which the financial<br />

statements are prepared is consistent<br />

with the financial statements.<br />

Matters on which we<br />

are required to report by<br />

exception<br />

We have nothing to report in respect<br />

of the following matters where the<br />

Companies Act 2006 requires us to<br />

report to you if, in our opinion:<br />

• adequate accounting records<br />

have not been kept by the parent<br />

company, or returns adequate for<br />

our audit have not been received<br />

from branches not visited by us, or<br />

• the parent company financial<br />

statements are not in agreement<br />

with the accounting records and<br />

returns, or<br />

• certain disclosures of directors’<br />

remuneration specified by law are<br />

not made, or<br />

• we have not received all the<br />

information and explanations we<br />

require for our audit.<br />

Caroline Mulley (Senior statutory auditor)<br />

for and on behalf of Ernst & Young LLP, Statutory Auditor<br />

<strong>Newcastle</strong> upon Tyne<br />

2nd September 20<strong>10</strong><br />

www.yhn.org.uk page 25


Financial accounts<br />

Group income and expenditure account<br />

For the year ended 31 March 20<strong>10</strong><br />

20<strong>10</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />

Note £’000 £’000<br />

Turnover 2 31,338 29,898<br />

Operating costs 3 (31,247 ) (29,847 )<br />

Operating profit 91 51<br />

Interest payable and similar charges 4 (53 ) (51 )<br />

Profit on ordinary activities before taxation 5 38 -<br />

Taxation on profit on ordinary activities 8 - -<br />

Profit on ordinary activities after taxation 14 38 -<br />

All amounts relate to continuing activities.<br />

There have been no recognised gains and losses other than those shown in the<br />

income and expenditure account in both the current and prior years, therefore no<br />

Statement of Total Recognised Gains and Losses has been prepared.<br />

page 26


Financial accounts<br />

Company income and expenditure account<br />

For the year ended 31 March 20<strong>10</strong><br />

20<strong>10</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />

Note £’000 £’000<br />

Turnover 2 31,338 29,898<br />

Operating costs 3 (31,247 ) (29,847 )<br />

Gift Aid payment 3 (38 ) -<br />

Operating profit 53 51<br />

Interest payable and similar charges 4 (53 ) (51 )<br />

Profit on ordinary activities before taxation 5 - -<br />

Taxation on surplus on ordinary activities 8 - -<br />

Profit on ordinary activities after taxation 14 - -<br />

All amounts relate to continuing activities.<br />

There have been no recognised gains and losses other than those shown in the<br />

income and expenditure account in both the current and prior years, therefore no<br />

Statement of Total Recognised Gains and Losses has been prepared.<br />

www.yhn.org.uk page 27


Financial accounts<br />

Group balance sheet<br />

at 31 March 20<strong>10</strong><br />

20<strong>10</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />

Note £’000 £’000<br />

Fixed assets 9 2,681 -<br />

Current assets<br />

Debtors <strong>10</strong> 7,468 2,159<br />

Cash 40 2<br />

7,508 2,161<br />

Creditors: amounts falling due in less than<br />

one year 11 (6,150) (2,161)<br />

Net current assets 1,358 -<br />

Total assets less current liabilities 4,039 -<br />

Creditors: amounts falling due in more than<br />

one year (4,001) -<br />

Net assets 38 -<br />

Capital and reserves 38 -<br />

These financial statements were approved by the Board and authorised for issue<br />

on 1st September 20<strong>10</strong>.<br />

Signed on behalf of the Board<br />

Steve Murphy<br />

Chair, <strong>Your</strong> <strong>Homes</strong> <strong>Newcastle</strong><br />

