CQEC
Management, Governance, Research, Publishing.

(Scroll down to latest Journal)

The Centre for Quality in Education and the Community is a management development organisation working in the Public, Private and Voluntary sectors. The Centre was established in 1998 to support Educational, Business and Community Development in Central Liverpool.

CQEC has a number of clear strategic themes which attract wide partnership support.

-Sound organisational and educational processes are at the heart of any business or community development.

-Organisations should respect and involve the constituencies in which they work- including their clients, staff, suppliers, tradesmen and neighbours.

-Success should be identified and celebrated.

-Development and regeneration requires team-work. In a Local Authority this will be multi agency and cross-sector.

As a Research and Development agency we produce an educational journal and promote good practice in four key areas of organisational life-

-Leadership and Management. We support strong, critical and supportive Governance at Board level and highly effective strategic and operational planning and delivery by managers.

-Professional development. We support organisational restructuring, work evaluation, the creation of professional profiles, the management and maintenance of systems and the promotion of personal responsibility for development.

-Recognising and rewarding success. We work with organisations to highlight significant achievement, to identify good practice from inspection and audit reports, and to reward the achievement of customised performance standards.

-Developing community resources. We assist in the establishment of Charitable Trusts, the closure of redundant Trusts, the identification of sponsors, marketing strategies, grant applications and the recognition of those making a qualitative contribution to their communities.

-Publicising and Publishing the work of groups and individuals making a positive contribution to their communities- through statutory provision, the charitable and voluntary sectors or the Arts.

CQEC is a member of the Community Action Network and the British Educational Research Association. The registered business number is 2259275. Contact is through cqec.research@gmail.com

ENGAGEMENTS

Hornby Homes Housing Association, Liverpool. (Governance)
Nacro Community Enterprises (NCE) Nottingham and London. (Governance)
One Vision Housing, Sefton. (Governance)
Crosby Housing Association, Sefton. (Governance)
Kew Woods School, Sefton. (Governance)
Norwood School, Sefton. (Governance)
GreenBank School, Sefton. (Governance)
Liverpool Council for Education. (Governance)
Toxteth Educational Trust. (Governance and Consultancy)
Shorefields Community and Educational Trust. (Governance)
The Dingle-Granby-Toxteth Education Action Zone. (Governance)
Ranmoor Properties. (Governance)
Hampton Rd Management Ltd. (Governance)
Norwood Ave., Leaseholders Association. (Governance)
El Sueno, Community of Proprietors, Alicante. (Governance)
Southport Cultural Forum Ltd. (Governance)

Intake Arts College, Leeds (Identifying good practice)
St Elizabeth’s, Richmond upon Thames (Identifying good practice)
Newborough School, Liverpool (Identifying good practice)
Walthen Grange, Leamington (Identifying good practice)
South Liverpool Crime Prevention Panel (Rewarding good practice)
Shorefields technology College (Rewarding good practice)
Lynton School, Scunthorpe (Identifying good practice)
Leicester University (Supplying academic Management and Leadership material)
Edge Hill University (Supplying academic Management and Leadership material)
Nottingham University (Supplying academic Management and Leadership material)
John Moores University (Supplying academic Management and Leadership material)
St Martin’s College, Lancaster (Supplying academic Management and Leadership material)
London University I.O.E. MBA (Supplying academic Management and Leadership material)
Hull University (Supplying academic Management and Leadership material)
Leeds Metropolitan University (Supplying academic Management and Leadership material)
Cambridge University (Supplying academic Management and Leadership material)
Kings College London (Supplying academic Management and Leadership material)
University of Plymouth (Supplying academic Management and Leadership material)
University of Liverpool (Supplying academic Management and Leadership material)
University of Warwick (Supplying academic Management and Leadership material)
Liverpool Hope University (Supplying academic Management and Leadership material)
Northumbria University (Supplying academic Management and Leadership material)
Newcastle University (Supplying academic Management and Leadership material)
Cardiff University (Supplying academic Management and Leadership material)
University of Central Lancs (Supplying academic Management and Leadership material)
Sefton Children’s services (Supplying material to support governance)
Maricourt High School, Sefton (Supplying material to support school leadership)

CQEC

· Phil McNulty, (Director)

· Peter Desmond, (Director)

· Siobhan Daly, (Administrative Manager)

CQEC ASSOCIATES

· Dr. Ray Orsborn, General Practitioner

· Mike Winters, Director of Housing

· Ken Pye, Senior Programme Director

· Gill Gentles, Business Advisor, Law Examiner

· Rodger Lafferty, Crime Prevention Chair

· Larry Wilson, College Principal

· David Spruce, Educationalist

· Gordon Ronald, Operational Director for Assets and Investment

· Des Stubbs, Headteacher

· Janet McAlpine, Community Matron and Case Manager

· Emma Anderson, Arts and Culture Director

· Marian Emmett, Contract Co-ordinator

· Vanessa Simmons, Regional Fundraising Manager

· Claire Morgans, CEO, Charitable Trust

CQEC GIVES LIMITED SUPPORT TO CHARITABLE TRUSTS, SMALL BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITY GROUPS.

Otherwise-

MODEL CONSULTANCY FEES APPLY.

Change Management	806
Coaching	722
Human Resources	689
Training	634
Management Consultancy	600
Project Management	504
Business Advice/Development	494
Research	414
Public Relations	411
Writing or Editorial	346

A RECENT JOURNAL

CQECJOURNAL

REGENERATION IN THE NORTH WEST

This issue-

Local Authority Cultural spaces as drivers to regeneration

Central Government Measures to reduce unemployment and

increase employability

National Charity Enhancing regional health services

Social Enterprise Providing training and employment

opportunities for young people

Network Development Connecting, informing and inspiring

professionals

Governance Support Raising standards in communal properties

2014-2015

----------------------------------------CQEC------------------------------------------------

CQEC Journal is a collection of writings compiled by the Centre for Quality in Education and the Community.

Published by CQEC, ‘The Old Surgery’, 12 Wennington Rd., Southport Merseyside, PR9 7ER.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner.

Further copies are available from CQEC at the above address or downloadable at-

Cqecmanagement.blogspot.com

Email cqec.research@gmail.com

07843 745 316

FOREWORD

CQEC has a number of clear strategic themes which attract wide partnership support.

-Sound organisational and educational processes are at the heart of any business or community development.

-Organisations should respect and involve the constituencies in which they work- including their clients, staff, suppliers, tradesmen and neighbours.

-Success should be identified and celebrated.

-Development and regeneration requires team-work. In a Local Authority this will be multi agency and cross-sector.

As a Research and Development Agency, CQEC produces an educational journal and promotes good practice in four key areas of organisational life-

-Leadership and Management. We support strong, critical and supportive Governance at Board level and highly effective strategic and operational planning and delivery by managers.

In this issue-

Emma Anderson, Director of The Atkinson, (Sefton Borough Council, Health and Well Being/ Older People Directorate) argues for economic and social regeneration through the development of cultural spaces and outlines the vision of a regional centre for excellence and enjoyment of arts, culture and heritage- where residents, visitors and communities can be entertained and develop inspiration, learning and wellbeing.

Marian Emmett, Contract Co-ordinator for the National Careers Service (Greater Merseyside Connexions Partnership) outlines the substantial role of the Careers Service in increasing employability, reducing unemployment and assisting in guiding and assisting people with their work related life choices across the region.

Vanessa Simmons, Regional Fundraising Manager Northwest (Teenage Cancer Trust) explains the need for enhanced specialist facilities for young people suffering from cancer in the region and describes the proposed developments at the Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool.

Claire Morgans, CEO of Ykids, a children’s charity in Bootle, Merseyside, describes the transformational effect of one social enterprise in raising aspirations, providing training and creating a route into employment for local young people.

Ken Pye, Director of The Knowledge Programme, explains his philosophy of success and profitability through ethical business practices. He argues for ongoing professional education for developing leaders. This should include a local and regional perspective on the social, political and economic structures within which they operate, in order for them to be better informed, connected, empowered, and inspired. It is only through leadership that we move from recession to regeneration and growth.

Peter Desmond, Consultant with CQEC, provides management support to Merseyside housing companies. He argues that a new housing bubble would compound and extend existing trends. This would imply an increase in the numbers living in flats and other forms of communal accommodation. He considers the attendant management problems and proposes better strategies to support the maintenance and regeneration of this valuable part of the housing stock.

The CQEC Journal supports reflective practice and action research. It is aimed at policy makers on a local and national level. These include- the Leaders, Chief Executives and Senior Officers on local councils, regional governmental officers, local MPs, relevant ministerial departments and the office of the Prime Minister.

This 2014-2015 Journal is devoted to examples of regeneration activity in the North West of England.

It is clear from the contributions that ‘regeneration’ needs to look beyond the simply economic to matters of personal and professional development, social and community support and health and well being. Through the authentic voices in each article one can understand that change and development may be about resources but they are also, significantly, about having leadership, vision and drive and operating within sound management structures.

There is a further theme here which places emphasis upon the local context- whether that concerns professionals gaining a deeper understanding of their region, youngsters taking up apprenticeships through their trust of the providers, the development of facilities for local specialist health care or a Local Authority responding to the demography of its residents by planning ‘well-being’ into its arts and cultural programme.

There is significant regeneration activity in the North West. The Journal has provided a snapshot and we are grateful to the individual contributors.

If you wish to comment on the Journal, communicate with any of the contributors, order further copies or discuss a future contribution, you will find contact details on page 2.

Phil McNulty

Editor

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL REGENERATION THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF CULTURAL SPACES

Emma Anderson

Standing in the bright, spacious foyer of The Atkinson nowadays, it’s hard to imagine that 200 years ago the site was all just sand dunes! From its earliest beginnings, with the opening of a bathing house in 1792, Southport has developed as a place for pleasure, culture, health and wellbeing. The motto of Southport is Salus Populi – the Health of the People – and this is inscribed on one of the stained glass windows that have been installed on the second floor.

This is motto still absolutely relevant to us today. The Atkinson, Sefton’s outstanding cultural and heritage venue, has a commitment to wellbeing running through it – like a stick of rock.

The Atkinson is an £18million development, which reopened its doors in May 2013 after being closed for 3 years. It involves the integration of three Arts & Cultural managed venues, Southport Arts Centre, the Atkinson Art Gallery and Botanic Gardens Museum, plus the Arts Development Service alongside the Southport Central Library, into one regional cultural centre. Sefton Council, North West Development Agency, Arts Council England and Sea Change funded the project.

Set in a grade II listed building in the centre of Lord Street, the principal shopping avenue in Southport, which extends the length of the town, The Atkinson acts as a focal point for the town centre and aims to offer an exciting experience for residents and visitors alike. The final stage of the redevelopment will be completed in October 2014, with the opening of the museum spaces – which were recently awarded a £1million Heritage Lottery Funding to complete.

Our vision for The Atkinson is one of economic regeneration – about being the centre-piece of an increasingly dynamic offer bringing visitors to the town and the region, but it is also about social regeneration; about thinking innovatively about how our cultural spaces can work with and for local people. It is a venue where everyone is valuable.

The Atkinson is the strategic cultural hub for Sefton, presenting the best in contemporary performing arts, visual arts and crafts for residents and visitors. Our café and shop enterprises celebrate artisan, handmade and local produce of the highest quality. Our programmes, training and volunteering schemes encourage wellbeing and enrich people’s lives, through enjoyment, learning and participation through our public programmes. The Atkinson is a social space for people to be active, learn new things, look at the world differently, make friends and give something back.

