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We are transforming the way we work within communities by embracing place-based working.

Moving away from a one-size-fits-all service model, we’re building on our strong 85% customer satisfaction score. This new approach focuses on the unique strengths, challenges, and opportunities of each community.

By listening and understanding, we’re working alongside customers and local organisations to develop solutions that meet specific needs.

Paul Taylor, Innovation Coach, explains: “It’s about starting with the place, not our resources. By focusing on the ecosystem of a community—its people, spaces, and networks—we’re creating solutions rooted in local knowledge. This ensures that initiatives reflect the lived experiences of the people they serve.

“Collaboration is key to this approach. By partnering with customers, local authorities, and other organisations, we can combine resources and ideas to deliver better outcomes for our customers.”

Our neighbourhood coaching model has already shown the power of local connections. Place-based working takes this further by aligning how we operate with the needs of our communities.

“I’m very hopeful that things will really develop and get much better than they have been. I think this is the way forward. I think it’s a big improvement, and the future is looking so much brighter because of place based working.”

Skye Oakes-Nash

Staple Hill resident

Place-based working - The Staple Hill Pilot

The first pilot has launched in Staple Hill, South Gloucestershire, with others in Lichfield, Staffordshire, and Moreton-in-Marsh in the Cotswolds to follow.

We’re using what we’ve learned from neighbourhood coaching and ideas from other sectors like health and local government to work more closely together. By simplifying how we operate, we can better support the communities we serve.

John Wade, our Strategy Director, shares: “Place-based working will bring big changes to how we work. For customers, it means quicker, a more personalised relationship and less frustration from being passed between teams. For colleagues, it means different roles coming together as a single team to serve a place and knowing they have the freedom to make local decisions, informed by what their customers are saying is important to them. For our assets, it ensures smarter investments in homes and shared spaces, tailored to each community’s unique needs.”

This approach reflects our core purpose, enabling customers to thrive. By truly understanding and supporting the communities we serve, we’re creating meaningful, lasting change - not just for individual households, but for entire communities.