Members only

To support the relationship with Northampton Partnership Homes (NPH), the Council’s ALMO to have the assurance that it continues to deliver high quality services for residents, communities and the local authority.
The effective coordination and collaboration between the WNC and Northampton Partnership Homes (NPH), to support the continuous improvement and efficient management and maintenance of the Council’s housing stock and ensure that, as a landlord, the Council is meeting all the statutory health and safety requirements and is complying fully with the regulatory standards set by the Regulator of Social Housing.
Work closely with NPH and monitor performance, compliance and governance in order to ensure that, as a landlord, the Council is complying fully with the Consumer Standards set by the Regulator of Social Housing and high levels of tenant and leaseholder involvement and satisfaction.
Work in partnership with NPH in the production of business cases in relation to housing and regeneration schemes, grant funding opportunities and assess the risks and outcomes of the scheme and their likely impact on the Housing Revenue Account and the Council.
Principal responsibilities:
1. Take a proactive and positive lead to develop effective governance and compliance frameworks to promote transparency to ensure NPH is a well-functioning ALMO.

2. Providing Senior Management and Elected Members with advice and briefings on ALMO-related matters (including health and safety, asset management, housing investment, performance, governance and compliance) to inform their understanding and decision making.
3. Ensure that the Council and Northampton Partnership Homes comply with the Council’s Strategy and Management and Service Agreements and that all statutory returns are completed accurately, on time and in accordance with the requirements of the Council and the government.
4. Work closely with Northampton Partnership Homes to ensure that the housing investment programme is successfully planned, monitored and delivered and that the Council is provided with consistent, high quality information about its housing assets.
5. Support the Council’s Finance Business Partner to direct and review the setting of the HRA financial business plan, maintenance programme and associated budgets.
6. Review the business cases that NPH produce for its housing and regeneration schemes and ensure they fit with wider strategic priorities and assess the risks and outcomes of the schemes and their likely impact on the Housing Revenue Account and the Council.
7. Work with NPH regarding compliance with the Management Agreement and review and negotiate the need for any development and amendments to the content of the Management Agreement. Ensure that Service Level Agreements and Protocols between the Council (and/or its partners) and NPH are regularly reviewed, agreed and implemented.
8. Develop and implement of programme to report through evidence-based assurances that, as a landlord, the Council, through NPH are complying with statutory health, safety and regulatory standards set by the Regulator of Social Housing.
9. Work with Finance and NPH to negotiate the ALMOs Management fee, ensuring that those negotiations are completed in a timely manner and that all payments are made on the due dates stipulated in the Agreement.
10. Ensure that any new service (or change to an existing service) does not jeopardise or compromise Northampton Partnership Homes’ ability to meet its obligations under the Management Agreement and/or the Council’s strategic plans or statutory obligations
11. Work with NPH and Finance to ensure that rents, service charges and budgets relating to the ALMO and the retained Housing Revenue Account are set in an appropriate and timely manner, and that collection rates and budgets are managed and monitored effectively.
12. Work collaboratively with Northampton Partnership Homes to routinely review customer satisfaction and complaints in order to ensure that customers’ views are acted upon and that future service delivery reflects those views and the lessons learned.
13. Represent the Council on a variety of forums and working parties for the purpose of exchanging information, improving joint working, developing strategy, delivering better outcomes for tenants and leaseholders, and enhancing the Council’s reputation, actively promoting the achievements of NPH and the benefits of the arm’s length management arrangements, ensuring that procedures are in place to assist joint working, information exchange and the resolution of any disputes.
14. Work with the Head of Housing Strategy and Partnerships to set, manage and monitor the partnership budget in a manner that makes best use of resources in accordance with good practice and the Council’s financial regulations
15. Work with NPH to identify and apply for external funding where appropriate for sustainability project to support and help improve the energy performance of social housing, such as SHDF, LAD2 etc
16. Manage the Partnership Monitoring Officer, in order, to ensure a consistently high standard of work.
17. Maintain professional competence and keep abreast of developments in the regulation of ALMOs and monitor safeguarding, legislation, statutory regulation, best practice and codes of practice, ensuring that the Council is informed of any actions or additional responsibilities.
18. Develop and maintain close working relations with Council services, Northampton Partnership Homes and a wide range of other stakeholders in order to facilitate the flow of information and encourage collaboration and co-operation.