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ANNEX 1
THE INITIAL DELIVERY PLAN
[Drawn up in the format in Annex 2]
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ANNEX 2
THE DELIVERY PLAN FORMAT
Content to be included in the Delivery Plan
1 INTRODUCTION
Housing Stock
Group Structure
Non – Housing HRA Property
2 BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
Introduction
Mission Statement
Service Delivery Plan and the 30 year HRA Business Plan
Objectives of Homes for Islington
3 PROGRESS ON PREVIOUS CONTRACT YEAR OBJECTIVES
Service Wide Progress
Future Best Value reviews
Operations Division
Property Services Division
Resources Division
4 KEY OBJECTIVES FOR CURRENT CONTRACT YEAR
The key objectives must include attainment of the decent homes standard and
improved services to tenants. There may be supplementary objectives linked to the
Council’s Community and Housing Strategies
5 PROJECTS FOR CURRENT CONTRACT YEAR
6 PERFORMANCE TARGETS AND BEST VALUE
Best Value and ACPI Performance Indicators
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Housing
Corporate
Local Performance Indicators
Best Value Reviews
Homes for Islington functions
Other Council Services
Cross Cutting reviews Impacting on Homes for Islington
7 DIVISIONAL TARGETS AND ACTIVITIES FOR CURRENT CONTRACT YEAR
Board of Directors
Chief Executive
Director of Operations
Director of Property Services
Director of Resources
8 RESOURCES
Staffing Structure
IT and Other Required Assets
Accommodation and Service Delivery Points
Contracted Services
Telephony / Electronic Services
9 GOVERNANCE AND MONITORING
Governance
Monitoring arrangements
10 FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
Finance Delivery Plan
Financial Management
Budgets and Capital Expenditure
Treasury Management
Capital Investment Cashflow Forecast
Payment mechanism
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Receipts
Annual Accounts
Surpluses at Year End
Payment for Services provided by or to the Council
Delegated Authority / Authorised Signatories
Financial Regulations
Service Standards
Council Costs charged to the HRA and Capital Programme
11 CAPITAL PROGRAMME AND PROCUREMENT
Stock condition
Decent homes Assessment
Homes for Islington Standard
Delivery of the Decent Homes and Homes for Islington Standards
Capital Resources Available
Resource Allocation by Decent Homes Work Category
12 QUALITY STANDARDS
Quality Assurance Scheme
Customer Involvement
Protocols
Equalities Action Plan
Investors in People
13 STRATEGIC RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN
14 COMPLAINTS
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ANNEX 3
DELEGATION AGREEMENT
FUNCTION
ACTIVITIES SET OUT IN SECTION 3 OF ODPM GUIDANCE ON ARMS LENGTH MANAGEMENT OF LOCAL AUTHORITY HOUSING
X = RETENTION BY
COUNCIL
= DELEGATION TO ORGANISATION
ACTIVITIES NOT SET OUT IN SECTION 3 OF ODPM GUIDANCE ON ARMS LENGTH MANAGEMENT OF LOCAL AUTHORITY HOUSING
X = RETENTION BY
COUNCIL
= DELEGATION TO ORGANISATION
SECTION 27 CONSENT REQUIRED
1. Housing Strategy
A.1 Strategic work in partnership with RSLs and others
X
A.2 Tenant involvement in strategy X
A.3 Market analysis X
A.4 Enabling and resource planning X
A.5 Contribution to corporate planning X
1.6 Housing best value review programme X
1.7 Rent policy X
2. Housing Stock
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2.1 Stock condition surveys
2.2 Asset management
2.3 Stock investment decisions
3. Housing Needs
3.1 Assessments X
3.2 Surveys X
4. Home Energy Conservation Act
X
5. Allocations / Lettings
5.1 Policy X
5.2 Allocations
5.3 Choice based lettings scheme X
5.4 Housing list management X
6. Homelessness
6.1 Homelessness strategy X
6.2 Homelessness casework X
6.3 Homelessness advice X
7. Housing Advice
7.1 General advice X
7.2 Advice in respect of individual
leaseholder issues
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8. Private sector and non
Council housing
8.1 Renewal/ redevelopment
Grants
8.2 Renovation grants
8.3 Disabled facilities grants
8.4 Area renewal activity and clearance
8.5 Work in relation to HMOs
8.6 House condition surveys
8.7 Home improvement Agencies
8.8 Fitness enforcement activity
and other enforcement activity
in respect of unsatisfactory
housing conditions
8.9 Empty property
8.10 Energy efficiency
X
9. Co-ordination with corporate policy in relation to:
Care Services
X
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Community safety
Neighbourhood renewal
Regeneration
Housing and health
Sustainable development
Social exclusion
Equalities
Anti-social behaviour
10. New tenancies
10.1 Making best use of housing stock
10.2 Selection of tenants for vacant properties
X
10.3 Administation of new lettings
10.4 Housing list management X
10.5 Granting of new tenancies
10.6 Successions
10.7 Mutual Exchange administration
11. Repairs and Maintenance
11.1 Reactive repairs
11.2 Planned maintenance
11.3 Decent Homes
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Standard and other
Improvements
11.4 Redevelopment and
Renewal
11.5 Right to repair scheme administration
11.6 Common parts / areas and communal services under HRA
11.7 Lighting of lifts, staircases, unadopted estate roads etc
11.8 Disinfestation of HRA properties
11.9 Energy efficiency
12 Void and Empty
Property Management
12.1 Inspection and, as necessary repairs and cleaning
12.2 Major repairs
12.3 Security against squatting and vandalism
12.4 Administration of short life lettings
13 Tenancy Management
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13.1 Enforcement of Conditions of Tenancy
13.2 Evictions and court action to support enforcement
13.3 Alterations to Conditions of Tenancy
X
13.4 Illegal occupation
13.5 Responsibility for Anti Social Behaviour Orders
X
13.6 Requests for Anti Social Behaviour Orders
13.7 Managing under- occupation
13.8 Tenants’ enquiries and complaints
13.9 Decanting
13.10 Issuing notices to quit and notices seeking possession
14 Estate Management
14.1 Caretaking
14.2 Environmental services
14.3 Grass cutting/ground maintenance
15. Supported Housing Management
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15.1 Sheltered housing schemes
15.2 Call centres
15.3 Supported housing schemes
15.4 Refuges
15.5 Homeless accommodation
15.6 Temporary accommodation
15.7 Reception Centre
16. Right to Buy
16.1 Administration
16.2 Calculation of discount
16.3 Valuations X
16.4Determination of eligibility X
16.5Service of statutory approvals and notices
X
16.6 Provision of rtb information to Council
17.Leasehold Management
17.1 Enforcement of leasehold conditions
17.2 Estate management
17.3 Management of assignments and sublettings
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18.Finance
18.1 Rent setting X
18.2 Rent collection
18.3 Recovery of arrears
18.4 Recovery of service and other charges
18.5 Debt counselling
18.6 Financial returns
18.7 Financial management
18.8 HRA business plan (in consultation with the Council)
18.9 Bidding for capital resources (taking account of the Organisation’s plans for improving and repairing the stock)
X
18.10 Housing benefit / rent rebate administration
X
18.11 Receipt and initial administration of housing benefit application forms
18.12 Insurance of HRA buildings X
18.12 Other insurances and claims
X
19. Procurement
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19.1 Policy X
19.2 Letting of contracts in relation to delegated activities
20 Tenant Involvement
20.1 Tenant Compact
20.2 Promoting Tenant participation
20.3 Information to Tenants
20.4 Reports to Tenants
20.5 Involving Tenants in monitoring and reviewing service standards
20.6 Liaison with tenants’ and leaseholders’ groups
20.7 Consultation with tenants
21 Other Assets (including lettings management and clearance)
21.1 Garages
21.2 HRA retail, commercial and industrial premises
21.3 Estate Offices
21.4 Community Centres
21.5 Meeting Rooms
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21.6 Miscellaneous HRA properties
22 Clearance and Disposal of Dwellings
22.1 Sale of dwellings X
22.2 Clearance
22.3 Consultation X
22.4 Decanting tenants
23 Supporting People
23.1 Strategy X
23.2 Provision of services
24 Housing Providers
24.1 Client management of TMOs, Housing PFI and housing management contractors
24.2 Client management of housing repairs and cyclical maintenance contractors and other contractors undertaking housing management related works, services and supply contracts
25. The Organisation
25.1 Determining service standards to be met by the Organisation
X
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25.2 Production of performance information and reports
25.3 Monitoring the Organisation’s performance
X
