Housing Trust celebrates 10 Years
Chester & District Housing Trust (CDHT) has been celebrating its 10 year anniversary with a series of special events to mark the occasion. The social homes provider, which took over the housing stock from the former Chester City Council back in November 2000, was marking ten years of progress.
Events included the bi-annual Colleagues Conference. The event held every two years, charts the organisation’s development and looks forward to the future. Earlier this week, the annual Residents’ Review was a chance for residents to see the Trust’s progress and have a Christmas lunch together. This followed celebration cake cutting at the Trust’s offices in Centurion House, Northgate Street and Octavian House, off Sealand Road.
CDHT’s achievements include being the first housing association in the UK to have a Residents’ Board, which is making real efficiencies to the £12.6 million repairs and maintenance budget which the Board controls. CDHT achieved 100 per cent in the Decent Homes Standard earlier this year, well before the Department for Communities and Local Government’s end of year deadline; CDHT has also ranked highly in the top 100 Best Companies to Work For over the last three years.
John Denny, Chief Executive of CDHT, summed up:
“Our organisation is on the brink of doing something quite special. Take the concept of localism; if you can’t make that work for the communities we work with through our many partnerships we shouldn’t really be in housing. We have a golden opportunity over the next five years; we have a great partner in Cheshire West & Chester Council whilst our proposed coming together with the Cosmopolitan Housing Group creates opportunities that in some ways will buck the trend by creating more housing and employment opportunities.
“I can’t overstate how much work went into the transfer 10 years ago. The first five years saw massive investment in homes. Then we hit a troubled patch but we worked our way out of it. I am so proud that the people who were here when we were in a mess got us out of it, achieving our two stars and excellent rating, building homes and placing the resident at the centre of everything we do. The last five years we have gone from strength to strength and the next five years will be amazing; we are financially robust and others want to join us.”
Congratulations have been sent throughout the celebrations from the following:
Councillor Mike Jones, Leader of the Council, Cheshire West and Chester Borough Council:
“Congratulations to CDHT on its 10 year anniversary! CDHT has a tremendous track record as a major social housing provider in the Borough, delivering large-scale, innovative projects as well as demonstrating a strong commitment to improving and regenerating our neighbourhoods. The local authority will continue to work closely with CDHT as an important partner in the Borough who is making a real improvement to the daily lives of many of our residents. All the best for the future.”
Christine Russell, Member of Parliament for the City of Chester 1997-2010:
“Over the past 10 years the hard-work put in by the Trust has helped to transform local environments and deliver a better quality of life for everyone in the community.”
Stephen Mosley, Member of Parliament for the City of Chester:
“I’d like to congratulate Chester & District Housing Trust on reaching this milestone and to thank them for all their good work over the past decade. We’ve seen a massive transformation of the Housing Trust along with large-scale investment in improving existing properties and also in starting to build new homes.
CDHT’s approach of putting residents in the driving seat of local community decision-making is a model that undoubtedly benefits everyone involved.”
Richard McCarthy, Director General for Housing and Planning, the Department for Communities and Local Government
“Congratulations CDHT and all the very best for the future”
David Orr, National Housing Federation chief executive:
“CDHT are a fantastic example of how housing associations are about more than bricks and mortar, they are investing in people, strengthening neighbourhoods and enriching lives – well done for a decade of fantastic work.”
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CAPTIONS:
Celebrations with some of the CDHT Colleagues with over 10 years service from TrustWorks and ChesterCare at Octavian House. Chief Executive, John Denny cuts the cake with (L-R) Sara Morley, Phil Whitlow, Bob Webb, Mark Reade, Gary Lewis (John Denny) John Ellison, Andy Williams, Gordon Speed and Gill Hickey. The same celebration with all colleagues was held at CDHT’s Northgate Street offices, Centurion House.
Over 300 Chester & District Housing Trust colleagues getting to know each other a little better at the 2010 Colleagues’ Conference.
Residents enjoying meeting up to review and celebrate the progress made over the last ten years by Chester & District Housing Trust.
Notes to editors
Chester & District Housing Trust (CDHT) is a dynamic and enterprising organisation at the forefront of delivering positive impacts in the communities with which it works. The Trust’s homes span six communities – Blacon North; Blacon South; Chester City Area; The Rurals; Lache and Handbridge; Upton, Hoole, Newton and Plas Newton.
Committed to the best principles of social enterprise with over 14,000 local customers in 6,200 properties and 53% of its 275 colleagues living within its communities, the Trust adheres to key commitments and principles relating to people, places, partnerships and performance which underpin the Vision to ‘create opportunity’, through its mission, ‘by doing the right thing’.
The Trust is about being transparent and accountable in everything that is done and to this end is one of the first organisations nationally to have established a Residents’ Board, with full delegated powers from the Trust Board, to direct services which impact upon their lives.
The Trust has a comprehensive development programme delivering over 330 new homes including the £12million regeneration of the Treborth Road area of Chester providing new homes for rent, sale and shared ownership, as well as a village green and wildlife habitats.
CDHT also provides services on a partnership basis, to a number of other customers e.g. Telecare services, TrustWorks Maintenance Services, Housing Options advice, waiting list management and choice based lettings to neighbouring local authorities and registered social landlords.
The Trust is rated as two Star excellent by the Audit Commission, has the highest possible rating from Telecare Services Association and is also credited Investors in People and is the overall Employer of the Year For Cheshire West. It has been in the ‘Top 100 Sunday Times best companies to work for’ for the last 3 years, reaching its highest position of 47th this year.
For more details please visit www.cdht.org or request a copy of CDHT’s Corporate Plan 2009-2014.
CDHT Press Contacts: Phil Brotherhood
E: phil@marketingprojects.co.uk M: 07884 493370
Jane Harrad-Roberts
E: jane@marketingprojects.co.uk M: 07785 395705
W: www.marketingprojects.co.uk T: 01244 330000
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