page 28


Financial accounts<br />

Company balance sheet<br />

at 31 March 20<strong>10</strong><br />

20<strong>10</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />

Note £’000 £’000<br />

Fixed assets 9 2,681 -<br />

Current assets<br />

Debtors <strong>10</strong> 7,468 2,159<br />

Cash 2 2<br />

7,470 2,161<br />

Creditors: amounts falling due in less than<br />

one year 11 (6,150) (2,161)<br />

Net current assets 1,320 -<br />

Total assets less current liabilities 4,001 -<br />

Creditors: amounts falling due in more than<br />

one year 12 (4,001) -<br />

Net assets - -<br />

Capital and reserves - -<br />

These financial statements were approved by the Board and authorised for issue<br />

on 1st September 20<strong>10</strong>.<br />

Signed on behalf of the Board<br />

Steve Murphy<br />

Chair, <strong>Your</strong> <strong>Homes</strong> <strong>Newcastle</strong><br />

www.yhn.org.uk page 29


Financial accounts<br />

Group cash flow statement<br />

For the year ended 31 March 20<strong>10</strong><br />

20<strong>10</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />

Note £’000 £’000<br />

Net cash flow from operating activities 15 (1,229 ) 50<br />

Returns on investments and servicing<br />

of finance – interest paid (53) (51)<br />

Capital expenditure<br />

Acquisition and construction of<br />

housing properties (2,688) -<br />

Capital grants received 4,008 -<br />

1,320 -<br />

Increase in cash 38 (1 )<br />

page 30


Financial accounts<br />

Notes to the financial statements<br />

at 31 March 20<strong>10</strong><br />

1. Principal accounting policies<br />

The financial statements have<br />

been prepared in accordance<br />

with applicable United Kingdom<br />

Accounting Standards. A summary<br />

of the more important accounting<br />

policies is set out below.<br />

Basis of preparation<br />

The financial statements have been<br />

prepared on the historical cost basis<br />

of accounting.<br />

Turnover<br />

Turnover, which excludes VAT,<br />

primarily represents fee income<br />

received from <strong>Newcastle</strong> City<br />

Council for the management and<br />

maintenance of <strong>Newcastle</strong> City<br />

Council’s housing stock. All turnover<br />

arises in the United Kingdom.<br />

Taxation<br />

Deferred taxation is recognised in<br />

respect of all timing differences that<br />

have originated but not reversed<br />

at the balance sheet date where<br />

transactions or events have occurred<br />

at that date that will result in an<br />

obligation to pay more, or right to<br />

pay less or to receive more, tax, with<br />

following exceptions:<br />

• Deferred tax assets are recognised<br />

only to the extent that the directors<br />

consider that it is more likely than<br />

not that there will be suitable<br />

taxable profits from which the<br />

future reversal of the underlying<br />

timing differences can be deducted.<br />

Deferred tax is measured on an<br />

undiscounted basis at the tax rates<br />

that are expected to apply in the<br />

periods in which timing differences<br />

reverse, based on tax rates and laws<br />

enacted or substantively enacted at<br />

the balance sheet date.<br />

Tangible fixed assets<br />

Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost<br />

less accumulated depreciation. Cost<br />

includes the original purchase price<br />

of the asset plus any costs incurred<br />

in bringing the asset to its working<br />

condition.<br />

Depreciation is calculated to write off<br />

the cost or valuation of tangible fixed<br />

assets on a straight line basis over<br />

their useful lives as follows:<br />

Land<br />

Buildings<br />

not depreciated<br />

<strong>10</strong> – <strong>10</strong>0 years<br />

The carrying values of tangible<br />

fixed assets are reviewed for<br />

impairment when events or changes<br />

in circumstances indicate the carrying<br />

value may not be recoverable.<br />

www.yhn.org.uk page 31


Financial accounts<br />

Notes to the financial statements<br />

at 31 March 20<strong>10</strong><br />

1. Principal accounting policies (continued)<br />

Government grants<br />

Where grants from the <strong>Homes</strong> and<br />

Communities Agency (HCA) have<br />

been received as a contribution<br />

towards the capital cost of a scheme<br />

they are treated as deferred income<br />

and are recognised in the income and<br />

