First Choice Housing Association Ltd.Avon House

19 Stanwell RoadPenarth

Vale of GlamorganCF64 2EZ

Tel no: (029) 2070 3758

Email to: admin@fcha.org.uk

www.fcha.org.uk

Annual Report 2014 / 15

Report of the Chair and Chief Executive2014/15 has been a busy year with a number of changes and new initiatives. A major highlight for the year was the announcement at the NATO summit of our success in being awarded £2.268m funding from the MOD Veterans Accommodation fund, raised from the LIBOR fines imposed on banks. This funding will enable us to deliver 56 bed-spaces for Ex-Services personnel in Mid and North Wales in partnership with Wrexham CBC, Flintshire CC, Ceredigion CC, Alabaré and The Community Self-Build Agency. The success of the bid can be attributed to the true strength of the partnership. We also delivered the first two properties in Cardiff under the ‘Wales Homes for Veterans’ project, a partnership with Alabaré.

Engagement with tenants remains a key priority and during 2014/15 we held 28 events connecting with 218 tenants. One of the highlights was the Tenant Fun day, a fun and action-packed day held this year at Chester Racecourse. All staff attended the Fun Day and AGM allowing them the opportunity to further understand the positive impact the services we provide make to the difference of the lives of First Choice tenants.

Proud of the difference our Closer To Home (C2H) project has made to the most vulnerable people with learning disabilities and challenging behaviours, we produced a DVD to demonstrate the background to and outcomes from this project. Key outcomes are significant enhancements to tenants’ lives and those of their families plus increased independence achieved in tandem with significant cost savings for local authorities and the Health Board. The DVD was widely circulated to promote the project.

Our community engagement continues to thrive, with the highlight of the year being the support provided to the Welsh Sports Association for People with Learning Disabilities (WSAPLD) in sponsoring their Summer Games, prize-giving at their sporting events and development of their website.

Property development continues apace, with a mix of new-builds, refurbishments and leased properties, providing much needed homes for our new wider client base of ‘vulnerable people’. We have a strong detailed development programme for the next six years and funding in place to assure delivery.

2014/15 saw the implementation of the final piece of our in-house bespoke database, which continues to drive efficiency and accuracy, and through unlimited report availability enables the Directorate to manage the business. Our Corporate awards demonstrate our place as a leader in our field of supported housing and an exemplar employer and partner.

The theme of this year’s annual report is the outcomes achieved for our tenants – reflecting that tenants are at the heart of everything we do.

Finally we would like thank staff, board members, consultants, contractors, the fantastic care staff and domiciliary care agencies for their unswerving commitment to taking forward First Choice’s vision of providing quality homes for vulnerable people and improving their lives.

Hilary RyanChief Executive

Alison Johns

Chair

01 02

Who we areFirst Choice Housing Association, established in 1988, is the only housing association in Wales that provides accommodation specifically for vulnerable individuals including veterans requiring support in their transition back to civilian life as well as individuals with learning and physical disabilities.

Working across Wales and Shropshire in partnership with 18 Local Authorities, the association provides high quality, bespoke homes tailored to suit the needs of vulnerable individuals.

First Choice currently own 194 properties which provide homes to 596 individuals. Each property has been purpose built and developed to suit individual tenants.

2014/15 has been a busy but highly successful year building on the promises laid out in our business plan. The association was successful in securing £2.26 million of MOD Veterans Accommodation Fund monies to progress our promises to develop housing options for veterans enabling their transition to civilian life and ensuring their transition is a positive and supportive experience.

Our Vision is to • Provide high quality bespoke accommodation, tailored to individual needs

• Empowering and enabling a positive transition to independent living

• Be a leader in innovative tenant participation options for vulnerable people living within their communities

• Strive to develop long term, valued relationships with stakeholders and staff

• Enable tenants to live rich, full and independent lives

Our Values are TrustTo be open and honest with all of our stakeholders and staff.

