Fit for the future? | Archive Titles

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

Board & Governance: how strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
1	听	听	听	听	听	听	听
听	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.
听	听	听	Agree strongly	Agree	Disagree	Disagree strongly	听
听	听	听	80	121	30	3	234
听	听	听	34%	52%	13%	1%	100%
听	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.
听	听	听	148	76	11	0	235
听	听	听	63%	32%	5%	0%	100%
听	1.3	Payment of salaries to board members would assist recruitment and retention of people with the skills and values that we require.
听	听	听	28	55	100	51	234
听	听	听	12%	24%	43%	22%	100%
听	1.4	How would you describe the quality of the contribution made by your board?
听	听	听	Good from all	Mostly good	Only a minority good	Other	听
听	听	听	45	166	23	0	234
听	听	听	19%	71%	10%	0%	100%
听	1.5	We intend to:
听	听	听	Pay Board members	Not pay	Not yet decided	听	听
听	听	听	25	102	106	233	听
听	听	听	11%	44%	45%	100%	听

Strategy: how strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
听	听	听	Agree strongly	Agree	Disagree	Disagree strongly	听	听
听	听	听	1	2	3	4	听	听
2	听	听	听	听	听	听	听	听
听	2.1	All major decisions taken by the board can be clearly related to previously agreed strategic objectives.
听	听	听	103	118	9	2	232	听
听	听	听	44%	51%	4%	1%	100%	听
听	2.2	Fear of failure has sometimes prevented us from pursuing innovative new projects or strategies.
听	听	听	10	65	112	42	229	听
听	听	听	4%	28%	49%	18%	100%	听
听	2.3	We never embark upon a new strategy or major project without establishing clear and objective success criteria.
听	听	听	46	147	35	0	228	听
听	听	听	20%	64%	15%	0%	100%	听
听	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.
听	听	听	35	131	59	1	226	听
听	听	听	15%	58%	26%	0%	100%	听
听	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.
听	听	听	48	138	42	1	229	听
听	听	听	21%	60%	18%	0%	100%	听
听	2.6	We already have or intend to enter into the following type of partnerships with one or more RSLs (tick all that apply):
听	听	听	Joint procurement	Group structure as parent	Group structure as subsidy	Merger	Transfer of engagements to another RSL
听	听	听	145	45	67	32	14	303
听	听	听	48%	15%	22%	11%	5%	100%
听	听	听	听	听	听	听	听	听
Proportion already in or contemplating a formal constitutional partnership						158	64%	听

Finance: how strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
听	听	听	Agree strongly	Agree	Disagree	Disagree strongly	听
听	听	听	1	2	3	4	听
3	听	听	听	听	听	听	听
听	3.1	The board and senior executives all have a very clear view of our projected performance over the next 30 years.
听	听	听	53	101	58	13	225
听	听	听	24%	45%	26%	6%	100%
听	3.2	The long-term business plan forecast is reviewed by the board at least twice a year.
听	听	听	82	77	66	5	230
听	听	听	36%	33%	29%	2%	100%
听	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.
听	听	听	56	106	56	12	230
听	听	听	24%	46%	24%	5%	100%
听	3.4	Our staff are sufficiently motivated and skilled to manage the financial and other risks associated with growth and diversification
听	听	听	74	134	18	1	227
听	听	听	33%	59%	8%	0%	100%
听	3.5	Financial pressures in the sector have required fundamental changes to be made to our corporate strategy
听	听	听	51	74	83	18	226
听	听	听	23%	33%	37%	8%	100%
听	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.
听	听	听	11	26	116	69	222
听	听	听	5%	12%	52%	31%	100%

Personnel: how strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
听	听	听	Agree strongly	Agree	Disagree	Disagree strongly	听
听	听	听	1	2	3	4	听
4	听	听	听	听	听	听	听
听	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.
听	听	听	37	87	86	15	225
听	听	听	16%	39%	38%	7%	100%
听	4.2	Skills shortages are making it difficult for us to cope with the demands of our existing business.
听	听	听	21	65	125	17	228
听	听	听	9%	29%	55%	7%	100%
听	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.
听	听	听	6	32	141	42	221
听	听	听	3%	14%	64%	19%	100%
听	4.4	Personal objectives set for staff always include responsibilities for managing risk.
听	听	听	47	122	55	3	227
听	听	听	21%	54%	24%	1%	100%
听	4.5	We are confident that risk management is properly embedded throughout all levels of the organisation.
听	听	听	47	128	52	1	228
听	听	听	21%	56%	23%	0%	100%
听	4.6	The National Housing Federation鈥檚 rebranding exercise will help in the recruitment of skilled staff.
听	听	听	9	92	81	36	218
听	听	听	4%	42%	37%	17%	100%
听	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.
听	听	听	67	62	49	46	224
听	听	听	30%	28%	22%	21%	100%

Other issues: how strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statements?

听

Agree strongly

Agree

Disagree

Disagree strongly

听

5.1

We have successfully introduced at least one innovative new activity with significant impact in the last three years.

听

113

223

听

51%

34%

11%

100%

听

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.

听

211

听

20%

45%

29%

100%

听

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.

听

214

听

21%

41%

33%

100%

听

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?

听

Over-regulated

About right

Inadequate

Closer regulation would improve efficiency

Other

听

130

229

听

57%

35%

100%

听

5.6

What is the single most challenging issue you are facing as an organisation?

听

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

听

228

听

24%

10%

14%

15%

100%

听

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