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ANNEX 4
TENANT COMPACT
CONTENTS Letter introducing the Compact A. Pre-amble B. Scope of Compact C. Glossary of terms D. Islington Tenant Participation Compact 2001 1. Resources for Tenant Participation 2. Consultation on Policy Issues 3. Tenant involvement in Communications Policy 4. Tenant participation Strategy Training for Tenants, Staff and Councillors 5. Local Compacts 6. Local Budgets 7. Widening Involvement 8. Performance Indicators 9. Review of meeting places 10. Consultation on Stock Transfer and Private Finance Initiative 11. Representation at Housing Committee 12. Leaseholder Consultation and Involvement E. Review of the Compact F. The Future Appendix A: List of Community Centres and Tenants and Residents’ Association Flats available for meetings.
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Housing Services Andy Jennings, Director of Housing
27th March 2002
27th March 2002
Dear Tenant/lLeaseholder
THE TENANT PARTICIPATION COMPACT FOR ISLINGTON –2002/03
This letter introduces the papers showing the arrangements for the Tenant Participation Compact between Islington Council and Tenants and Leaseholders. The Compact was launched at a meeting at Islington Council’s Town Hall, on 27 March, 2002.
What is a Tenant Participation Compact?
The Compact is an agreement between the council (as housing landlord) and tenants, which includes council leaseholders. The compact sets out how the council consults with and involves tenants and leaseholders to ensure participation in local decision-making affecting homes and communities.
In November 1999, Islington Council set up a Tenant Participation Compact
Negotiating Committee made up of council officers, tenant representatives, the
Federation of Islington Tenants Associations, and councillors. The aims of the
Compact were agreed in March 2000.
The aims agreed were:
Boroughwide compact to be the framework for local Compacts
Housing Consultative Panel to monitor Boroughwide Compact
Housing Consultative Panel to use up to 10 Performance indicators to monitor
local housing management
Tenants and Leaseholders of
Islington Council
5 Highbury Crescent, London, N5
1RN
T 020 7527 4142
F 020 7527 4230
Minicom 020 7527 4442
This matter is being dealt with by:
[redacted]
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Information and training to Tenants and Residents’ associations to be reviewed
Review of meeting places for Tenants and Residents’ associations
Review of scope and level of involvement from under-represented groups
Widened opportunities to under-represented groups to join
Tenants and Residents’ associations and Area Housing panels
Local compacts to be negotiated by Area Housing panels for local adoption
Housing panels to recommend spending of around £2.5 millions in Capital
programme, security and caretaking and cleaning for 2002/03.
Resident communication policy to be reviewed
Consultation guide on Stock Transfer, Private Finance Initiative and leaseholder
consultation
Council will continue to support Federation of Islington Tenant Associations
All of this takes place against a background of well-developed tenant and
leaseholder involvement and participation, based on the structure of tenants and
Residents’ Associations feeding views into Area Housing Panels, whose views and
recommendations are fed into Housing Consultative panel, and then to Housing
Committee.
The document contains information explaining the Council’s commitment to tenants
and leaseholders as agreed. We hope that you will find the Compact useful and
informative. Keep it as a reference for future use.
Signatories:
[redacted], Chair, Federation of Islington Tenants Associations (FITA), and Chair
of Compact Negotiating Committee
Councillor Steve Hitchins [redacted]
Leader Director of Housing
Islington Council Islington Council
Date of signatures:
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A. PRE-AMBLE TO ISLINGTON’S TENANT PARTICIPATION COMPACT In the past the Council - as a housing owner and as a provider of housing and
associated services - has consulted with Residents on policy and management
issues affecting their homes and communities through the input from Resident’s
Associations, Tenant Management Organisations and the Leaseholders Forum; then
through the Area Housing Panels to the Housing Consultative Panel.