Listening and LearningTo ask stakeholders what they think of our services so we can make them better. Inclusive To work with our partners to ensure tenants are at the heart of everything we do. Fair To recognise and provide equality of opportunity for all. ImprovingTo improve services, investing in, respecting and developing staff ensuring the work of the association is driven by highly trained, passionate and motivated employees.

Our Mission is to be the ‘First Choice’ in the provision of quality housing solutions for vulnerable people.

03 04

GovernanceFirst Choice is led by a voluntary Board of Management, with the running of the association’s day to day operations delegated to the Chief Executive. Board members undergo annual appraisals following which learning and development plans are drawn up for all Board members. Board meetings are held on a bi-monthly basis with sub committees having delegated authority for Operations, Human Resources and Scrutiny. In 2015 we formally acknowledged our commitment to good governance by signing the CHC Code of Governance Charter.

Board of Management as at 31/03/15

Alison Johns - Chair of the Board

Nick Worman - Vice Chair and Chair of Scrutiny committee

Graeme Tipple - Treasurer

Mark Morgan - Chair HR Committee

David Worrell - Chair of Operations Committee

Tim O’Connell

Andrew Woods

Claire Davis

Louise Howells

Holly Evans

During 2014/15 we said goodbye to long standing board members and Chairs Andy Jones and Peter Holmes, whose departures along with Adam Mantell, Rhiannon Webber and John Williams resulted in recruitment of three new board members, David Worrell, Louise Howells and Holly Stedman.

This recruitment enabled the association to attain the gender proportion required by WG and brought fresh ideas to the board, including a military presence to underpin our diversification into providing accommodation for Ex-Services personnel.

Quality ServicesFirst Choice has a continuous improvement approach to its work and actively seeks feedback from all stakeholders to assess the quality of service provision.

Tenants are surveyed bi-annually to assess satisfaction with services provided by the association and to identify areas for further improvement.

Tenants also complete satisfaction questionnaires following repairs, when they move into their home and after tenant participation events to ensure feedback is encouraged and acted upon for all aspects of the service.

In order to improve services and increase verbal feedback from tenants, First Choice undertakes a number of measures to encourage more personal feedback.

The association appoints an Independent Quality Assurance Officer to visit tenants in their homes and ask questions about their home and the services that are provided by First Choice. The association undertakes a program of quality assurance visits for new tenants conducted by a senior manager. These visits support and identify ways to continuously improve the quality, suitability and safety of First Choice properties.

We have a robust internal audit programme supplemented by internal lean-working reviews and quality checks, resulting in a genuine continuous drive to improve efficiency and outcomes for tenants.

05 06

Development Working in partnership with local authorities to build and refurbish quality accommodation the association is developing properties to meet the individual needs of tenants using a combination of Social Housing Grant (SHG), MOD Veterans Accommodation Fund LIBOR funding and private finance.

First Choice received £2,360,494 SHG funding during 2014-2015, which was used to develop property in Cardiff, Neath Port Talbot, Bridgend, Shropshire, Wrexham and Flintshire. This was our highest receipt of SHG to date.

First Choice delivered 8 properties 29 bed-spaces in 2014/15, which provided homes for vulnerable individuals in the following areas as detailed on the following map –

The association completed three leasehold properties from one local authority and two private landlords. This method of procurement is a cost effective way of providing accommodation as only minimal capital input is required and is a procurement method developed to address the on-going reductions in Social Housing Grant.

During 2014/2015 the association progressed 12 properties providing 52 bed-spaces progressed to site for delivery in 2015-17.The Association also delivered a specialist supported living scheme for bariatric tenants converting a large existing property into five bed-spaces in partnership with Bridgend CBC. This development embraced cost-effective support solutions following the closure of a large residential care provision.

