Connexus Annual Report 2022

6th October, 2022

smellings

Company

Hello and welcome to the Connexus Annual Report 2021/22. It’s been created to update you on our recent progress and explain how as an organisation we’re trying to improve for our customers.

With the threat of the Coronavirus pandemic beginning to diminish, this past year has been about recovery and new beginnings. I’m really aware that it’s been a trying and difficult time for customers and our colleagues, but I’m confident that we’re seeing Connexus emerge stronger and more resilient than ever.

Improved governance and financial viability
I’m immensely proud of the work that teams across the business have done to steer Connexus to a governance and viability compliance rating of G1/V1, the highest of four possible grades for governance and viability. The change in grading follows an In-depth Assessment by the regulator which concluded earlier this year. The new ratings reflect significant improvement work which has taken place to change the organisation’s approach to health and safety, systems, and a number of processes. We’re proud of the improvements we’ve made and it’s great to see our new and more robust ways of working recognised with the highest level of compliance rating. Long-term stability is key for us, and we’ll continue to provide strong governance and financial arrangements to support this aim.

Building on our foundations
Governance and compliance will of course remain important going forward, but we recognise that having a robust and strong organisation is merely the foundation to delivering what matters to our customers. Our focus is excellent service delivery and the provision of high-quality affordable housing to the counties of Herefordshire and Shropshire. We do this through the development of new affordable homes, and by maintaining and improving our existing homes. Through the development of associated services, we aim to enhance the lives of our customers and those living in our communities.

Safety in focus
Health and safety will always come first here at Connexus and I am pleased that the figures in this report relating to compliance checks in tenants’ homes reflect this commitment. Connexus was fully compliant with checks for all heating systems within our homes (with 2% outstanding due to issues accessing properties). Connexus is committed to keeping people safe in their homes and will actively listen and engage with customers to ensure we understand what makes them feel safe.

Listening to what our customers and communities say
As in any successful organisation, it is important that we are always learning and improving our services. Some figures in this annual report reflect the disappointment our customers have had with some of our services. The number of repairs completed in a satisfactory time for our tenants has been short of what we expect to deliver, and our repairs service is being reviewed as a result. Changes won’t happen overnight, and will take a while to get right, but we’ll be working hard to make improvements which we hope customers will begin to notice from 2023. Customer satisfaction levels with some of our services are also not where they should be. We are committed to improving our services through listening to our customers, be that through surveys, customer services interactions, consultations, or day-to-day conversations with our colleagues. However, following the pandemic, demand for our repairs service is high and Connexus will need to prioritise the most urgent cases.

Reacting to global challenges
I strongly believe that, as an affordable housing provider, Connexus should be sensitive and responsive to the increasingly difficult conditions facing our tenants. Rising energy prices, fuel costs and inflation are increasing the financial burden for all of us. These problems are made worse in the rural areas in which we operate and those on lower incomes in the countryside are some of the most vulnerable when it comes to skyrocketing fuel costs. I must praise the hard work of our teams who are on the frontline, helping customers get the help they need to keep them in a warm and comfortable home through these difficult times.

Next steps
Moving forward we must remain focussed on helping those in need while providing a pipeline of new affordable homes each and every year. Reacting to the social and economic challenges we face will be at the heart of our work over the next few years and will form part of our new corporate plan due in 2023. I’m very much looking forward to talking with customers and those we work with about where we go next and how we can continue to have a positive impact in our communities.

Richard Woolley, Chief Executive