There has also been more specific consultation where Council has a statutory duty
to consult those affected by certain proposals. For example, where a ‘stock transfer’
– the transfer of Council owned dwellings to the private sector – is concerned the
Council has an obligation to consult with tenants as to any effect on such issues as
tenant’s security of tenure, right to buy and future rent levels. Conversely, where
major works are concerned, Council has an obligation to consult leaseholders in
recognition of leaseholders liability to meet their proportion of the resultant costs.
The emphasis, both in the general sense, and in relation to the specifics of the sort
mentioned, has been on ‘consultation’ - an expression that does not appear to have
been given any statutory or judicial interpretation, but is generally accepted to mean
something more than ‘advise’ but something less than ‘obtain consent’.
It is this ambiguity that is centrally addressed under the new ‘National Framework’ for
‘Compacts’. They are termed ‘Tenants Participation Compacts’, as opposed to
‘Tenants Consultation Compacts’. The emphasis is upon Residents ‘participating in
decision making’, so that (in the words of the ‘National Framework’):
‘Compacts are a tool to:
help ensure councils become more efficient, transparent and accountable, so
that people know who exactly will be responsible for decisions and who will be
actively involved in helping councils to reach those decisions;
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implement best value by enabling tenants to make an informed view on their
housing services, be involved in planning them, improving them, monitoring
and reporting on performance, and identifying and taking remedial action;
help tenants to identify issues of concern and ways of improving their quality
of life as part of a wider strategy to tackle poor neighbourhoods.
The principle underlying ‘Best Value’ is ‘the continuous improvement in local
authorities’ services’. Performance under both ‘Compact’ and ‘Best Value’ are to be
independently monitored and assessed by the Housing Inspectorate which has been
established under the Audit Commission. A key factor in that monitoring and
assessment process will be an evaluation of Resident satisfaction to be measured by
independent survey.
An essential element of that Housing Inspectorate evaluation of Resident
satisfaction’ will be the need to demonstrate that views expressed by Residents
representatives during the ‘participation’ process are truly representative of the
Residents and, where applicable, the wider communities, they are required to
represent.
The Housing Inspectorate assessments will impact in two highly significant ways.
First, the more favourable the assessment the higher the level of funding available
from central government. Second, the less favourable the assessment the greater
the remedial powers available to the Inspectorate – ranging from imposition of
specific directions to the Council, to removal of specific areas of responsibility from
the Council’s control. Satisfactory, and improving, assessments will thus be of
central importance not just to Council, but to Residents as electors, and to
Stakeholders as tax payers.
It is in recognition of the requirement for increased and meaningful participation by
Residents in housing and associated policy and management decisions, coupled
with the resultant increased requirement for Residents representatives to reflect
accurately the views of those they represent, that this Compact has been formulated.
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B. SCOPE OF THE COMPACT
Consultation and involvement is already well established
Islington Council already has a well-established structure through which it consults and involves tenants, leaseholders and freeholders in housing decision making and management.
Tenants and leaseholders are consulted on housing policy and management
issues through the structure of Area Housing Panels (AHPs), the principal
members of which are Tenants and Residents’ Associations, and through their
membership and voting rights on the Housing Consultative Panel (HCP). All
committee reports are fed through this system, and views of the Panels are taken
on board by Housing Committee through consideration of panel minutes before
decisions are taken.
Leaseholders are consulted on policy issues through the Islington Leaseholder
Forum (ILF), which has membership and voting rights on the HCP, through which
views and recommendations made by the ILF are made known.
Tenants and leaseholders are encouraged to manage their homes by forming
Tenant Management Organisations, which receive set-up advice from
independent consultants. There are (at February 2002) 12 Tenant Management
Organisations and 23 Tenant Management Co-ops which manage 3650 tenanted
and leasehold properties. They are run by resident committees, and receive
allowances from the Council to help them run their services, as well as advice
and assistance.