And we have already started to see what this means – since we opened our doors a year ago, our state of the art theatre spaces have given people the opportunity to enjoy on their doorstep, outstanding quality in theatre and music programming.

Our first exhibition, Love Stories, made the stories of Sefton people part of the exhibition thanks to the commission by renowned photographer and writer Len Grant. And World Mental Health Day was the first opportunity for communities to take over and bring life to the whole building - making our foyer space in to one big living room.

It was a long and arduous has been the journey to get here: taking over 10 years from the initial vision for The Atkinson to this year, when we hope to complete the project with the opening of a new museum. From a capital point of view the project has been about bringing together three beautiful, but neglected and rather gloomy adjacent buildings. But more importantly it is about bringing together all Sefton’s cultural, heritage and library services on one site. This is the most challenging and exciting part of the process. Five, previously separate services have come together in one building. And, having spent the last few years focussing on a capital development, we are now focussing on people – on organisational change, creating a new workforce culture, meeting the needs and expectations of our audiences and visitors. This means turning ourselves inside out; becoming much more externally focussed, recognising that we can’t deliver our vision on our own, but need to work with ambitious network of partnerships.

As the first Director of this new organisation, one of my first responsibilities has been to create a business plan; this is one of those things when the process is just as important as the financial projections. It has allowed us to start defining what we are and what we want to be. We have identified a number of key ideas that will guide us:

Ambition: We have a big job to do. Our enterprising, creative ideas help join up working across Southport, Sefton and Merseyside, and change the way people connect with and support what we do;

Partnerships: We work with visitors, volunteers, local groups, organisations and agencies to create opportunities to improve wellbeing through engagement with arts, culture, heritage and the environment; and-

Belonging: We use our programmes, collections and communication to tell the compelling story of the borough and its changing social and natural environment, inspiring a greater sense of place. We want this to strengthen the sense of community and belonging across the borough.

The Atkinson’s mission is to be a regional centre for excellence and enjoyment of arts, culture and heritage, where residents, visitors and communities can be entertained, develop inspiration, learning and wellbeing. We also have the responsibility of safeguarding the borough's art and heritage collections.

Although it is the last ‘piece of the jigsaw’, the new museum will be the most important. Its displays of social history and archaeology, will tell the story of Sefton – between land and sea. This will be the first time that the borough has a place that tells the stories of its communities and residents, and explores our extraordinary, mysterious coastal landscape.

Developing a Heritage Lottery bid for funding for the new museum, has enabled us to develop an extensive programme of consultation with some target audiences, who we hope will use the museum, and make it their own.

Southport is, of course, known for its ageing population, and older people are a key target audience for us.

In 2011, Sefton Council ‘s demographic profile stated that the proportion of people aged 55 and over within Sefton had risen from 30% in 2001 to an estimated 34% in 2009, and since then the number of Sefton residents over the age of 65 is up by 2,230 to 55,770. This is even higher in Southport and surrounding areas as it has been attracting retirees for many years. The proportion here of over 65s is 35.5%, nearly seven times higher than the national rate of 18.8%. We are working closely with Age Concern Sefton, Sefton’s Older People’s Forums and Age UK Lancashire to actively engage with older people and develop an offer to meet their varied needs and in interests.

We recognise that a large, older population is a highly diverse group, and we are working with partners to understand how we can respond to needs and interests of our older residents – those who are active, engaged, recently retired, to those who are suffering from dementia and isolation.

It is critical for The Atkinson to respond to changes in the way that adult social care is delivered. We are realistic in recognising our limitations, but also want to celebrate the value of an arts centre as a social space where older people may enjoy a regular programme that gets them out of the house, connected with people and engaged in activity. We are testing this with our day-packages that include with tea dances, a classic film, an opportunity to see our collections relating to Southport’s glamorous heyday in the 1920s. The next stage of our work will be to create unthreatening, supportive environment to access information and signposting to health and wellbeing resources. It will be a priority for us to create a context in which more people can increase their understanding of dementia and the importance of making decisions about their care. We are also starting to understand the importance of our facilities and resources in supporting carers – helping to provide a visiting experience for all sorts of families and groups, where the decision- maker, the carer, the mum, can feel confident and relaxed.

We are also expanding our well established, renowned Creative Alternatives, arts on prescription programme.

Creative Alternatives is an innovative remedy for stress, anxiety and depression which residents can access for free.

There is plenty of research to show that the arts can help improve wellbeing. For this reason Sefton Council and NHS Sefton have been supporting Creative Alternatives as a programme of creative activities as an alternative or as an addition to standard treatments for people who experience mild to moderate depression, anxiety or stress. The feedback continues to be extremely positive:

“You have given me a new lease of liveliness.”

“I have not felt judged and I know if I am unable to do some of the tasks no one will force me to do it and no one will judge me.”

“I am finding confidence to speak to strangers, to have opinions, and to find a little courage to face my fears. I am becoming more involved again and less withdrawn.”

“I’m mixing, getting out of the house, forgetting troubles, making friends and getting back to art which I really enjoy.”

Our next challenge is to find a way to put wellbeing at the heart of everything, improving quality of life through a public engagement programme around the five ways to wellbeing. We are working to extend the benefits of this programme at a ‘population-level’, so that more people, more of the time, can use engagement with cultural, heritage or arts to help their resilience in dealing with life.

The other major pillar of our work is to make a contribution to Sefton’s economic development. We are starting to do this by working with partners across Merseyside and West Lancashire, to develop a Cultural Tourism offer by raising the quality and profile of the visitor offer; increases visits and visitor spend. We are working to join up the offer for visitors – not just inside our building, but outside, along the coast, exploring the natural environment, the sand dunes and rural hinterland – creating a small breaks destination for what I am calling ‘healthy families’.

We are barely 1 year old, but we have big ambitions; not to compete with the big players of Manchester and Liverpool, but to create a cultural experience that is distinctive to where we are and who we serve.

CQEC

THE WORK OF THE Top of Form

Bottom of Form

NATIONAL CAREERS SERVICE IN IMPROVING OPPORTUNITIES ON MERSEYSIDE

Marian Emmett

What services does the National Careers Service provide?

The National Careers Service offers free, independent and high quality careers and skills advice to all aged 13 and over. It’s available at all stages of a person’s career, helping them to fulfil their potential and supporting them to make informed decisions about their career, developing their skills or accessing training.

It’s built around combining an interactive website and access to highly trained advisers. The website can help users look at how best to find jobs to fit their skills set, how to enhance the skills they have and access training, as well as ways to map out their career development.

There are highly practical tools such as the CV builder and the Skills Health Check on the website to help people identify their skills strengths and gaps. The website is very user friendly and also offers online advice through web chats and emails with careers advisers, but if people want to discuss their options then they can speak directly to a careers adviser over the phone. There is also access to face-to-face careers advice in the community for those aged 19 and over.

What advice is most commonly requested?

The advice varies from person to person, and that’s what’s so great about this service:

All the information and support is tailored to the individual. Customers are helped with everything from academic and vocational courses, Apprenticeships, funding and loans through to building a strong CV and interview tips.

The National Careers Service supports people to develop their careers throughout life, not just when they are unemployed. The National Careers Service helps people find more information about different careers, developing their skills or accessing training. This means it’s applicable to everyone, whatever stage they are at in their career. The service offers the right advice at the right time. Whilst the National Careers Service has a particular focus on helping people who face the difficult challenges of unemployment, information and support is also available for people who are not yet unemployed but facing redundancy.

Employers frequently invite National Careers Service advisers to support their staff at an early stage when they are affected by redundancy. As a result, many people do not progress into unemployment as they are helped into other work opportunities or to access relevant job focussed training.

“It is particularly satisfying when we can help people so that they don’t get to the stage of being unemployed.” Adviser Suzy Harper commented.

Many people have worked for the same employer for many years. They may not have a current CV, might be anxious about the interview process or may not even know where to start when looking for new employment. The National Careers Service can help people to review skills and qualifications, identify transferrable skills, provide CV and interview support and an action plan”.

One aspect of support that people often find particularly helpful, is to identify where access to a short job focussed training course would be beneficial to a customer and to initiate an application to the Jobcentre Plus Rapid Response Service (RRS).

This ‘rapid response’ training is free to the customer and builds on an individual’s previous work experience and qualifications, allowing people affected by redundancy to apply for employment at their same skill level in the current job market. This funding is available for a limited timescale so it’s important that we identify and act upon needs at an early stage.

In the modern dynamic labour market individual careers develop and evolve throughout life.

“The National Careers Service provides sound advice and inspiration to people at any stage of their career, from those starting out, to those wishing to progress to the next level.” Said Matthew Hancock, Minister of Skills

An approach that sees ‘career’ as something that is ‘chosen’ whilst in school rather than ‘constructed’ throughout life fails to understand the dynamism of both individuals and the labour market.. The world of work is changing rapidly and requires constant career ‘tweaking’ to ensure we are not left behind. Added to this we are all likely to be working far longer than we had originally anticipated!

In this dynamic labour market, this process of choosing, pursuing and adapting a career is an on-going one which continues throughout life. The National Careers Service addresses this more sophisticated understanding of the need for individuals’ careers to develop and evolve. Whilst providing the greatest support to those with the greatest need, there is also a free lifelong and universal service offered to all.

One example of this is the offer of a free career review for all. It recognises that different people have different needs. Whereas some people might be starting out, others are looking for a promotion, or more fulfilling work, some will be facing redundancy and yet others might want to plan for a flexible retirement or may need to factor caring responsibilities or health issues into their plans. The National Careers Service provides an opportunity for all, whatever their situation, to take stock, review options and plan for the future.

Through the National Careers Service individuals can also open a Lifelong Learning Account, which supports career development throughout their working life. This is a free online service that provides a range of tools and a secure single access point where people can:

• Create and develop a professional-looking CV

• Identify skills with online assessment tools

• Match skills to job roles

• Get help to choose the right course

• Identify funding for learning

• Record and access your qualifications and other achievements

Careers Advice Aged 13 – 18

We know that career decisions can be hard to make. There are so many different jobs out there….we have all got different personalities, strengths and weaknesses….how can a young person know what direction to take? That is where the National Careers service comes in.

Getting professional support from an experienced adviser with a background in supporting young people can make a real difference to young people facing some big decisions. Someone independent can often see the situation from a different perspective and help people to see things more clearly.

National Careers Service advisers can help young people to:

• Find the best course to get them where they want to be

• Explore which jobs might suit them best

• Decide if an Apprenticeship / Higher Apprenticeship might suit

• Put a great CV together

• Search for jobs in the right places

• Choose the right university

Advice on options in Year 9 and Year 11 can also be provided.

Emma Hussey from St Helens is much more confident and happy since getting support from the National Careers Service which helped in her journey to secure her dream job as a Teaching Assistant.

Following a period out of work Emma first sought face-to-face help from the National Careers Service in order to gain information regarding courses and financing a First Aid Certificate, as a step towards gaining a position as a teaching assistant.

Over the course of three face-to-face meetings, Emma explained her ambitions and concerns to her adviser. She felt that she was really listened to and she was offered some much appreciated direction. Emma was supported in her journey with help to enhance her interview skills (Mock Interview) and also helped to access a course, Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector or PTLLS.

Emma was further encouraged to get relevant experience through volunteering and to use the National Careers Service website tools.

