Hafan Cymru White Logo

Annual Report 2021-2022

Building opportunities for people to live well.

Introduction

Siân Morgan

Chief Executive

John Morgan

Chair, Board of Management

It’s our pleasure to introduce Hafan Cymru’s 33rd annual report for 2021/22. It’s been another excellent year for us as we work hard to be there for the people we support.

We’re grateful for our dedicated team of employees, who have continued to ensure that we meet the expectations of our funders and stakeholders, always keeping the people we support at the centre of all we deliver. We’re extremely proud of all our staff and management, who made sure everything kept running through the difficulty and challenges of the pandemic. We think this is an especially impressive achievement, and we know it made a difference to people’s lives.

During the financial year 21-22 we made progress in many important areas:

  • We partnered with Pobl to deliver the Independent Domestic Violence Advisers (IDVA) contract across Powys. This was in high demand due to the impact of lockdown and the increase of domestic abuse/violence. 
  • We launched our first development since the 1990s – a bungalow for people with disabilities located in Newtown. This happened after discussions with one of our partners Montgomeryshire Family Crisis Centre (MFCC) and the local authority in the area. A need was identified in the area, and we set about creating a solution.  The build continued throughout the lockdown, which was an amazing achievement, and it was completed towards to end of 2021.
  • During the last year, we gave our staff a range of training and development opportunities. These equipped them with the latest techniques, knowledge and understanding to keep them safe while supporting even more people who are facing trauma. 
  • Also during the financial year, we achieved Investors in People re-accreditation.
  • We introduced a new QL database for managing maintenance work. This is proving to be a useful tool for data control.
  • We implemented Cascade (a fully integrated HR and Payroll System) that simplified our HR department’s day-to-day processes. It enables employees to take control of their own HR administration.
  • Our Governance and Assurance Manager was shortlisted for Governance Champion Award at CGIUKI Awards. The competition was very strong and we’re very proud that our manager was shortlisted for this prestigious award.
  • We won the Carmarthenshire Young People contract providing support to 16–25-year-olds who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The aim of the new service is to provide a 24-hour temporary supported housing service to vulnerable young people.  The support provided will focus on valuing and building on the young people’s strengths and developing their skills, confidence, and resilience so they can move on to live independent lives.
  • Men’s Sheds was shortlisted for a Welsh BAFTA, which was an amazing achievement.
  • Spectrum project featured in an ITV programme about coercive control and developing healthy relationships. This was heavily showcased by the Welsh Government and ITV.
  • We formed a new partnership with Adferiad Recovery to deliver a new service in Colwyn Bay. It consists of two dispersed units in Conwy to support women experiencing VAWDASV, in addition to substance misuse and/or significant mental health issues. 
  • Our work to get the best value from our assets continued and we commissioned a new stock condition survey. We also brought in a strategy to make sure we get the full potential out of our stock and respond to commissioner need across Wales. For example, we reconfigured a property in Conwy to address the commissioner’s need for emergency accommodation for young people in the area.

Our annual report includes many further examples of the great work we deliver and our successes during the year.  It also touches on how we will push these further over the coming months and years.

Our 5-year business plan provides more detail on our priorities and how we aim to deliver on our Mission: “In an ideal world, everyone would have a home where they can thrive; but the world isn’t ideal, and that’s why we’re here to support people to build a safer and brighter future so they can live well.”  You can find our business plan on our website www.hafancymru.co.uk.

While we’ve made a great deal of progress during the year, we recognise the long-term impacts of the UK-wide pandemic and the effects of the Ukraine war; these include increased costs in utilities, food and fuel just to mention a few.  We could also see changes to long-term planning and potential cuts in government spend. However, due to our resilience and the commitment of our colleagues, we’ve been able to build solid foundations. These give us the confidence we need to face whatever challenges the years ahead may bring. 

It’s been a great honour to continue to lead such an amazing organisation; we have been on an incredible journey over the last 6.5 years and we’re proud of how the business has evolved during this time. We know the year ahead will bring change – of that we are sure – and we are sure that we have the resources, confidence and skills to take on any challenges that we may face.