08

Self-Assessment and Financial ViabilityFirst Choice is subject to Housing Association Regulatory Assessment by the Welsh Government. This assessment enables the Welsh Government to assess the performance results achieved by First Choice in its governance, finance, and landlord functions and enable the directorate to continue to work closely with our WG Regulation Manager. The Financial

Viability assessment of all housing associations in Wales is undertaken by Welsh Government. First Choice was awarded the top rating of Pass for the fourth year in a row. This confirms that the association meets the results which are identified in the regulatory framework in relation to financial viability. Both reports are available via the association’s website.

07

For Chris, 24, moving out of a residential college into a new supported living service was a huge change in lifestyle.

He has autism, a learning disability and occasionally shows challenging behaviour. His family had some initial concerns that he lacked the life skills to adjust to his new home.

But with a fully adapted property provided by First Choice in June 2014 to meet Chris’s needs and the Walsingham Support team talking with Chris and using person centred planning tools to prioritise his goals and discuss how these would be achieved, Chris’s transition to his new home has been a real success.

According to Chris’s dad Paul, the Walsingham Support staff took the time to get to know his son in depth, which ensured that the move was positively life changing:

“One of my worries was whether staff would know what to do in certain situations. Chris can get angry with himself if he’s not understood. But Matthew, the service manager, talked in such detail about how he would be supported that it put my fears to rest.

Moving to the supported living service has been the best thing that has ever happened to Chris. He seems as happy as he has ever been.”

10

Future developments The budgeted 5 year development plan provides for a total of 92 properties providing 391 bed-spaces. These properties will be procured through a combination of Social Housing Grant, MOD Veterans Accommodation

Fund grant, private finance and leasehold arrangements and cover 12 local authority areas. The additional properties planned for 2015/16 to 2019/20 represent a 71% increase in bed-spaces over the next five years.

Supported Living A Case Study - New skills for a new life

Our first ‘Wales Homes for Veterans’

The association signed the Armed Forces Covenant pledge in 2014 and is the only Welsh RSL to do so and one of only a few in the UK. We also partnered with Hire a Hero (HaH) to provide housing advice to their mentors and mentees, as a result of which we have received referrals for housing. A number of First Choice staff have benefitted from their mentor training, with two staff becoming HaH mentors. First Choice has attended 160(W) Brigade and HQ Wales transition fairs in both South and North Wales and Armed Forces day in South Wales. In addition we are regular attendees at a number of local authority and regional armed forces community covenant groups.

The association embarked on delivery of the Wales Homes for Veterans partnership with Alabaré in 2014/15, housing vulnerable Veterans via the delivery of two supported move on properties in Cardiff.

2014 saw the opening of our first home for Veterans. The six bedroom property is currently home to six individuals, some of

whom may have faced homelessness.

We were very pleased to have Mark Drakeford, Minister for Health and Social Services and Kevin Brennan, MP for

Cardiff West attending the official opening of the property along with partners Alabaré.

09

• We introduced a ‘Technology page’ to the Tenants’ Voice newsletter to support tenants to live rich, full and independent lives.

• In order to promote the use of Skype, we included instructions on the Tenant Zone page of the First Choice website. Using Skype promotes tenant independence and allows First Choice’s maintenance department to view repairs electronically.

• The Tenants’ Voice newsletter is now also produced in a DVD format. This allows the Tenants’ Voice to reach a wider audience.

• We also produce an annual DVD summary of all tenant events, enabling tenants to see themselves on film and to participate vicariously in the events.

12

Housing Management Promoting digital inclusion

• We held a competition where tenants could win an iPad. There were two winning properties from Bridgend resulting in four tenants benefiting from the iPads. The iPads will be used for communications, surfing the internet, photography and will include assistive technology.

• First prizes in our 2014/15 annual tenant awards were introductory tablets. A total of 15 tablets were presented to First Choice tenants, all sponsored by First Choice’s contractors and consultants.

In order to promote digital inclusion we introduced a number of different activities and initiatives during 2014/15:

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“I just wanted to let you know how pleased the tenants were on their

return from their holiday. Each person was amazed at the amount of work that was

completed in such a short space of time and to a very high standard. Many health professionals have

been very complimentary of the work that has taken place and the changes are exactly what was requested

to make the tenants’ lives much easier.