Tenants and leaseholders of Tenant Management Organisations established
under the Right to Manage regulations and the other Tenant Management Co-
ops , including the Homestead Co-ops, are consulted through the Tenant
Management Organisations/Tenant Management Co-ops Review Group, which
meets prior to each HCP and considers Committee reports including those of
specific relevance to their membership.
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Islington Council recognises a body called the Association of Islington Tenant
Managed Organisations (AITMO) which represents the views of Tenant
Management Co-ops to the Council, and is involved in consultation on Co-op
policy and practice. Payment for this body is through management and
maintenance allowances granted to these organisations.
The way in which Islington Council involves and consults with tenants and
leaseholders is regularly reviewed, and the Tenant Participation Compact sets out
some of the ways in which this is done.
Agreement on Involvement
Between November 1999 and December 2001, tenants and leaseholders drawn
initially from Neighbourhood Housing panels and other representative groups, and
then from Area Housing Panels, met with Councillors and Council officers to
negotiate the detail of the Compact. The agreements reached are set out in Section
C.
The Government has asked councils to consult with tenants and leaseholders as to
the extent to which they wish to be involved in housing policy and management. The
table below shows the Housing Core Standard One – the Housing Services Core
Standard - from the Government’s Compact guidance, which identifies a range of
housing activities performed by the Council. Against each of these, a tick indicates
the level of involvement specified by tenants and leaseholders. The levels of
involvement are classified as “advice”, “consultation” and “participation”, as defined
below. For the purpose of this report, “involvement” is related to the Committee
process which leads to housing policy changes. Involvement can be at “central”
(Council-wide) and “local” (Area) levels, and is indicated as such.
Under proposed revisions to the Council’s decision-making structure, it is proposed
that there should be a Council member who will represent the views of the Housing
Consultative Panel to the decision making body “the executive body” of the Council.
The proposed new structure of the Council is dealt with later in this document.
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DEFINITIONS:
Advice: Reports to the Housing Consultative Panel (HCP) are marked
“advice” where what is required is feedback to the next HCP on housing business to
be discussed and resolved at the Housing Committee or its successor.
Consultation: Reports to the Housing Consultative Panel are marked
“Consultation” where the HCP’s comments and views are required prior to the
consideration of business, and where feedback is required from the representative
Member on the degree to which consultation has influenced the decision.
Participation: Residents’ representatives shall be nominated by election by the
residents’ representatives on the HCP to panels and sub-panels established to
consider policy or executive action in respect of all issues nominated for
“participation”. Reports to such bodies will be received by the HCP for consideration.
The programme of participation will be outlined to the executive body by the
representative member, and regular reports to the HCP from that Member will
indicate the degree and effect of participation.
It should be stressed that more work is needed to determine exactly how
involvement will be improved, and that it is intended to review the Compact each
year to decide how this should be done. The issues which highlighted in what follows
are the areas discussed and agreed in 2001/2. Next year, there will be an update,
covering other areas, and progress made on “local compacts”.
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HOUSING SERVICES CORE STANDARDS
LEVEL OF INVOLVEMENT
Element Advice Consultation Participation
Policy and
Strategy
development,
including
appraising
investment
options,
monitoring and
review
√ √
Drawing up the
Council’s capital
and renovation
programmes
√
Developing and
implementing
regeneration
programmes
√ Local
Budgets, finance
and rent setting
Including service
charge element
√ Locally
Allocation and
lettings policies
√
Anti social
behaviour
policies
√
Management of
housing services
√ √
Tenant
management Co-
ops
Tenant
Management
Organisations
Estate
Management
Boards
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Element Advice Consultation Participation
Housing benefit
advice, and debt
recovery
procedure
√ √
Tenant
management Co-
ops
Tenant
Management
Organisations
Estate
Management
Boards
Leaseholder
issues and
charges including
major works
√ √
Islington
Leaseholder
Forum
Sheltered
Housing Services
√
Council Services
and Performance
Strategies
√ √
Tenant
management Co-
ops
Tenant
Management
Organisations
Estate
Management
Boards
Monitoring and
reviewing council
services,
addressing
shortcomings and
remedial action
√
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Element Advice Consultation Participation
Setting,
monitoring and
reviewing
services,
performance
standards and
targets for
housing
management and
neighbourhood
services
including
Caretaking and
Cleaning
√ √
Tenant
management Co-
ops
Tenant
Management
Organisations
Estate
Management
Boards
Proposed
remedial action if
performance on
services falls
short
√ √
Tenant
management Co-
ops
Tenant
Management
Organisations
Estate
Management
Boards
Neighbourhood
issues affecting
tenants’ homes/
management of
housing service
Including major
works
√ √
Tenant
management Co-
ops
Tenant
Management
Organisations
Estate
Management
Boards
Customer care √ √Tenant
management Co-
ops
Tenant
Management
Organisations
Estate
Management
Boards
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Element Advice Consultation Participation
Arrangements for
providing
information
√ √Tenants and
residents’
newsletter.
