2011 was a good year because...

• We delivered another year of our Decent Homes programme on time and in budget. Having got one of the highest allocations of money from the Government, we are now tackling some of the city's biggest housing problems - including Wednesfield tower blocks. And it has an added benefit: our work has trained more than l20 apprentices with National Skills Academy for Construction saying that we have achieved more employment and training outcomes than the Olympics. Have a look at some pictures of our wonderful apprentices on facebook.
• We decided to make our staff as much of a priority as our tenants. Major new projects were delegated to managers to lead cross service groups to tackle emerging issues with a joined up approach. We applied to be a Sunday Times Top 100 company and gave decision-making on reward and recognition to our staff. I walked the job with some 200 staff because "from behind a desk is a dangerous place to view the world" (John le Carre). I learnt loads.
• We heard about new government policy to reduce benefits and to encourage people into smaller accommodation. We started informing tenants many of whom reacted with fear and apprehension, and not a little anger. We were pleased when the Council said it would not be using flexible tenancies which could lead to reassessments every few years. We agree better use needs to be made of the housing stock so we started a system of assisted exchanges - helping the overcrowded swap with the under occupying, with amazingly good results.   
• We represented all ALMOs with senior politicians and housing experts when our chair Sue Roberts was elected the chair of the National Federation of ALMOs, feeling proud to showcase the ALMO movement from around the country. We also basked in Sue's glory when she collected her MBE for services to social housing from the Queen in the summer.
• We took an appropriate and proportionate approach to Wolverhampton tenants involved in this summer's disturbances which primarily resulted in tough warnings.
• We became more confident in the detailed information we hold about the housing stock...so we can help the Council and tenants make decisions about how to use the self financed housing revenue account. We also improved our data on health and safety particularly asbestos and confirmed through audits that our fire safety and other regimes are as good as they can be. 
• We celebrated our journey towards greater value for money. When the ALMO was born, most services cost more than average and were poorer than average quality. After five years of hard work, independently verified data now shows almost every services is lower cost than average and were better quality than average. Don't it make you feel good!
• At last, we are able to use some of the £2m a year value for money savings on the frontline services that people want - new fences, bringing empty homes back into use, minor works that tenants chose for themselves and garage improvements. That's been the most satisfying thing of all!

What have been your highlights of 2011?