Weeknotes: Oranges and Lemons

Social Purpose

I spent a few days walking in Mallorca this week, hopping on last minute flights and visiting the town of Sóller in the eastern Region. Lots of oranges and lemons. And some lovely walks in the spring sunshine.

Those familiar with the area might recall the charming tram connecting the town to its port. Wrapping up my trip, I caught the century-old train to Palma. Trundling long at a leisurely pace of 20–30 mph, this train meanders up mountainsides and through a two-mile tunnel burrowing through the Sierra de Alfàbia, reconnecting with the Mallorcan plains.

I did a little bit of history googling. Jerónimo Estades, provincial deputy and businessman, commissioned the railroad and construction was entrusted to building contractor Luis Bovio, who bought a small locomotive (from Loughborough, UK). The works began on June 3, 1907, starting simultaneously in Palma and Sóller. The main challenge of the line was the two-mile tunnel. The first train arrived in Sóller on September 30th 1911. A fantastic achievement.

Data Driven

So, if all of that could have happened over one hundred years ago you would have thought that creating a database might be, in comparison, a simple modern day task. Not for the laggards of social housing.

Whilst I was away, I joined a “show and tell” webinar organised by TPXImpact working with DHLUC on a vision that “housing providers have a consistent and comprehensive picture of their tenants and homes to inform service delivery”.

During the discover phase the consultants has found that challenges in accessing, combining and using data are making it harder for social housing providers to deliver high quality services. Staff grapple with complex tasks without all the information they need to do their jobs. Systemic issues block providers from making change.

The discussion was dominated by scepticism from a small number of participants whose view was that our sector is too overwhelmed to tackle these challenges effectively.

I wonder what our railroad builders of 100 years ago would have made of it?

Business Need

Critics argue that adopting data standards would necessitate a complete data reassessment and system compatibility checks – requiring new system procurements and extensive training. Er, yes possibly.

They say it would be a “massive massive ask” and very expensive at a time when the sector is struggling to afford everything needs to do.

Conversely, I believe that the current focus on Consumer Regulation presents a unique opportunity to enhance our data capabilities and collaboratively address the issues we face.

There have been several reports in the last two years about data. There is a broad consensus on this issue; from the Better Social Housing Review to the Housing Ombudsman and professionals in data, digital, and technology, the call for improvement is clear and loud.

There are different solutions. And they don’t just involve IT systems. We will need the things that go with it: collaboration; better skills; more transparency; simpler processes and standards. A better social housing sector!

But you would start small, perhaps with some core property data and even if took the same length of time to build a railway tunnel, it would be worth it.Digital Insights

Digital Insights

For the last six months I have been campaigning for a National Database of Social Homes ably supported by a small steering commitee. Our initiative is now entering a phase focused on capacity building and strategic development to match our vision. We aim to offer tools for tenant property snapshots, provider comparisons, and research to address the sector’s data pain points. Watch out for a dedicated website and mailing list which are on the horizon.

Please embrace and engage in this opportunity to create a the equivalent of a table top model railway. Or are we comparing oranges and lemons?