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/Press release
For Immediate Release / Date:23 May 2008
BRENT HOUSINGPARTNERSHIP WINS
NATIONAL ACCOLADE
Community partnership’s innovative approach reduces anti-social behaviour
Brent Housing Partnership (BHP) gained national recognition for their work in the field of anti-social behaviour last week. The award for “most effective partnership” was presented by the National Federation of ALMOs (NFA) whose 70 member organisations oversee more than one million council owned properties across England. Supported by Lovell Partnerships, one of Britain’s leading providers of affordable housing, the winners of the 2008 NFA Awards were announced at a ceremony at the Royal York Hotel, York (May 13).
Representatives from the 21 short-listed ALMOs (Arms Length Management Organisations) across the country all gathered for the award ceremony, hosted by Nik Wood of BBC TV’s ‘Working Lunch’. The audience of 350 viewed a filmed address from Rt Hon Iain Wright, MP, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, who praised the work of the ALMO movement saying that it was an important part of future housing provision and community development.
The ceremony, part of the NFA’s annual two day conference and AGM, also featured an address by Clive Betts MP, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for ALMOs, who praised the high quality of the award entries this year.
BHPwas recognised as the ‘Most Effective Partnership Project’ for a successful collaboration between Brent Housing Partnership and local groups and organisations to tackle anti-social behaviour(ASB) and crime on the St Raphaels Estate
Close to 200 ASB incidents were recorded on the estate between April and September 2006including, robbery, loitering in shops, dangerous dogs, stolen mopeds and drug dealing.
Brent Housing Partnership felt that a multi-agency approach was needed to target the problem.They proposed a range of co-ordinated actions including
- agreeing Acceptable Behaviour Contracts with youths who were causing problems in Lilburn Walk
- membership of the Youth Consortium and regular meetings with youth leaders
- working with the Neighbourhood Renewal Project Officers, the local Police, youth providers and voluntary groups taking a multi-agency approach to the problems
- engaging B.A.R.K, Brent Action for Responsible K9s, a collaboration between BHP, the Police, the RSPCA, Brent Council and the Mayhew Animal home to educate people about responsible dog ownership, but also remove dogs that were being used to intimidate people or were being mistreated
- organising activities including, Tae Kwando classes, organised trips and football training (including the development of a Futsal league)
- regularly attending Neighbourhood Forumswhere young people and local residents met to discuss the issues that affected them in the area which proved helpful
- increased patrols by Neighbourhood wardens in the area, in particular responding to the hotspots identified in conjunction with the Police
- promoting an ASB hotline as a means for residents to report anti social behaviour. Calls were responded to by BHP’s Neighbourhood Wardens
A subsequent survey of the St Raphael’s estate saw reported ASB reduce by 47%, a 49% reduction in phone calls from residents to the ASB hotline and a 52% reduction in calls resulting in call outs. Additionally, reported environmental crimes dropped by 52%with 100% of those involved in schemes not re-offending. As a result the planned dispersal order was dropped.
As well as devising one of the country’s ‘Most Effective Partnerships’ one of BHP’s residents, Joyce Baldy Gray, was ”highly commended” as one of the country’s ‘Most Outstanding Residents’for her tirelesswork, including saving the St Raphaels estate’s Heritage Nursery.
The awardswere judged by an independent panel; Roy Irwin, the Chief Inspector of Housing at the Audit Commission Housing Inspectorate; Janet Dean, the Strategic Housing Advisor, for the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA), Michael Gelling, Chairman of the Tenants and Residents Organisations of England(TAROE) and Steve Hale from Awards sponsors Lovell Partnerships.
Steve Hale of sponsor Lovell Partnerships Ltd, said: “BHP has forged some very positive and effective partnerships to make the community a better, cleaner, safer place to live. The partnership has demonstrated innovative thinking to produce some very positive results.”
Dennis Rees, NFA Chair, said: “This project is reflective of the excellent work by ALMO members up and down the country. The 2008 NFA awards have received an overwhelming response and the quality of entry was excellent. The fact that the government has begun to recognise the quality of the ALMO framework and are extending the role of ALMOs, giving us broader responsibilities and functions is testament to the great work being done around the country.”
