Can you please tell us who you are and what you do?
Cedric Boston, Director of Housing Management at Lambeth Living. Responsible for providing a housing service to 31,000 Lambeth Council tenants and leaseholders.

Can you give a brief description of what your role involves?
Managing staff, resources and performance to achieve the best result possible in the circumstances

How long have you been doing this role?
Nine months

How do you think Lambeth Living is changing, and do you think your role has had an impact on this?
We are improving performance in managing resources and most of the key business targets are being met. The organisation is continuing to improve and will focus more on the customer facing services in 2010/11.

What were you doing prior to joining Lambeth Living?
Working for Wandle Housing Association as Assistant Director of Housing Management and Leasehold Services

Who or what inspires you and why?
Achieving against the odds

What is the most challenging part of your job?
Remaining committed and motivated despite the palpable hostility of residents representatives to the ALMO

Do you think enough is being done with the turn-around of ‘voids’ in the borough?
At the present time yes.  The only impediment at the moment is the lack of revenue as it costs money to repair a void property and the long it has been vacant the more it costs. The Council does not have the money it needs to repair its void properties hence many will remain empty for this reason.

Lambeth Living’s Tenancy Services Team operate from various Housing Offices, are there any plans for housing offices to be relocated?
The Council has imposed 20% cuts on Lambeth Living since inception and a further 10% cut is planned for 2010/11. In this situation it is impossible to give any promises about housing offices

Do you ever manage to visit estates, meet residents, and hear their concerns?
Yes. Often. Especially when invited

As a residents association, the main problem we hear of with Tenancy Services is communication – In what ways do you think communication could be improved?
The Customer Service Center is run by the Council. We should get another provider if the service does not improve

What role do you think residents have in shaping Lambeth as a Borough?
Residents can have a major role in helping us to plan the service for the future and monitoring performance and delivery of services in the current. However this is only possible if there is a constructive relationship between resident representatives and Lambeth Living

What was your first job?
Storeman in a Jewish supermarket when I was 15.

What does community mean to you?
Working together for the advantage of all

What role do Leaseholder Services play?
Leaseholders are 33% of our customers so their role is crucial
What would you most like to achieve from your role within 10 years? Top quartile performing housing service, 90% customer satisfaction, 95% decent homes, national recognition for the quality of the service we provide.

What are the key areas of your role, as Director of Housing Management?
Managing staff and resources. Raising motivation and skills.  Achieving efficiencies and continuous improvement.

What aspect of your role do you most enjoy, and why?
Achieving performance targets because it shows we are moving in the right direction
Describe yourself in three words. Pragmatic and driven

How and when should residents contact you?
During normal working hours, preferably by email feedback@lambethliving.org.uk, made for the attention of Cedric Boston.