Trusting her adviser’s recommendations and expertise Emma followed her action plan and her confidence and skills grew. Emma said: “I was issued with lots of information and advice surrounding how best to improve my interview skills using the National Careers Service website and other online material. I was encouraged to access voluntary work which would help to gain recent experience within a teaching assistant role and I was also given two options where I could access a PTLLS course”.

Emma continued: “I received an action plan each time I accessed the service… I followed all advice – gained voluntary work, completed the PTLLS course and also developed interview techniques”. Emma also commented that she had found the ‘Job Profiles’ and interview techniques sections National Careers Service website were particularly useful to her and also easy to use.

Explaining the impact on her, Emma said: “Since accessing the National Careers Service I have successfully developed my skills, knowledge and experience in an area that I enjoy working. Since accessing voluntary work, gaining my PTLLS certificate and increasing my confidence at interviews I have now successfully gained employment and gained funding for employment related costs via Helena Partnerships with the support of the National Careers Service Adviser”. Most significantly, Emma reported: “The work of the National Careers Service has enabled me to achieve my goals and helped me move forward in helping me to support my family. I now have a steady income and I am happy in my current role”.

Emma added: “I now have a better understanding of where I am and where I want to go next. …I’m so much happier, more confident and more employable, since getting help”.

Emma’s adviser Chris Duffy said : “Emma already had a good idea of what she wanted to do but was unsure of the best way forward. I am delighted that each element of the support provided to Emma by the National Careers Service has provided not only the stepping stones to enable her to reach her current ambitions, but also given her the tools and confidence to plan the next stage in her career journey”.

A flexible and accessible service with 120 delivery venues across Greater Merseyside. The service aims to be flexible and is available 7 days a week between 8am and 10pm. Everyone can access the National Careers Service via the website or by calling the Freephone number 0800 100 900. There is also access to face-to-face careers advice in the community for those aged 19 and over.

In the Greater Merseyside area there are over 120 venues offering National Careers Service face-to-face advice and bringing the service directly to local communities.

Venues include libraries, housing associations, children’s centres, Jobcentre Plus and voluntary and community centres. In addition, advisers attend many careers events and skills shows across the region.

Greater Merseyside Connexions Partnership also hosts three National Careers Service flagship high street venues across Merseyside with teams of professionally qualified Careers advisers to help people take the right steps towards a better future. These flagships are at:

• Strand Street, Liverpool 1

• Cherryfield Drive, Kirkby

• Argyle Street, Birkenhead

Members of the public are encouraged to drop in to the centres to see what is on offer and how this free service could help them towards identifying and achieving their dream job. Christy Ryder, National Careers Service Manager, commented: “Staff are fully trained and up-to date on opportunities within local areas to help people get a job, apprenticeship or a training course. At many centres there is internet access and computers are available for job search with friendly staff on hand to help people overcome barriers, improve confidence and motivation, raise aspirations and enable people to take control of their careers.”

Access to the National Careers Service is very straightforward. People can simply visit nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk or call 0800 100 900 to book an appointment at a centre in their area.

CQEC

TEENAGE CANCER TRUST- MERSEYSIDE APPEAL TO RAISE £500,000

FOR A NEW UNIT AT ALDER HEY CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

Vanessa Simmons

Teenage Cancer Trust funds and builds specialist age-appropriate units in NHS hospitals for 13 to 24 year olds with cancer. We know that young people with cancer have improved treatment outcomes if they are treated as young people first and are not left isolated on children’s and adult wards. We currently have 27 specialist units throughout the UK.

We have recently launched an appeal to establish a new Teenage Cancer unit for 13 to19 year olds with cancer at the redeveloped Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool. This is a Principal Treatment Centre (PTC) for cancer for the whole of Merseyside and North Wales.

We have launched this urgent appeal to ensure that young people with cancer in the region benefit from state-of-the-art age-appropriate facilities and world leading cancer care. It is vital that there is a dedicated unit in the new hospital for young people with cancer. It is also essential that the new unit is a place where the young patients feel comfortable and have a sense of independence and control. This improves both their response and compliance with their treatments and ultimately their chances of recovery and survival.

Our expected Completion Date is Summer 2015

About Teenage Cancer Trust

Teenage Cancer Trust believes young people’s lives should not stop because they have cancer, so we treat them as young people first, cancer patients second. We are the only UK charity dedicated to improving the quality of life and chances of survival for the seven young people aged between 13 and 24 diagnosed with cancer every day. We understand that teenage and young adult cancer requires specialist care.

Traditionally treated alongside children or elderly patients, young people can feel extremely isolated, some never meeting another young person with cancer. Being treated alongside others their own age can make a huge difference to their whole experience.

In 2005, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) endorsed our belief that young people with cancer have improved outcomes and a more positive experience if they are treated by teenage and young adult cancer experts, in an environment tailored to their needs. The benefits that teenagers and young adults receive through tailor-made treatment in specialist cancer units, as pioneered by Teenage Cancer Trust, is now recognised as best practice.

The Need in Merseyside and North Wales

Around 100 young people aged between 13 and 24 are diagnosed with cancer every year across Merseyside and North Wales. This figure does not include young people in ongoing treatment and those who have relapsed. Follow-up care for cancer can last for ten to fifteen years, and young people need specialist care and advice on all aspects of survivorship, for example fertility issues and re-entering education or getting back to work.

Young people can get some of the rarest and most aggressive forms of cancer which means many of them will need to access these expert services which are not available in local hospitals. If they are not treated on a dedicated unit, they may be overlooked for clinical drug trials and therefore are not given the most up-to-date medication and treatment for their particular cancer.

Young people who are diagnosed with cancer in Merseyside and North Wales are particularly disadvantaged and face isolation due to the mixed urban and rural nature of the regions. They also have limited access to activities or support which is appropriate to their age group. They often miss out on a large part of their education during their treatment, which means that they can become disconnected from their peer group and fall behind in their studies. This can make them vulnerable to disadvantage in later life.

The new Teenage Cancer Trust unit at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital

The Teenage Cancer Trust Unit for 13 to19 year olds will be located at the new Alder Hey Children’s Park which is a Principal Treatment Centre (PTC) for cancer in Merseyside and North Wales. This means it is a centre for excellence for the region.

80% of the current building fails to come up to the desired NHS standards so urgently needs to be replaced. The new hospital will stand next to the current site which will be demolished and the site developed to create a new park for the benefit of patients, families and the whole community. It is essential that a Teenage Cancer Trust unit is included in this new development.

Specially designed with input from young people themselves, the aim of the unit is to provide a home from home environment within the NHS that helps promote a sense of ‘normality’. We know that the design of the unit plays an integral role in supporting young people with cancer and our units are built to best meet the needs of this age group. This means that 13 to19 year olds with cancer in the region will be able to receive their treatment alongside others their own age, in an environment suited to their needs, by specialists who are trained in treating and supporting young people with cancer.

What will the new unit look and feel like?

The unit will be located in the oncology ward and will comprise of four in-patient beds and two day care beds. All the equipment and furniture in the unit must be specially adapted and medically compliant to reduce the risk of infection among vulnerable young patients. Our designers will use feedback from young people to create artwork and decor reflecting what young people have told us they want to see. The unit will be bright and unique, bringing colour and interest to the different rooms through wall art and light therapy.

The connecting spaces within the unit will reflect the requests of the young people, offering colourful wall art and lighting to support the stimulation and comfort of the unit as a whole. These spaces, including the areas for staff will help to create a non-institutional, youthful feel which the young people, families, friends and staff will experience as soon as they walk into the unit.

Four En-suite Bedrooms

The rooms will have a homely comfortable feel so young people can relax and feel safe. Each room will have an outside view so that young people can still feel connected to the outside world, as they go through lengthy treatment, and space will also be provided for rooms to be personalised and the lighting will be interactive and colour changing.

Rooms will also have a sofa which converts into a guest bed for friends and family to stay over and each room will be fully equipped to aid both recreation and study, with a desk, TV, home cinema system, laptop and that all-important internet connection. There will be plenty of storage from wardrobes to shelving – so that young people with cancer can bring in their own items from home and create their own space.

Two Bed Day Care Room with Lounge

Some young people will need to regularly attend day clinics to receive treatment and it can be very hard to maintain and develop relationships during their often lengthy treatment for cancer. They often feel distanced from their usual social networks at school, college or work which can lead to them having increased feelings of isolation and anxiety.

Artist’s impression of the initial concept design for the day care room and lounge at the Merseyside unit

The day care unit is situated within the Teenage Cancer Trust unit instead of a separate part of the hospital, meaning that young people receiving outpatient services can easily make use of the facilities provided by Teenage Cancer Trust, such as the social space as described below.

There will be two beds with curtains for privacy and scope for personalisation through features like magnetic notice boards and mood lighting. There will be comfortable sofas and chairs so that there is space for family and friends to be with the young person while they receive their treatment, to reduce their sense of isolation.

This will be designed to be in keeping with the rest of the unit.

Social Areas

For many young people with cancer, a stay in hospital can often be for many weeks or even months at a time which can be very traumatic and challenging. The large social space will be made up of a number of zones -gaming, chill out, beverage bay and balcony-to promote social interaction.

The gaming zone will provide a much needed distraction from the day-to-day realities of cancer treatment, with a pool table and media station. This helps to bring a feeling of normality into the lives of young people with cancer both during and after treatment.

Above and below: Artist’s impression of the initial concept design for the social area at the Merseyside unit

The chill out zone provides a comfortable space where young people can get together and watch some TV and relax.

When you have cancer, you may not be hungry at set meal times or you might feel all you can cope with is familiar home-made food. The beverage bay with food preparation and dining area means that young people going through treatment can eat what they want, when they want. It is also a place where nutritionists can really advise young people on their diet in an informal setting.

The balcony provides a welcome connection to the outside world and an opportunity to get some fresh air and to take in the impressive views of the park during a stay in hospital.

Quiet Room

Going through often long and challenging cancer treatments can be extremely difficult for young people and their families to come to terms with. At times they will need a very private, quiet space to escape to so they can reflect and absorb what is happening to them, consider the decisions they need to make or simply to block everything out around them and relax. The quiet room will be a comfortable space complete with adaptable music and lighting.

Parents’ Lounge

When a young person is going through cancer treatment, their family is affected too. The separate parents’ lounge will be a place where young people and their parents can have a break from each other. This separate space encourages normal parent/teenage relationships to continue as they would do in more of a home environment. Parents using the lounge can meet others in the same situation, encouraging peer support and friendship.

Project Timeframe and Funding Status

The redevelopment of the new Alder Hey Children’s Park began in March 2013 with the new, hospital including the new Teenage Cancer Trust Unit, currently scheduled for completion by Summer 2015.

The importance of bringing young people with cancer together - Alysha’s Story

It was six months after my first trip to A&E that the results from a biopsy showed that I had a rare sarcoma. I had chemotherapy, an operation and radiotherapy on my hand, only to be told they’d found another lump under my arm.

My treatment gave me very bad sickness and hair loss, and I gained weight from all of the steroids. I was really weak and needed a wheelchair at one point. I also suffered from a big weight loss when they brought me off the steroids as well as bad fatigue.

I would say to others diagnosed that even though it may feel like it, it isn’t the end of the world. There are plenty of people who will be here to help you and Teenage Cancer Trust offers great peer support and opportunities to help you meet other people the same age and in the same situation as you. You will make some great new friends who you can support and they can help support you.