Finally, we’d like to thank the Board for their unstinting commitment and enthusiasm; on behalf of the Board of Management, our heartfelt thanks go to colleagues across the business for their loyalty, commitment, and resilience, to the commissioners/funders for their support and guidance, to our stakeholders for their continued backing, and to the Housing Regulatory Team for all their continued guidance throughout the year.

Siân Morgan, CEO
John Morgan, Chair

Our Purpose

We support people to have a safer and brighter future.

Our Mission

In an ideal world, everyone would have a home where they can thrive; but the world is not ideal, and that is why we are here to support people to build a safer and brighter future so they can live well.

Our Values

Fair – in everything we do

Flexible – in the way we operate

Inspiring – in the way we treat people

Our Pledge

We believe that all individuals, couples, and families who require accommodation and support to live well should experience a service that we would be happy for our own families and friends to access and receive.

Message From Our Patron

In December 2021, we were thrilled to welcome TV Presenter, Journalist and BAFTA Cymru nominee, Ruth Dodsworth, as our new Patron. Ruth will help promote our vital work supporting people who experience domestic abuse.

“I am delighted to be working alongside Hafan Cymru as their Patron by helping to raise awareness of all issues associated with domestic abuse and violence across Wales. 

Being approached by Hafan Cymru to consider taking on this role meant a lot to me after experiencing my own abusive relationship.  I am keen to do whatever I can to support their amazing work after understanding the impact that it had on my life, my children and our family and friends. 

I have attended some sessions held with young pupils in a school and seen first-hand how sensitively Hafan Cymru approaches the subject of healthy relationships. The thoughtful way that messages are conveyed to children, young people and adults was inspiring and thought provoking.  It was clear that breaking the cycle of abuse and ensuring children and young people understand what a healthy relationship looks like is key, as well as embedding a whole school approach to tackling abuse by training teachers, parents and governors. This is definitively the way forward.

I am delighted to work alongside Hafan Cymru in order to raise even more awareness and help spread the word of such an important issue across Wales.”

Ruth Dodsworth
ITV Presenter

Ruth-Dodsworth-crop

Our Highlights

Housing

This year, we were delighted to open a new, purpose-built bungalow in Powys that meets modern mobility standards. The bungalow is being operated by our partners, Monmouthshire Family Crisis Centre, to deliver high quality support services for a wide range of people and families that have experienced or are experiencing domestic abuse.

We’ve also been busy making our properties more energy efficient for our tenants, and lessening our carbon footprint by replacing all heating systems with ones that achieve an Energy Performance Certificate A.

We’re actively preparing ourselves, our teams, and our tenants for the introduction of the new Renting Homes Act (Wales).

How We’ve Supported People

We’re committed to delivering an inclusive service. Our support provision has expanded to include male survivors, LGBTQ+ people and Children and Young People who have experienced or witnessed domestic abuse.

During last year we supported

Male Survivors

LGBTQ+ People

Children and Young People (aged up to 25 years old).

Working in partnership with the police and criminal justice professionals, we have hosted one of the new Remote Link Sites in Wales. Remote sites are crucial because they provide a safe and secure location from which to give evidence against abusers. They make it more likely that domestic abuse survivors will give evidence.  To date, cases run from our remote link room have produced a 100% success rate in the delivery of a guilty verdict for perpetrators.

As life returns to normal after the pandemic, our focus has been on the wellbeing of the people we support. We have safely re-started our face-to-face activities such as the breakfast club, walks in the park, working on an allotment, refreshing our gardens, book clubs, and various family and children focused events.

We remain committed to boosting our tenants’ skills through engaging activities. This year, we have approached this creatively, using places like the Escape Room to help people we support to develop skills in team working, communication, problem solving, negotiation, listening, and problem-solving puzzles as a group.

We celebrated White Ribbon 2021 by running a successful social media campaign which involved prominent sports and political figures from across Wales who pledged to help end male violence against women.

“If more people were like my support worker, we would be better supported as she keeps it professional but human.”

Independent Domestic Violence Advisers (IDVA) Service

We deliver the IDVA service in the Dyfed Powys region, and it continues to go from strength to strength. We have supported nearly 60% of the high-risk victims of domestic abuse in the area, without having to introduce a waiting list.