expenditure account over the useful<br />

economic life of those assets.<br />

Pension costs<br />

The company participates in the Local<br />

Government Pension Scheme, through<br />

membership of the Tyne and Wear<br />

Pension Fund. The scheme is a final<br />

salary pension scheme and retirement<br />

benefits to employees of the company<br />

are funded by contributions from<br />

all participating employers and<br />

employees in the scheme. Payments<br />

are made in accordance with periodic<br />

calculations by consulting actuaries<br />

and are based on pension costs<br />

applicable to the various participating<br />

organisations.<br />

Costs are charged to the income and<br />

expenditure account over the period<br />

benefiting from the employees’<br />

service and disclosures are given as<br />

required by FRS17.<br />

2. Analysis of turnover<br />

20<strong>10</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />

£’000 £’000<br />

<strong>Newcastle</strong> City Council Housing Revenue<br />

Account management fee 30,635 29,442<br />

Rental income 33 -<br />

Other income 670 456<br />

31,338 29,898<br />

page 32


Financial accounts<br />

Notes to the financial statements<br />

at 31 March 20<strong>10</strong><br />

3. Analysis of operating costs<br />

20<strong>10</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />

£’000 £’000<br />

Employee costs 25,340 23,709<br />

Premises 1,086 1,263<br />

Transport 507 487<br />

Supplies and services 4,314 4,388<br />

31,247 29,847<br />

<strong>Your</strong> <strong>Homes</strong> <strong>Newcastle</strong> Limited has a subsidiary Leazes <strong>Homes</strong> Limited which has<br />

charitable status.<br />

Under the corporate gift aid tax treatment regime, the company has donated<br />

<strong>10</strong>0% of its trading profit to Leazes <strong>Homes</strong> Limited in respect of the year ended<br />

31 March 20<strong>10</strong>. For the purposes of corporation tax the amount paid is treated as<br />

a charge on income, thus reducing the chargeable profit to nil.<br />

4. Interest payable and similar charges<br />

Interest payable of £52,849 was incurred during the year (<strong>2009</strong>: £51,144). This<br />

relates to in-year movements in notional cash balances, largely due to the<br />

profiling of management fee receipts.<br />

5. Profit on ordinary activities before taxation<br />

The profit on ordinary activities before taxation is<br />

stated after charging/(crediting):<br />

20<strong>10</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />

£’000 £’000<br />

Audit fees 15 <strong>10</strong><br />

Depreciation of owned assets 16 -<br />

Release of deferred capital grants 7 -<br />

www.yhn.org.uk page 33


Financial accounts<br />

Notes to the financial statements<br />

at 31 March 20<strong>10</strong><br />

6. Employee information<br />

The average number of persons employed during the year, expressed as equivalent<br />

of full time employees was:<br />

20<strong>10</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />

£’000 £’000<br />

Housing management 616 612<br />

Administration and clerical 183 183<br />

799 795<br />

Costs for the above persons were:<br />

20<strong>10</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />

£’000 £’000<br />

Wages and salaries 20,868 19,274<br />

Employer’s National Insurance contributions 1,383 1,349<br />

Employer’s pension costs 2,889 2,917<br />

Training 200 169<br />

25,340 23,709<br />

7. Directors’ emoluments<br />

The remuneration paid to the directors of the company was:<br />

20<strong>10</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />

£’000 £’000<br />

Aggregate emoluments payable to directors<br />

(including pension contributions and benefits in kind) 11 6<br />

page 34


Financial accounts<br />

Notes to the financial statements<br />

at 31 March 20<strong>10</strong><br />

8. Tax on profit on ordinary activities<br />

(a) Tax on profit on ordinary activities<br />

The tax charge is made up as follows:<br />

20<strong>10</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />

£’000 £’000<br />

Current tax:<br />

UK Corporation Tax - -<br />

Total current tax (note 9(b)) - -<br />

Deferred tax - -<br />

Tax on surplus on ordinary activities - -<br />

(b) Factors affecting current tax charge<br />

The tax assessed on the profit on ordinary activities for the year is different<br />

