Housing Revenue Account Asset Management Plan and Actions 2025 to 2028

Ensuring every voice matters

Listening, then acting on what people say

We will actively listen to and learn from our communities and partners. We will provide opportunities for genuine involvement and input when making decisions, developing policies, and designing services. We will coordinate our consultation and engagement to ensure tenants’ views help shape and influence the services we provide.

1. Work with colleagues in our resident engagement team to develop our understanding of tenants’ needs and expectations of our services and their improvement priorities.

Detailed actions:

• Undertake a tenant consultation exercise to identify residents’ improvement priorities at a strategic and local level
• Establish an effective & transparent resident involvement framework to monitor and provide feedback on the quality, effectiveness, and value for money of services and work programmes
• Engage with tenants on our plans and activities, drawing in ideas, inspiration, and insight, especially from the younger demographic on their experiences and priorities
• Use feedback from new residents to inform the development of our standards -especially the void standards - and the approach to investing whilst properties are void – these need to be properly thought through, timely, affordable and clearly understood
• Introduce a range of ways for residents to be involved in procurement activity, for example service specification and performance monitoring
• Establish ways for residents to be actively involved in testing the delivery of services, such as through mystery shoppers, resident inspectors etc.

2. Set targets to improve satisfaction with our services, the safety and repair of homes and use tenants’ feedback and complaints to improve our services.

Detailed actions:

• Set three new targets to measure tenant satisfaction with our services:
  • Proportion of respondents who report that they are satisfied with the overall service from their landlord. TARGET 70%
  • Proportion of respondents who report they are satisfied that their home is well maintained. TARGET 70%
  • Proportion of respondents who report that they are satisfied that their home is safe. TARGET 70%
• We will set targets to reduce the number of complaints about asset management services and will provide tenants a monthly report on response targets and analysis of the reasons for the complaint to identify trends:
  • Proportion of respondents who report making a complaint in the last 12 months about asset management services who are satisfied with their landlord’s approach to complaints handling. TARGET 70%

3. Work with the Tenant and Leaseholder Advisory Board and ODS to ‘co-produce’ our service standards and shape our investment programmes.

Detailed actions:

• Work with tenants to develop clear, plain language service standards that reflect tenants’ priorities.
• Develop a Service Standards Performance Monitoring Framework focussing on the key outcomes that matter to tenants. Agree with tenants how (where and how often) performance will be reported.
• Use outcomes from the tenant consultation exercise to identify local improvement priorities to inform investment programmes
• Consult the Tenant and Leaseholder Advisory Board on the prioritisation of budgetary allocation and ensure all residents groups are consulted in a timely way on the detailed annual investment plan
• Devolve control over specific local budgets to residents

4.  Communicate effectively with tenants in an open, honest and respectful way. Provide useful information about our services and keep tenants informed about the things that matter to them.

Detailed actions:

• Work with tenants to shape a communications plan and content for use across all print and digital media (“Write once, use everywhere”) on the things that matter to them
• Develop and implement a communication plan to improve both operational and corporate communications – embedding the Council’s behavioural expectations and five corporate values – one team, inclusion and respect, service excellence, stepping up and amazing outcomes

5. Work with tenants on our current and future plans for decarbonising homes.

Detailed actions:

Develop a communications plan to engage and empower tenants in decision-making, evaluating options, agreeing technical standards and providing individual and group choice on preferred strategy and approach to carbon reduction works

6. Improve our use of IT to help make it easier for tenants to contact us and access services in a way that is cost effective and suits their needs.

Detailed actions:

Work with corporate colleagues to rollout new technology with a range of online reporting and a shift to digital channels including self-service options including ordering repairs online and booking appointments

Establishing the right governance arrangements for effective decision making

Strengthening our governance and improving the quality and use of data

We will continue to improve the quality of our governance arrangements for determining strategy, measuring and monitoring delivery. We support effective decision-making through the effective use of data to provide ‘business intelligence’ to help design, deliver our services and develop future plans. We will develop a robust understanding of the condition and performance of our homes and invest wisely to ensure all homes are sustainable in the long-term.

1. Improve the governance of our HRA asset management work with a clear vision and delivery plan that is implemented through rigorous performance management approaches.

Detailed actions:

• Establish a new HRA Asset Management Plan Delivery Group whose role will be to drive forward, measure and monitor delivery of the Asset Management Plan and help support leadership and excellence in decision-making.
• Using improved data, use the AMP Delivery Group to continually review, develop and maintain a suite of metrics for driving delivery of our AMP actions so we can report and account regularly on our performance in delivering what we have said we will do, including to tenants.