Our service now provides equal access for male survivors and by recruiting new IDVAs, we have supported 177 male survivors in the last year alone.

With referrals continuing to rise and becoming more complex, multi-agency working has never been more important.  We continue to work closely with specialist and statutory agencies to deliver a coordinated response that addresses all of the survivors’ needs, as well as keeping them safe.

The extra resources and improvements to how we work have created measurable results as we have supported nearly double the number of survivors in the year 2021-22, compared to the same period in 2020-21.

Training & Employability Services

2021/22 has been a very successful year for our Commercial Services Department, who surpassed all expectations.

Our training offer continues to grow year on year. We continued to expand in the VAWDASV sector and have developed new courses and programmes which enabled us to reach 10% more customers compared to the previous year.

We successfully delivered the “Working with Male Victims of Domestic Abuse” programme on behalf of Welsh Government.  After attending the course, 100% of participants said they felt more confident handling a disclosure from a male survivor.

During the year, we worked closely with Ceredigion Local Authority to roll out a bespoke wellbeing training model for their employees. The new model provided different approaches to training including 1-2-1 support, Mental Health Awareness workshops, and Youth & Adult Mental Health First Aid courses.

Our employability projects were particularly successful last year, and we secured 22 DWP contracts, delivered support to over 680 people and enabled 84% of our Job Centre Plus clients to achieve their outcomes.

Highlights---Supporting-People-1
“It was awesome! Really helped my confidence – if I hadn’t had the support from Hafan Cymru then I couldn’t have gone for the job - I actually go out now. I actually look into the future now - I feel more optimistic.”

Spectrum

Our Spectrum team had a busy year with several visits from the media. S4C filmed our session on children’s rights and healthy and unhealthy relationships for a documentary about the physical punishment of children being made illegal in Wales.  The project also featured in an ITV documentary based on TV Presenter Ruth Dodsworth’s experience, highlighting the impact of coercive and controlling behaviour. Both documentaries were an opportunity to promote the great work we do with young people, helping them understand their rights and build healthy, respectful relationships.

We were also pleased to have a visit from the Welsh Education Minister, Jeremy Miles MS, who observed our session on Safety Zones. This explores personal safety, understanding the right to feel safe online, at home, in school, and everywhere all the time. It identifies safe and unsafe feelings and knowing where to go for support if you don’t feel safe.  He said that the metaphors used during the lesson were excellent for teaching pupils about resilience.

We produced our first series of animations, all focusing on age-appropriate support for children and young people.

Foundation phase (3-7) https://youtu.be/d3z6Nz7YKvw

Key stage 2 (7-11) https://youtu.be/SQc_G59Y8bI

Key stage 3(11-14). https://youtu.be/KfqopfiQvKI

All animations can also be found on the Spectrum website: www.spectrumproject.co.uk

Spectrum-2

Men’s Sheds Cymru

We built up the Men’s Sheds movement in Wales from the ground up, to form a vibrant, thriving network. We were featured in a short BBC documentary, The Nest, which has been nominated in the BBC BAFTA Cymru awards.

Once lockdown and restrictions due to the pandemic has started to ease, we sent “return to shedding” packs to men’s sheds across Wales containing tea, coffee, merchandise and some literature, inviting them to join us again in the communities.

Over 30 men received direct 1-2-1 wellbeing and advocacy support.

We’ve been busy promoting our work through a new website which now includes a library of wellbeing information; and a new quarterly newsletter – SHarED.

“The pupils respond really positively to the sessions delivered by Spectrum. The resources used are of a high quality and complement the lessons, which are carefully planned and in line with current guidance - this is very reassuring for schools. The lessons are really engaging and accessible for all our pupils. Tricky topics are dealt with in a matter of fact, yet sensitive manner. Having a specialist in the classroom gives the session added gravitas!”

Supporting and Celebrating Our Colleagues

As a result of her hard work and dedication, our Governance & Assurance Manager Fiona Jenkins was shortlisted as “Governance Champion of the Year” at the prestigious Chartered Governance Institute 2021 Awards!

