Awards Success For Housing Team

Published by Andrew Young for South Tyneside Homes in Housing and also in Communities

An in-house team at South Tyneside Homes has been recognised as one of the top providers of public sector services in the country.

The housing company’s Property Services Team was awarded the Best Service Team in Construction and Building at the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) Awards 2011.

The awards recognise best practice in the public sector and celebrate the achievements of organisations that deliver front line services.

Beating off competition from other local authorities, South Tyneside Homes was chosen as the winner for their ongoing programme to bring sheltered housing schemes up to the Government’s Decent Homes Standard.

Isobel Riley, Chief Executive of South Tyneside Homes, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for our Property Services Team and recognises that they are delivering a high standard of work.

“The team has received consistent praise from council tenants across all of the schemes they have worked in so far and this has been reflected in the high-levels of customer satisfaction.”

Since 2009, the team has improved and upgraded six sheltered housing schemes across South Tyneside.

Work to the homes includes the installation of new kitchens and bathrooms, as well as electrical and heating system upgrades. Communal areas are also refurbished to make sure the schemes meet the standards set out in the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA).

Over the coming months, council tenants at a further seven schemes will benefit from improvement works.

South Tyneside Homes manages and maintains over 18,000 council homes on behalf of South Tyneside Council, including 36 sheltered housing schemes.