A multi-million pound investment in new homes was among the achievements highlighted at a special presentation evening by Shropshire Housing Group.
Civic leaders, tenants’ representatives and housing professionals gathered at Shrewsbury Town Football Club to mark the successes of the group in its first year of operation.
Shropshire Housing Group was formed in 2007 to encompass South Shropshire Housing Association, Meres and Mosses Housing Association (serving North Shropshire) and repair and maintenance specialists, Total Response Limited.
Invited guests heard that in the first year of the combined group 40 homes had been built and 177 were currently in progress, including a project in Ludlow in which 90 homes will be heated by a wood burning biomass boiler.
Group chair, Shena Latto, praised the staff for embracing the new working arrangements of the group and driving the organisation forward in the past year.
She explained that the aim of the two housing associations under the group umbrella was to create sustainable homes in “vibrant and viable communities”.
Group chief executive, Martin Holland, told the assembled guests that difficult times lay ahead because of the current economic difficulties and that it was the challenge of the group to address this.
He said: “The people with whom we are most concerned will find things very difficult. People will be losing their homes and losing their jobs. These will be our customers and we have to be absolutely certain we are ready to support our customers, and new customers, in that future. I think we are well set up to provide a fantastic service over the coming months.”
Mr Holland explained that despite the challenges of integrating the three organisations under the Shropshire Housing Group banner, targets for high quality service were being met, including a 100 per cent success rate in responding to emergency maintenance call-outs to homes within two hours.
Mr Holland highlighted the group’s desire to more closely involve tenants in its work, moving from “tenant consultation to tenant influence”.
A number of staff from across the group were also presented with gifts on the evening to mark their achievements in gaining new professional qualifications, and long service.