Torridge District Council

GEM Associates was originally engaged (through open tender) to review and rewrite the policies and procedures for Torridge District Council's housing service. At the time (2007), the service had recently been rated as a poor, no star service with uncertain prospects for improvement and was undergoing major changes and the process of stock options with a view to a stock transfer at the end of 2007.

The Council was due to be re-inspected in July 2007 and we were engaged to project manage the preparations for that re-inspection including:-

• Assessment of the current position and review of what might be achievable by the time of inspection
• Preparation and writing of the self assessment together with the collation of all required background and supporting materials
• Preparation of all documents for submission
• Writing and design of an annual report for tenants
• Writing and design of a tenant's repairs handbook
• Preparation of staff for inspection and monitoring of change implementation
• Preparation of the programme for the inspection and ensuring that all arrangements were in place
• Assistance in the inspection process as a representative of the Council
• Review of the inspection with staff at the end of the project

The re-inspectionresulted in a successful assessment of one star with promising prospects for improvement - an excellent achievement for the organisation and its staff over a very brief period of time during which preparations for stock transfer (including management of a ballot) were also taking place.

On conclusion of the inspection process, we were pleased to be asked to conduct interim management services for the housing management team up to the point of transfer of the stock in early December 2007. This provided an opportunity to continue to build upon the successes identified in the re-inspection and help the staff to prepare for their new roles as part of a newly formed RSL.