Radius Housing provides housing, care and support to more than 33,000 houses. It employs more than 1,000 people and manages 12,500 properties in 80 towns across Northern Ireland.
Radius Housing was keen to secure a better understanding of the dynamics within the sssets department and, ultimately, to gain insight into what might possibly be a more practical structure for the team. Radius Housing wanted operational staff to have input to the process to enable them to contribute their views and experience, as well as to hear the experience of others within the department.
DTP started by gathering information for a desktop analysis. This included structure charts, budgets, reports, details of IT systems, performance and KPI information on responsive void and cyclical repairs, peer benchmarking, the risk register, internal audit reports and existing process maps. We also conducted a number of interviews with key personnel – board members, the executive team, asset team members and contractors. Following this we held three workshops – one with operational staff and managers, one with asset officers and the administration assistants. We held a further workshop with a representative group from the above, which included the seniors and the management team to hear the feedback. Ahead of the workshops, we asked all attendees to complete a questionnaire/survey. The intention was to generate views on ‘current state’ arrangements and processes. In addition, we held a workshop to review the repairs ‘process’ with members of the team. The session focused on the ‘current state process’, mapping out what the team considered to be the existing processes. The session went on to consider possible improvements to existing processes, exploring potential improvements to inform the development of a ‘future state’ process map.
Following DTP’s analysis and information gathering, we were able to draw on experience and good practice from the sector and elsewhere, to formulate outline conclusions and recommendations in relation to Radius Housing’s stated requirements. Our final report was presented to the board and executive team and, following a thorough, well informed Board discussion, our recommendations were accepted and approved for implementation. Finally, DTP briefed the findings to the assets team and was then asked to review progress on the action plan.
Aisling McStravick, Director of Assets