We have all been amazed at the quality of the finish because you would never know that any building

work has taken place. I can’t compliment you enough on how smoothly this went and each tenant has

asked me to pass on their thanks as well. Many thanks”

– Support Team Manager.

“Thank you Andrew. I’m told that you were very

thorough when the alterations were happening and that you kept a very

close eye on the contractors, checking their work and getting it all done in time for the move in. I am very, very grateful - it has been such a difficult

time for all of us. The lift is wonderful and truly not very intrusive, and the bathroom is superb. So, my thanks

to First Choice”

– Tenant’s parent.

2 complaints were received by the Association during 2014/15. Both were in relation to maintenance issues and both were resolved to the complainants’ satisfaction within a short space of time. The issues raised provided an opportunity to review our procedures and consider changes that would improve our quality of service.

13 14

8 compliments were received by the Association during 2014/15. These were in relation to the maintenance department and feedback from the AGM.

“The tenants are over the moon with the new

kitchen and really appreciate the difference. They really enjoyed having their breakfast in the conservatory this morning. Seeing Alun working off his new work top was a pleasure and also

the sink has benefited all of the tenants. I’d like to thank you on behalf of the

tenants with all your assistance in making this difference”

– Support Team Manager.

“Whenever First Choice is contacted we have excellent service. Angela is very helpful

and will always contact us if she said she will”

– Support Team Manager.

Compliments and Complaints

“I would just like to say how happy I was with

the service we received from MSH Builders. The contractor who attended this morning was very efficient, helpful, friendly and

professional. He did an excellent job and the job area was spotless when he had finished. Thanks

again for your help”

– Support Team Manager.

100%

How satisfied are you that the association effectively support your organisation in dealing with breaches of tenancy such as Anti-Social Behaviour and Harassment (when requested to do so)?

How satisfied are you that FCHA deals with complaints from your organisation and /or our tenants efficiently and appropriately?

Verysatisfied

Fairlysatisfied

Verysatisfied

N/A

72%

28%

How satisfied are you that the association provides an effective and efficient responsive repairs service which meets the requirements of our tenants?

How satisfied are you that FCHA supports your LA in delivery of your strategic housing role to house vulnerable people?

Verysatisfied

Fairlysatisfied

Verysatisfied

Fairlysatisfied

28%33%

Feedback From Local Authority Social Services

16

Satisfaction with First Choice’s servicesThe association undertakes a full tenant survey to obtain feedback on our services every two years. The last survey was undertaken in 2013/14 and the next due in September 2015.

During 2014/15 a comprehensive analysis and lean working study and consultation of our annual review process was undertaken. This resulted in an online housing management review system which is now fully operational and will include feedback on the association’s services by our tenants’ support providers and local authority social services departments. During 2013-14 the association received feedback from 18 support provider organisations and 18 local authorities:

Satisfaction with CommunicationsFeedback From Support Provider Organisations

Does the association provide appropriate assistance to enable residents to understand their occupancy rights?

How satisfied are you that First Choice’s properties are maintained to a standard that is safe and appropriate for our tenants?

Yes

No

Verysatisfied

Fairlysatisfied

11%

How satisfied are you that the association effectively supports your organisation in dealing with breaches of tenancy such as Anti-Social Behaviour and Harassment (when requested to do so)?

How satisfied are you that FCHA deals with complaints from your organisation and /or our tenants efficiently and appropriately?

Verysatisfied

Fairlysatisfied

94%

Verysatisfied

Fairlysatisfied

89%

11% 6%

15

89%

72% 67%

100%

Tenant Participation First Choice is committed to supporting a full range of participation activities and levels of tenant involvement through formal and informal participation options.

The association appreciates that not all tenants want to participate in the activities of their landlord and that some may only wish to do so occasionally. Some tenants may prefer more informal methods of participation such as ten pin bowling or attending a disco, whereas others may wish to be involved in formal methods of participation by becoming a member of one of the association’s consultative groups, or by completing a survey.