2. Ensure systems and processes provide reliable and accurate data to identify risks and inform service improvements and our future plans.

Detailed actions:

• Work with corporate colleagues to improve our IT, systems and processes (including interfaces with ODS & contractor partners) so we can access reliable and accurate data.
• Strengthen our data management knowledge and skills so we can collect the right data and ‘control’ performance, using real time insights to improve performance, shape our services, develop robust future plans and make evidence-based decisions on our stock.
• Systematically capture & use ‘business intelligence’ from repairs & voids to identify trends, develop future plans & improve service efficiency.

3. Improve our collection, management and use of stock condition data and use ‘business intelligence’ from our day-to-day services to inform the design and delivery of services.

Detailed actions:

• Develop a rolling programme of surveys to maintain up-to-date information on stock condition – identifying the condition of major components to inform our investment plans and to ensure ongoing safety, legal and regulatory compliance.
• Ensure every opportunity is taken to keep data up-to-date (applying good data quality processes) using data from completed programmes and voids and exploring opportunities for collecting good quality data from ODS & contractor partners.
• Work towards integrating Stock Condition Surveys, energy performance surveys and Retrofit assessments into a single activity particularly where homes are identified for future investment. This will help to ensure improvement work is undertaken efficiently and maximises opportunities for capturing good quality data.

4. Proactively survey homes where data suggests a tenant safety or housing quality/condition risk.

Detailed actions:

• Develop data and ‘business intelligence’ ‘flags’ linked to our systems and processes to identify homes where there may be a risk to tenant safety, or we need additional assurance on housing quality or condition. This will allow us to be proactive and conduct surveys on properties:
  • that experience higher or lower than expected repairs
  • that experience higher levels of turnover
  • where problems or complaints have occurred among similar archetype or tenancy make-up
  • where elements are towards the end of their predicted residual life
  • where housing management have identified vulnerability or tenancy sustainment
  • issues

5. Develop and publish a data-led rolling 5-year investment programme that sets out what and when improvements will be made to ensure safe, good quality homes that are ‘fit for the future’.

Detailed actions:

• Develop approaches to control & reduce responsive spending within legal obligations with a focus on maximising “planned spend” - investing sufficiently & at the right time based on ‘real’ conditions, costs & lifecycles.
• Integrate all investment (including net zero retrofit) in properties & places (where identified as a local priority) to maximise impact on the ‘desirability’ of ‘fit for the future’ homes.
• Ensure a detailed investment plan for at least the next 2 years is accessible to colleagues & tenants.
• Develop prioritised cyclical programmes based on up-to-date information on condition/risk.
• Develop cyclical work specifications that can quickly be taken ‘off-the-shelf’ if resources become available or risk changes.

6. Develop our understanding of asset ‘performance’ to inform our decisions and plans, so our investment is focussed on homes that are sustainable in the long-term. 

Detailed actions:

•  Refresh our understanding of stock ‘performance’ (ASAP) using up-to-date data & ‘business intelligence’ & use this to ensure investment in homes that are sustainable over the longer-term.
• Develop robust policy principles (based on standardised option appraisal outcomes) for ‘classes’ of homes (such as size, archetype, location, stock concentration & local need) identified as poorly performing e.g. when they become void or before significant investment.

Providing great homes that are fit for the future

Meeting current standards and future expectations

We will ensure sufficient resources are in place to keep homes safe, in good condition, and to meet current tenants’ needs and all required standards. We must also look to the future when investing in and making decisions about our homes. The quality of homes must improve over time to meet and respond to the range of future facing issues and priorities. This means investing wisely to ensure homes remain ‘desirable’ and reflect the ‘things that matter’ to tenants.

1. Work with partners and tenants to develop a new Repairs and Maintenance Policy clearly setting out the standards tenants can expect. 