from the standard rate of corporation tax in the UK of 20%. The differences are<br />

reconciled below:<br />

20<strong>10</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />

£’000 £’000<br />

Surplus on ordinary activities before tax 38 -<br />

Surplus on ordinary activities multiplied by<br />

standard rate of Corporation Tax of 20% (<strong>2009</strong>: 20%) 8 -<br />

Expenses not deductible for tax purposes 6,161 5,980<br />

Non-taxable income (6,169 ) (5,980 )<br />

Total current tax (9(a)) - -<br />

www.yhn.org.uk page 35


Financial accounts<br />

Notes to the financial statements<br />

at 31 March 20<strong>10</strong><br />

9. Fixed Assets<br />

Group and company<br />

Land Housing Assets in the Total<br />

course of<br />

construction<br />

Cost £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000<br />

As at 1 April <strong>2009</strong> - - - -<br />

Schemes Completed 755 1,0<strong>10</strong> - 1,765<br />

Additions - - 932 932<br />

As at 31 March 20<strong>10</strong> 755 1,0<strong>10</strong> 932 2,697<br />

Accumulated<br />

depreciation<br />

As at 1 April <strong>2009</strong> - - - -<br />

Charge for the year - 16 - 16<br />

As at 31 March 20<strong>10</strong> - 16 - 16<br />

Net Book Value<br />

As at 31 March 20<strong>10</strong> 755 994 932 2,681<br />

As at 1 April <strong>2009</strong> - - - -<br />

page 36


Financial accounts<br />

Notes to the financial statements<br />

at 31 March 20<strong>10</strong><br />

<strong>10</strong>. Debtors<br />

Group and company<br />

20<strong>10</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />

£’000 £’000<br />

Amounts due from <strong>Newcastle</strong> City Council 7,289 2,035<br />

Other debtors and prepayments 179 124<br />

7,468 2,159<br />

11. Creditors: amounts falling due in less than one year<br />

Group<br />

20<strong>10</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />

£’000 £’000<br />

VAT 1,113 619<br />

Amounts due to <strong>Newcastle</strong> City Council 2,393 994<br />

Accruals 2,644 548<br />

6,150 2,161<br />

Company<br />

20<strong>10</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />

£’000 £’000<br />

VAT 1,113 619<br />

Amounts due to <strong>Newcastle</strong> City Council 2,393 994<br />

Accruals 2,644 548<br />

6,150 2,161<br />

www.yhn.org.uk page 37


Financial accounts<br />

Notes to the financial statements<br />

at 31 March 20<strong>10</strong><br />

12. Creditors: amounts falling due in more than one year<br />

Deferred income<br />

<strong>Homes</strong> and Communities<br />

Agency (HCA) Grant<br />

£’000<br />

Amounts receivable<br />

At 1 April <strong>2009</strong> -<br />

Receivable in year 4,008<br />

At 31 March 20<strong>10</strong> 4,008<br />

Recognised in income and expenditure account<br />

At 1 April <strong>2009</strong> -<br />

Recognised in year (7)<br />

At 31 March 20<strong>10</strong> (7)<br />

Balance<br />

At 31 March 20<strong>10</strong> 4,001<br />

At 1 April <strong>2009</strong> -<br />

13. Constitution<br />

<strong>Your</strong> <strong>Homes</strong> <strong>Newcastle</strong> Limited is a company limited by guarantee and does not<br />

have any share capital. There is only one “member” of the organisation. That<br />