The majority of First Choice’s tenant participation events geographically rotate throughout Wales and Shropshire to ensure that all tenants have the opportunity to interact with their landlord. However, travel is also encouraged to enable tenants from different localities to interact. This year we took the newsletter group to tenants’ homes to further enhance their inclusion.

During 2014/15 the Association held a total of 28 tenant events, engaging with 218 different tenants:

• Tenant Fun Day• 3 discos• 4 ten pin bowling events• 2 forums• 3 Taking Part Group meetings• 5 Tenants’ Voice newsletter group meetings• 9 Tenant Council meetings • Carol singing event.

Tenant Councils are the key formal engagement with tenants, aided by attendance of an Independent Tenant Representative to provide the link between tenants and our board of management. A number of themes were covered during the year, including board member remuneration; meaning of community; performance; love-food-hate waste campaign; money, health and wellbeing and the general election. The general election session included a mock vote on tenant events, with the Tenant Fun Day winning the most votes.

17 18

Wales Homes for Veterans - A Case studyAction Man Mark

He went on to participate in the Phoenix Winter Games with Help for Heroes at Tedworth House and was part of the winning team. Individually he won the Skiing Competition and Clay Pigeon shooting and came runner up in the Archery.

Mark has also become involved with Support our Paras, formerly known as the Afghan Trust. They run a racing team with two cars entered in the British Touring Car Championship. Known as the Infiniti Team they have £2,000,000 sponsorship and Mark is a data analyst for them.

Working in partnership with Alabaré, First Choice provided a home for Mark which provided him with the chance to have a smooth transition back to civilian life. Mark has got his life back on track and he hopes to gain a full time job with the racing team and eventually set himself up in the property development business.

Mark Lloyd first came to Alabaré and moved into a First Choice property in Cardiff in January 2015 as part of the Wales Homes for Veterans initiative.

Mark is a Veteran of the Third Battalion (3 Para) and served in Afghanistan doing tours of duty in 2010. As a result of his service he suffers with four herniated discs in his back and has been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). He lives with both physical and emotional difficulties but despite this Mark has made some great achievements since moving into a First Choice property with the support he has received from Alabaré.

In February 2015 he spent a week skiing in Le Plagne in the Swiss Alps, with the Not Forgotten Association, and won two awards, one for the best skier progressing from novice slopes to black runs and his second was an award for demonstrating the single best attitude to skiing that had ever been seen!

Closer to Home (C2H) is an innovative collaboration between Health, Local Authority Social Services teams and the third sector in South Wales that has successfully provided people with learning disabilities who have behaviours that challenge with their own homes, by implementation of Positive Behavioural Support (PBS).

Working in partnership with Health and Social Services First Choice Housing Association have assisted in developing enhanced supported living services with ‘ordinary’ houses which we have adapted to meet the specific needs of the tenants.

Proactive joint commissioning to develop a local infrastructure of services competent in PBS, driven by the needs of people and their families is key to this success. Supported living is more cost effective compared to ‘residential placement’, as capital costs are carried by registered social landlords and recouped from rents paid by tenants via housing benefit. Commissioners informally pool budgets and carefully plan staffing with support providers and families so that revenue funding can be used more effectively.

Closer to Home: Proactively commissioning PBS solutions

19 20

The most important outcomes are improvements in people’s quality of life. Generally these include increased participation in a wide range of activities at home and in the community and the development of personal interests, skills and relationships, plus renewed or increased family contact.