I’ve finished my treatment now and have been clear for nearly 4 months! I’m back a college full time.

How the public can support the Appeal for Merseyside and North Wales

We are asking for 500 companies, individuals, schools, groups or communities to raise £1,000 either by donations, running an event or taking part in a challenge so that we can reach our appeal target of £500,000 for the development of our new unit at the Alder Hey Children’s Hospital which will help us to provide young people with the best possible environment and support during their cancer treatment. This specialist support and the age-appropriate facilities over and above those the NHS can currently provide involve Alder Hey working in partnership with Teenage Cancer Trust so that together we can provide the best possible specialist care for young people at a traumatic time.

A contribution to one or more of the spaces in the unit would help us to create a home from home environment, helping to reduce feelings of isolation and promoting an improved response to treatment and long-term recovery. The generous contributions of individuals, groups and organisations will ensure a lasting legacy for the support of young people with cancer throughout Merseyside and North Wales.

Contacts- www.teenagecancertrust.org

CQEC

TRANSFORMING COMMUNITY- ONE CAKE AT A TIME

Claire Morgans

At first glance North Perk is a high street café with an inviting, modern, shabby-chic look and the smell of freshly ground coffee, serving an appetizing range of home cooked food and tempting cakes. It is tastefully furnished with rustic tables, leather couches and reclaimed church pews and decorated with pictures of old Bootle. But North perk is no ordinary café. Situated on Bootle’s Stanley Road, recently cited as one of the UK’s five worst failing high streets, North perk is a social enterprise set up by Ykids, a local children’s charity.

‘As CEO of Ykids, I want our organisation to contribute to the regeneration of Bootle, so that it is a great place to live, work, play and grow up. A place that young people feel proud of and want to be.’

The café was set up in response to the growing need for developing employment skills in young people, many of whom are leaving school with few qualifications, low aspirations and poor employment prospects.

North Perk opened in Dec 2012 employing a manager and 4 apprentices.

‘It’s so much more than just a job,’ said Sarah Sheridan, the café manager. ‘The young people gain life skills, a qualification, experience and real confidence. We are investing in them. They, in turn, know that the profits from the café go back into Ykids. Many of our apprentices were once children on Ykids projects so they know how much of a difference it makes.’

In addition to gaining an NVQ in hospitality, young people also learn every aspect of running a cafe from cooking, customer service and Barista training to stock rotation and ordering.

North Perk targets young people who would otherwise find it difficult to get a job through lack of qualifications, experience, or low self-esteem. They work hard to develop young people’s personal skills and confidence, supporting them throughout their apprenticeship, building teams and offering additional hands on training, work placements and trips to inspire their thinking- including a visit to The Good Food Show.

‘But it’s not an easy ride,’ says Sarah. ‘There is much to learn and much to do and a great deal is expected of them. This is a real job and young people need to understand what that means if they are to progress in this as their chosen career.’

Four of the original apprentices have now completed their year. Two have been employed by North Perk, one has joined the Navy and a fourth has achieved a job in a bistro.

‘Becky couldn’t cook cheese on toast when she arrived,’ laughs Sarah, ‘and refused to come out of the kitchen as she was so shy. But now she is amazing. She can cook, bake, run a kitchen and her confidence and welcoming of customers is excellent. When we sat down and put her CV together she was amazed at what she had achieved and how she had changed herself.’

Becky is only one of North Perk’s success stories.

Tanya first came across Ykids when she was 7 years old and joined a choir the charity was running in her school. Later she took part in a number of other creative projects, including Carnival costumes projects. At 18 Tanya had a little boy, her pride and joy, but she lacked the confidence that she would ever get a job, now that she was a single parent. She saw the apprenticeship at North Perk advertised and plucked up the courage to apply.

‘I only applied because it was Ykids,’ she told them at interview.

While Tanya had a naturally bubbly personality her confidence was low and she had not achieved as well as hoped at school. During her apprenticeship she had additional support with her English and Maths and with her interview and presentation skills. Very quickly her organisation abilities and efficiency came to the fore.

‘My ambition is to one day open a café of my own with my boyfriend. I love working here – I know the apprenticeship is not a high wage but I have gained experience and a qualification. I can pay my own way and buy things for my son with money I earn myself.’

North Perk has been accused of being’ expensive’ and ‘posh for Bootle’ but Ykids wanted to ensure that people had a quality experience that was different from that currently available- the high street offer is mainly fast food establishments, takeaways or pubs- and Ykids wanted to reflect their own values of ‘excellence’ and ‘valuing people.’

Before setting up North Perk, Ykids carried out market research and found that there was a gap in the market both for healthy food and a venue for business people to hold informal meetings over coffee. Over 15,000 people travel in to Bootle everyday to work in the large office blocks and major company headquarters based there. Ykids set out to reach this market, which they have done successfully, but they have also become a favourite with the local community.

‘Customer service is important to us here. We know the customers by name – we don’t need to write their names on cups to make them feel they have had a welcoming personal experience.’ Says Sarah.

In addition to supporting young people, North Perk has been developed with a philosophy of supporting other local businesses and social enterprises. The tables were made from recycled Bootle floorboards by Total Reuse, a local recyclingenterprise, who also carried out some of the shop fitting. The coffee is supplied by Joe Black’s, a Bootle based company that imports the beans and then roasts them in traditional hand roasting machines, and North Perk serves its own special blend of beans. Another notable supplier is Bootle based start-up social enterprise ‘the Gateway Collective’ whose mission is the empowerment and training of women who supply a range of chutney made from Bootle grown produce.

The café also serves as a venue for events and activities in the evenings including youth work delivered by Ykids, with 2 – 3 projects or accredited training programmes delivered there each week.

‘It’s been a lot of hard work and we’ve had a lot of help along the way.’

The plans for the business started back in 2006 when I attended a course on setting up a social enterprise, - I later joined the Liverpool School for Social Entrepreneurs where I gained skills and confidence and went on to set up two social enterprises as part of Ykids-North Perk, and Not Just Cooking, a social business, teaching cooking skills and family mentoring.

North Perk is based in the South Sefton Investment Centre which is managed by the South Sefton Development Trust- a charity set up to promote business and investment in the Bootle area. The corner unit had been designated as a café space when the building was built but had no floors, celling or kitchen fitted and had been empty for some time.

It gave us the chance to design North Perk from scratch. We wanted to open without debt, knowing that in the early years of a business you seldom make a profit and managing a loan would be very difficult. This was also untested territory for us and we wanted to minimise the risk. A number of funders believed in us, investing in the café and the future of young people in Bootle for which we are hugely grateful. We were opened on 10^th Dec 2012 debt free and broke even in our first year. It has not been easy and we would not have succeeded if it were not for the absolute dedication of our Manager, Sarah Sheridan, and the support of the trustees.’

We didn’t market the café as a Charity café at first – people tend to think of a 20p cup of coffee and a stale scone, so it’s wonderful to see the look on people’s faces when they realise that Ykids set this up.

North Perk is very much part of the Ykids vision. They currently work with over 2000 children and young people every week in the Bootle area. Bootle wards are ranked amongst the top 1 and 2% most deprived in the UK, with child poverty one of the key characteristics. Young people face multiple barriers to educational achievement and employment.

Ykids has four distinct areas of operation; Community, Enterprise, Relational youth work and faith.

Its community work includes – developing large scale events which benefit children, families and the wider community. Examples include the Bootle Children’s Literary Festival, Park clean ups and mural painting, Giant banana splits and Bootle’s response to the Olympics – the Bootle Games.

Ykids relational youth work is award winning and its REDI project (Reach, Empower, Develop, Inspire) currently runs 15 groups every week with 10 – 14 young people in each.

The programme has been running for 8 years and helps build emotional resilience, life skills and self-esteem in young people, enabling them to make better choices for their lives.

Ykids also has a Christian ethos and works with local churches to develop effective youth and children’s work, and of course it has an Enterprise Programme.

As a charity we wanted to get away from being solely grant dependent, generate some of our own income but still have a real impact on our community by offering services and jobs that were needed. Our long term plans are to open an enterprise centre with a number of small social enterprises offering work and skills training to young people from across Bootle. We know we are having an impact in Bootle, 30% of our current staff were once young people in our projects. We have over 40 young people volunteering on projects every year. 100% of our interns have gone on to work in youth or children’s work or teaching. We also make good use of impact tools which enable young people to measure their own growth in confidence and well being.

But there are many barriers.

We want to make a bigger impact but struggle when most government funding for the type of work we do goes to large infrastructure organisations with a regional or national remit – organisations that are likely to approach us for information on how to recruit young people and are gone again after a short-term project.

Ykids is now looking to take on a new building to enable it to develop its work, including setting up a community kitchen and a cake making enterprise to supply North Perk and other local cafes with delicious Bootle bakes.

We are trusted because we have been in this community for 12 years and we always deliver on our promises.

We have a holistic approach to our work, and we are in it for the long haul and we are seeing lives changed.

Our vision is for transformation of this community and this requires continuity and commitment….and support.

CQEC

‘THE KNOWLEDGE’- SUCCESS AND PROFITABILITY THROUGH ETHICAL BUSINESS PRACTICES.

Interview with Ken Pye

For over fifteen years, and through a range of specialised educational programmes, Ken Pye has been enabling professionals, from all sectors, to achieve their personal goals and to take advantage of outstanding professional opportunities. He says that he is “in the business of inspiring and empowering people to be the very best that they can be”!

Ken does this by providing participants in his programme’s groups with a very broad range of straightforward business briefings, delivered by very senior and skilled people from all sectors. These are designed to directly inform participants’ understanding of the wider business, political, and economic environment in which we all live and work. Ken also provides rare and exclusive access to key people and places, which are not normally available, so that the learning is very well-informed, strategic, and extremely relevant.

Such is the success of Ken’s programmes, that most of those who graduate from them now hold key positions themselves, in their chosen professions. Indeed, in the forty-five years of his own professional life, Ken has himself been extremely successful and has gained an international reputation for his expertise.

An honorary fellow of Liverpool Hope University, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Ken Pye began his working life as a mechanical engineering apprentice, for The Metal Box Company, in Speke in Liverpool. He then realised a major and early personal ambition, by moving from engineering into Child Care and Youth and Community Work. This included him working as the Community Development Worker in Toxteth, before, during, and after the Riots in 1981.

Ken then developed his career, as Objective 1 Funding became available from Europe, by setting up an organisation that enabled small businesses, community groups and agencies, to access this funding and overcome one of the worst recessions the country had then seen.

It was through this work that Ken consolidated his own professional, business philosophy, of ‘success and profitability but only through ethical business practices’. This remains at the core of all that Ken does today.

This led Ken to become the Regional Officer for Barnardos, throughout the 1990s, then the National Partnership Director for the Business Environment Association. From 1999, Ken was then Senior Programme Director for the international, professional, educational organisation, Common Purpose.

In 2010, Ken established The Knowledge Group, so that he could continue to develop the business leadership skills and professional understanding of individuals, especially as the latest and, arguably, the worst recession in living memory then began to bite.

He does this through his respected, bespoke consultancy service, known as The Exclusive Knowledge, but principally through his two-day Key Knowledge Programme, for visionary senior leaders, and his six-day ‘Knowledge Programme’, for imaginative and aspiring professionals.

Now with a curriculum focusing on how to take advantage of new opportunities as Britain comes out of recession, Ken is currently inviting applications for the next Knowledge Programme. This takes place over six-weeks, throughout this coming June and July. More information can be found on the web at The Knowledge Programme.