“member” is <strong>Newcastle</strong> City Council and the company’s Articles of Association<br />

state that no other person other than the Council Member shall be admitted to<br />

membership of the organisation.<br />

page 38


Financial accounts<br />

Notes to the financial statements<br />

at 31 March 20<strong>10</strong><br />

14. Reconciliation of reserves and shareholders funds<br />

Group<br />

Revenue Reserves<br />

20<strong>10</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />

£’000 £’000<br />

At beginning of year - -<br />

Result for year 38 -<br />

At end of year 38 -<br />

Company<br />

Revenue Reserves<br />

20<strong>10</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />

£’000 £’000<br />

At beginning of year - -<br />

Result for year - -<br />

At end of year - -<br />

15. Notes to the cash flow statement<br />

a) Reconciliation of operating surplus to net cash flow from operating activities<br />

20<strong>10</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />

£’000 £’000<br />

Operating Profit 91 51<br />

Increase in debtors (5,309 ) (467 )<br />

Increase in creditors 3,989 466<br />

Net cashflow from operating activities (1,229 ) 50<br />

www.yhn.org.uk page 39


Financial accounts<br />

Notes to the financial statements<br />

at 31 March 20<strong>10</strong><br />

15. Notes to the cash flow statement (continued)<br />

Capital expenditure<br />

20<strong>10</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />

£’000 £’000<br />

Fixed assets (2,688 ) -<br />

Capital grant income 4,008 -<br />

1,320 -<br />

Returns on investing and servicing of finance (53 ) (51 )<br />

Increase in cash 38 (1 )<br />

b) Reconciliation of net cash flow to movement in net funds<br />

20<strong>10</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />

£’000 £’000<br />

Increase in cash in year 38 (1 )<br />

Change in net debt resulting from cash flows 38 (1 )<br />

Net funds at start of year 2 3<br />

Net funds at end of year 40 2<br />

c) Analysis of changes in net funds<br />

At 31 Cash At 31<br />

March <strong>2009</strong> flows March 20<strong>10</strong><br />

£’000 £’000 £’000<br />

Cash 2 38 40<br />

Net funds 2 38 40<br />

page 40


Financial accounts<br />

Notes to the financial statements<br />

at 31 March 20<strong>10</strong><br />

16. Related party disclosures<br />

<strong>Your</strong> <strong>Homes</strong> <strong>Newcastle</strong> Limited is a<br />

local authority controlled company<br />

of <strong>Newcastle</strong> City Council established<br />

with no share capital and limited by<br />

guarantee. The Council has delegated<br />

responsibility for overseeing the<br />

management and maintenance of<br />

its residential stock, and of Housing<br />

Revenue Account services provided<br />

to the City’s housing tenants. £30.1m<br />

was earned from the Council in<br />

management fees in relation to these<br />

activities throughout the year (<strong>2009</strong>:<br />

£29.4m).<br />

In addition, transactions totalling<br />

£4.7m took place with <strong>Newcastle</strong> City<br />

Council (<strong>2009</strong>: £1.3m). This related to<br />

support services such as temporary<br />

staffing, general office supplies,<br />

legal services, human resources<br />

management, IT, exchequer services<br />

and other centrally administered<br />

services. These transactions are<br />

included within operating costs.<br />

With the exception of petty cash<br />

transactions, all cash book payments<br />

and receipts are made via <strong>Newcastle</strong><br />

City Council’s banking intermediaries<br />

with the net balance owing to or<br />

from the City Council being disclosed<br />

as a current asset or liability as<br />

appropriate.<br />

Leazes <strong>Homes</strong> Limited is a charitable<br />

subsidiary wholly owned by <strong>Your</strong><br />

<strong>Homes</strong> <strong>Newcastle</strong> Limited. In <strong>2009</strong>-<br />

<strong>10</strong> transactions totalling £38k took<br />

place between <strong>Your</strong> <strong>Homes</strong> <strong>Newcastle</strong><br />

and Leazes <strong>Homes</strong> Limited. This was<br />

related to a gift aid payment made by<br />

the company.<br />

17. Pensions<br />

The company participates in the Tyne and Wear Pension Fund, which is a funded<br />

defined benefit scheme where contributions payable are held in a trust separately<br />

from the company. The main results and assumptions of the most recent valuation<br />

of the Tyne and Wear Pension Fund are as follows:<br />

Contributions to the scheme have been charged to the profit and loss account on<br />

a cash basis. A qualified actuary has determined contribution rates on the basis of<br />

triennial valuations using the projected unit method. The actuaries determined<br />

that in order to meet the funding target, the contribution rate would be set at<br />