Sandra Royer Director of Housing Management forBHP, added: “Naturally we were thrilled to win this award. It is a fitting tribute to our Anti Social Behaviour team, our Neighbourhood Wardens and all of our partners who were prepared to try this innovative approach to a persistent and difficult problem. Their hard work paid off and they fully deserve the recognition that the NFA award brings.”
Designed to honour and credit the individuals and teams who do so much at ground level and beyond, the NFA awards have been developed to recognise and celebrate the hard work and achievements of the 68 live and two aspirant social housing organisations – which manage more than one million council homes, over half of all council housing in England.
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Editors’ Notes
2008 NFA AWARDS WINNERS AND FINALISTS
Most Outstanding Resident
Winner
Roy and JeanGirdler – Wolverhampton Homes
Finalists
Joyce Baldy Grey – The Brent Housing Partnership
GemmaCustance–HighPeak Community Housing
Best Use of Communication
Winner
Gateshead Housing Company – ‘Rent Arrears, Don’t Let it End in Tears’ campaign
Finalists
Sheffield Homes – Raising Awareness of ASB with School Kids
Hillingdon Homes - Re-launch primary communications channel 'SMILE'
Most Innovative Project
Winner
Colchester Borough Homes – Colchester Respite Scheme
Finalists
Wolverhampton Homes – ‘Cost of Running a Home’ Leaflet
Carrick Housing – Self Financing Project
Best Community Initiative
Winner
Sandwell Homes – Games to encourage discussion between the ALMO, tenants and stakeholders
Finalists
Aire Valley Homes – John O’GauntsCommunity Allotment Environment project
Wolverhampton Homes – PortabelloYouth Club project
Most Effective Partnership Project
Winner
The Brent Housing Partnership – Partnership between the ALMO, local police and other authorities to improve the St Raphael’s estate.
Finalists
Stockport Homes – Stockport Intensive Partnership Sweeps ‘SIPS’
Berneslai Homes – ‘Kendray Blueprint’ where the residents decide the issues to be tackled
Board Member of the Year
Winner
Valerie Schneider – Nottingham City Homes
Finalists
John Cox – Salix Homes
Sue Roberts – Wolverhampton Homes
ALMO Team Member of the Year
Winner
Carl Willis – Derby Homes
Finalists
Traci Dixon – South Essex Homes
Gavin Mackenzie – Citywest Homes
About the National Federation of ALMOs
The National Federation of ALMOs promotes the ALMO option in council house management which provides housing management and housing services to more than one million council properties across 68 live and two aspirant ALMOs nationwide.
ALMOs are the top performing social housing sector according to the Audit Commission judgements; 14 ALMOs have scored three star ratings, a haul well in excess of that achieved by either directly managed councils or housing associations.
By the end of 2007/08 £3.7 billion had been allocated to ALMOs to invest in improving social housing for tenants.
About Lovell Partnerships
Lovell Partnerships Limited is Britain’s leading provider of affordable housing, working in partnership with social housing providers at the cutting edge of urban regeneration to create sustainable communities.
The company’s expertise in mixed tenure regeneration embraces open market housing, design and build schemes, large-scale housing refurbishment programmes and Private Finance Initiatives as well as cost modeling and cross-subsidy arrangements to fund community activities, buildings and affordable rented housing.
For more information please contact Jen Cooke or Paul Amourdedieu at Acceleris Marketing Communications on 0845 4567 251 or .
- Brent Housing Partnership is an arms length management company responsible for managing and maintaining Brent Council’s housing stock.
- Brent Housing Partnership looks after 9,500 tenants and 3,500 leaseholders across the borough. It also collects rent, makes repairs and offers a range of support services to residents.
- For more information or photos please contact Tim Carruthers, communications Manager, Brent Housing Partnership on 8937 2399 or 07903 890533 or email
- For more information on Brent Housing Partnership view the website at