Security Review

Security Services Review Phase 2

Phase 2
We are now entering the second phase of our review process. The objectives of Phase 2 are:

To ensure that the existing security service is delivered efficiently and effectively within the service charge budget.
To ensure the new service is high performing and delivers high levels of customer satisfaction.
To ensure the new service has the capacity for expansion and diversification.
To ensure the new service is fit for purpose and marketable to new customers both internally and externally.
To improve outcomes for customers ensuring they have a comprehensive out of hours service, they feel safer in their homes, ASB is tackled quickly and effectively, crime is deterred and we assist partners in effective detection and prosecution of offenders.

Over the coming weeks we will be consulting with our customers on options for future service delivery. In the first instance this will be with our customers living in high rise apartments closely followed by our wider customer base.

Click here to find out when the consultations are taking place

Click here to take a look at the block options appraisals and give us your feedback

The consultation will be based around the headline issues that emerged during phase one of the security service review and working with customers to agree a suitable and affordable method of service delivery.

We have already stated our intention to involve customers throughout Phase 2 of our review by obtaining the commitment of our Service Specific Panel (SSP) to act as the customer steering group. The SSP have also nominated two members of the panel to sit on the phase 2 project team working alongside Salix Homes officers to develop the service.

We are aiming to have agreed the redesigned service specification by the end of September, so we look forward to meeting as many customers as possible over the coming weeks.

Background of Phase 1
Salix Homes completed a review of security services during 2009. The review process involved all customers who receive the security service in a number of ways including:

Consultation events
Best practice visits
Service Specific Panel (SSP) meetings
On-site drop in surgeries
Mystery shopping exercises
A customer survey

Due to the complex nature of the service, we took a 2 phased approach to implementing the findings of the review. In the 1st Phase we restructured our in-house security team and launched a new service - The 1st Response Team.

The 1st Response Team now provide our customers with a seamless service after our offices close. 1st Response won a competitive tendering exercise to deliver the out of hours emergency call service in-house and as well as our core business activities of door entry and CCTV monitoring. We improved our arrangements for dealing with out of hours ASB issues and incorporated out of hours emergency caretaking duties into the remit of the new team.

Customers were key to designing the new service through involvement in the procurement process and the recruitment and selection of new staff.

Since we launched our 1st Response Team in October 2009, the service has been highlighted as an example of good practice by the Audit Commission during our recent 2 star inspection and by the housing best practice body HouseMark in its assessment of our Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) service. This led to Salix Homes becoming the first ALMO, outside of the pilot, in the North West to be successfully accredited by HouseMark for its ASB service.

We have received extremely positive feedback from customers about the new service who have told us that they have noticed a significant improvement in the standard of customer care they receive when contacting us out of hours.

For further information on the review contact Warren Carlon on 0161 779 8035 or email warren.carlon@salixhomes.org