17.3% for <strong>2009</strong>/<strong>10</strong> (2008/09: 17.3%).<br />

www.yhn.org.uk page 41


Financial accounts<br />

Notes to the financial statements<br />

at 31 March 20<strong>10</strong><br />

17. Pensions (continued)<br />

Financial <strong>Report</strong>ing Standard No 17<br />

Under the requirements of FRS 17, the company is required to account for and<br />

disclose further information on its share of assets and liabilities of the Tyne and<br />

Wear Pension Fund at the end of the accounting period. The valuation at 31<br />

March <strong>2009</strong> has been updated by an independent qualified actuary on an FRS 17<br />

basis as at 31 March 20<strong>10</strong>. As required by FRS 17 the defined benefit liabilities<br />

have been measured using the projected unit method.<br />

This information is set out below:<br />

Main financial assumptions 31 March 31 March 31 March<br />

20<strong>10</strong> <strong>2009</strong> 2008<br />

% % %<br />

Discount Rate 5.5 6.5 6.8<br />

Inflation 3.9 3.6 3.7<br />

Rate of increase to pensions in payment 3.9 3.6 3.7<br />

Rate of increase to deferred pensions 3.9 3.6 3.7<br />

Rate of general increase in salaries 5.4 5.1 5.2<br />

page 42


Financial accounts<br />

Notes to the financial statements<br />

at 31 March 20<strong>10</strong><br />

17. Pensions (continued)<br />

Principal demographic assumptions<br />

Post retirement mortality 31 March 20<strong>10</strong> 31 March <strong>2009</strong><br />

Males<br />

Base table (in 2007) PNMA00 with PNMA00 with<br />

allowance for MC allowance for MC<br />

improvement factors improvement factors<br />

to 2007 to 2007<br />

Scaling to above base table rates 145 145%<br />

Cohort improvement factors (from 2007) 80% of LC 80% of LC<br />

Minimum underpin to improvement factors 1.25% 1.25%<br />

Future Lifetime from age 65<br />

(currently aged 65) 20.0 19.9<br />

Future Lifetime from age 65<br />

(currently aged 45) 22.1 22.1<br />

Females<br />

Base table (in 2007) PNMA00 with PNMA00 with<br />

allowance for MC allowance for MC<br />

improvement factors improvement factors<br />

to 2007 to 2007<br />

Scaling to above base table rates 130% 130%<br />

Cohort improvement factors (from 2007) 60% of LC 60% of LC<br />

Minimum underpin to improvement factors 1.25% 1.25%<br />

Future Lifetime from age 65<br />

(currently aged 65) 22.9 22.8<br />

Future Lifetime from age 65<br />

(currently aged 45) 25.1 25.0<br />

www.yhn.org.uk page 43


Financial accounts<br />

Notes to the financial statements<br />

at 31 March 20<strong>10</strong><br />

17. Pensions (continued)<br />

Value of Assets<br />

20<strong>10</strong> 20<strong>10</strong> <strong>2009</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />

Long-term Asset split at Long-term Asset split at<br />

rate of 31 March rate of 31 March<br />

expected <strong>2009</strong> expected 2008<br />

return<br />

return<br />

(% per annum) (%) (% per annum) (%)<br />

Equities 8.0 67.8 7.0 66.1<br />

Property 8.5 7.4 6.0 8.4<br />

Government Bonds 4.5 9.3 4.0 <strong>10</strong>.2<br />

Corporate Bonds 5.5 11.4 5.8 <strong>10</strong>.4<br />

Cash 0.7 1.3 1.6 0.0<br />

Other 8.0 2.8 1.6 4.9<br />

Total 7.3 <strong>10</strong>0 6.2 <strong>10</strong>0<br />

Reconciliation of funded status to balance sheet<br />

31 March 31 March<br />

20<strong>10</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />

(£m) (£m)<br />

Notional value of assets 63.61 44.23<br />

Present value of liabilities (82.23 ) (56.86 )<br />

Net pension liability (18.62 ) (12.63 )<br />

<strong>Newcastle</strong> City Council has confirmed that it will assume any current and future<br />

funding surpluses or deficits relating to the company. Accordingly, the scheme<br />

deficit has been restricted to nil and the pension cost is based on contributions<br />

payable.<br />

page 44


Financial accounts<br />

Notes to the financial statements<br />

at 31 March 20<strong>10</strong><br />

17. Pensions (continued)<br />

Analysis of Income and Expenditure Account Charge<br />

20<strong>10</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />

£m £m<br />

Current Service Cost 2.51 2.22<br />

Past service cost 0.06 0.13<br />

Interest cost 3.77 3.32<br />

Expected return on assets (2.78 ) (3.62 )<br />

Curtailment cost 0.00 0.00<br />

Settlement cost 0.00 0.00<br />

Expense recognised 3.56 2.05<br />

Changes to the present value of liabilities during the accounting period<br />

20<strong>10</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />

£m £m<br />

Opening present value of liabilities 56.86 47.66<br />

Current service cost 2.51 2.22<br />

Interest cost 3.77 3.32<br />

Contributions by participants 1.04 1.03<br />

Actuarial losses / (gains) on liabilities 19.38 3.55<br />

Net benefits paid out (1.39 ) (1.05 )<br />

Past service cost 0.06 0.13<br />

Closing present value of liabilities 82.23 56.86<br />

www.yhn.org.uk page 45


Financial accounts<br />

Notes to the financial statements<br />

at 31 March 20<strong>10</strong><br />

17. Pensions (continued)<br />

Changes to the fair value of assets during the accounting period<br />

20<strong>10</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />

£m £m<br />

Opening fair value of assets 44.23 50.97<br />

Expected return on assets 2.78 3.62<br />

Actuarial losses on assets 14.06 (13.25 )<br />

Contributions by the employer 2.89 2.91<br />

Contributions by the participants 1.04 1.03<br />

Net benefits paid out (1.39 ) (1.05 )<br />

Closing fair value of assets 63.61 44.23<br />

Actual return on assets<br />

20<strong>10</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />

£m £m<br />

Expected return on assets 2.78 3.62<br />

Actuarial gain/(loss) on assets 14.06 (13.25 )<br />

Net return 16.84 (9.63 )<br />

Analysis of amount that would be recognised in statement of total recognised<br />

gains and losses (STRGL)<br />

20<strong>10</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />

£m £m<br />

Total actuarial losses (5.32 ) (16.80 )<br />

Total loss in STRGL (5.32 ) (16.80 )<br />

page 46


Financial accounts<br />

Notes to the financial statements<br />

at 31 March 20<strong>10</strong><br />

17. Pensions (continued)<br />

History of asset values, present value of liabilities and deficit/surplus<br />

20<strong>10</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />

£m £m<br />

Fair value of assets 63.61 44.23<br />

Present value of liabilities (82.23 ) (56.86 )<br />

Deficit (18.62 ) (12.63 )<br />

History of experience gains and losses<br />

20<strong>10</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />

£m £m<br />

Experience Gains/(Losses) on assets 14.06 (13.25 )<br />

Experience Losses on liabilities (19.38 ) (3.55 )<br />

18. Parent Undertaking<br />

The company is a local authority controlled company within the meaning of Part<br />

V of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, being a company under the<br />

control of <strong>Newcastle</strong> City Council. Copies of the financial statements for <strong>Your</strong> <strong>Homes</strong><br />