We continue to look after our colleagues by:

  • developing our teams’ capabilities through recognised training in the sector such as ACE’s Toolkit and Respect accreditation, among others. This is thanks to funding from Welsh Government;
  • making sure they are protected with updated policies, and having a H&S management system that is aligned to ISO45001;
  • gaining Investors in People (IiP) re-accreditation, achieving higher scores across all categories.

As part of our ongoing colleague engagement, we held several Strategy Days across Wales. These gave teams from across the whole of the business the chance to help set our business priorities for the next year.

As a result, we’ve listened to our people and created colleague engagement groups focusing on Equality, Diversity & Inclusion; Welsh Language; Health & Safety; Risk Management; Employee Engagement; and a People Panel. These groups have proven to be an excellent vehicle to drive continued improvements in the business.

Our digital transformation has started in earnest – beginning with the introduction of new automated HR and finance systems.  Our website has also been refreshed to include regular updates from colleagues on what’s happening across the business.  It now has an updated recruitment page with a video that showcases how great it is to work for us.

“Honestly, the best staff you could ask for!”
“I now feel a lot safer as Hafan Cymru have helped me move to a safer property where I no longer feel in danger.”
“Thank you for your support. If it wasn’t for support workers being there, my life would have been different.”

Our Performance

Operations

IDVA

people supported
(59% of total delivery in the Dyfed Powys region)

Families First

people supported

HSG

people supported

Support needs

Chart by Visualizer

Other support needs

Chart by Visualizer

On Leaving HC Support

Upon leaving Hafan Cymru, this is what our clients have told us.

My confidence & self esteem

My ability to keep safe

My ability to live independently & manage a home

My ability to find training or work

Hobbies, interests and friends

My emotional health and sense of wellbeing

My level of confidence in caring for my children

My children's happiness and wellbeing

My children's engagement with educational services

My confidence in communicating with professionals & agencies & getting what I need

How would you rate your opportunities for getting involved

Responses by local authority

“Having support with my debts, safety of myself and the children, and the emotional support has been great. I now have more confidence in asking for help that my children and I need. You’ve been amazing. At the beginning when I was at my lowest you were always there for me. Without your help I wouldn’t be where I am now. You always listened when I was down as well as supporting me, you went above and beyond your jobs. I would have been lost without the support I’ve had.”

Housing

Percentage of emergency repairs completed within target timescale (i.e. attended to within 4 hours and made safe and completed within 5 working days)
0%
% of completion of PAT testing (properties)
0%
% compliance with WHQS
0%
Legionella - properties/offices with valid risk assessment (total out of 104)
0%
% of properties/offices up to date with weekly fire alarm tests
0%
% of properties/offices up to date with monthly emergency lighting checks
0%
% of completion of gas safety tests
0%
% of completion of Fixed Electrical Testing
0%
% of properties/offices with a valid fire risk assessment (total out of 15)
0%
% asbestos surveys completed
0%
% of properties/offices up to date with 6 monthly fire alarm drills
0%
% of properties with up to date EPC
0%

How would you rate our housing?

Rate-repairs

How would you rate our repairs service?

Tenant Satisfaction

Taking everything into account, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you..

With the service provided by Hafan Cymru?
0%
With your neighbourhood as a place to live?
0%
That your service charge provides value for money?*
0%
That Hafan Cymru listens to your views and acts upon them?
0%
How Hafan Cymru deals with Anti-Social Behaviour?
0%
That Hafan Cymru gives you a say in how services are managed?
0%
With the overall quality of your home?
0%
That your rent provides value for money?
0%
With the way Hafan Cymru deals with repairs and maintenance?
0%
That Hafan Cymru provides a home that is safe and secure?
0%
The opportunities to participate in Hafan Cymru's decision making processes?
0%
I trust Hafan Cymru?
0%

*Some people regarded the service charge to mean their personal contribution to shared paid living

Training Services

Volume of individuals trained
+
individuals

Training delivered 2021/22

Chart by Visualizer
“We worked with Hafan Cymru to deliver a programme of mental health and wellbeing training. The programme included one to one support, group sessions as well as accredited Mental Health First Aid for Adults & Youth. Hafan Cymru’s partnership working has been excellent, their approach and response to our urgent and bespoke training needs was prompt, flexible & creative. Feedback from staff has been excellent and high praise has been received on the quality of the one-to-one mental health and wellbeing support provided. 98% of learners stated increased knowledge.”
The L&D Team Ceredigion County Council
“I thought the training (both content and delivery) was excellent. Very informative, well-structured and confidently displaying a wealth of experience. The mixture of delivery synced well together and provided new learning regardless of previous knowledge.”

