Group feedback

Repairs (1^st)

• Repairs the same for everyone;
• Regular maintenance and updating of properties;
• Contractors to be as good as Westlea staff;
• High quality repairs;
• When cutting grass, can they not blow cutting back onto people’s gardens;
• Repairs and maintenance – keep up the good work;
• Make sure contractors work to the same rules as Westlea;
• Better consultation on planned maintenance;
• How long are delays on planned maintenance going to be caught up with to meet planned programme?
• Make the ground safe to walk on around the flats;
• Need to have rails for safety around my bungalow;
• When work is being carried out by contractors on the estates, that they clear up afterwards;
• Maintain contact with residents;
• A tighter control on standard of work by subcontractors;
• Well maintained accommodation;

Communication and customer service (2^nd)

• Get more residents involved ie incentives;
• I think that the people in the housing department to know where all the houses are;
• Involvement opportunities for all residents;
• Listen to residents;
• Return telephone call when residents phone in and the person you would want to speak to is not there;
• Improve the turnaround time for responses;
• Communicate well with all residents;
• Good communication with good service;
• Good customer service;
• Respond to residents’ requests even in the negative;
• What is the law about running a business from a rented Westlea property?
• More local meetings to generate community self help;
• Encourage more residents to attend meetings – maybe Saturdays?
• More use of existing community centres;
• Contact;
• Work with the disabled – ask questions and act upon them;

Targeting services (3^rd)

• People visit older people;
• Be aware of hidden disabilities ie deafness, learning disabilities;
• Assist with services not easily (or affordably) available ie hedge maintenance and debris removal;
• More buggy stores please;
• Something in community for socials (older people);
• Mobility scooters;
• Wessex Water – why should Westlea pay for new showers?
• Water softeners  - Wessex Water;
• Litter being picked up by Council;
• Put water softeners in when fitting showers – will save money in the long run;
• Consider access to storage areas;

Housing (4^th)

• More 2-bed and 4-bed houses;
• More thought into appropriate housing individual needs;
• Downsizing means that you want a flat or bungalow not exchanging from 3-bed to 2-bed;
• Sanitary issues;
• Develop all services;
• Security (clocks, keys, etc.);
• Improved parking;
• Car parking;
• Better parking facilities – off road parking;
• Reduce and stabilise rents;
• How is credit crunch affecting Westlea?
• Look at criteria for help with gardens;
• Darby Close – needs more flowers around the grassed areas and more car parking;
• Safety matters – slippery paths, etc.;

Heating (6^th)

• Continue upgrading older heating;
• To look at heating – night storage;
• Safe housing and heating;
• Service heating;
• Replacing outdated and very expensive heating systems;
• Heating maintenace and grounds maintenance;

Group feedback

Government

• Government funding - involvement and their decisions;
• Change of Government;
• Change in the laws;
• Government rules;
• Local government policy;
• Government policies;
• Conservative Government;
• Environmental law changes;
• Legislation restricting funding;

TSA/Audit Commission

• Audit Commission expectations;
• Other organisations;
• External factors – illness, credit crunch, etc;
• Planning issues;
• Who is first in priority – ie families or elderly?

Banking issues

• Funding from banks and building societies being withdrawn;
• Repair firms – insolvency;
• Lack of control on spending programmes;
• No funding for new build;

Staff

• Staff turnover;
• Staff shortages;
• Staff sickness;
• Sickness/swine flu;
• Not enough staff;
• Staff changes;
• Staff not doing job to a high standard;
• Staff not doing repairs to a high standard;
• Materials shortages;

Money and finances

• Money;
• Cashflow;
• Money – credit crunch, Government funding, etc;
• Credit crunch;
• Pensions;
• How Westlea could save money;
• Cutbacks;
• Restriction of funds;

Not listening

• Not coming to these meetings to influence Westlea;
• Not listening to residents’ opinions;
• Not listening to residents where houses are being built;

Group feedback

Listening and communication (1^st)

• Listen to residents;
• Listen to residents’ wants, not what Westlea think that residents want;
• Involve residents at every stage;
• Involve residents in customer service review;
• Take on board residents views;
• Proper consultation to bring up issues and that would save money in the long term;
• Listen to what residents want with regard to planned maintenance;
• Listen to what people want – don’t just go ahead;
• Listen! Listen! Listen!
• Involve residents in saving incentives;
• Communications need improvement;
• Listen to feedback from residents;

Money saving (2^nd =)

• See how Westlea can save money  eg by not having to go back and put repairs right;
• Economise:
• Control wasteage in all areas;
• Send emails where possible – save paper and office time;
• Staff incentives for savings, etc;
• Reward residents who keep rent account and property up to date;
• Rationalise rents;
• Write to The Times!
• Pray!

Maintenance and contractors (2^nd=)

• Notify head office if work is shoddy or done late;
• Make contractors working on Westlea properties maintain high standards;
• Make sure contractors follow Westlea rules and guidelines;
• Contractors as good as Westlea workers;
• Improve repair standards;
• Ensure all repairs are fixed promptly;
• Make sure standards are kept up to 100% service at all times;
• Recognise good and responsible tenants and involve penalties and follow up for residents who damage or neglect their properties in an irresponsible way;

Resident involvement (3^rd =)

• Get involved in groups such as S.U.G’s and the District Forum;
• Look for external funding for local projects;
• Work with TSA to make sure we keep with up-to-date policies;
• Lobby agencies and organisations that are involved with funding;
• Train residents in all aspects of Westlea;
• Train residents in all aspects of TSA, Audit Commission, etc;
• Vary meeting times;

Staff and training (3^rd=)

• Better supervision;
• Better quality staff;
• Prioritise and plan;
• Staff training;
• Make sure you give good service;
• Employ time and motion experts;
• Well trained staff;
• Improve customer service – call residents back!
• Listen, select, develop, record, install, maintain – management training;
• Improve customer services;
• Keep a check on all staff efficiency;

Customer service (4^th)

• Improve customer services;
• More information to residents;
• Deal with problems efficiently;
• Apart from downsizing, I have no problems with Westlea  - always OK;
• Take more notice of nuisance when people complain;
• Build more homes