Detailed actions:

•  Work with tenants and partners to develop a Repairs and Maintenance Policy that sets out clear service standards/targets which respond to local needs with targets in line with the best performing providers:
  • Ensure at least 75% of tenants are satisfied with our repairs service
  • 100% of Emergency and Urgent repairs are completed on time
  • Routine and planned repairs are completed quickly
  • Ensure at least 98% of appointments made are kept
  • Ensure 70% are satisfied with the time taken to complete repairs
• Use the Policy to introduce approaches/new ways of working to:
  • Ensure we move towards a 70:30 planned/responsive split
  • Reduce year-on-year the overall number of repairs
  • Reduce the proportion of repairs undertaken as emergencies and urgent to under 30 per cent
  • Complete at least 90% of repairs in one visit.
• Ensure the Policy sets out how over the next 5 years we will ensure all homes meet minimum quality standards (currently the 2006 Decent Homes Standard)
• Ensure the Policy sets out how we will proactively ensure homes, external and communal areas are free from significant hazards including damp, mould and disrepair
• Set target for proportion of respondents who have received a repair in the last 12 months who report that they are satisfied with the overall repairs service. TARGET 75%

2. Build a positive ‘safety culture’ across the whole organisation focussed on proactively addressing safety issues.

Detailed actions:

• Undertake a fundamental review of health and safety arrangements in place.
• Develop a strategy/plan that sets out how a ‘Safety First’ culture will become embedded at all levels over the next few years.
• Strengthen leadership and governance with councillors and senior managers providing sustained visible and ‘authentic’ leadership to the safety agenda.
• Ensure councillors and senior managers collectively have the skills, knowledge & experience to apply constructive challenge & scrutiny to safety issues.
• Ensure ‘suitable & sufficient’ governance and delivery arrangements are in place.
• Ensure robust plans, policies and procedures and arrangements are in place for all areas of statutory compliance, including the ‘big six’ (gas, electrical, fire, asbestos, lifts, water hygiene),
• Ensure all policies and procedures are fully understood and are communicated to staff, contractors and tenants and are supported where applicable with training to ensure priorities are understood and everyone works collectively as the Council’s ‘eyes and ears’,

3. Embed a robust performance management and assurance framework to support the delivery of good quality and safe homes which we will share with tenants.

Detailed actions:

• Consult residents on decisions and issues relating to the safety of their home including how we design and deliver repairs, maintenance and planned improvements.
• Put in place a robust assurance framework based on the ‘three lines of defence’ model
• Ensure all landlord health and safety objectives and targets (including relevant Tenant Satisfaction Measures) are underpinned by clear definitions, and robust data quality protocols (applicable to all third parties including contractors).
• Regularly test arrangements in place to respond to an emergency issue that could impact on residents.
• Produce an annual compliance report and ensure information about our performance (including the TSMs) is published at least quarterly and is easily accessible to residents.
• Set targets to:
  • Ensure at least 75% of tenants are satisfied that their home is safe
  • Ensure full compliance with all safety, legal and regulatory compliance standards

4. Conduct a cross-organisational review of our voids process to ensure homes are let quickly and to a good standard.

Detailed actions:

• Review the end-to-end void process setting clear targets for each stage of the process to be monitored on a weekly basis.
• Develop and introduce a new Void Policy and Void Standard that optimises value for money – with decision-making focussed on a case-by-case basis to balance cost, quality & time taken with the aim of creating sustainable tenancies and improving the quality and ‘desirability’ of ‘fit for the future’ homes.
• Use our refreshed stock ‘performance’ model to undertake an assessment of performance & return on assets of all high-cost void properties to inform our investment decisions
• Include within the Void Policy that no property will be void for more than 6 months before the best future option is determined
• Make best use of the notice period by conducting pre-termination inspections in most cases.
• Work with tenants and partners to develop clear & understandable guidance & void standards with robust policy principles to capture decision-making around the type of home and the specific needs of tenants.
• Ensure our Void Standard is available to tenants and prospective tenants before they view the property.
• Ensure robust management of transfers (with a clear value for money made to support moves)

5. Meet customers identified needs for adaptations quickly.

Detailed actions:

• Set an annual budget that will allow us to meet tenants’ identified needs for adaptations quickly.
• Put in place clear processes and policies for adaptations.
• Provide good information and advice, keeping people informed of progress and act as an ‘advocate’ for our tenants - signposting to appropriate services and relevant organisations they need that are not provided by us.
• Work with tenants to identify and implement practical and cost-effective solutions to maintain their quality of life usually in their existing home.
• Provide a tenant-focussed approach to re-housing customers where this is identified as the most appropriate option
• Have an up-to-date “Accessible Housing Register” allowing us to make best use of our stock by reletting adapted homes to households with similar needs,
• Meet customers identified needs quickly – delivering minor adaptations without delay, completing major adaptations usually within 6 months and fast-tracking adaptations where needed.

6. Develop an aspirational Future Home Standard to help drive decision-making across our repair and investment activities.

