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BRIDGEWATER HOUSING ASSOCIATION INSPECTION REPORT

The Scottish Housing Regulator today published its inspection report on Bridgewater Housing Association. It awarded the Association a “Good” rating overall.

The purpose of inspection is to provide an independent external assessment of the effectiveness of housing service delivery, and make recommendations to help improvement.

Bridgewater is situated in Erskine, Renfrewshire. It owns around 750 houses.

Michael Cameron, Head of Inspection at the Scottish Housing Regulator, said:

“Our inspectors found that Bridgewater has a number of strengths in service delivery and its tenants report high levels of satisfaction overall. The Association has a good performance management and public reporting framework, a generally good awareness of where it can improve but was less aware around some aspects of its planning and performance to achieve the SHQS. Bridgewater is improving its strategic planning but it has not focussed enough on reducing its management costs and it cannot yet fully demonstrate that its customers receive value for money services.”

Angela Westrop, Chair of Bridgewater, said:

“On behalf of the Association, I would like to thank the members of the Scottish Housing Regulator’s Inspection Team for the way they carried out the inspection of Bridgewater Housing Association. The Management Committee are pleased that the Regulator has recognised the many strengths which are a feature of the way Bridgewater conducts its business, particularly in its delivery of services to customers. We are also pleased that the Regulator has recognised the Association’s commitment to improving its services and addressing those areas where further work is required.”

Ian Mclean, Director of Bridgewater, said:

“This inspection, which was Bridgewater’s second inspection, took place during the Association’s tenth year in business. It is gratifying to know that the decision which tenants made ten years ago to take control of their own housing services has been vindicated for the second time with the Regulatory process indicating that tenants receive good services from their Association. The future for all of us is rather more uncertain than it was perhaps a few years ago. However what is certain is that at Bridgewater we will not compromise on our commitment to our customers and the services they receive from us.”


NOTES TO NEWS EDITORS

1. Inspectors gave the following grade:

2. Full details of the Bridgewater’s inspection report can be found on the Scottish Housing Regulator website at www.scottishhousingregulator.gov.uk

3. The Scottish Housing Regulator came into operation on 1 April 2008. It is the successor to Communities Scotland’s Regulation & Inspection Division. As a government agency the Scottish Housing Regulator has complete operational independence, but remains accountable to Scottish Ministers, and through them to the Scottish Parliament for the standard of its work. The agency sits within the Justice and Communities Directorate of the Scottish Government and will work within the government’s overall purpose and contribute to its strategic objectives.