Raising the Standard News Archive

We have successfully completed our £120million 'Raising the Standard' programme of works to modernise and improve Council properties across the borough. The dedicated website has now closed but you can still find out all about the programme of works in this news archive.

For news on other aspects of our business and services visit the RBH news section of the website.

RBH appoints new Chief Executive
Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH) today announced that it has appointed Gareth Swarbrick as its new Chief Executive following a full external recruitment exercise. Gareth has for the last 18 months been the organisation’s Acting Managing Director f...

Future of the Area Boards
A meeting will be held on Monday 11th September at the Broadfield Hotel, Rochdale from 9.30am-3.30pm. A complimentary taxi service is available from Town Taxis from the Bus Station if you quote Rochdale Boroughwide Housing and give your address detai...

We highlight just a few of our achievements since the programme began in April 2003:
- 5,264 new kitchens - 3,476 new bathrooms - 7,000 electrical rewires - 250 'level access' showers - 5,500 new and upgraded central heating systems - 6,000 re-roofings - New doors to 2,500 properties - new window systems to 1,000 properties - Repo...

Keeping you safe
Had an accident? For the Raising the Standard MIP Team, the answer is an emphatic “No”. Since September this year, we are pleased to be able to say that not one accident has been reported. This is due to the professionalism of all site and office ...

RBH boosts local economy through labour and training initiative
We employ 342 Rochdale residents and have 100 local young people in apprenticeships and training! Local people now provide more than 40% of the Raising the Standard workforce. This underlines the £28 million success of our ‘Local Labour’ and...

New Kitchen is just what I needed!
Holt Estate tenant Mrs Mandy Bacon says that, in spite of recent newspaper reports, she is “very happy” with the quality of refurb work carried out at her home. Whilst some local newspapers have carried reports of angry tenants and furious Councill...

75% better than my old gas fire!
Chris Donahue from Hollin gives RBH’s new electric fire the thumbs up! Mr Chris Donohue from Hollin gave his attractive new RBH electric fire a big thumbs up’ recently, providing some real and positive feedback to counter the occasional rumours whi...

Celebrating our 2,500th kitchen
We mark another huge milestone in our 'Raising the Standard' initiative this month with the formal celebration for the completion of our 2,500th kitchen! Mr Goode from Kirkholt was identified as having received our 2,500th kitchen and so it was wit...

We are listening! (and acting on your feedback!)
At our end-of-year ‘Report to Tenants’ meeting we confirmed our continued, wholehearted commitment to full and comprehensive tenant consultation as we press ahead to achieve the Government’s ‘Decent Homes’ standard – up to four years ahead of the of...

Safety Awareness
Safety awareness for children on estates Where we are working on estates we are trying to protect children and young people from accident. We are carrying out safety presentations in local primary schools near estates where works have started or ar...