In line with PBS these often dramatic improvements in quality of life have been associated with reductions in the frequency and intensity of people’s behaviours that challenge. Families have expressed greater satisfaction and have commented on how much easier it is for them to spend more time and be involved now that their relative is ‘closer to home’. One mum said ‘marvellous’ when asked to sum up her own experience of her daughter moving to a C2H house and added ‘she’s happier, more confident and her self-esteem has increased, I’m particularly pleased that she has more freedom at home, in her last placement everything was always locked’. Another mum said her son’s epilepsy was now much better managed and he’s doing many more things that he enjoys, she’s really pleased that the staff support him to take photos and tell her about all the things he does. Closer to Home exemplifies shared learning which informs work with national governments and other agencies and is undoubtedly the best way of promoting good practice nationally.

Fixed

Follow up Appointments

Kept

Missed

99%

Appointments

Maintenance

First Call Fix

1%17%

Yes

No

99%

Repairs Completed to a high standard

1%Yes

No

99%

Satisfied with the Contractor

1%

Yes100%

Satisfied with the way FCHA dealt with repair

In target100%

Emergency Calls target completion

Average repair completion time = 8 working days

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First Choice is one of the first to install sprinklers in newly refurbished homes and was selected to participate in the Welsh Government sprinkler pilot project. A major change to UK fire safety law came into effect in April 2014 when automatic fire sprinkler systems were made compulsory in all new and converted residential properties in Wales.

First Choice already have experience of installing sprinkler systems in new properties but following this new law were required to install sprinklers into newly refurbished houses.

First Choice worked closely with Building Control Officers and sprinkler installers to ensure compliance. The water to the systems is provided by tank stored water supplying a pump which will turn on in the event of one of the sprinklers being activated.

New Initiative - Sprinklers

Belt & Braces! The Association now have some of the best protected homes from the event of a fire, from Risk Assessments, Fire Alarms and now Sprinklers.

Tanks feed the heads

The heads are discreet!

Making sure that First Choice properties are Homes for our tenants is a priority driver for all the staff at the association. To help achieve this we work with tenants, Occupational Therapists and support staff to ensure that ‘Houses Remain Homes’ (HRH).

Houses Remain Homes Physical Adaptations

Physical Adaptations Grants (PAG) can be accessed from the Welsh Government to fund necessary changes to tenants’ homes. Where physical adaptations grants are not available First Choice may fund the works from its improvements budget. Physical Adaptation Grants of £118,474 in respect of 25 properties, benefitted 39 tenants in total.

During 2014/15 The Association achieved:

Physical Adaption Grants (PAG) for

2014/2015

Grants recieved;

£118,474.20

No. of tenants benefiting:

39

No. of properties:

2536Separate projects

Some properties had more than

one project

23 24

Helping tenants stay in their home is one of the best parts

of my job!

“The tracking installed in the lounge has enabled tenants to utilise the room more and staff have been able support tenants to sit on the sofa and have physio sessions in the

lounge, instead of just sitting in their wheelchairs.“

Peter says“I like my new bathroom because it is easier now for me to move my wheelchair in it. Before the work was done the staff used to find it really difficult to move my wheelchair.

I like my new doors because I can get in and out of my bedroom and my lounge with my electric wheelchair. Before the work was done, I found it very hard to get in and out of these rooms and would need my staff to push me instead of doing this myself.

I especially like my new ramp outside my house. The workmen had a lot to do as they had to move my gate and raise the path to meet my front door. This has made my life much easier as I can go in and out of my home without my staff doing a workout!

I would like to pass on my thanks and appreciation to everyone at First Choice for helping me make my home work for me and my needs”.

New Technology helps First Choice keep better recordsFirst Choice Housing Association have always thought it important to protect our tenants from the dangers of Carbon Monoxide (CO), and were one of the first Housing Association in Wales to install CO Alarms in all of our properties 10 years ago. After serving us well it was time to retire these CO Alarms and replace them with new ones. It was perfect timing because the company we bought these alarms from, Aico, were just bringing out a new product – AudioLINK.

