iN Business for Neighbours

We are a member of the National Housing Federations iN business for neighbourhoods campaign. There are 3 main commitments – to neighbourhoods, excellence and customers.

Commitment to neighbourhoods

We will put neighbourhoods at the heart of everything we do.

We as a local housing association are committed to the market towns and rural communities of South Somerset.

We will promote neighbourhoods where there is a place for everyone, with positive support for diversity of people and places. We will work in partnership with local people, councils and other agencies, and will champion local needs.

We are partners in several multi agency groups including the Crime Reduction Partnership and the local Partnership Against Racial Harassment.

Each of our members will be open and explicit about its role in neighbourhoods where it works, and about the time and money invested in them.

We are embarking on a major investment of new homes in South Somerset including the redesign and improvement of older neighbourhoods.

Commitment to excellence

We will pursue excellence and improvement. We will make the changes needed, so our organisations can rise to the challenge of being iN. We will work with regulators and inspectors to build a culture of challenge and change. We aim to be landlords, employers and partners of choice.

Inspection by the Audit Commission confirmed we are raising standards in service delivery.

Commitment to customers

Customers are the driving force behind our business. We will listen to them, respond to their views and engage them in our work at all levels.

We have improved our Tenant Participation Strategy and have an effective structure for tenant involvement through Area Panels, Tenants Forum, Housing Committee and the Board.

We will offer them respect, choice and support. We will do everything we can to prevent neighbourhood problems, and will deal firmly with people who are bad neighbours.

We have effectively used Anti Social Behaviour Orders and Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (over 40 cases). On one estate alone, since ABCs have been used, there has been an 85% reduction in police call out