Ken says that, “By the end of any element of The Programme, participants will be better informed, connected, empowered, and inspired, and so more able to fulfill their personal and professional goals. Simply, they will be better able to get things done!”

Available to Knowledge Group participants and graduates, as well as to other qualified professionals, is The Knowledge Network.

Founded by Ken, in 1999, this is an informal, ethically-based, professional network that currently has around 5,000 associates. Whilst centred on Liverpool City Region, this operates internationally, and is a completely non-aligned and independent professional association. The Network supports and resources its members as they each, in their own ways, work to achieve personal and professional success. However, they do so, as a condition of membership, to the benefit of civil society and not at its expense ~ and all completely free of charge and without any fees.

The Knowledge Group is not simply a professional organisation or company; it is a business philosophy that inspires people to succeed. This is achieved simply by giving them the professional knowledge and personal contacts that they need to fulfill their own goals and ambitions, whilst having a positive impact on society, and by having a great deal of fun and satisfaction in the process!

CQEC

MANAGING THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE HOUSING BUBBLE IN RESIDENTIAL BLOCKS.

SOME KEY GOVERNANCE ISSUES FOR ‘MAIN ST. MANAGEMENT LTD.’

Peter Desmond

There is the misery of homelessness. There is the misery of arrears. There is the misery of repossession. There is the misery of tenure.

We must start with a short and appropriate statement from the media about boom and bust economics.

‘It is widely agreed that a series of collapsing housing market bubbles triggered the global financial crisis of 2008-2009, along with the severe recession that followed. While the United States is the best-known case, a combination of lax regulation and supervision of banks and low policy interest rates fuelled similar bubbles in the United Kingdom, Spain, Ireland, Iceland, and Dubai.

Now, five years later, signs of frothiness, if not outright bubbles, are reappearing in housing markets ……..Signs that home prices are entering bubble territory include fast-rising home prices, high and rising price-to-income ratios, and high levels of mortgage debt as a share of household debt. In most advanced economies, bubbles are being inflated by very low short- and long-term interest rates. Given anaemic GDP growth, high unemployment, and low inflation, the wall of liquidity generated by conventional and unconventional monetary easing is driving up asset prices, starting with home prices……………What we are witnessing in many countries looks like a slow-motion replay of the last housing-market train wreck. And, like last time, the bigger the bubbles become, the nastier the collision with reality will be.’ (Nouriel Roubini, ‘The Guardian’, 2^nd December 2013.)
At the end of 2012 (December) there were 11,284,000 mortgages in the UK. 117,500 households were in significant arrears and there were court orders, in that one month, for repossession in 44,387 cases. This demonstrates the clear financial problems faced by a proportion of home owners but there were a further 103,329 court orders for repossession of tenanted properties by landlords. If these figures are taken in the context of significantly higher numbers of claims for repossession made by mortgage lenders and landlords then we have a picture of widespread housing misery. (Stats: Council of Mortgage lenders, March 2013. Ministry of Justice-Mortgage and Landlord possession statistics, March 2013.)
The reasons for this are fairly familiar- excessive lending and borrowing, house price deflation, negative equity, rising interest rates and income stagnation.
If, in fact, we are facing another ‘housing bubble’, in 2014/15, it is fair to anticipate that the ongoing problems generated by the boom and bust last time around will be compounded and exacerbated.
Part of the last ‘housing boom’ story, however, concerned the perceived value of building new residential blocks to cater for those desperate to reach the property ladder and to satisfy investors and this led, similarly, to the trend for converting larger houses into multiple units.
The effect was to create a form of home ownership, a flat in a communal property, with which many people were unfamiliar and for which they were unprepared. Consequently, as an unexpected effect of the ‘housing boom’, we find older home owners who have ‘downsized’, first time buyers and buy to let investors sharing ownership of residential blocks for which they have, often, complex responsibilities and legal liability. Unless all concerned co-operate in the governance and management of their blocks we find a whole area of potential, and all too often actual, additional housing misery.
This paper arose from a range of consultations over failing governance and management arrangements in residential blocks.
The Background
Typically, flats are purchased with an understanding of the level of service charge payments required but with little concern for the mechanisms of governance and the management arrangements through which cleaning, gardening, reactive maintenance, planned and periodic maintenance, service contracts, insurances, renewals, capital works and the generation of revenue are achieved or indeed any lease, memorandum of association or whatever is upheld.
Nearly six million households in England and Wales live in flats or shared accommodation. (Office for National Statistics, June 2013. England and Wales.) Apart from the social housing sector, which has its own issues of governance and management, we have millions of households in privately rented flats. We have millions living in flats as owner occupiers. Both the private owners and the private renters are dependent for their well being, for the upkeep of their properties and, in the case of owners and landlords, for their financial security on the effective management of their shared accommodation.
It certainly appears, from the extensive work of the Leasehold Advisory Service, The Residential Landlords Association and ARMA, that there are multiple problems associated with ‘communal living’ and, given the expansion in this sector, there must be the strongest case for advisory literature, ‘flat buyers information packs’, or whatever, dealing with the rights and responsibilities of prospective owners.
‘Main Street Management Ltd.’
The following is a set of guidance questions and propositions relating to a residential block we shall call ‘Main Street Management Ltd.’ This block comprises one hundred flats of 1, 2 or 3 bedrooms, predominantly owner occupied but with an increasing number of rentals. Relations between different factions amongst the owners have been very poor indeed for many years. There have been three recent changes of Managing Agent, appeals to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal, threats made, the police involved and obstruction of the work of the Managing Agent. There is a history of complaint and counter complaint, Directors briefing against each other, abuse of the proxy voting system, intimidation of flat owners and anger and abuse in meetings. The property was neglected over many years by both the freeholder and the previous Managing Agents and this may be at the root of the present difficulties. There are also examples of arbitrary decisions around variations to individual leases and permissions for building works which have generated resentment.
While the Directors have achieved a measure of financial stability, have appointed a competent Managing Agent and are making progress this is at considerable cost to themselves and to the overall quality of life of residents.
There are many examples of blocks in which governance and management effectively break down around personality issues and poor relationships and ‘Main Street Management Ltd’ could find itself in that position at any point. Hence the urgency to examine the formal relations which bind the residents, the directors, the freeholder and the Managing Agent together……as they do in any such residential setting.
The Guidance

1) There needs to be a simple restatement of roles and relationships of-

a) Freeholder- from the Leasehold Agreement.

b) Shareholders*- from the Leasehold Agreement and Articles of Association and/or Company Regulations. (*Leaseholders or Members)

c) Directors- initially from the Articles of Association and/ or Company Regulations. Directors do, however, need to make clear their roles in relation to each other, in relation to those of Shareholders and to the Managing Agent, below. This must all be resolved and recorded eg. Is there a Chair? Are there any committees? Do any of the Directors carry individual responsibility, given by the Board, or does the Board always act collectively?

d) Managing Agent-from the contract established with the Directors of the Management Company or the Freeholder.

2) There needs to be a structure through which the objectives of ‘Main St Management’ are agreed, a means by which they are achieved and a method for monitoring performance. This is through-

a) Communication and consultation with shareholders- when do General Meetings take place? How are they organised? Is there a ‘proxy’ policy? Is there regular communication? Who is this from- The Board or The Agent? How do shareholders raise queries or report matters of concern outside of General Meetings? Are shareholders involved in the setting of objectives and the monitoring of progress/performance against plans. Are there any interim forms of communication- mid-year meetings, newsletters etc?

b) The working of The Board- Is it professional and systematic? How frequently do meetings take place? Where? Are notices, agendas, minutes produced to a good standard? Are the budget and the Company’s progress with the agreed plans monitored at every meeting? How does the Board communicate with the Managing Agent? How does the Board monitor and review the performance of the Managing Agent? How does the Board Monitor and review its own performance? How are new Directors recruited? Do Directors undergo induction and training?

c) Appropriate policies, procedures and records- Are these in place and agreed and understood by the Board and the Managing Agent? Examples include- all aspects of Health and Safety; Contractors on site; Emergency Reporting; Register of Residents; Schedule of Dilapidations; Identification of Risk ( all risks to the Company); Procurement of contractors to undertake work (professional services, prep of specifications, agreement over works, the tendering process- prepare, notify, receive, evaluate, award, supervise, sign off etc.) Who draws up Company policies? Who provides a secretarial function?

3) There is a need to have proper incentives and protections in place for The Board and Managing Agent in order for them to work well.

a) Where the Board is unpaid, there should be particular attention given to the way Board Members are treated- facilities for meetings, a high quality of preparation and presentation, the full engagement of all members in decision making, public thanks and praise for their work, the opportunity for training and development. The costs of all this should be considered.

b) The Board and Managing Agent must be scrupulous in avoiding charges of self interest or conflict of interest. They could adopt the Nolan Principles for public service- selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, leadership and example. Any credible complaint of self interest against a Director undermines the work of the whole Board. Similarly issues of bullying, harassment or bribery may arise. The Board has a responsibility for dealing with these issues. Policy statements and procedures should be in place. The Board should consider the circumstances in which they would take action against a shareholder or ask a Director to resign.

c) The Managing Agent is working for the residents as a whole but the employer is The Board. While the Managing agent is paid for their services, they can expect a fair working arrangement and fair treatment. So-

i) The residents must be clear that the Managing Agent carries the authority and support of The Board in all his/her actions. The Managing Agent should not be placed in any position of ambiguity with residents and cannot take instruction from any individual unless agreed by the Board.

ii) The Managing agent is in a contractual relationship with the Board and this implies that they have legal rights, responsibilities and protections.

iii) The Managing agent must know- what responsibilities and authorities they have; what service charge money they can spend without authority; what response times and other timescales are required; the authorised lines of reporting and communication.

iv) The Agent can be treated as a form of General Manager. In this they take overall responsibility for day to day affairs and provide expertise and guidance over property management, budget setting, Board policy and relevant legislation and codes of practice. In the absence of any other decision they should only take instruction from The Board collectively and should attend all meetings.

It is easy to assume that there is a shared ‘agenda’, that residents and directors are capable of enlightened decision making, that people will forego self interest for the common good, and that bureaucracy is simply an impediment to speedy decision making and progress. Managing Agents themselves are often to blame when they are content to respond to a handful of forceful or charismatic residents rather than using appropriate tools for consultation and decision making. This situation obtains in larger blocks like ‘Main Street’ and in very small residential blocks of perhaps only six flats. The simple fact is, however, that there is considerable protection in doing things ‘properly’. It is only by understanding the parameters of leasehold ownership and company organisation that flat owners can actively participate in the management of their blocks; that management issues can be depersonalised; that appropriate decisions about expenditure can be securely made. In cases such as ‘Main Street Management Ltd.’ there really is a great deal at stake with an overall property value of around £10 million and with revenues of £150,000 a year.

Our earlier argument was that a new housing bubble compounds existing problems and extends them. This would imply an increase in the numbers living in flats and other forms of communal accommodation. A mandatory ‘Flat Buyers Information Pack’, cheaply and easily transacted through conveyancing solicitors would make a substantial difference to peoples’ lives and to our confidence in the upkeep of much of the national housing stock.