Employability Statistics

Number of contracts delivered

+

Volume of people supported

%

Customers that achieved their goal

“It was awesome! They helped my confidence in going for a job- I actually go out now. I actually look into the future now - I feel more optimistic.”
‘I wanted to say a massive thank you for referring me to Hafan Cymru. My Employment Support Worker is amazing. She's taught me about breathing techniques and positive thinking and she's just wonderful to work with.”

Spectrum

Total number of students reached

Total number of teachers in session

Total number of sessions

Total number of teachers in training

Men's Sheds Cymru

Men’s Sheds

Active men’s sheds

New sheds

Sheds in development

People Services

Our Strategic Aims

Our priorities for the next 5 years were set through a series of Strategy Days across Wales with our teams. Over 80% of our colleagues participated and it generated more than 800 ideas!  These became the basis of our Strategic Aims for 2022-2027.

Strategic Aims 2022-2027

  1. Sustainable Growth – We want to retain our existing core contracts, win new business, and develop a competitive commercial offer. This has strategic importance: it supports our ambitions to grow and provide a sustainable service across Wales.
  2. Branding – We’ve evolved and our current branding no longer reflects our DNA. We want a fresh new brand that means everyone involved with us, from the people we support to team members, stakeholders and commissioners, understands who we are and what we offer.
  3. Attracting and Retaining People – Our people are our biggest asset, so attracting and retaining the right people – people with the right values and behaviours – is essential to our future success and growth.
  4. Digital Transformation – Digital transformation is a core challenge, as it affects how we operate and compete. Almost every area of our business has the opportunity to become more effective and efficient by making better use of digital technology.  Digital transformation can also help us create a sustainable future.
  5. Safe Housing – Our housing stock is a fundamental resource for our service delivery, and we don’t see that changing in the next 5 years. A key part of our growth plan is our drive to improve our existing stock and increase our capacity.  We’re in a good financial position to consider investment in this area, so this is a good time to prioritise housing stock of strategic importance.

Our Governance

Compliance with the CHC Code of Governance

The Community Housing Cymru (CHC) set the principles and recommended practice for good governance. We see it as a tool for continuous improvement, helping us to achieve the highest standards in governance. The Hafan Cymru Board measures and reflects on our compliance against the seven principles set out in the code on an annual basis. 

The Board agreed that Hafan Cymru’s compliance with the code had been demonstrated, and that it had demonstrated a range of improvements from the 2020/21 position. 

Board Responsibilities

The Association is led by a Board of up to 12 voluntary, non-executive members who each hold one vote. Our Chair and Vice Chair are appointed annually by the Board at the first meeting after the Annual General Meeting. The Company Secretary is the Chief Executive Officer. 

The Board has overall responsibility for control of the Association’s affairs. It is the strategic and policy making body; it sets targets and monitors performance. 

The essential functions of the Board are to: 

  • Define our values and objectives and ensure we stay true to them; 
  • Approve ways to achieve our objectives and make decisions on anything that poses financial or other risks; 
  • Approve our annual accounts, annual budget, five-year business plan and 30-year financial forecast; 
  • Create and oversee a framework that decides what is delegated to who and how internal systems are structured and controlled; 
  • Establish and oversee a framework for identifying and managing risks; 
  • Monitor our performance, considering customer feedback and the performance of similar organisations; 
  • Appoint (and, if necessary, dismiss) the Chief Executive and (based on the recommendation of the E&R Committee) approve their pay and terms of employment; 
  • Ensure that our affairs are conducted lawfully and in accordance with the generally accepted standards of performance and correctness; 
  • Approve our Assets & Liabilities Register; 
  • Approve our Board Assurance Framework; 
  • Establish and oversee a framework of compliance with landlord Health & Safety requirements and the wider health, safety and wellbeing of our people and services. 

