Broadland Housing Association

Homes, community & support since 1963

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    Broadland Housing AGM 2023: Maintaining Our Focus

    Celebrating 60 years of service, Broadland Housing Association continues its unwavering commitment to addressing housing needs and homelessness. In the face of significant financial challenges, the Annual General Meeting (AGM) emphasised the dedication to Broadland’s mission.

    AGM - Broadland Housing

    Michael Newey, Chief Executive of Broadland Housing Association, pledged that the organisation would maintain its focus, despite the cost-of-living crisis and interest rates resulting in an unprecedented financial squeeze.

    More people are unable to find affordable homes in the private sector than when we started, while our tenants are facing unparalleled economic pressures, with food inflation at a 42 year high, and energy costs still at very high levels.
    Michael Newey, Chief Executive

    Meeting Housing Demand

    Michael Newey - AGM 2023

    During the past financial year, Broadland Housing successfully delivered 131 new homes, compromising 55 for affordable rent and 76 for shared ownership.

    Mr. Newey pointed out that the organisation’s ongoing struggle to balance managing existing homes, delivering quality services, and building new homes to meet growing housing demand, while ensuring sustainability.

    He also emphasised the pressing housing need, revealing that 18,710 households in Norfolk and East Suffolk are on the waiting list for housing. Nationally, the availability of homes for rent has decreased by 1.1 million since 1979, with affordable homes in the overall housing stock declining from 31% to just 17% during the same period.

    Optimism Amidst Challenges

    Despite these challenges, Mr. Newey remains optimistic about the future.

    We are proud of holding true to our purpose across our first 60 years, and the need for Broadland Housing is just as massive today as it ever was. Despite the frustration of facing our toughest financial year yet, we are optimistic for the future, and we will remain resolutely focussed on our purpose of tackling housing need and homelessness.
    Michael Newey, Chief Executive

    Selected Statistics from the 2022/23 Annual Report

    • 5,561 homes provided
    • 602 homes allocated, including 108 to homeless households
    • 15,557 responsive repairs completed
    • 439 tenants supported in sustaining their tenancies
    • 131 new homes delivered, compromising 55 for affordable rent and 76 for shared ownership

    For more information, you can download the 2022/23 Annual Report from: www.broadlandgroup.org/about-us/governance-documents/annual-reviews.

    Welcoming Jenny Watson as New Chair

    We are delighted to announce the appointment of Jenny Watson CBE as our new Chair at Broadland Housing Association.

    Michael Newey and Jenny Watson

    With an impressive track record, Jenny Watson has held key leadership roles, serving as Chair of The Electoral Commission and The Equal Opportunities Commission, and as a non-executive director of the The Financial Ombudsman Service. She also currently chairs the homeless Charity, The House of St. Barnabas, and serves as a trustee of the Norfolk Community Foundation. In recognition of her outstanding contributions, she was appointed a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in 2017.

    Michael Newey, Chief Executive of Broadland Housing, warmly welcomed Jenny,

    We are very fortunate indeed to announce Jenny as our new chair. She has huge experience in a wide range of roles relating to social value and public policy, as well as building complex stakeholder relationships and leading organisations through significant change. 
    Michael Newey, Chief Executive

    Jenny’s work in the public, private, and charitable sectors has encompassed strategic leadership, cultural transformation, governance and risk management, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and commitment to meeting the needs of vulnerable people.

    At a time when all housing associations are facing unprecedented challenges in meeting housing need, Jenny brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role, and we are delighted to welcome her to the Board and to the role of Chair.
    Michael Newey, Chief Executive

    Jenny Watson steps into the role previously held by Chris Ewbank, who served as Chair of Broadland for six years and has now retired.

    Commenting on her appointment, Jenny said,

    I am really pleased to be joining Broadland’s board at such a critical time for the housing sector. I look forward to meeting and learning from our existing tenants to provide the best service that we can to those in our homes, and to working with our partners across Norfolk and North Suffolk, to tackle homelessness and meet the demand for new housing – particularly affordable housing- that we know exists.
    Jenny Watson, Chair of Broadland

    We are confident that Jenny’s leadership will further strengthen our commitment to providing high-quality housing solutions and the evolving challenges in the housing sector.

    Celebrating our 60th Birthday at Shipfield

    We recently celebrated Broadland’s 60th birthday at Shipfield, our housing development scheme in Sprowston, founded in 1963. Tenants joined us in celebration with a barbeque, cake and a speech from our Chief Executive, Michael Newey.

    The event took place on Shipfield’s green, situated in the heart of the scheme, bringing together the community, board members both past and present and our members to celebrate together!  

    It’s completely sensible and right to be here at Shipfield today, because this was our very first scheme. I think it was a statement of intent and ambition building the scheme. It was very much about saying – We’re here. We’re going to provide decent homes at low rents to people in this community.
    Michael Newey, Chief Executive

    60 Years of Broadland

    Broadland was founded in 1963 with a clear goal: to offer affordable housing to those who couldn’t afford homes in the open market, whether renting or owning. Despite challenges, including a shortage of social housing, we’ve continued to grow. 