References-

‘Corporate Governance, Guidance and Principles for Unlisted Companies in the UK’ (IOD/Deloitte)

‘Directors Powers’ (Company Law Club)

‘Standards Matter’ (Committee on Standards in Public Life, Jan 2013)

‘Appointing Managing Agents’ (The Leasehold Advisory Service)

‘Changes to the Role of the Managing Agent’ (ARMA)

‘ Model Articles’ (Companies Regulations 2008)

‘Best Practice in Procurement’ (Robertson-Cox)

‘Service Charge Accounting’ (RICS-Communitie

CQEC

FURTHER EXAMPLES OF POLICY PAPERS PUBLISHED BY CQEC

PROMOTING EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY FROM BOARD LEVEL IN HOUSING ASSOCIATIONS.

-Mike Winters

The seriousness with which a Board engages with the Equality and Diversity agenda impacts upon the strategic and operational responses of the Association.

From a management perspective, a mandatory explanation of the Equality and Diversity implications of each Board Report is an excellent catalyst for awareness raising and change.

In preparing Board reports we need to ensure that we are carrying out a comprehensive assessment of the impact, or potential impact, of policies, procedures, decisions and actions as they relate to the wide spectrum of equality and diversity.

Clearly we all need to discriminate when making decisions. However, we must remember that, as organisations, we are seeking to combat unfair and illegal discrimination.

A Typical Policy Extract

No person or group which applies to us for employment, housing or services will be treated less favourably than any other person or group because of their:

Colour

Race

Religion

Beliefs

Ethnic or national origin

Gender

Sexual orientation

HIV status

Age

Marital status

Caring responsibilities

Physical characteristics or

Disability

In the completion of Board reports it may be helpful to consider what likely impact the report could have on each of the above groupings.

A Typical Commitment

This association has made a clear a commitment to be an organisation that:

1. Develops services to achieve equality and diversity in all its activities

2. Has a workforce generally reflecting the population we work in

3. Understands how valuing diversity can improve our ability to deliver better services.

4. Actively consults with all our customers to ensure the delivery of our goals

6. Actively consults with different individuals and communities to ensure that services which are provided are responsive and reflect the diversity of need

7. Provides all employees with the training and development they need to enable them to achieve organisational goals

8. Provides a supportive, open environment where all employees have the

opportunity to reach their potential

9. Listens to its customers and involves them in the development of services that recognise and value diversity

10. Believes that both customers and employees have important parts to play in making this happen.

11. Provides Training and Support to Customers, Partners, Staff and Board Members to ensure full awareness of both Group and Individual responsibilities.

Given all the ‘doing’ words above, below are a few questions we need to ask ourselves before drafting out Board reports which, refer to consultation, in order to ensure we have not been unfair in our treatment of individuals or groups:

Did we seek to canvass the opinion of a wide range of service users?

Was the sample selected at random or did we target specific groups?

If we used a questionnaire/ letter, was it either in large print or was this offered as an option together with Braille, audio format, translation or would a personal interview have been appropriate?

Did we ask the respondents for information regarding their ethnicity, gender, disability etc?

Did we offer childcare provision for residents meetings?

Did we avoid clashes with religious festivals? A calendar of all the main cultural festivals is essential when planning consultations?

Was the venue wheelchair accessible?

Did we arrange refreshments having regard to any dietary requirements owing to religion/culture?

Board and Staff Champions (Equality and Diversity Leads)

Housing associations are ‘appointing’ champions or leads at both Board and officer level.

The Champions’ role is to take a special interest in E & D issues particularly when it comes to the content of Board reports. This is to further emphasise the significance of E and D issues, to create a direct relationship between a member of the Board and management and to assist in the production of quality reports. It does not in any way remove responsibility from the Board as a whole, or from individual managers. A clear communication of the Board’s expectations in this area and frequent dialogue with managers will assist in the smooth and efficient conduct of Board business.

Housing Associations are bound by legislation and it is worth considering the relevant legislation at this point. Managers and Board members should be aware of it:

· The Race Relations Act 1976, and associated Codes of Practice issued by the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) (in particular, Sections 2.1 and 71 and the Code of Practice for rented housing)

· The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 and associated Codes of Practice issued by the CRE

It is unlawful under the Race Relations Act to discriminate racially, both directly and indirectly.

Direct discrimination is defined as treating a person less favourably than another on racial grounds and includes segregation of persons on racial grounds.

Indirect discrimination consists of applying, in the circumstances covered by the Act, a requirement or condition which although applied equally to persons of all racial groups, is such that a considerably smaller proportion of a particular racial group can comply with it than others, and it cannot be shown to be justifiable irrespective of the colour, race, nationality or ethnic or national origins of the person to whom it is applied. ‘Justifiable’ requires an objective balance between the discriminatory effect to the requirement or condition and the reasonable needs of the party who applies the requirement or condition. The needs must be objectively justified and it is not sufficient of the person asserting that the needs exist simply to assert that he considered his reasons adequate

· The Housing Act 1988 (in particular Part 2, Section 56)

This applied S.71 of the Race Relations Act 1976 (as it relates to racial discrimination) to the Housing Corporation

· The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and 1986 (as amended)

The Sex Discrimination Act (SDA) makes it unlawful for employers and other organisations to treat women or men less favourably because of their sex in the area of employment. Discrimination can take the following forms:

Direct sex discrimination is less favourable treatment of a woman than a man (or vice versa) because of her sex. If the less favourable treatment is for reasons connected with pregnancy, or maternity, this is automatically direct sex discrimination since men do not get pregnant and would, therefore, not be treated in the same way.

Direct marriage discrimination is less favourable treatment of a married person compared with a single person of the same sex. For example, not giving a married woman equal treatment compared with other single women competitors for a post, because she might have a baby in the near future. Discrimination on grounds that someone is not married is not unlawful.

Indirect sex discrimination occurs when a provision, criterion or practice is applied equally to women and men but it affects more women than men (or vice versa) and is not genuinely necessary. An example would be a practice by which only full-time employees could obtain promotion. This would affect more women than men, because women are more likely to be working part-time.

Indirect marriage discrimination occurs when a provision, criterion or practice is applied equally to married and single women (or married men and single men) but it affects more married than single women and is not genuinely necessary. For example, the requirement to be mobile might disadvantage more married women than single women.

Victimisation, in relation to the Act, occurs when you are treated less favourably than others because you acted in good faith to assert your rights under the SDA or the Equal Pay Act. For example, being taken off more challenging work because you complained about sexual harassment.

· The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and associated Codes of Practice

The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) aims to end the discrimination which many disabled people face. This Act gives disabled people rights in the areas of:

employment
access to goods, facilities and services
buying or renting land or property

The Act defines a disabled person as someone with "a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities."

· The Human Rights Act 1998

This is linked to the Right to receive equal treatment in relation to:

Race, Gender, Sexual Orientation & transgender and Disability.

In addition to relevant legislation it is worth considering the guidance provided by the Housing Corporation.

Extract from the Housing Corporation’s Good Practice Note 4 ‘Race Equality & Diversity’ – Nov 2002

There are a number of reasons why achieving the best possible performance on Race Equality and Diversity is good for an association's business.

Understanding the customer. Central to delivering continuous improvement of services is understanding the views and needs of customers and using this information to drive forward review and reform. Understanding the diversity of customers and their needs is, therefore, at the heart of any effective system of delivering high quality services.

Developing new products and services. Over time associations need to look at the products and services they provide in order to ensure that they continue to meet the needs of the communities they work in. Taking account of the diversity of these communities will be crucial to developing the right products and services for the future.

Ensuring continued demand for products and services. As well as developing new products and services, housing associations need to ensure that they keep the existing products and services they offer relevant to the needs of the communities where they work. Taking account of diversity of customers and their aspirations when doing this will keep the appeal of these products and services as broad as possible and help sustain long-term demand.

Winning new business. Many housing associations actively pursue new business from a number of sources from transfer of local authority housing and contracts for supplying key worker accommodation to providing affordable housing in conjunction with private developers. Good performance on Race Equality and Diversity is increasingly becoming a criterion in the selection process for all these types of partnership.

Recruiting the best staff. Only by drawing the best talent from all sections of the community can housing associations ensure that they have the best staff for the job. This can only be done by having fair recruitment processes and corporate commitment to encouraging and supporting applications from a diverse range of people.

Delivering the best leadership. The senior management teams and governing bodies of associations need to understand their customers in order to deliver clear business leadership. One of the best ways of achieving this is by ensuring these teams reflect the diversity of communities the organisations they lead work in.

Building and protecting a good reputation. Poor performance on Race Equality and Diversity can lead to bad publicity and damage the reputation of a housing association. In contrast, good performance often delivers good publicity and can enhance an association's reputation.

Extract from the Housing Corporation’s Good Practice Note 8 ‘Equality & Diversity’ – February 2004

An association’s equalities and diversity policy should apply to everyone it serves and to everyone who works for it. It should recognise the particular needs of different groups and individuals and ensure that these are met, recognizing that not all members of a particular group will share the same aspirations.

The policy should cover:

Service delivery
Lettings
Access to information and advice
Tenant participation
Tenant satisfaction- by group as tested by surveys.
Dealing with incidents
Procurement – including consideration of Equality and Diversity issues in the employment of contractors.
Governance and the composition of Boards.
Staffing and employment- addressing under representation in the workforce and ensuring equality of access to training and development.

In order to guarantee a pro active-approach to Equality and Diversity issues an Association should understand the demographics of the neighbourhoods it serves, from available Census data, and should consider their tenant profile in those terms.

This means that they should consider data on the residency and distribution of various groups and compare that data with their tenant profiles-

Black and Minority Ethnic (and the composition of these groups)
White
Religious backgrounds
Employed/ Unemployed/ Retired
Disabled/ Long term illness
Gender
Length of tenancy
Age
Household composition- single/ lone parent/ nuclear family etc

In order to generate a climate in which the full seriousness of Equality and Diversity issues impacts upon the Board, Managers and the Association in general there will obviously be development issues for all concerned. Much of the above will be of use here.

Similarly, an audit of the Association’s Equality and Diversity position, using the frameworks outlined in this paper, is essential as the first step in producing a target driven improvement plan.

CQEC

PAPER TWO

The Gershon Agenda – Efficiency Savings in Public Sector Spending

-Gordon Ronald

In 1999[i] Sir Peter Gershon was asked to conduct a review, which examined the whole process of central government procurement including goods, services and major capital projects.

In 2004 the Treasury then commissioned Sir Peter to conduct a follow up Review, which came to be known as the “Gershon Report”[ii], subsequently referred to by politicians, the civil service and media as the “Gershon Agenda”.

The 2004 “Gershon Agenda” built upon the 1999 Report, but was extended to cover six work streams and the wider public sector. The Review was commissioned by the Treasury, to assess the extent of waste in the delivery of public services. Probably more significantly the Review identified targets and made clear recommendations for improving efficiency.

These tangible targets and clear recommendations were used as the basis of one of the government’s main policies and strategic drivers- the concept of extra investment in local front line services by making the best use of available resources and budgets, rather than ever increasing annual central government expenditure.

Responsibility for delivering the efficiencies will rest with central departments, which will cascade their commitments to health trusts, local councils, police and other public bodies. This will create a public service efficiency delivery chain. – Sir Peter Gershon, July 2004

The Treasury also wanted to reduce activity that did not add value to providing what the customer wants. In practical terms this meant a reduction in bureaucracy, inefficient processes and expensive support functions.

The Budget[iii] in 2004 set public sector efficiency targets of 2.5% per annum between the fiscal years 2005 – 2008 based upon Gershon’s original estimate of £ 20 billion of efficiency gains across the public sector.

