Presentation to the Committee
Minutes:
Committee members received a presentation on the future of Homes in Havering (HiH) from Paul Ryrie, Interim Consultant for Housing and Public Protection.
Members were advised that Cabinet had taken the decision to consult with tenants and leaseholders on the future of HiH.
HiH was an Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) set up to manage council homes in 2006. ALMOs were an alternative to transferring homes to housing associations and a way to secure extra funding to improve homes to meet the Decent Homes standard.
During the past five years HiH had achieved many successes including:
• A “two star” inspection result in 2009
• Assisted the Council to secure £62.7million Decent Homes funding
• A thriving resident movement with tenants involved in decisions about housing services
• Improved standards of housing service
Members noted that the Council was now consulting with tenants and leaseholders for two main reasons: firstly the new Government had changed the rules on council housing finance. Money for Decent Homes works could now be provided to councils both with ALMOs and to those without and it was also five years since the Council last asked tenants how they wanted their housing service to be provided.
The Government had set down rules about consultation and tenants had to be consulted on all important matters concerning the management of their housing. Consultation on the future of an ALMO should be thorough, as it was when the Council consulted on setting it up in the first place and tenants’ views had to be sought in a variety of ways.
Cabinet had decided in September 2011 to consult residents about whether to continue with HiH or to bring the housing service back into the Council’s management. The consultation would be led by the Council, not HiH.
The plan was to provide information to residents about what the options would mean by December this year. Between December and February 2012 the Council planned to find out what residents thought by holding events and inviting them to fill in a questionnaire, the findings from which would be reported back to Cabinet for final decision.
The Council would use the HiH newsletter “At the Heart” to provide residents with information and intended to use meetings and events which were already planned as much as possible to consult with residents. There would also be independent advice available.
If the residents chose to bring the service back in house many things would not change: rents, landlords responsibilities, Decent Homes improvements, tenancies and rights including the Right to Buy.
The Council had to follow the Government’s rules about consulting and was not allowed to make a decision until it knew the residents’ views so the people who would be deciding on the future of HiH were the residents themselves.
Members noted that following the decision one of two things would happen The Council would either renew the management agreement with HiH, or the Council would begin the process of bringing housing management back into its structures. This would be a long term project, and the Council would consult again about what sort of housing service the residents wished to have.
In reply to a question from members Councillor Lesley Kelly, Lead Cabinet Member for Housing, replied that there was a savings implication if the service was brought back in house but that ultimately it was the resident’s decision on which option was chosen.
Members thanked officers for their presentation and AGREED to note its contents.