The Audit Commission has judged Bournemouth Borough Council's strategic housing services to be ‘good’ with ‘promising prospects for improvement’ following their inspection in April 2008.

On a scale of zero to three stars, the Audit Commission inspection team gave the service a good, two star rating. This was because the service is increasingly customer-focused and is delivering some good outcomes for vulnerable groups. The service works effectively to make best use of both social housing and existing private sector homes and is supporting the delivery of good quality housing development.

Kieran Colgan, the Audit Commission's Lead Housing Inspector for the South West, said:
‘Bournemouth Council has made housing one of its key priorities. It has focused its own resources and worked effectively with partners to secure improvements across the service. The Council is forward-looking and has good plans to provide better housing services for local people.’

Strengths include:

• The service is increasingly customer-focused and provides flexible access arrangements.
• There is a proactive approach to preventing homelessness which is leading to a reduction in the number of homeless people.
• The overall approach to private sector housing is well-developed.
• The service works effectively with housing associations and developers to support the delivery of good quality housing development.
• Partnership working is helping to reduce costs and there has been success in attracting external funding into the service.

To help the service improve, inspectors made a number of recommendations. These include:

• providing clear service standards for customers and improving systems to gather customer feedback;
• improving systems to ensure that disabled adaptations are delivered quickly; and
• improving value for money by comparing costs and performance with the best performing organisations and implementing the lessons learned.

The full inspection report can be read here.

Further information about the role of the Audit Commission can be obtained from their website.