The operational translation of the efficiency targets meant that every “spending” central and local government department or government agency had a target that represented at least a 2.5% gain on an annual basis. The baseline for this being the Government budget allocation in the 2004 Budget.

In order to ensure accountability, every departmental Secretary of State was made responsible and accountable for delivering efficiencies within their department, non departmental public bodies or agencies.

Due to the potential problems of ensuring consistency of reporting and recording efficiencies, guidance through “Technical Notes” were issued. These explanatory notes define four ways of generating efficiencies identified by Gershon:

Reduced inputs ( such as assets or people) to produce same level of output
reduced prices for same level of output
additional or improved outputs for the same level of input
getting more outputs or improved quality in return for an increase in resources that is proportionately less than increase in outputs

The first two ways – reduced inputs for the same outputs and reduced prices for the same level of output – were designated “cashable” efficiency saving targets.

The importance of procurement and efficiency savings

It could be argued that in order to achieve the “cashable” efficiency targets, procurement at the strategic, tactical and operational levels of all areas of government purchasing became a core organisational competency.[iv]

The Gershon report highlighted the fact that too much public procurement was undertaken without professional support which resulted in sub-optimal value for money and unnecessarily high prices being paid for goods, works and consultancy services.

In this setting, Gershon had defined “procurement” as “the acquisition of goods, works and services from third parties”. The Byatt[v] Report described this as the “make or buy” decision. Public Sector Organisations, like their private sector counterparts, could either “make their own” or outsource the service ( or back office support) that they were tasked to deliver. This concept was extended and applied by Gershon in his 2004 Review.

In many ways this emphasis on good procurement has been a key feature advocated by various governments’ since the early 1990s starting with the Latham Report, Byatt Report and Sir John Egan’s “Rethinking Construction”.

Efficiency Savings and The Social Housing Sector

Under current Government policy, the provision and development of social housing is made via two providers, the Housing Corporation and Local Authorities, both of whom receive some form of significant direct or indirect public subsidy.

The Housing Corporation is the Government’s National Affordable Housing Agency responsible for investing in new affordable homes and regulating over 1,500 housing associations across England who own and manage in excess of three million homes.

The Audit Commission is the lead regulator for all social housing (including Arms Length Management Organisations) provided through Local authorities.

The former Office of Deputy Prime Minister (now the Department for Communities and Local Government) ,as the sponsoring government department, set efficiency targets for Local Authorities and Housing Associations to run over the three year period between 2005 and 2008.

The split between the Local Authorities and Housing Associations efficiency targets in the two work streams of Capital Works[vi] and Management and Maintenance are illustrated below:

Work stream	2005/06	2006/07	2007/08
Capital Works	2	30	60
Management and Maintenance	35	60	80
Commodities	10	30	55
	47	120	195

Table 1 – Housing Association Sector Efficiency Targets ( in £ million )

Work stream	2005/06	2006/07	2007/08
Capital Works	12	140	280
Management and Maintenance	85	150	200
Commodities	0	0	0
	97	270	480

Table 2 – Local Authority Sector Efficiency Targets ( in £ million)

Housing Associations Efficiency Savings through Annual Efficiency Statements

Whilst on the basis of the above tables, the Local Authority Sector require to generate almost twice as many efficiency savings as Housing Associations, it should be noted that Local Authority expenditure in both Capital Works and Maintenance and Management includes expenditure on items such as roads, schools, public buildings, libraries as well as social housing.

The Housing Association sector traditionally focusses on the provision of social housing and some neighbourhood management services. Two significant areas for potential and actual savings for Associations are Capital Works (which relate to capitalised major property repairs) and Maintenance (which relates to routine response repairs and empty property revenue expenditure).

Since 2005, part of the annual compliance regime required by the Housing Corporation[vii] for the sector is the submission of Annual Efficiency Statements (AES). These statements must be signed off by the Board and should be based “upon sound methodologies, backed up by a clear audit trial”.[viii]

Housing Corporation Guidance has been given in the submitting and recording of proposed and actual efficiency gains in each of the above work streams. However, no universal methods were prescribed to Housing Association Boards other than recommended use of the Guidance Notes.

Housing Associations were made to understand and demonstrate that efficiency gains needed to be reconciled back to baselines, which relate to the Association’s annual accounts and performance data.

The key data sources for the Annual Efficiency Statements prepared and submitted by Housing Associations are management and statutory accounts, internal performance data, the Housing Corporation Cost Index and Performance Indicators.

Delivering of Efficiency Savings – Government Vision to Sector Strategy

If, the Government has set the vision and tone for the efficiency agenda in the Housing Association Sector, the “straight line” projection of this thinking suggests that:

· Housing Association Boards set clear goals and formulate procurement strategy [ix]

· Give the leadership and direction on efficiency savings

These two strategic directors drive the efficiency agenda in the Housing Association sector.

The role of Boards in Housing Associations is different from the traditional role seen in the private sector. The Housing Association Sector involves spending large sums of public money combined with social policy in the provision of affordable housing.

As such, in this context, effective corporate governance requires boards to adopt possibly divergent practices that ensure effective compliance, probity, value for money and a social ethos. These aspects of the business are required to be visible and demonstrable to the external regulator, Government, the media and stakeholders.

The Housing Corporation[x] states that “Governing boards take ultimate responsibility for their Housing Association”, this emphasis on “governance” has been codified by the Housing Corporation as the expressed view:

Properly governed through arrangements which are responsive to resident’s preferences, which will ensure that public money is used for the purposes intended and which will maintain the good reputation of the sector” …….The term “properly governed” means to provide leadership and to hold the management to account”.

Housing Association Boards The role and challenge in delivering efficiency savings

The composition, skill set and experience of most Housing Association Boards vary[xi]. Whilst Senior Management are invariably represented on most boards – the key question for most boards in relation to efficiency savings is – Do we have the necessary level of experience in order to offer leadership in the area of procurement and efficiencies?

It is apparent from research that, despite increasing professionalisation, the “Procurement” skills set (and to a lesser extent property asset management) that is considered by the Government as vital, could be missing from the skill sets available from Board Members across the Housing Association sector generally.

There are therefore two major challenges regarding the ‘Value for Money Agenda’ facing Senior Management in the Housing Association sector.

One is to encourage appropriate recruitment to Board and to support Board members in fulfilling their responsibilities.

Most Associations carry out regular self-assessments of the skills and competencies of their Boards. It is possible that, where gaps are identified in areas of efficiency and value for money, training should be provided as a top priority.

The second is to deliver the agenda at an operational level, which, as with Boards, involves the clearest assessment of current occupational skill levels, effective new recruitment strategies and focussed skill enhancement.

The initial feedback from the first two completed Annual Efficiency Statements for the Housing Association Sector indicates that the sector has performed well.

However, the Government in it’s 2007 Spending Review, now expects that the generation of efficiencies as an ongoing and integral part of the sector. This means that many of the early savings were comparitevly easy to achieve , the “low lying fruit”.

Experience in the private sector[xii],[xiii], shows that the sustained continual year on year generation of efficiency savings is harder to achieve, unless businesses invest in the training and development of their staff.

Research in the sector indicates that the picture is patchy[xiv]. It is possible that the Government’s efficiency agenda may create a two tier league of Housing Associations. Those who, will invest in developing the procurement skills of their Boards, Management and staff and those who do not.

In trying to assess which way the wind is blowing, it is perhaps telling to look at the Office of Government Commerce ( OGC) . The OGC is the executive agency within the Treasury responsible for transforming the Government Procurement Agenda.

In 2005[xv] OGC helped local authorities to make time and efficiency savings worth £ 412 million[xvi]. These savings could have been invested in local authority services, such as an additional 23,883 recycling collections.

OGC is on record as stating it’s future intentions [xvii]to :

Set and enforce the right procurement standards and ensure they are met
Develop a cadre of skilled procurement professionals across Government
Capitalise on Government’s collective buying power to achieve value for money
Use it’s powers to intervene, where spending departments do not deliver efficiency savings
Set up specialist interest procurement groups within the sector

It is notable in the Housing Association Sector that a similar approach has not been forthcoming, perhaps this will be the main challenge for Housing Associations and their Boards in the future - To match and surpass the OGC or have efficiencies imposed upon them.

REFS.

1. Review of Civil Procurement in Central Government, Gershon, P. Her Majesty’s Treasury,( 1999)

2. Releasing Resources to the Front Line,Gershon,P, HM Treasury( 2004)

3. The Budget, HM Treasury ( 2004)

4. On the right road at procurement solutions. Public Sector Procurement. Fanning,P.(2007)

5. Delivering Better Services for Citizens ,Byatt,P. HM Government ( 2001)

6. Housing Association Annual Statements: A Guidance Note, Fraser , R, HouseMark ( 2005)

7. Housing Corporation Circular 03/05 ( 2005)

8. Progress in improving Government efficiency , National Audit Office ( 2006)

9. Competitive Strategy, Porter, M. Free Press (1980)

10.Treading the Boards, Housing Corporation ( 2001)

11.Taking the Lead, Housing Corporation , ( 2003)

12.The Rise and fall of Marks and Spencer, Bevin, J. Profile Books (2001)

13.Jack:What I’ve learned leading a great company and great people. Welch,J.Warner Books (2001)

14.An assessment of current provision of skill needs in the Asset Skills Sector, Skills sector(2006)

15.OGC buying solutions 2005/06 Annual Report, OCG Buying Solutions (2006)

16.Based on average salary according to Office for National Statistics ASHE survey 2005 (2006)

17.On the right road at procurement solutions. Public Procurement. Fanning,P. (2007)

CQEC

PAPER THREE

Recycling. A Cautionary Tale for Policy Makers.

-Gill Gentles

On 6.12.05 The Bath Chronicle reported that:

‘Householders and businesses in Bath who put their rubbish bags out on the wrong day will face £50 on-the-spot fines from today. And those fines could rise to £2,500 if people are taken to court as part of the Bath and North East Somerset Council crackdown.’

Despite the fact that the council had the power to fine people who put their rubbish out too early for about five years this new regime - aimed at reducing the number of unsightly bags on the city's streets - was launched as part of an Environmental Action Day clean-up in conjunction with The Environment Agency.

The run-up to Christmas was deliberately chosen to focus the public’s minds on the issue.

It is exactly this kind of press that strikes fear into the hearts of many.

The majority of reasonable citizens in the UK agree recycling is a necessity. Over the years we have been exposed to such concepts as:

images of the ozone layer being photographed from outer space and decreasing in worrying proportions.
reports from scientists that certain glaciers that existed previously no longer exist.
wildlife in many forms are becoming extinct due to changing habitats.

The links between the above and global warming and the correct disposal of rubbish are generally accepted as common sense.

And yet despite this acceptance on the part of the general public, there is also a view that Local Authorities are using such issues as a means of raising funds by stealth taxes on refuse collection. In the light of such the public are moving away from an environmental campaign they should actively be engaged in.

There is resistance to recycling for many reasons, some are:

lack of knowledge – on what can be recycled, where and how
badly thought out policies – Councils giving out incorrect advice or not providing the adequate means to recycle , e.g. insufficient recycling bins
suspicion – why recycle when the Council have been paid to take away rubbish?

What levels of waste do we produce?

They are vast! All quantities are in million tonnes:

Each year we produce 300 as a nation. For example:

28 is household waste,
50 industrial waste,
4.5 plastic waste,
5.2 hazardous waste,
5-7 compost able waste and also

3000 tons of polystyrene (not million tonnes

How much do we recycle?