The Board delegates some of its responsibilities for execution to the Finance & Audit Committee, Employment and Remuneration Committee, Governance & Risk Committee and to Executive Officers employed by the Association. 

Finance & Audit Committee (F&A)

A minimum of four meetings are held a year. Executive Officers and the Association’s Auditors attend meetings. The role of F&A is to be independent. It considers and makes recommendations to the Board regarding our internal controls. It takes an overview of our finances and considers value for money issues as well as integrity. Its operation follows the Code of Audit Practice issued by Welsh Government. 

Employment and Remuneration Committee (E&R)

Two meetings are held a year and Executive Officers attend the meetings. The role of E&R is to consider matters relating to the workforce in areas of employment, learning and development. 

Governance and Risk Committee (G&R)

Two meetings are held a year and Executive Officers attend the meetings. The role of G&R is to consider all matters relating to the governance of the association. This includes how the CHC Code of Governance is put into practice and monitored. 

Board Member Recruitment

Board members are responsible for recruiting and selecting members, supported by the CEO and officers as needed. Board members are ultimately responsible to our stakeholders, residents, funders, employees, local authority, wider community and future customers, plus the Financial Conduct Authority and Welsh Government. Members must work together constructively to ensure that they act as “guardians” of our mission and values. The Board works to reflect the communities we serve in terms of diversity, including age, gender and minority groups. Members are first and foremost recruited on the strength of their skills, knowledge and experience. These include, but are not limited to: legal, business, communities, financial, governance, technical, housing and public sector, and HR. 

Risk Management

Responsibility for managing risks ultimately rests with the Board of Management, who are committed to having in place a robust and effective risk management framework that safeguards the achievement of our mission, values and priorities. 

The Board approves the Risk Strategy, Policy and Procedures and reviews the complete risk register at least annually. The Board Assurance Framework (BAF) includes a Risk Assurance Register that provides details of the four lines of assurance on all the Association’s highest risks. This is reviewed at least once each year. The BAF also includes an Internal Controls Register, which details the four lines of assurance on achievement of primary activities and deliverables. The Board delegates responsibility of monitoring the effective management of financial risk to the Finance & Audit Committee, and all other risk to Governance and Risk Committee, who in turn entrust the executive team with the responsibility for the day-to-day management of risk. Both committees review the relevant strategic risks at every meeting and approve the accompanying Board Assurance Framework for subsequent reporting the Board. 

Effective risk management is integral to managing the organisation and “the way we do things around here” and not seen as an additional risk. 

The benefits of successful risk management include: 

  • helping Senior Managers to make informed decisions by considering risks. 
  • driving effective operational and financial performance 
  • cutting the potential for fraud and reputational disasters 
  • boosting people management to cut staff turnover, absenteeism and stress 
  • creating resilience in the face of changing environmental conditions 
  • raising assurance levels from audit and external inspections 
  • reassuring stakeholders that risks are being controlled. 

We’ve adopted a risk management strategy that means we can achieve objectives in the best, most efficient way, based on: 

  • a common, structured and focused approach to risk management 
  • embedding risk management in our culture 
  • controlling risk and making use of opportunities to meet our objectives 
  • a clear definition of our Board’s risk appetite. 

Definition of Risk

Risk can be described as an uncertain event or set of events which, should it occur, will have an effect (good or bad) upon the achievement of objectives. Risk in itself is not always a bad thing and there is no activity without some risk. 

Our Risk Appetite

The levels and types of risk we are prepared to accept as we pursue our goals are outlined in our Risk Appetite and Tolerance Statement. Our Board of Management and Executive team review the statement on an annual basis and all are bound by it. 

How We Will Manage Risk

Hafan Cymru’s proportionate approach to risk management encourages a degree of risk taking, allowing the Association to benefit from opportunities. If no risks were taken, we may miss out on opportunities to deliver services in innovative ways. 

We have risk registers at strategic level (Board) and operational level (Senior Management Team) in place. The status of each risk is reflected within the registers to illustrate a combined likelihood and impact position after controls have been put in place and are working effectively and are presented using a red, amber and green score. The Strategic priorities align to the aims/objectives of our Business Plan. 