    We continually rise to the challenge of the development of new homes and tackling the needs for permanent accommodation. 

    The need is still acute; there will be 271,000 people staying in temporary accommodation tonight; 130,000 of those are children. Despite our best efforts, today the social housing sector is 1.1 million homes smaller than it was in 1979.” 
     
    When I joined 20 years ago, we had 3,464 homes. Today we have 5,634 – so we have grown on average by 110 homes a year over the last two decades.

    Michael addressed the current financial climate with an optimistic outlook. 

    It would be wrong not to acknowledge that we are in tough times right now; our 60th birthday is marked by financial pressure. But I am really optimistic for the future. We have a track record of making tough but right decisions so we can safeguard our tenants’ homes and also tackle the housing need in the county.
    Michael Newey, Chief Executive

    Employee Recognition

    Over the last 60 years, we wouldn’t be where we are without our employees.

    Broadland – I see as very much a people business. People are how we got here. Yes, we have delivered bricks and mortar, but it is actually people that delivered that. 
     
    The commitment of board members, of residents, of staff over the last 60 years is the reason we are here today – I very much see it as a relay race, passing the baton on from one generation to another. None of us are owners of Broadland, we are custodians of Broadland.

    As a result, Broadland is home to many longstanding employees dedicated to helping our tenants and housing schemes. 

    We are very fortunate to have a very dedicated team – We’ve still got remarkably low turnover in staff. I think what holds people here is the commitment to our tenants and commitment to each other.
    Michael Newey, Chief Executive

    Shipfield
    Shipfield

    Anniversary Milestone

    Our 60th anniversary is a milestone, not a destination. We’re excited about the future and will stay committed to our mission of addressing housing needs. 

    We are looking forward to the future. Our priorities will stay completely true to our original purpose of tackling housing need and inequality, getting closer to our tenants, staying independent, and maintaining our geographical focus.
    Michael Newey, Chief Executive

    Events like this celebration allow our tenants to meet and speak with the people of Broadland. Connecting with our communities and celebrating our achievements is incredibly important as we continue to deliver Broadland’s mission. 

    Shipfield

    Canary Quay – Residential Project of the Year award

    Our Canary Quay project in Norwich has been named Residential Project of the Year in the Constructing Excellence Norfolk 2023 awards.

    Andrew Savage, Executive Development Director, holding the Constructing Excellence Norfolk 2023 award, with members of the project team
    Andrew Savage, Executive Development Director (pictured centre, holding award) with members of the Canary project team

    The fourth and final phase of Canary Quay was completed earlier this year. A total of 323 apartments have been built on the riverside site in Norwich: a mixture of social rent, shared ownership and open market sales.

    The Constructing Excellence Norfolk awards recognise innovation and best practice through collaborative working and supply chain integration. Thanks to our partners on this project RG Carter, Ingleton Wood architects and Rossi Long Consulting for their support.

    Andrew Savage, Executive Development Director, said:

    We are over the moon that Canary Quay has been recognised in this way, especially as RG Carter built through some unprecedented times. This project has taken 13 years from buying the land from Norwich City Football Club to completing earlier this year. It’s all down to the people we want to work with and we have had a great team.

    Andrew Savage, Executive Development Director

    Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund success

    As a member of Independent East, Broadland will receive funding from Wave 2 of the Government’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF Wave 2.1) to improve the energy efficiency of its homes.

    Independent East, an informal alliance of housing associations based in Norfolk and Suffolk, has secured almost £9 million in funding to boost energy efficiency in hundreds of social housing homes. The funding is being administered through Broadland Housing Association as the consortium lead.

    Warm, energy-efficient homes

    The funding from Wave 2 of the Government’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF Wave 2.1) will fund the installation of energy-saving measures in 800 homes, such as loft insulation and new windows. The upgrades will mean properties currently below Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) C will be brought up to that standard, which will help to:

    • deliver warm, energy efficient homes
    • reduce carbon emissions
    • tackle fuel poverty
    • support green jobs
    • develop the retrofit sector
    • improve the comfort, health, and wellbeing of tenants

    The value of effective partnerships

    We are very proud of the partnership with Independent East members.  This funding shows what an effective partnership can achieve for the benefit of our tenants. This funding will help to improve the energy efficiency of tenants’ homes at a time when fuel bills are at a historic high. We will be focusing on improvements to 5 of our schemes, focusing on upgrading to carbon-friendly heating systems and electricity-generating solar panels, ensuring that the energy performance increases to a minimum of a ‘C’ rating.

    Justin O’Connor, Assistant Asset Director, Broadland Housing Association

    Funding breakdown

    The funding breakdown between the housing associations is as follows:  

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