Detailed actions:

•  Work with tenants to develop a new Future Home Standard.
• Ensure the standard is forward-looking and focuses on increasing both the quality & desirability of homes by ensuring all homes:
  • meet the needs of current and future tenants
  • are safe and support tenants’ health and wellbeing (free from damp and in good repair, wind and watertight)
  • encourage a sense of pride (are well-maintained with up-to-date facilities such as kitchens and bathrooms)
• Use the Future Home Standard to explore ways we can ‘future-proof’ homes and improve safety and convenience for all age groups by identifying and removing hazards and improving accessibility. This can often be done simply and cost effectively through simple changes in design, space and layouts incorporating elements of the ‘Lifetime Homes’ standard. This is an important priority for tenants over the age of 55.

Working towards a net zero carbon future

Delivering the commitments set out in the Council’s Net Zero Carbon Action Plan.

The journey towards decarbonising the Council’s stock represents a significant challenge. Our ambition is for all our homes to meet Energy Performance Band (EPC) C by 2030 and to meet the Council’s ambition for Oxford to be ‘net zero carbon’ city by 2040. We need to move quickly to meet these targets and ambitions to help prevent the stark effects of climate change from getting much worse, both locally and globally. However, we need to think carefully about how we invest in retrofit measures, so resources are spent wisely, ensuring a ‘no regrets’ approach to investment.

1. Work across the Council and with tenants to develop a short-, medium- and long-term decarbonisation ‘road map’ that sets out our investment priorities and plans for retrofit.

Detailed actions:

•  Develop a Decarbonisation Strategy or ‘road map’ based around a pragmatic set of Net Zero principles and actions to retrofit and provide energy to our homes (based on a preferred heating system)
• Set targets for the number of homes we improve, by how much, by when, and monitor the ‘real-life’ positive impact on tenants and their energy bills
• Develop a communications plan to engage and empower tenants so they play an active part in our decision-making. This should include evaluating options, agreeing technical standards and providing individual and group choice on preferred strategy and approach to carbon reduction works
• Work with tenants (especially younger tenants) to shape how the Council communicates and promotes its retrofit work. This should aim to promote the benefits and encourage ‘buy- in’ and ease concerns around increased bills or rent or fears of how changes might affect thermal comfort.
• Ensure communication plans also support tenants to use technology effectively and influence their behaviours with the aim of reducing energy consumption in the home to bring lower fuel bills.

2. Deliver our agreed 5-year programme of retrofit works to ensure all homes meet EPC C by 2030, integrating retrofit works with routine component replacement programmes to reduce costs.

Detailed actions:

• Develop a phased approach to improve the building ‘fabric’ to insulate homes and reduce energy consumption along with the introduction of smart time & temperature controls and renewables where it makes sense to do so.
• Ensure retrofit is integrated and aligned with the Council’s wider investment programme with a focus on achieving Net Zero (not simply meeting or increasing EPC ratings).
• Develop projects that are ‘funding ready’ and can quickly be taken ‘off-the-shelf’ to take advantage of any opportunities for future funding opportunities.

3. Develop our plans, proposals, and funding position for delivering our ambition for net zero carbon homes by 2040.

Detailed actions:

• Establish our baseline position drawing on available stock condition & energy data
• Undertake a programme of in-depth surveys and option appraisals across all Property and Construction Types and test a range of scenarios and assess the suitability of retrofit and energy provision options
• Develop a preferred approach to retrofit and energy provision to our homes
• Ensure we are ‘funding and finance ready’, so we are well positioned to take advantage of any opportunities to subsidise our programmes of work
• Maintain up-to-date information on energy performance of the stock and retrofit costs to enhance the Council’s evidence base.

4. Build our in-house skills, capacity and resources for delivering our decarbonisation works programmes and wider net zero ambitions for sustainable operations.

Detailed actions:

• Embed new technical and data management knowledge and skills across the Council.
• Explore how the Council can develop the local retrofit supply chain. Work with ODS & preferably local external contractor partners to increase capacity and skills among the workforce and trusted products that are easily available.
• Invest in appropriate ‘client’ skills to effectively assess, design, specify, and quality control retrofit delivery.

5. Work with partners to deliver a Local Area Energy Plan for Oxford that supports the Council’s wider ambitions for decarbonisation and infrastructure development.

Detailed actions:

•  Work with partners to support the delivery of Oxford’s Local Area Energy Plan particularly exploring opportunities to secure external funding.

Supporting thriving places and communities

Working with residents and partners to create thriving places where people want to live, work and play.