Risk Management Framework

Managing risk is a continuous process that needs to be embedded into our systems to aid decision-making, accountability and systems improvement. The process is broken down into five steps as illustrated below: 

Assess Risks

Every risk will be assessed in terms of impact and the likelihood of it occurring. The Association uses a Red, Amber Green (RAG) rating for Strategic Risks and a Red, Amber, Yellow, Green (RAYG) rating for Operational Risks to present the “current risk status”. This defines the level of risk being faced by the Association if the identified controls are effectively operated. This is based on the following criteria: 

Strategic Risks

Likelihood

Definition
Guidance – all risks
Highly likely (Red)
More likely to occur than not, perhaps multiple times within a one year period
Possible (Amber)
Fairly likely to occur, perhaps once within a one year period
Unlikely (Green)
Could occur in the longer term but not within the next five years

Impact

For example

Strategic risk area
Minor (green)
Serious (amber)
Major (red)
Financial
Would affect our ability to deliver our annual budgets, and where 66% of Ops Risks are Green, and when no individual risk is a Major Strategic Risk
Would affect our ability to deliver our five year strategy, and where 66% of Ops Risks are Green, and when no individual risk is a Major Strategic Risk
Would result in insolvency, a liquidity crisis, or a serious breach of loan covenant

Operational Risks

This model for assessing Operational Risks provides assurance to the Executive Team when determining the risk level of Strategic Risks. 

Likelihood

Definition
Highly Likely (Red)
More likely to occur than not, perhaps multiple times within a one year period
Likely (Amber)
Fairly likely to occur, perhaps once within a one year period
Possible (Yellow)
Could possibly occur perhaps in the next five years
Unlikely (Green)
Could occur in the longer term but not within the next five years

Impact

Definition
Major
Where the legislative, regulatory or contractual obligations are unable to be fully met.
Serious
Where some of the legislative, regulatory or contractual obligations are not met.
Significant
Where most of the legislative, regulatory or contractual obligations are met.
Minor
Where all the legislative, regulatory or contractual obligations are fully met.

Impact x Likelihood = current operational risk status

Financial Responsibility

Statement on internal control 

The Association wish to comply with Welsh Government Circular RSL 02/10 ‘Internal Controls and Reporting’. The Board acknowledge their ultimate responsibility for ensuring that the Association has in place a system of controls that is appropriate to the various business environments in which it operates. These controls are designed to give reasonable assurance with respect to: 

  • the reliability of financial information used within the Association or for publication; 
  • the maintenance of proper accounting records; 
  • the safeguarding of assets against unauthorised use or disposition. 

It is the Board’s responsibility to establish and maintain systems of internal financial control. Such systems can only provide reasonable and not absolute assurance against material financial misstatement or loss. Key elements include ensuring that: 

  • formal policies and procedures are in place, including the documentation of key systems and rules relating to the delegation of authority, which allow the monitoring of controls and restrict the unauthorised use of the Association’s assets; 
  • experienced and suitably qualified staff take responsibility for important business functions. Annual appraisal procedures have been established to maintain standards of performance; 
  • forecasts and budgets are prepared which allow the Board and management to monitor the key business risks and financial objectives and progress towards financial plans set for the year and in the medium term; regular management accounts are prepared promptly, providing relevant, reliable and up-to-date financial and other information and significant variances from budgets are investigated as appropriate; 
  • all significant new initiatives, major commitments and investment projects are subject to formal authorisation procedures, through the Board; 
  • the Board reviews reports from management, from the internal auditors and from the external auditors to provide reasonable assurance that control procedures are in place and are being followed. This includes regular reviews of the risks facing the Association and the existence of a two tier Board Assurance Framework that monitors both the Association’s highest scoring risks and delivery of its key deliverables; 
  • formal procedures have been established for instituting appropriate action to correct weaknesses identified from the above reports; 
  • monitoring of the control system by internal and external auditors. 

The Board has reviewed the effectiveness of the system of internal financial control in existence in the Association for the financial year ended 31 March 2022 and until 29th September 2022. No weaknesses were found in the internal financial controls, which resulted in material losses, contingencies, or uncertainties, which require disclosure in the financial statements or in the auditors’ report on the financial statements. 