Asked by the Earl of Shrewsbury, in a debate on Waste Management and Recycling, in the House of Lords, on Monday 5^th February 2007.

Answered by Lord Rooker (Minister of State, Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs:

My Lords, in 2005-06, an estimated 6.8 million tonnes of household waste collected by local authorities in England was recycled. The small proportion of this waste that did not meet the standard for recycling was sent for energy recovery or landfill, depending on the availability and cost of local facilities.

It was further commented, the UK sends:

2.2 million tonnes of recyclable materials to the Far East and China in a 12 months period and that a large proportion of those materials ended up not recycled but in unregulated landfill sites?

2.5 billion cans are recycled annually. We were leaders in batteries recycling but that has all changed.

The gap between waste produced and waste recycled is huge!

Lord Greaves goes on:

My Lords, many millions of people in this country are now setting aside and separating waste for recycling. Would not the worst possible thing be if scare stories that a lot of this material was not being recycled for whatever reason gained credence? Therefore, would it not be a very good idea if each local authority that collects waste for recycling issued from time to time a clear statement to the residents in their area as to where the waste goes and what it is used for?

The people of Britain should be encouraged and yet they are not.

What is happening?

We watch with concern when such issues as the ‘lottery postcode’ are quoted in relation to health provision, better or worse maternity staff and wards, outbreaks of MRSA as hospitals vie in cleanliness tables, or police policies, or strategies in relation to the use and number of speed cameras. The position is no different in relation to waste disposal and recycling. There is NO ONE cohesive policy. Some have had the vision to install incinerators, others to implement advanced recycling policies. For yet other Councils who have failed to implement such, the use of a ‘stick’ is very much the weapon of choice preferring to threaten householders who fail to put the right piece of rubbish in the right receptacle, with fines and stigmatisation. They are, potentially, raising funds rather than tackling the issue.

What laws are in place to enforce what we do?

Largely from the EEC in the form of Directives 75/442/eec, 91/156/eec and 96/350/ec, requiring Member States of the EU to produce a National Waste Strategy setting out their policies on the disposal and recovery of waste, implemented into UK legislation via the Environmental Protection Act 1990 as amended by Environment Act 1995 and various regulations which set out the objectives of the UK National Waste Strategy. These are as follows:

to ensure waste is recovered or disposed of without endangering human health and without using processes or methods that could harm the environment;
to establish an integrated and adequate network of waste disposal installations, taking account of the best available technique not entailing excessive costs (BATNEEC)
to ensure self sufficiency in waste disposal
to encourage the prevention or reduction of waste production and its harmfulness

to encourage the recovery of waste by means of recycling, reuse or reclamation, and the use of waste as a source of energy (Environment Act 1995).

The Law in this area is very detailed and complex.

What should we be achieving?

Government Targets are governed by:

The Landfill Directive

A piece of European Legislation governing the future use of landfill as a means of disposal. By setting quite stringent targets for reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill, the Directive aims to achieve the following:

By 2010 to reduce the amount of biodegradable municipal waste landfilled to 75% of that produced in 1995.
By 2013 to reduce the amount of biodegradable municipal waste landfilled to 50% of that produced in 1995.
By 2020 to reduce the amount of biodegradable municipal waste landfilled to 35% of that produced in 1995.

The Directive also makes changes to the types of material that can be disposed of.
The Government, via 'Waste Strategy 2000', has set targets for complying with the Landfill Directive. The targets are…

To recover value from 40% of municipal waste by 2005
To recover value from 45% of municipal waste by 2010
To recover value from 67% of municipal waste by 2015

In order to "recover value" from waste, techniques such as recycling, composting or recovery of energy, through burning or recovery of gas, are to be used.

Recycling

The Government has set National targets for recycling and composting (again published in 'Waste Strategy 2000').

To recycle or compost at least 25% of household waste by 2005
To recycle or compost at least 30% of household waste by 2010
To recycle or compost at least 33% of household waste by 2015

The government has issued a ‘Waste Performance and Efficiency Grant’ of £260 million to aid local authorities in waste reduction, increased recycling and diversion from landfills.

Proximity

One thing that needs mentioning is the concept of proximity – referred to often in recent debates as ‘food miles’- it has a bearing in recycling.

Stated in Directive 75/442/eec as amended by 91/156/eec recycling should take place as near as possible to where it occurs to save pollution:

‘This principle requires that waste is managed or disposed of as close as possible to the point at which it is generated, thus reducing pollution from transportation (Williams 1998). In the Framework Directive on Waste it states EU Member States should take appropriate measures to provide an integrated network of disposal installations adequate to enable the EU to become self-sufficient in waste treatment and disposal (Williams 1998; SEPA 1999)’.

This and the above directions seem to be being ignored as more and more people are having to travel to ‘tips’ in an attempt to legitimately rid themselves of rubbish, being refused collection from their kerbs by Councils. Directives urging coherent policies, and networks for disposal are not being provided. The answer seems simple, return to weekly collections from kerbsides. The Friends of the Earth are one Organisation that can see the short-sightedness of Councils trying to cut down on their responsibilities with regard to refuse collection, urging weekly collections to address such issues. Nor is this stance for the environmentally conscious alone, when, recently, MPs have stated publicly their belief that Laws are being misinterpreted by Councils throughout the country.

Not just Householders.

Rubbish is often created by supermarkets and local industry. They should be paying a lot more attention to this issue. In the same House of Lords debate, this was discussed by Lord Rooker:

‘massive programmes are under way with industry to cut the amount of packaging waste, both on food and other products. We are recovering more industrial waste than ever before.’

There is a plethora of legislation and a willingness on the part of supermarkets who all wish to be perceived as being ‘green’, from recycling carrier bags and gaining points in Tesco, to biodegradable cartons in Marks and Spencer’s, to producing plastic furniture in Waitrose from discarded carrier bags. Their role is inextricably interlinked with the householder in that if less packaging was produced at source this would have a beneficial impact for all concerned.

The 1994 European Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste.

Under this Directive, by December 31, 2008, the UK must recover overall 60% of all packaging waste, 60% for glass, paper and board, 50% for metals, 22.5 for plastics and 15% for wood. This is to be reviewed every five years.

Businesses are given responsibilities here if they have more than £2 million turnover, or handle more than 50 tonnes of packaging each year.

So where does the rubbish go?

Externally- The people of China

The Countess of Mar brought attention to the House when she asked:

My Lords, have some of the documentaries about what is happening to our waste in China been seen? Rivers and land are being polluted and people's health is being affected. Have Her Majesty's Government done anything to ask the Chinese Government to protect their population, including very young children, who scavenge from our waste?

The implications are not just national but international.

Internally - there is Landfill

Covered by the Landfill Directive (1999/31/EC), which was adopted by the European Union in 1999, this is beginning to drastically change the way the UK handles waste. The directive was brought into force in the UK on June 15 2002 as the Landfill (England and Wales) Regulations 2002, and since then it has been introduced bit-by-bit to give UK industry time to adapt.

Landfill allowances are set via The Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme (LATS)

This is the Government's key measure to meet the demands of the European Landfill Directive in England, and began on April 1, 2005.

The LATS system sees progressively tighter restrictions on the amount of biodegradable municipal waste - defined as paper, food and garden waste - that disposal authorities can landfill.
The LATS system works by councils being set allowances on the amount of biodegradable material they can send to landfill. In two-tier areas, this refers to waste disposal authorities (county councils) only.
These allowances are tradable, so that high land filling authorities can buy more allowances if they expect to landfill more than the allowances they hold. Similarly, authorities with low landfill rates can sell their surplus allowances.
Councils will then be fined £150 for every tonne they landfill beyond the limit set by the allowances they hold.
Landfill allowances will be allocated by the government so that nationally, the UK reaches the targets set by the Landfill Directive for reducing the amount of biodegradable municipal waste going to landfill. These Directive targets are to reduce landfilling to:

75% of 1995 levels by 2010;
50% of 1995 levels by 2013;
35% of 1995 levels by 2020.

(Reference to www.letsrecyclecom)

The landfill allowances given to councils are therefore progressively lower each year in order to cut the overall national rate in line with the Landfill Directive requirements.

Under LATS, the total amount of municipal waste going to landfill in England should drop from about 15.2 million tonnes each year to 11.2 million tonnes by 2010. If the trading scheme is a long-term success, this should fall to just 5.2 million tonnes in the year 2020.
What if we do not comply?
Successful boroughs will benefit by trading allowances to councils who are not.
Trading of landfill allowances is being facilitated by Defra's electronic LATS Register, an online system - only available to nominated officers within disposal authorities - which acts almost like a bank account. Each disposal authority has an account showing how many allowances it has available. Councils can then ‘trade’
‘Defra will only allow 5% of landfill allowances to be borrowed from future years as a safeguard measure for Landfill Directive target years.’
There will be a review of the landfill allowance trading system in 2007, referred to by Defra as an "operational review", with the aim to iron out any wrinkles and improve the working of the system.
Authorities that fail to obtain sufficient landfill allowances for the amount of waste they landfill are likely to face stiff financial penalties. The UK Government has also reserved the right to pass on any European fine imposed for missing the Landfill Directive targets onto the local authorities or devolved administrations responsible for the UK missing its targets.

What are the alternatives?

Do nothing – not an option, legally or morally.
Pay more, expect less. Councils are using a phrase of ‘less more’. Costs will go up, but if all cooperate they should go up at a lower rate.
Fly tipping – for the odd few who resort to this scurrilous activity, this will cost the normal citizen heavily and so a policy of taking away waste from source seems to be the best answer.
Travel more to tips – not the answer we are all looking for in trying to be environmentally conscious.
Burn rubbish in back gardens – as above.
Raise money from waste? Aluminium and items of value are being ‘creamed’ off the top by Councils and any monies raised are not going back into the public coffers helping alleviate the burden on the householder and tax payer. This could be implemented positively in the future.
Educate all and give waste a value – it will then be seen as an asset.

The moral duty is clear for all to see- the Council, the householder, the business and industry- we all want to leave a legacy of a planet worth inheriting for generations to come.

Yet there are many provisions being ignored, abused or manipulated leading to an unfair responsibility being heaped upon the homeowner or to an alienation of parties that would otherwise readily be involved.

For homeowners beleaguered by rising interest rates and financial uncertainties the added worry of ‘chips’ in bins and potential ‘pay as you throw’ schemes is one policy too far. It should be remembered this is an essential service, not a discretionary one for major public health reasons. As a society we should be moving forward, not back. At a time when more should be spent in taking waste away and recycling schemes, the opposite is true. This is not acceptable.

We started out with a cautionary tale in which householders fear Council power being used against them in what should be a cause for good. Councils, however, should beware.

There is an understandable public concern over effective action and sound financial management on the part of our elected representatives and their officers.

Householders, as the electorate, are increasingly well informed and increasingly demand high levels of accountability. Rather than issuing individual threats and sanctions, Councils should be nervous of the collective power of their constituents. There is clear Government pressure and local electoral pressure to ‘get it right’ over waste on the level of both policy and effective practice.

Those Councils that cannot or will not ‘get it right’ may find themselves severely punished in the polls.

CQEC

MANAGEMENT AND GOVERNANCE

Saturday 24 August 2013

FOREWORD

In this issue-

Religion

Government Targets are governed by:

The Landfill Directive

Recycling

Externally- The people of China