Executive Summary

The Business Plan sets out Dumfries and Galloway Housing Partnership’s (DGHP) plans, objectives and resources for the 30 years from 2011. The Business Plan seeks to build on eight successful years of service improvement, investment delivery and regeneration by DGHP.  It details the company’s mission and values, describes how it operates, and links its ambitions and plans to those of its partners.  The intention is to demonstrate that DGHP’s stated goal of being ‘the Best RSL in Scotland’ is within sight, and to seek the commitment of key partners to achieving this. Already, in under six years from transfer, DGHP has recorded tenant satisfaction with their landlord at 97% - believed to be one of the highest published such figure in the UK^[1].

In a changing and uncertain world, DGHP will retain its fundamental purpose of delivering new and improved affordable housing across Dumfries and Galloway. Investment in the former Council stock will continue at unprecedented levels to achieve and maintain the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS). Regeneration supported by Dumfries and Galloway Council (DGC) and the Scottish Government will deliver new housing to replace the worst homes across the region, and new development will focus on key local housing needs.

DGHP will continue to put tenants at the heart of all its activities.  DGHP has an impressive and widely admired record of customer involvement and participation. This will continue, with new methods continually being sought to reach under-represented groups and communities, and to ensure the company responds to the demonstrable needs of customers.  The impressive improvement in customer services since transfer will be taken further, through more flexible systems, better use of technology and a proactive response to emerging needs.

The plan includes the replacement of some 400 existing unsatisfactory homes with new homes to the highest standards in mixed tenure developments in Dumfries and Stranraer.  These schemes are now well underway, backed by DGC and the Scottish Government and embraced by their communities.

Providing much needed new affordable homes in the region remains central to DGHP’s ambitions.  In preparing our Business Plan, we have had to recognise that this will involve new uncertainties and challenges. For example, Scottish Government funding for new housing has been cut substantially in 2011/12, resource levels beyond 2011/12 are currently unknown, the Government has moved away from allocating resources to individual local authority areas towards a centralised process of decision-making, and levels of subsidy for new housing projects will be substantially lower than in the past. Our Business Plan recognises the uncertainties involved, by taking as the “base option” the completion of the regeneration and development programmes for which we have already secured funding. But the Business Plan also affirms our view that DGHP has the capacity to continue to develop affordable housing in the changed funding environment of the future.  This means we must continue to be rigorous in assessing and managing the risks involved, in relation to individual projects and in relation to the impact that our development programme will have on the business as a whole.

None of DGHP’s achievements and ambitions would be possible without a strong and supportive corporate function.  That strength comes from quality, in financial resources, governance standards, staff skills and development and operational infrastructure.  These will be maintained and developed.

Above all, DGHP is in a strong financial position, and this plan puts maintenance of that at the centre of every activity.  This includes strong cash collection; good cost control through flexible best value procurement; rigorous scrutiny of regeneration and investment costs, benefits and risks; proactive risk management and planning; strong financial controls and reporting; and a committed lender behind a strong funding agreement.

This Business Plan also addresses a specific requirement of the Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR), as part of its regulatory oversight of DGHP, for a detailed Business Plan and narrative to be prepared