Statement of Board responsibilities 

The Board of Management are required, under housing association legislation, to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Association and of the surplus or deficit of the Association for that period. In preparing those financial statements, they are required to: 

  • select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently; 
  • make reasonable and prudent judgements and estimates; 
  • state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; 
  • prepare financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Association will continue in business. 

They are also responsible for: 

  • keeping proper accounting records, which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Association and enable us to ensure that the financial statements comply with the requirements of Financial Reporting Standard 102 (‘FRS 102’) and Housing SORP 2014, the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014, the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 and The Accounting Requirements for Registered Social Landlords General Determination (Wales) 2015; 
  • safeguarding the company’s assets; 
  • taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud. 

Our Money

Finances

What we own:
Association 2022 (£000)
Association 2021 (£000)
Association 2020 (£000)
Homes and property
5,221
5,077
4,976
Equipment
1,718
1,634
1,641
Money in the bank
1,868
1,809
1,067
Money owed to us
759
703
550
Money we owe
-453
-616
-331
9,113
8,607
7,903
Was paid for by:
Association 2022 (£000)
Association 2021 (£000)
Association 2020 (£000)
Government grants
4,460
4,422
4,217
Mortgage loan
574
624
686
Reserves
4,079
3,561
3,000
9,113
8,607
7,903

Income & Expenditure Summary

Our money came from:
Association 2022 (£000)
Association 2021 (£000)
Association 2020 (£000)
Rents and service charges
1,438
1,397
1,132
Income from support services
2,602
2,428
2,385
Other grant revenue grants
1,705
1,341
1,312
Other income
333
425
597
Amortisation of Grant
71
60
59
6,149
5,651
5,485
Our money went to:
Association 2022 (£000)
Association 2021 (£000)
Association 2020 (£000)
Routine maintenance
134
158
116
Service charge costs
186
153
135
Office costs
478
427
487
Client participation and resources
64
83
21
Employee and HR costs
4,221
3,574
3,729
Marketing
56
32
18
Other
233
301
194
Rents payable for properties we do not own
227
249
237
Major repairs
28
106
5
Interest payable on loans
5
7
13
5,632
5,090
4,955
Association 2022 (£000)
Association 2021 (£000)
Association 2020 (£000)
Movement to/from reserves:
517
561
530
Planned maintenance:
10
How each pound was spent
Association 2022 (£)
Association 2021 (£)
Association 2020 (£)
Planned maintenance
1
Routine maintenance
2
3
2
Service charge costs
3
3
3
Office costs
8
8
10
Client participation and resources
1
2
1
Employee and HR costs
75
70
71
Marketing
1
1
1
Other
4
5
5
Rents payable for properties we do not own
4
5
4
Major repairs
1
2
1
Interest payable on loans
1
1
1
100
100
100

Thank You

Board Members:

John Morgan – Chair 
Amie Chapman – Treasurer and Vice-Chair 
Bill Walden-Jones 
Christian Davies (Co-optee) – joined in December 2021 
Ffion Green 
Gareth Clubb – joined in September 2021 
Jack Mansfield 
James Owens – resigned in April 2021 
Jamie Edwards – joined in September 2021 
Kate Carr 
Shone Hughes 
Stacey Anastasi 
Steve Griffiths (Co-optee) – stepped down in June 2021 
Steve Morgan 
Vicky Allen – joined in September 2021 and resigned in March 2022 

Special Thanks

Shirley Sansom – Honorary President 
Paul Thorburn – Ambassador 
Ruth Dodsworth – Patron 

Foreword
Who We Supported
Covid-19 Lockdown
Our Values
Jane's Story
Key Events
Compliance with the Revised CHC (Community Housing Cymru) Code of Governance
Our Clients Tell Us...
Carol’s Story
Spectrum
Men’s Sheds Cymru
Hafan Cymru Training Services
Employability & Wellbeing Services
WCVA Employability & Wellbeing
Independent Domestic Violence Advisor Project
On leaving Hafan Cymru support
Families First Projects
Swansea One Stop Shop
Our People
Finances
Thanks and Acknowledgement & Sponsors

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