The economic downturn has meant cost-cutting is high on everyone’s agenda. At Lewisham Homes we understand it is not only important for your day-to-day budgeting, but for our organisation to deliver value for money while improving the quality of our service.
Offering value for money is one of our key priorities, and since 2007 we have hit our savings targets of £2 million while continuing to improve performance of all service areas. Value for money doesn’t mean we’ll reduce services to residents – it means we are committed to spending smarter. This year and over the next two years we plan to make further savings of £5.5 million by making smarter investments. To do this we are reviewing all services and the way we do business with our contractors.
By carrying out the reviews to date we’ve been able to invest more in services that are a priority to our tenants and leaseholders, and increase the amount spent on the maintenance of homes by 25% in 2009/10. We’ve also bought better equipment for caretakers to keep estates clean and tidy; improved health and safety; and added money to our repairs budget.
To achieve our planned savings by 2011 we will continue to assess the cost and quality of our services, and compare our costs to other organisations. When we test efficiency, we don’t just consider the cost, but also the quality, performance and customer satisfaction of the service.
We are starting to plan for the next financial year, residents can be involved in this process: Call 020 8314 9267 or getinvolved@lewishamhomes.org.uk.
