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Irvine Housing Association and Riverside Make Constitutional Partnership OfficialIrvine Housing Association officially became a legal subsidiary of The Riverside Group on 11 October 2011 in a partnership set to bring new homes and improved services to its tenants and communities.
The partnership will see the Association benefit from major savings as a result of better borrowing capacity and sharing of services. With the financial backing of Riverside the Association will be able to start developing new homes again.
The first development is already underway. The Association has already commenced consultation with residents of the Pennyburn estate in Kilwinning, where blocks of unpopular flats will be demolished and replaced with new housing. The partnership consultation process also highlighted the demand for a renewed focus on and evaluation of frontline service delivery. A new Customer Services Team and 24/7 number (0845 112 6600) are now up-and-running. The enhanced service is manned out-of-hours by Riverside staff and as promised local staff continue to provide the Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm service. All other commitments made to communities are being factored into the Association’s current plans.
 Alan West, Chairman of Irvine is looking forward to an exciting future as part of the Group, “Our tenants’ interests are our priority – Riverside puts tenants at the heart of what they do and is focused on the needs of its local communities. Already a customer–focused organisation, we can only improve as part of the Group. The partnership brings clear financial and operational advantages for the Association and we are looking forward to a future as a vibrant, thriving housing provider, making a real difference to tenants’ lives and the communities where they live and work.”
Paul Brant, Riverside’s Chairman added, "We are looking forward to working closely with our new partners, our first in Scotland. The scale of the vote in favour of the Constitutional Partnership was both overwhelming and humbling. Sharing best practice will be of benefit to both of the organisations, as we contribute to transforming lives and revitalising neighbourhoods north of the border."
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