INNISFREE HOUSING ASSOCIATION

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Business Plan 2004-09: Going Forward

Executive Summary Background & History The World We Work In Our Customers Looking to the Future Going Forward Financial Projections

The key objectives and targets which Innisfree intends to achieve over the next five-year period are described below. They have been split up into immediate and short term objectives and medium to longer term objectives.

Immediate and Short term Objectives:

The organisation wishes to pursue the following objectives over the next 1 to 3 year period:

Invest in staff

Innisfree appreciates the key role that staff play. A major review of the staffing structure was conducted in 2003. As a result, the establishment was increased by 2½ posts. . We are confident that the new structure will enable the organisation to deliver its objectives over the next 5 year period without the need for any additional resources. The only exception to this will be:

• scheme managers for any new sheltered schemes;
• Specialist support to vulnerable tenants in new supported schemes.

Innisfree will continue to review staff recruitment and retention policies to ensure that it is able to maintain a flexible, motivated and committed workforce for the future.

We will continue to explore joint working opportunities with other Irish associations and with members of the Solomon Project to provide staff with career development and enhancement opportunities.

Prepare for being a larger organisation

While the association does not foresee anything other than steady, organic growth, we recognise that Innisfree is already a very different organisation from the one it was a few years ago. Our external profile is high for our size. We will ensure that our internal systems and structures, governance arrangements and staff capabilities keep pace with our growth.

Keep operational costs low

Innisfree understands the importance of knowing the cost of the services we provide. Significant progress has been made in recent years in bringing down operational costs. We will build on the costing exercises that have already been carried out through the work of the Solomon Project.

Innisfree was an early participant in the NHF's joint purchasing initiative, now known as Procurement for Housing. We will continue to explore possibilities for joint working and purchasing with other organisations such as the Solomon Project.

Build on its high levels of performance

Innisfree plans to build on its present high level of performance. We will keep our management information and performance systems under constant review. We will work with tenants and customers to review and establish service standards for housing and support services.

Achieve affordable rent levels

Innisfree has succeeded in narrowing the gap between target rents (affordable rents) and actual rents over the past two years. A significant number of rents have been frozen and some rent increases have been less than RPI.

This process is expected to continue over the life of this business plan and Innisfree expects to match average target rents and average actual rents in 2009.

Rationalise our stock and focus our activities

In order to run services efficiently Innisfree intends to rationalise the location and spread of our housing stock and operations. We are actively exploring stock transfers and property swaps with other social housing providers. We will focus our activities in boroughs in the North & West London sub regions.

Produce a strategic development plan

We will produce a clear, strategic development plan that operates as a "prospectus" to aid discussions with future development partners.

Work with tenants and customers

Innisfree will continue to work with tenants and the wider Irish community. We aim to increase the number of tenants involved in the organisation as well as the degree to which tenants are involved. We will look at new ways of working with and involving tenants and customers, providing incentives where appropriate.

Develop links with the Irish Community

We will work with the other Irish housing associations and the wider voluntary sector and encourage our tenants to make much greater use of the services available.

Increase housing provision

Innisfree will continue to increase general needs housing provision through the Approved Development Programme and other funding sources. Growth will be planned and managed.

Implement Best Value Programme of reviews

Innisfree will continue to work with the Solomon Project and implement our programme of service reviews and improvements taking particular note of the results of Tenants' Surveys.

Risk Management

Having formed a new Audit & Risk Management Committee (in 2003) we will ensure that the association's controls and risk management framework is as robust as possible and that a culture of risk management is embedded throughout the organisation. A Governance Review has been commissioned and will report in November 2004.

Finance

Innisfree's financial objectives are set out below:

• To maximise income through effective management of arrears and properties.
• To stay solvent.
• To ensure that services provide value for money.

Maintain a high external profile

We will promote the iN Business for Neighbourhoods campaign with our tenants, partners, stakeholders and the wider public, publicising positive news about Innisfree and the wider social housing sector.

Invest in new technology

Innisfree has recently upgraded its IT and telephone systems. The Business Plan has set aside money for additional investment during the five-year period. This will ensure that IT and communications systems remain up to date and appropriate to the needs of the organisation and its customers.

Friends of Innisfree

We will continue to promote and develop the Friends as a fund-raising arm to the Association.

Medium to long term objectives 3 to 5 years

In addition to the immediate and short-term objectives the organisation wishes to develop the following areas over a 3- 5 year period.

Explore and implement new initiatives

Innisfree is committed to enhancing the overall quality of life for our tenants and customers. To meet this objective we will work with tenants and customers to identify new initiatives. A particular focus will be our work to develop the "in Business" agenda.

Seek to develop a neighbourhood initiative within Brent

Recognising that the London Borough of Brent is at the heart of Innisfree's activities, we will seek to be involved in a high profile neighbourhood initiative, which will be of benefit both to Innisfree main client group, the Irish community, but also to the wider public.

Enhance support to existing tenants

Innisfree will explore ways of meeting the additional support needs of existing tenants that have been identified in the Tenants' Survey. This will involve creating stronger links with voluntary agencies and investigating ways of providing additional advice, counselling and support.

Meet the needs of Irish Elders

Innisfree wants to ensure that the projected increase in Irish elders is catered for. We intend to build on current sheltered housing provision by adding an additional 25 units per annum from Year 3 onwards.

Extend the range of supported housing services

Innisfree is aware of the great range and diversity of support needs within the Irish community. We will examine the impact of Supporting People on the provision of such services. This exercise may identify new opportunities for the organisation to take forward. This will include providing more supported housing services as well as a greater range of services. For example, providing 'live and work' units.

Growth by acquisition

Innisfree will continue to increase the number of general needs homes in our target areas, by developing in partnership with others. The projected number of units is set out in the financial projections.

Longer Term Initiatives

We have identified a number of initiatives that we wish to investigate towards the end of the Business Plan.

Increase the type and range of housing provided.

Innisfree is keen to ensure that it provides a range of housing to meet the many and varied needs of the Irish community living in London. To this end we will explore the opportunities for providing:

• accommodation for key workers such as teachers and nurses;
• Accommodation at sub-market rents to meet the housing needs of people who would otherwise not be eligible for social housing.

Develop the capacity of the Friends of Innisfree

The Friends of Innisfree has the potential both to enhance the profile of the association and increase our fund-raising capabilities. While somewhat dependent on the goodwill of volunteers, we will nevertheless continue to explore opportunities for increasing the scope of the Friends.

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