Welcome to SixTown Housing
As Chief Executive of Six Town Housing, it is my pleasure to welcome you Six Town Housing
This staff handbook is intended to provide you with information about your employment with Six Town Housing. We want you to know what is expected of you, and what you can expect from us in return, so it is very important that you read this handbook carefully. If anything is not clear then speak to your manager or a member of Human Resources.
There may be occasions when as a result of legislation of the changing needs of the business, we will need to amend your terms and conditions of employment which will affect some information in this handbook.
I’d like to take this opportunity to wish you every success in your new appointment, and I look forward to meeting you soon.
Six Town Housing is an Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) set up in April 2005 to manage Bury Council’s housing stock. We also have freeholder responsibility for over 200 properties sold under leaseholder sales and a range of other Council assets, including garages, shops and a number of community facilities.
We provide a wide range of services to our customers, directly and through service level agreements, contracts and partnerships. These include:
- Rent collection and arrears recovery, including welfare benefits advice;
- Tenant and resident involvement;
- Anti social behaviour;
- Estate management and caretaking;
- Leaseholder and Right to Buy services;
- Responsive repairs;
- Planned and capital improvement schemes.
OUR AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
We have developed a clear vision for Six Town Housing following consultation with our customer and stakeholders.
Great Communities, excellent services, inspiring people
We have also set clear priorities for Six Town Housing in consultation with our customers
Six Town Housing wants to help build great communities so that in the areas we work in, people will;-
- have a pride in their home and neighbourhood,
- believe that their home is a healthy and pleasant place to live,
- be confident that their home and community has a great future.
Six Town Housing wants to provide excellent services by;-
- working with our partners to provide clean, comfortable and warm homes, in an attractive and safe environment
- doing even better than our customers expect by using both different and trusted approaches, and
- being an organisation that is seen to be respected, accountable, open and responsible for its actions
Six Town Housing believes all this can only be achieved by inspiring people through;-
- valuing everyone’s contributions; tenants, leaseholders, staff, board members and partners,
- providing opportunities for local people to become involved either as workers or contributors to developing services and
- setting high standards and aiming to be a leading housing organisation.
THE HUMAN RESOURCES TEAM
Our aim is to develop and maintain within the values and culture of the organization an effective and comprehensive service encompassing personnel, welfare and industrial relations. To do this we provide a service to both Managers and employees in line with the Organisation’s conditions of service and we work with the Trade Unions to develop working conditions.
Areas we cover include:
provide advice and guidance on issued related to conditions of service
project work to develop or enhance Polices & Procedures
arrange induction of all new employees
help maintain good industrial relations
Assist in Organisational Development
Provide Health & Safety guidance throughout the organisation
Provide training in aspects of HR and Health & Safety
Undertake various monitoring and provision of statistical information
Provide guidance and assistance in Absence Management cases
Process ID cards
Administer Recruitment & Selection procedures
EQUALITY & DIVERSITY – Our Policy Statement
Six Town Housing is determined to tackle discrimination and to promote diversity and equality of opportunity in the provision of services and employment. This means recognising and valuing the differences between people’s gender, age, ethnic origin, religion, belief, disability, caring responsibilities, marital status, sexual orientation and any other individual characteristic, and recognising that everyone is entitled to be treated with openness, integrity and respect. We are committed to the provision of quality and diverse services for all users and potential users, without prejudice or discrimination.
COMMUNICATIONS AND GETTING INVOLVED
There are a variety of ways in which you can get involved at Six Town Housing. We regularly meet with staff and we are always looking for new ways to ensure we communicate all developments within Six Town Housing to you. The following are just a few of the sources in which you can access the information you need:
- Intranet
- The Q Drive
- Team Briefing
- Points of Blue
- Trade Union
- Ask the Manager
- Staffing Consultative Committee
- FACT Sessions
The Intranet is similar to the internet…. It is the one place where you should find the most up-to-date information on areas such as; policies and procedures, guidance notes, standard forms, business rules, estate information and “Ask the Manager”.
The Q Drive is part of the computer network that links all sections together. Each section has their own folder and if you cannot find the information you need on the Intranet then it could be held on the public folder on the Q Drive.
Team briefing is a regular briefing from your manager/team leader where you have the opportunity to discuss developments within Six Town Housing and your section in a team environment.
