Building Communities

Southwark and London Diocesan Housing Association

Building CommunitiesAnnual Report 2007

Who we are…

Encouraging neighbourliness & mutual aid among tenants.

Southwark and London Diocesan Housing Association seeks to encourage neighbourliness and

mutual aid among its tenants.

Southwark and London Diocesan Housing Association aims to:

n Continue to develop high quality housing at affordable rents in conjunction with our development partners

n Manage and maintain its properties to a high standard

n Build successful communities

As a Christian organisation, Southwark and London Diocesan Housing Association seeks to achieve this by:

n Recognising the needs of the two Dioceses and individual Parishes and working closely with them to secure new sites for development

n Recognising the huge need for affordable housing in London and the demands placed on Local Authorities in the areas within which SLDHA operates

n Making the best use of its properties and other assets

Membership is open to those who share the aims of the Association. We have around 100 members.The Association currently has 205 properties in ownership and management in Southwark, Lambeth, Wandsworth, Hillingdon, Lewisham, Greenwich, Tandridge and Tower Hamlets Councils.

Page 2 | SLDHA Annual Report 2007

Letter from the Chair… Communications, Services and Asset Management. These Groups are working very well.

Although the Association has experienced a period of considerable growth over the last year. It is getting increasingly difficult for small associations such as ourselves to develop due to changes in Government policy. We are therefore challenged to look at new ways of working as a developing housing association.

I would very much like to thank all our members of staff for their hard work over the last year and to extend a special welcome to Marc Harrison our newly appointed Maintenance Officer who joined us in September 2007.

Michael Ipgrave Chair of Management Committee Archdeacon of Southwark

SLDHA Annual Report 2007 | Page 3

T he Association has experienced a period of considerable growth over the past year and it has been an exciting time for us.

We opened two new schemes, one in Felbridge, Surrey and the other in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.

The Association represents a good example of co-operation across the two Anglican Dioceses of London and Southwark. The role of Chair of the Management Committee reflects this arrangement. I have served the last 2 years as Chair, but will be succeeded by the Archdeacon of Hackney in March 2008.

Today, significant responsibilities are placed on Trustees and Committee Members of charities and housing associations. For small but ambitious organisations like SLDHA, Committee Members are required not only to have a strategic overview but also to be involved in the day-to-day workings of the Association. I would like to pay tribute to all my fellow Committee Members for their skill and hard work over this last year. Committee members are now involved in our four Working Groups which look at matters relating to Audit,

Over the last year we… n Completed two very different affordable housing

schemes - one in the Diocese of London in Poplar and the other in the Diocese of Southwark at Felbridge, Surrey.

n Set up our latest Working Group which looks at matters relating to Asset Management and Development.

n Continued to improve the condition of our older properties. All our homes already comply with the Decent Homes Standard.

n Updated our Resident’s Handbook and induction pack for new committee members.

n Continued to meet regularly with our tenants to consult them about all aspects of our work and to encourage their participation in the work of the Association.

n Saw satisfaction levels with our service improve again over the last year. For another year they have remained at an extremely high level.

52% of our residents responded to the survey. The results were as follows:

Question

(%)Last YearExcellent/Good

(%)This YearExcellent/Good

Quality of home generallyNeighbourhoodRepairs ServiceSecurityService from staff

9985939599

97839597100

Page 4 | SLDHA Annual Report 2007

Over the last year… SLDHA has a range of agreements with contractors and consultants who continue to do excellent work on new projects and our existing housing stock

New developments

Construction completed in November 2007 on a high density scheme of 58 flats in Poplar, East London which was formally opened by the Bishop of London, the Rt Revd Dr Richard Chartres. A further development on a Church site in a rural community in Felbridge, Surrey completed in March 2007, thanks to a kind donation from Fred Barrell and was opened by the Bishop of Southwark the Right Revd Dr Tom Butler.

Maintenance and Improvements to older properties

For day-to-day response repairs, SLDHA has a range of agreements with contractors who receive high approval ratings from residents.

Major improvement works were commissioned during the Spring of 2007 at some of the Association’s ‘older’ new properties in Lewisham, Greenwich, Wandsworth and Southwark.

Thanks are due particularly this year to:

n Officers from Tower Hamlets Borough Council who strongly supported our scheme in Poplar

n Officers from Tandridge District Council who have strongly supported our scheme in Felbridge

n Morgan Ashurst Contractors for their excellent work on these two new developments

n All of our contractors for their excellent work on everyday repairs and maintenance

n KKM Architects and Molyneux Architects for their imaginative and appealing designs

SLDHA Annual Report 2007 | Page 5

n David Bryson Richardson Limited for their work as employer's agent.

n St Vincents Family Housing Association with whom we have been in partnership over the past year. - particularly to Peter Taylor and Pat Joyce who have also served on the SLDHA management committee.

n Our tenants who through their commitment have helped to build our communities.

n Officers from the 2 Dioceses and to their advisors for their support of the Association’s work

Who was housed in 2007… Ethnic origin of tenants Referral source of tenants

Employment status of tenants

45% Asian2 Mutual exchange

32 Unemployed

31% White British1 Referral agencies

37 Working full time

22% Black British68 Local authority nominations

2 Working part time

2% White African

Main reasons for rehousing

End of short term tenancy Mutual exchange Need for independent accommodation Keyworker referral Local authority transfers Local authority urgent rehousing needs Overcrowding Homeless (LA)

121111031825

Page 6 | SLDHA Annual Report 2007

Our performance… How our income was spent 29% Staff costs (£175,080.07)

21% Repairs and maintenance (£128,617.10)

23% Interest and capital repayment on loans (£142,851.00)

16% Other property costs, depreciation and insurance (£95,529.43)

11% All other costs (£68,869.30)

TOTAL EXPENDITURE £610,946.90

Average rents for all homes

Bedsit1 Bedroom2 Bedroom3 Bedroom4 Bedroom

£58.00£73.55£83.88£104.58£106.33

Void performance

The average turnaround time on re-letting empty properties in our general housing needs stock was 9 working days.