We know that health and other inequalities in Oxford are focussed on our estates, and within some property schemes. We will therefore nurture strong, inclusive communities by helping drive stronger shared collaboration between Council services and other stakeholders to deliver a range of asset focussed initiatives. We want to see our areas thrive through improved health, wellbeing, skills and employment opportunities and equal access for everyone.

1. Work with tenants to develop local Neighbourhood Standards, including well-specified and managed grounds maintenance arrangements.

Detailed actions:

• Work with residents to define new neighbourhood standards to guide our work at a local level covering issues such as homes & gardens, street scene (footpaths & parking) and open & green space.
• For larger estates, develop and publish Neighbourhood Plans setting out how we will over time work across the Council and with partners to co-ordinate activities to respond to local priorities. Include how we will consult local people and report on achievements.
• Work with local communities to identify at least one ‘estate/block champion’ on estates with over 200 properties and blocks of flats with three or more storeys.
• Ensure all car parking and garages make a positive contribution to our neighbourhoods, are well-maintained and secure.
• Work with colleagues across the Council to review the performance of all garage sites (income, void rate and cost to bring to standard). Where necessary (for example where there is no demand, or the garage is no longer fit-for-purpose due to its size or condition) undertake option appraisals to explore alternative use including developing new homes, providing additional ‘open’ car parking on the site with Electric Vehicle charging points) and other uses that add amenity or biodiversity value (for example, planting of open spaces including wildflower meadows) or deliver wider community benefits.
• Set new target for proportion of respondents who report that they are satisfied that their landlord makes a positive contribution to the neighbourhood. TARGET 65%

2. Ensure planned and cyclical investment programmes reflect local priorities to maximise our impact on places and communities.

Detailed actions:

• To support regeneration, ensure that all investment in properties and places is integrated and delivered through a co-ordinated approach across the Council and with partners – reflected in our Neighbourhood Plans. This will help maximise our impact by ensuring all investment by the Council is complementary - even if it takes place at different times.
• Use outcomes from the tenant consultation exercise to identify local improvement priorities to inform investment programmes.
• Devolve control over specific local budgets to tenants for example, an Environment Improvement Budget (or equivalent).
• Develop prioritised cyclical programmes based on up-to-date information on condition/risk covering external elements such as fencing/ gates and car parking/hard standings.

3. Work with colleagues and partners to improve the quality of our neighbourhoods including access to open space that add amenity or biodiversity value and support health and wellbeing.

Detailed actions:

•  Our aim is to support the Council’s Thriving Communities Strategy ensure to provide well- designed neighbourhoods and open space to encourage healthy lifestyles and support the social and educational needs of our communities
• Where identified by communities as a priority explore ways to improve the useability of local open space for both recreation and amenity use, for example community orchards, allotments, and rewilding redundant open space.
• Undertake a land rationalisation review with the aim of bringing the majority of land on estates under HRA control. This will provide opportunities for greater management efficiency and remove the confusion/dissatisfaction experienced by our tenants with different grounds maintenance standards on our estates.
• The land rationalisation proposals may also provide some opportunities for development or creating recreation and amenity space.

4. Use the outcomes of our strategic asset performance work to carry out option appraisals so we focus our resources on regenerating underperforming homes and estates.

Detailed actions:

• Use our refreshed stock ‘performance’ model to identify poorly performing homes and areas.
• Identify projects where investment in our assets on an estate or area basis can help create thriving places and sustainable communities.

5. Provide clear leadership to actively manage and improve the quality, value, and use of green and other communal spaces.

Detailed actions:

• Ensure that investment in properties and places is integrated and the work of internal teams is co-ordinated to maximise the impact of our shared resources including external funding.
• Ensure effective partnership working with no ‘blurred areas’ in terms of partners’ roles and responsibilities and effective co-ordination of all activities. For example, ‘street scene’ improvements and actions to improve safety and security. In this way we can maximise the impact of our shared resources including external funding in our neighbourhoods.
• Proportion of respondents with communal areas who report that they are satisfied that their landlord keeps communal areas clean and well maintained. TARGET 66%

Delivering an efficient and well-run service

Making best use of our resources

To deliver our Strategy we need to make best use of our resources. To achieve this, we will seek to develop a high-performing team focussed on driving continuous improvement, supported by efficient and effective systems and performance management.

We also recognise that we cannot deliver all the services that local people need alone. To succeed we know we have to work effectively with in partnership across the Council and with our contractor partners.