Points of Blue is a monthly newsletter to all staff and Board Members which is sent via e-mail from Human Resources. It details events (both work related and social) within Six Town Housing, and contributions are welcome from everyone.
Trade Union – Six Town Housing recognise and work in close partnership with Unison. We encourage all employees to consider joining a Trade Union and you will have the opportunity to meet one of the Trade Union Representatives during your Company Induction.
Ask the Manager – An e-mail address has been set up for staff to use to raise issues or ask questions that will be raised at Executive Management Team (EMT) meetings. This is your opportunity to communicate with EMT, and an excellent way of improving communication within the Company. Responses are published in the minutes of the meeting on the Q drive.
Staffing Consultative Committee consists of three members of EMT, representatives from Unison and 3 Board Members. They meet each month to discuss and agree any changes to the way we work. If you have any issues you want to raise at these meetings and are not a member of the Trade Union, you can e-mail any member of Senior Management.
FACT Sessionsare a way to share our Focus, Achievements, Challenges and Targets with staff and to enable you to communicate on a face to face basis with members of EMT.
Bury Council LGBT Employee Group
Bury Council established this group to help promote equality of opportunity and eliminate discrimination for LGBT members of its workforce and the community which it serves. This now includes Six Town Housing. The group is consulted on changes to Bury Council's policies, procedures and working practices and also acts as a support network for employees
USEFUL INFORMATION
Most of the details of your contract will initially be given in your offer letter of employment. You will however receive a full Statement of your Terms and Conditions of Employment within two months of your start date. Here is a brief description of areas covered in your contract of employment:
Probationary Period: The probationary period for all new employees of Six Town Housing is three months. At the end of a successful three month period, you will be notified of your transfer to permanent status. If however, at the end of the three month probationary period your performance is considered unsatisfactory, the probationary period may be extended to a date of 20 weeks from the date agreed as the first day of service and you will be informed in writing that failure to improve could lead to termination of your employment at the end of the probationary period.
Notice Periods: The minimum periods of notice to be given by Six Town Housing or by you to terminate your employment are as follows:
Officers1 month
Senior Officers6 weeks
Principal Officers2 months
Officers whose salaries are based3 months
on Chief Officer’s Salary Scales
Termination of Employment: If you wish to terminate your employment with the Company at any time, you must notify us in writing of your intended notice period. If the notice period is prior to the minimum period requested by the Company, you must submit your request to your Service Manager. You must return any Company property including ID Badges, mobile telephones, laptop/IT equipment, etc.
Salary Scales/Rates of Pay: Your salary will be paid by credit transfer into your bank account on the 22nd day of each month. Information on current salary scales and rates are available from the Human Resources Department. Increments to your salary will occur on 1st April each year until you reach the top of the salary scale or after completion of 6 month’s satisfactory service initially if employed after 1st October. Salary and wage rates are subject to annual ‘cost of living’ reviews, effective on 1st April each year.
Change of Circumstances - Please let us know of any changes in your circumstances, e.g. change of name, address, marital status. Similarly, any changes to your emergency contact information that is kept on your personnel record in case of emergency
Sickness Absence – If you are absent from work, you must telephone on your first day of absence 1 hour before your normal start time, or by 10am at the latest. You must report to your Team Leader or Service Manager, if this is not possible you should contact a member of the Human Resources Department, giving brief details of your sickness and an indication of when you expect to return to work.
If you are still absent after three days, you must telephone again on the fourth day as above.
If your absence continues after seven days, you must visit your doctor immediately to obtain a medical certificate (doctor’s note) which you must complete and sign, then send to the Human Resources Department as soon as practicably possible. You must continue submitting medical certificates until your return to work, when you must submit a ‘signing off’ note from your doctor.
On your return to work, your Team Leader will conduct a return to work interview where you will be given a Self Certification form (PC8) to complete. This form must be completed for every period of sickness absence. If your absence lasts longer than 4-6 weeks you may be referred to the Occupational Health Specialist.
A copy of the sickness absence procedure is included in your Induction Pack and is available on the Intranet.