SLDHA Annual Report 2007 | Page 7

SoLFed… SLDHA is part of the South

London Federation of Small Housing Associations (SoLFeD). The other members of SoLFeD are Housing for Women, Ekaya HA, Lambeth and Southwark HA and New World HA who each have their own specialist area of work.

During the last year:

SoLFeD has jointly commissioned a report on how it may benefit from and position itself better in the future to benefit from Section 106 opportunities. It has also held a number of joint training events with colleagues in the Solomon Group of Housing Associations.

Ekaya Housing Association was established in 1987 to provide housing and support services to single black mothers. It owns and manages 344 homes across 5 London boroughs, and has a 49 place nursery. Lambeth and Southwark Housing Association aims to provide a variety of good, well-managed housing within the London boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark at affordable rents for those with low incomes. The association was set up in 1927. It owns and manages over 276 homes in these two boroughs. Housing For Women was set up in 1934 to provide homes and services to women, and their dependents, on low incomes. It works across 8 London boroughs owning and managing 665 homes including domestic violence hostels. New World Housing Association a black-led association set up in the 1980s. It works primarily with people in housing need from the Vietnamese refugee community. It owns and manages approximately 229 homes spread out over 5 London boroughs.

Page 8 | SLDHA Annual Report 2007

Finance… Summary revenue accounts 2007 2006Turnover from rents/other income 652,315 621,202Less costs (467,982) (413,344)Surplus 184,333 207,858Interest receivable 12,504 48,860Interest payable (142,851) (130,588)

Net surplus in the year 53,986 126,130

Summary balance sheet Properties at cost 19,538,581 12,212,161Less Social Housing Grant (11,448,191) (9,027,011)Less depreciation (230,620) (200,383)Other fixed assets Nil nilLess creditors (578,883) (49,795)

Net current assets 7,280,887 3,034,562

Loans 6,168,400 1,976,062Designated reserves Nil 280,705Reserves 1,112,351 777,660Share capital 136 135

7,280,887 3,034,562

The salary of the most senior member of staff was £60,185The pension costs for all staff for the year were £21,933

SLDHA Annual Report 2007 | Page 9

Committee and staff… Joint Presidents The Bishop of London The Bishop of Southwark

Staff Director: Steve Joyce Operations Manager: Pauline Adjetey Housing Officer : Vacant Maintenance Officer: Marc Harrison Administrator: Anita Bailey

Committee of Southwark Committee London Committee Management The Venerable Michael Ipgrave The Venerable Lyle Dennen (Chair) (Vice-Chair) Revd Neil McKinnon Revd George Bush Les Alden (Vice-Chair) (Chair of Services Group) Steven Essayan (Hon. Treasurer) David Kitton John Ebenezer Yetunde Otesanya (Chair of Asset Management Group) Carol McGarry Janet Heatley David Freeman (Chair of Communications Group) (Chair of Audit Committee) Martin Day Hazel Miall Stan Samuel Bill Dunmore Sarah Finn

Co-opted Beverley Douglas-BlakeMembers (Tenant)

Solicitors Devonshire Solicitors Salisbury House London Wall London EC2M 5QY Auditors Beever & Struthers 3rd Floor Alperton House Bridgewater Road Wembley HA0 1EH

Page 10 | SLDHA Annual Report 2007

Location of properties…

St Georges Close, SW8(St Georges, Battersea)

Wodehouse Avenue/Muscatel Place(London Borough of Southwark)

All Saints Court, Poplar(London Borough of

Tower Hamlets)

Blackheath Hill, SE10(London Borough of

Greenwich)

Footscray Road, SE9(London Borough of

Greenwich)

Mylius Close, SE14(All Saints, Hatcham Park)

Bromfelde Road(Clapham Team Ministry)

Dane Road(All Saints,Warlingham)

Dacres Road, SE23(London Borough of Lewisham)

Clarendon Rise, SE13(London Borough of

Lewisham)

Vicarage Park, SE18(London Borough of

Greenwich)

Barrell House(St Johns, Felbridge)

Kings Grove, SE15(Christchurch, Camberwell)

St Matthews Court, SE1(St Matthews at the Elephant)

Watling House, SE1(London Borough of Southwark)

Barkworth Road, SE16(London Borough of Southwark)

Purkis Close, St Jeromes,(London Borough of Hillingdon)

SLDHA Annual Report 2007 | Page 11

Working with the Church of England and other agencies to provide quality affordable homes.Working with the Church of England and other agencies to provide quality affordable homes.

Southwark and London Diocesan Housing Association

SOUTHWARK AND LONDON DIOCESAN HOUSING ASSOCIATIONTrinity House, 4 Chapel Court, Borough High Street, London SE1 1HW

Tel: 020 7089 1370 Fax: 020 7089 1380 • Email: steve.joyce@southwark.anglican.orgHousing Corporation Registered No. LH 3934

Industrial & Provident Society Registered No. 16905 R An Exempt Charity

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