AudioLINK allows us to take real time information from the alarm about how it is working and to see if any CO has been detected for the

whole time it has been installed. The CO Alarms, with AudioLINK built in, means that with a few pushes of a button we can make sure that our tenant’s alarms are in good working order and protecting them from a CO leak. These CO alarms are now installed in all of our properties and we are delighted that this new technology will give us more information about the level of protection we are providing our tenants, and will let us act faster to resolve any issues that are picked up, via wireless technology and the use of a mobile phone app!

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Staffing and Organisational DevelopmentFirst Choice proudly retained their Investors in People Gold status achieved through our commitment to developing and enhancing staff skills and knowledge. The association continues to invest in its staff Health and Wellbeing and we encourage staff to live healthier lifestyles and make positive informed choices through access to weight management and exercise classes. Staff benefit from a health plan, health screening and annual stress down days as part of this programme.

In further recognition of the association’s achievements within the year First Choice were awarded the Green Dragon Level 2 Award, Positive about Disabled, re-accredited as a Living Wage employer , TPAS Cymru Service User Involvement in Housing Related Support for our newsletter and DVD, Small Workplace Health Award Gold, IIP Gold Standard, shortlisted in the 2014 CIH UK Housing Awards for Small and Specialist Landlord of the Year, shortlisted for the Welsh Housing Awards for promoting equality and accessibility and recognised in 24 Housing as being one of the Top 50 landlords in the UK.

Charity WorkEach year, the team at First Choice Housing Association nominate a charity and this year, Help for Heroes was selected in support of our on-going commitment to provide support to veterans. To date the team have raised more than £ 2,100 for the charity by holding various events throughout the year including ten members of the staff team successfully completing Tough Mudder, a gruelling obstacle course designed by special forces. As well as Tough Mudder the team completed the Cardiff Half Marathon and ran cake bakes and dress-down days.

Staff SurveyFirst Choice values its staff and annually surveys its employees to gain valuable feedback. The survey results help identify improvements and shape the future direction of the association. Feedback was encouraging that First Choice is a good place to work.

Welsh Language Scheme We aim to deliver a high standard of service in both Welsh and English and have plans in place to ensure we meet the standards set out in the Welsh Language Scheme. The delivery of our services are tailored to suit our customers ensuring they receive communication in the language of their choice and by accessible mediums such as audible DVD.

100%felt valued by their

manager and valued their talents100%

felt their ideas and opinions counted at

work

100%felt the quality of

services was important to First Choice

91%felt information

was shared openly with staff.

27 28

Equality and Diversity We are committed to Equality and Diversity and operate a Single Equality scheme to ensure we are fair and accessible to all and our commitment remains at the heart of everything we do. This year staff received training from Tai Pawb in relation to continuing our positive approach to Equality and Diversity. The association

Financial Information 2014/15The Association had another solid year of growth, both financial and in the number of new bed-spaces we developed. Being financially stronger means our long term commitment to our tenants and future tenants is more secure. Being a Not-For-Profit organisation means that any surplus money we make is used to develop more social housing and makes sure we have reserves to ensure our homes are always maintained to a high standard.

also recruited female board members to ensure a positive gender balance on our Board of Management.

Our financial position for 2014/15:

1. This is what we own £’000s

We own houses and equipment 45,450 Money is owed to us for rent and grants 353 We have this much cash in our bank 2,853

TOTAL 48,656

2. This is what we owe to other people £’000s Money to our contractors and others 2,216 Grants we haven’t spent yet - Loans to build our properties 16,301 TOTAL 19,844

3. This is what is left £’000s

30,139

4. This is where it comes from £’000s

Surpluses, reserves and housing grant 30,139 Share Capital 0 TOTAL 30,139

A. Where did the money come from to run First Choice this year? £’000s

Rent 3,890 Government grants 180 Interest from the bank and other income 1

TOTAL 4,071

B. What First Choice spent this year £’000s

Money for services, repairs and running the office 2,356 Interest we pay to the bank 431

TOTAL 2,787

C. Money left for the year after paying First Choice’s costs £’000s

1,284 Money to reserves to spend on future repairs to our houses 23

Money left after money to reserves 1,261 29 30