1. Review our capacity, skills, and resources and develop a Workforce Plan to address any ‘gaps’.

Detailed actions:

• Undertake a baseline analysis of the current workforce (age, gender, ethnicity, length of service, work patterns) and identify ‘hotspots’ where vacancies occur and/or recruitment is particularly difficult.
• Identify potential knowledge and skills gaps to deliver our ambitions now and in the future (with new Government emerging priorities and challenges) for example, to improve procurement, contract management, retrofit delivery and data management outcomes.
• Work with partners to address current and future skill shortages - developing talent & reviewing the ‘reward’ package to ensure the Council can attract and retain the very best people.
• Review structures and job design and benchmark the costs of the asset management service to ensure it is ‘fit for purpose,’ represents good value for money and most importantly has the capacity & skills it needs to deliver.
• Undertake a review of organisational culture & leadership & implement a programme to strengthen leadership skills in key areas such as communication, working with other teams and partners & embedding a tenant-focussed culture.
• Embed a learning culture where people are empowered to take accountability for their decisions and proactively learn from their own experiences and manage their own development

2. Develop an HRA procurement strategy to deliver our future needs and achieve targets for the optimum balance blend of cost, quality and tenant satisfaction.

Detailed actions:

• Develop a Procurement Strategy to support the Council in making well informed and effective procurement choices based on a detailed analysis of procurement activity (drawing on data on spend and suppliers/contractors) to identify importance and risk.
• Over the life of the Procurement Strategy consider and evaluate the best procurement options to maximise value for money, social value outcomes & meet the future needs of the service, for example through long-term partnering models & consortia approaches.
• Embed the skills & appropriate ‘client’ arrangements needed to improve procurement outcomes including specification writing, cost planning and whole life cycle costing, project, risk and contract management and supplier development and supplier relationship management.
• Introduce a range of ways for residents to be involved in procurement activity, for example service specification and performance monitoring.

3. Work in partnership with ODS and tenants to specify and commission services at an agreed price and quality standard that demonstrably represent good value for money (for example, tested against ‘best in class’ benchmarks and/or the external market).

Detailed actions:

• Develop the role of OCC as a ‘strategic client’, with a robust ‘internalisation’ delivery plan for ODS aligned to the new Asset Management Strategy and investment plans
• Optimise the use of ODS - setting out the areas where ODS - based on a best value assessment (using sector cost/quality benchmarking) - will work towards internal delivery of additional workstreams in the next 3-5 years.
• All services commissioned from ODS will be underpinned by clear service level expectations & systems to manage performance, risk & track outcomes.
• Ensure ODS and all contractors comply with a new Contractors’ Code of Conduct covering key issues such as behaviour, working in tenants homes, how work will be completed, responding to individual needs and treating tenants with respect, leaving homes clean and tidy after works.

4. Procure external contractors to complement the arrangement with ODS, all supported by effective contract management.

Detailed actions:

• Ensure effective procurement arrangements are in place to procure trusted contractor partners with the capacity and competence to complement the (defined) ODS offer.

5. Review the performance indicators for all our repair, maintenance, and investment work.

Detailed actions:

•    Critically review the Council’s suite of performance measures to ensure each ‘audience’ (councillors, Exec, operational managers & tenants).
•    Ensure each ‘audience’ receives well-presented, relevant, accurate and timely outcome-focussed performance information to form a balanced view of performance with a particular focus on the safety and repair tenant satisfaction measures.

6. Make effective use of data, systems, and procedures for measuring, monitoring, and reporting on our performance, including use of benchmarking.

Detailed actions:

• Develop a new Data Quality Strategy ‘owned’ by the housing service that is underpinned by clear policies & procedures for the production of complete, reliable, accurate and timely performance and financial information for decision-makers
• Ensure all staff understand that data quality is everyone’s responsibility and relevant staff have the specialist knowledge & skills needed
• Use regular benchmarking to support continuous improvement by raising our awareness of how costs and performance compare and seeking out learning from others to support continuous improvement

7.  Fully implement the QL system to meet our repair recording and asset management database requirements.

Detailed actions:

• Work with corporate colleagues to fully implement the QL system ensuring appropriate interfaces across systems and with ODS and contractor partners so that we can access reliable and accurate data.

8. Proactively seek out external funding opportunities to support the delivery of the Asset Management Strategy.

Detailed actions:

• Develop a range of ‘off-the-shelf’ and ‘funding ready’ projects that are likely to attract external funding (in whole or match funded) to help ensure we improve the Council’s housing stock as quickly as possible.
• Work proactively with partners to identify funding opportunities that align with our ambitions rather than taking an ‘opportunistic’ approach to external funding.