<strong>Newcastle</strong> Limited can be obtained from the Company Secretary, <strong>Your</strong> <strong>Homes</strong><br />

<strong>Newcastle</strong> Limited, <strong>YHN</strong> House, Benton Park Road, <strong>Newcastle</strong> upon Tyne NE7 7LX.<br />

The Directors consider that <strong>Newcastle</strong> City Council is the ultimate controlling party.<br />

www.yhn.org.uk page 47


Board and Committee calendar September 20<strong>10</strong> to August 2011<br />

September 20<strong>10</strong> October 20<strong>10</strong> November 20<strong>10</strong><br />

Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat Sun<br />

30 31 1 2 3 4 5 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7<br />

6 7 8 9 <strong>10</strong> 11 12 4 5 6 7 8 9 <strong>10</strong> 8 9 <strong>10</strong> 11 12 13 14<br />

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 15 16 17 18 19 20 21<br />

20 21 22 23 24 25 26 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 22 23 24 25 26 27 28<br />

27 28 29 30 1 2 3 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 29 30 1 2 3 4 5<br />

December 20<strong>10</strong> January 2011<br />

February 2011<br />

Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat Sun<br />

Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat Sun<br />

29 30 1 2 3 4 5 27 28 29 30 31 1 2<br />

31 1 2 3 4 5 6<br />

6 7 8 9 <strong>10</strong> 11 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9<br />

7 8 9 <strong>10</strong> 11 12 13<br />

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 <strong>10</strong> 11 12 13 14 15 16<br />

14 15 16 17 18 19 20<br />

20 21 22 23 24 25 26 17 18 19 20 21 22 23<br />

21 22 23 24 25 26 27<br />

27 28 29 30 31 1 2 24 25 26 27 28 29 30<br />

28 1 2 3 4 5 6<br />

31 1 2 3 4 5 6<br />

March 2011<br />

Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat Sun<br />

28 1 2 3 4 5 6<br />

7 8 9 <strong>10</strong> 11 12 13<br />

14 15 16 17 18 19 20<br />

21 22 23 24 25 26 27<br />

28 29 30 31 1 2 3<br />

April 2011<br />

Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat Sun<br />

28 29 30 31 1 2 3<br />

4 5 6 7 8 9 <strong>10</strong><br />

11 12 13 14 15 16 17<br />

18 19 20 21 22 23 24<br />

25 26 27 28 29 30 1<br />

May 2011<br />

Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat Sun<br />

25 26 27 28 29 30 1<br />

2 3 4 5 6 7 8<br />

9 <strong>10</strong> 11 12 13 14 15<br />

16 17 18 19 20 21 22<br />

23 24 25 26 27 28 29<br />

30 31 1 2 3 4 5<br />

June 2011 July 2011 August 2011<br />

Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat Sun<br />

30 31 1 2 3 4 5 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7<br />

6 7 8 9 <strong>10</strong> 11 12 4 5 6 7 8 9 <strong>10</strong> 8 9 <strong>10</strong> 11 12 13 14<br />

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 15 16 17 18 19 20 21<br />

20 21 22 23 24 25 26 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 22 23 24 25 26 27 28<br />

27 28 29 30 1 2 3 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 29 30 31 1 2 3 4<br />

Meetings key<br />

Board<br />

Audit Committee<br />

Customer and Service Delivery Committee<br />

Finance and Resources Committee<br />

Performance Committee<br />

Please note: meeting dates can be subject to change.<br />

<strong>Annual</strong> report and accounts <strong>2009</strong>/<strong>10</strong><br />

<strong>Your</strong> <strong>Homes</strong> <strong>Newcastle</strong> Limited. Registered in England and Wales. Registration number 5076256.<br />

Registered office: <strong>Newcastle</strong> Civic Centre, Barras Bridge, <strong>Newcastle</strong> upon Tyne, NE1 8PR.<br />

A company controlled by <strong>Newcastle</strong> City Council.

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