Fit for the future? | Archive Titles

RSLs Chief Executives Survey: Organisation
1	In what Housing Corporation regions does your RSL operate?
	North	56
	Central	83
	London	79
	South	82
2	What types of accommodation do you provide?
	General Needs	179
	Supported	175
	LCHO	103
	Other	68
3	How would you categorise your organisation?
	Traditional	138	56%
	LSVT	58	23%
	BME	15	6%
	Other	37	15%
		248	100%
4	What is your total stock, owned or in management?
	< 500	70	28%
	500 - 1,000	25	10%
	1,001 - 2,500	36	15%
	2,501 - 5,000	40	16%
	5,001 - 10,000	48	19%
	> 10,000	27	11%
		246	99%

Board & Governance: how strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
1
	1.1	All those with executive responsibility in our RSL have a sufficiently broad range of experience and training to meet the governance challenges that diversification brings.
			Agree strongly	Agree	Disagree	Disagree strongly
			80	121	30	3	234
			34%	52%	13%	1%	100%
	1.2	There is an appropriate and constructive working relationship between the senior executives and the board which helps ensure our RSL is well governed.
			148	76	11	0	235
			63%	32%	5%	0%	100%
	1.3	Payment of salaries to board members would assist recruitment and retention of people with the skills and values that we require.
			28	55	100	51	234
			12%	24%	43%	22%	100%
	1.4	How would you describe the quality of the contribution made by your board?
			Good from all	Mostly good	Only a minority good	Other
			45	166	23	0	234
			19%	71%	10%	0%	100%
	1.5	We intend to:
			Pay Board members	Not pay	Not yet decided
			25	102	106	233
			11%	44%	45%	100%

Strategy: how strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
			Agree strongly	Agree	Disagree	Disagree strongly
			1	2	3	4
2
	2.1	All major decisions taken by the board can be clearly related to previously agreed strategic objectives.
			103	118	9	2	232
			44%	51%	4%	1%	100%
	2.2	Fear of failure has sometimes prevented us from pursuing innovative new projects or strategies.
			10	65	112	42	229
			4%	28%	49%	18%	100%
	2.3	We never embark upon a new strategy or major project without establishing clear and objective success criteria.
			46	147	35	0	228
			20%	64%	15%	0%	100%
	2.4	Outcomes from strategies are always formally reviewed in relation to initial forecasts and are used to inform future planning on a systematic basis.
			35	131	59	1	226
			15%	58%	26%	0%	100%
	2.5	When engaging in new partnerships or strategies we have always demonstrated an ability accurately to identify and manage the costs and risks involved.
			48	138	42	1	229
			21%	60%	18%	0%	100%
	2.6	We already have or intend to enter into the following type of partnerships with one or more RSLs (tick all that apply):
			Joint procurement	Group structure as parent	Group structure as subsidy	Merger	Transfer of engagements to another RSL
			145	45	67	32	14	303
			48%	15%	22%	11%	5%	100%

Proportion already in or contemplating a formal constitutional partnership						158	64%

Finance: how strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
			Agree strongly	Agree	Disagree	Disagree strongly
			1	2	3	4
3
	3.1	The board and senior executives all have a very clear view of our projected performance over the next 30 years.
			53	101	58	13	225
			24%	45%	26%	6%	100%
	3.2	The long-term business plan forecast is reviewed by the board at least twice a year.
			82	77	66	5	230
			36%	33%	29%	2%	100%
	3.3	We know exactly which of our activities and property types are projected to contribute surpluses, and which are not, both now and over the next thirty years.
			56	106	56	12	230
			24%	46%	24%	5%	100%
	3.4	Our staff are sufficiently motivated and skilled to manage the financial and other risks associated with growth and diversification
			74	134	18	1	227
			33%	59%	8%	0%	100%
	3.5	Financial pressures in the sector have required fundamental changes to be made to our corporate strategy
			51	74	83	18	226
			23%	33%	37%	8%	100%
	3.6	We are so concerned about the uncertain financial impact of future pension liabilities that we have already made major changes to pension benefits offered to our staff or will do soon.
			11	26	116	69	222
			5%	12%	52%	31%	100%

Personnel: how strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
			Agree strongly	Agree	Disagree	Disagree strongly
			1	2	3	4
4
	4.1	Recruitment and retention of staff with the necessary skills and experience to manage the pace of change in the housing sector is proving difficult for our organisation.
			37	87	86	15	225
			16%	39%	38%	7%	100%
	4.2	Skills shortages are making it difficult for us to cope with the demands of our existing business.
			21	65	125	17	228
			9%	29%	55%	7%	100%
	4.3	We have been reluctant to enter into a more complex business area or venture into unknown territory for fear of losing or failing to recruit the correct staff to manage the process.
			6	32	141	42	221
			3%	14%	64%	19%	100%
	4.4	Personal objectives set for staff always include responsibilities for managing risk.
			47	122	55	3	227
			21%	54%	24%	1%	100%
	4.5	We are confident that risk management is properly embedded throughout all levels of the organisation.
			47	128	52	1	228
			21%	56%	23%	0%	100%
	4.6	The National Housing Federation’s rebranding exercise will help in the recruitment of skilled staff.
			9	92	81	36	218
			4%	42%	37%	17%	100%
	4.7	We have recruited at least one senior member of staff (ie. department head, director) from outside the social housing sector in the last three years.
			67	62	49	46	224
			30%	28%	22%	21%	100%

Other issues: how strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
			Agree strongly	Agree	Disagree	Disagree strongly
			1	2	3	4
5
	5.1	We have successfully introduced at least one innovative new activity with significant impact in the last three years.
			113	75	25	10	223
			51%	34%	11%	4%	100%
	5.3	We can point to specific examples of ideas and methods that we have introduced from outside the social housing sector, other than those promoted by other bodies.
			43	95	62	11	211
			20%	45%	29%	5%	100%
	5.4	Proposed changes in arrangements for allocating Social Housing Grant may well cause us to seek a merger with another RSL in order to continue to develop.
			11	45	87	71	214
			5%	21%	41%	33%	100%
	5.5	Which of these statements do you feel best describes how you feel about the level of regulation in the sector and how it affects your organisation?
			Over-regulated	About right	Inadequate	Closer regulation would improve efficiency	Other
			130	81	7	4	7	229
			57%	35%	3%	2%	3%	100%
	5.6	What is the single most challenging issue you are facing as an organisation?
			Reconciling rent restructuring and rising costs	Antisocial behaviour	Planning system	Staff recruitment and retention	Regulation	Low demand / housing market failure	Meeting decent homes standards	Proposed changes to the grant system	Others
			54	22	18	31	12	15	9	32	35	228
			24%	10%	8%	14%	5%	7%	4%	14%	15%	100%
			1			3				2