Payments during period of sickness absence are:
During 1st year of service:1 month’s full pay and
(after 4 months service)
2 months half pay
During 2nd year of service:2 months full pay and
2 months half pay
During 3rd year of service:4 months full pay and
4 months half pay
During 4th and 5th year of service:5 months full pay and
5 months half pay
After 5 years service:6 months full pay and
6 months half pay
Annual Leave – Basic entitlement to annual leave is as follows:
Employees on Scale 4 or below20 days
Employees on Scale 5or 621 days
Employees on Senior or Principal Grades23 days
Employees on Chief Officer grades25 days
Continuous service with Six Town Housing will be recognized by the award of five extra day’s annual leave after five years service (this includes previous Local Government service) In addition to basic annual leave you will receive two additional days which will be added to your annual leave and one floating day which will be determined after consultation with the appropriate committees. Details of floating and additional days can be found on your annual leave card provided by Human Resources.
When you leave Six Town Housing your leave entitlement will be calculated for each completed month of service. All leave must be taken before prior to your leaving date – there is no provision of payment in lieu of any untaken leave. If you have taken too much leave by your leaving date, a deduction will be made from your final salary.
Jury Service – If you are called for jury service or are required to appear in court as a witness, please tell your manager as soon as possible. You are entitled to claim out of pocket expenses. You will continue to receive your normal salary whilst on jury service; however you must return any payment less any expenses you incur. You are required to return to work on any days or half days that your are not required to attend.
Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve – If you serve with the Territorial Army or other volunteer reserve force you should use annual leave to attend training. A maximum of two weeks unpaid leave may be granted each year if you give at least three months notice (or as early as possible), and your certificate of attendance is submitted.
Maternity Provisions – Please inform Human Resources in writing as soon as possible that you are pregnant so that the maximum time is allowed for your entitlements to be calculated, and to allow your risk assessment to be undertaken by your Team Leader. Upon receipt of your letter, Human Resources will provide you with a copy of the most recent Maternity Handbook which will outline your entitlements to pay and maternity leave and what you need to do about your pension contributions.
Adoption Leave - Adoption Leave is available to an individual who adopts or where a coupleadopt jointly (the couple may choose which partner takes adoption leave). Leave and pay will be in accordance with the Statutory Adoptive Scheme. Please see Human Resources for further details.
Essential/Casual Car User Mileage – If your post is designated an ‘essential’ user you will receive a monthly allowance towards the maintenance of the vehicle you are using, plus the appropriate mileage rate each month. If you are authorized by your manager to use your private car occasionally for company business you will be reimbursed travel on the casual rate dependant on engine size. You will be asked to provide evidence of Full Comprehensive Insurance for business use. Current mileage rates – both essential and casual are available from Human Resources Team.
Superannuation (Pension) Scheme - All staff, apart from those employed on a casual basis, are automatically entered into the Local Government Pension Scheme from the first day of service unless they have indicated otherwise by completion of an Option/Exemption form.
The standard contribution rate is 6% of your pay. Pension contributions are free of income tax and if you earn enough to pay National Insurance you will pay less of it because of your membership of the scheme. Your own contributions will only pay for part of the pension benefits you will start to build up. As your employer, Six Town Housing will pay any further contributions needed to cover the remaining cost.
The package of benefits provided by the Scheme is fully covered in the booklet in your Induction pack.
Tax Queries– Any tax query should be directed to our Tax Office:
Bootle Office
The Triad
Stanley Road
Bootle
L75 2YY
Tel: 0845 300 3939
You should quote our tax reference number 083 BURY/A
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Six Town Housing requires all employees to read, understand and adhere to all its policies and procedures. Full copies of policies and procedures are available in the Staff Information section on the Intranet. If you need any further information or clarification on any issue, please contact your line manager in the first instance or a member of the Human Resources Team.
Work Life Balance – A full remit of all the policies under this title have been collated in our ‘Achieving Work Life Balance’ Booklet. All schemes will be discussed in more detail during your Company Induction and are available on the Intranet.
Job Share– This policy applies to all employees (either existing or newly recruited) who may wish to change their working arrangements. The policy aims to promote a flexible approach to working arrangements at all levels. Our commitment to this policy is affirmed by declaring that all our posts are, in principal, available to job share and statements to this effect are including in all advertising.
Special Leave – The scheme exists for genuinely difficult circumstances when you may be required to be absent from work due to reasons beyond your control, i.e. an unforeseen emergency or an extension of your caring responsibilities. Special Leave is not an automatic entitlement and is made at the discretion of the Chief Executive. Up to a maximum of six days (in total) in a leave year may be granted.