Background and Challenges
When Trueman Change was approached by Tamworth Borough Council in August 2023, they were facing a significant challenge. The Council needed to ensure that approximately 4,300 properties would comply with upcoming housing inspection regulations. This was a challenging task, requiring proactive planning, structured execution, and a deep understanding of regulatory requirements.
Having already built a solid relationship with Tamworth through previous engagements, Trueman Change was well-positioned to provide the expertise required to tackle these challenges head-on. Our role expanded from programme management support to broader consultancy, ensuring that Tamworth BC could not only meet the standards but also demonstrate compliance confidently.
Trueman Change Involvement
Our involvement combined expert consultancy with hands-on project management. We worked closely with the programme leads to establish a robust, actionable plan, while also ensuring the administrative groundwork was seamless.
Key activities included:
- Providing guidance to identify and implement best practices.
- Benchmarking Tamworth’s progress against other high-performing housing organisations to set a clear compliance trajectory.
- Drafting executive papers, board reports, and key policies to support governance and demonstrate adherence to regulatory expectations.
- Spending time onsite to ensure collaboration and engagement with key stakeholders across the organisation.
This approach enabled Tamworth to address the demands of the new regulations confidently, supported by a blend of strategic insight and rigorous execution.
Outcomes and Solutions
At the heart of our work was a structured review of Tamworth’s housing services, identifying gaps against the latest regulatory requirements. This led to a transparent and collaborative remediation process allowing the Council to address challenges effectively.
Key outcomes included:
- A detailed gap analysis that highlighted issues within the existing service, paving the way for rectifications aligned with regulatory standards.
- A plan that led Tamworth BC to self-refer, demonstrating proactivity and transparency that avoided any regulatory judgement.
- Comprehensive support in evidence gathering and documentation, ensuring that submissions to the regulator were clear, accurate, and robust.
This proactive approach not only met the immediate needs of the Council but also set a foundation for continuous improvement going forward.
Added Value
Trueman Change’s support went beyond just meeting compliance. Through a series of service reviews, we identified opportunities to enhance operational efficiency and provided actionable recommendations to improve service delivery.
We also played an important role in revising the resident engagement strategy, drafting an updated version that aligned with the Council’s vision for greater inclusivity and responsiveness.
Throughout the project, we worked closely with Tamworth's leadership team, building a partnership that strengthened accountability and trust, and ensured that the Council felt fully supported every step of the way.