Annual Report to
Tenants, via
Federation of
Islington Tenants’
associations
(FITA).
Arrangements for
tenant
consultation and
involvement
√ √Compact
Negotiating
Committee
Complaint
handling and
remedial action
√ √Tenant
management Co-
ops
Tenant
Management
Organisations
Estate
Management
Boards
Private finance
Initiative
√
√consultation
group
√contract steering
group
Stock transfer √ steering group √ ballot of tenants
contract steering
group
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C. GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Most of the terms used have been explained in the text – but here are some terms
which may need clarification in the way they are used here.
In this Compact the following expressions shall have the following meanings:
‘Council’ shall mean the elected Council of the London Borough of Islington
‘Tenant’ shall mean a person recognised as a secure tenant of a dwelling owned by
the Council.
‘Leaseholder’ shall mean a person recognised as owning a leasehold interest in a
dwelling the freehold of which is owned or controlled by the Council.
‘Freeholder’ shall mean a person recognised as owning the freehold of a dwelling to
which the Council is required to provide services.
‘Council Residents’ shall mean Council Tenants and Council Leaseholders.
‘Residents’ shall mean Council Residents and Freeholders.
‘Stakeholders’ shall mean Residents together with any persons, organisations or
bodies corporate to whom the Council has a responsibility to provide services.
‘Dwelling’ shall mean any residential property to which any Resident shall have
rights of occupation.
‘Block’ shall mean any building containing more than one Dwelling.
‘Estate’ shall mean more two or more Blocks in close proximity and under common
management or Council ownership.
‘Community’ shall mean any persons in properties occupied by a Stakeholder with
a geographical commonality of interest with any Block or Estate.
ooOOoo
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D. ISLINGTON’S TENANT PARTICIPATION COMPACT 2002/03
Tenants and leaseholders have worked hard to negotiate a position with the Council
on twelve key issues, and these are the results.
1. RESOURCES FOR TENANT PARTICIPATION
The compact includes a review of resources for Tenant Participation, and
has led to the adoption of a Service Level agreement .
This sets out the service which the Residents’ Initiatives Unit (RIU) or
successor unit/functional part of the Housing Department of Islington
Council (LBI) will provide to Tenants and Residents Associations (TRAs),
and other consultative bodies.
The Agreement identifies the services to be provided, sets service
standards and states the resources to be provided by LBI.
The principles agreed are:
RIU is to provide borough-wide services to encourage and support tenant
participation initiatives.
TRA is to promote the exercise of tenants rights and the maintenance and
improvement of their housing conditions, services and surroundings.
TRA and the RIU will review annually and develop this Service Level Agreement
to meet the needs of tenants and residents in the borough
Annual Review
RIU will review and develop this Service Level Agreement annually with
consultation with TRA
Key points
RIU will:
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Review TRA recognition and support policies annually
Provide £100 start up grants and administration and publicity grants within
£15,519 annual budget (2002/03)
Provide advice, support and training when requested. Training is supported by an
annual grant (2002/03) of £5,000.
Develop resource materials (e.g. equalities pack, information pack)
Assist in promoting wider participation in TRA’s.
Monitor and encourage minority community participation.
Re-imburse travel and child care incurred by TRA reps when attending Council
meetings.
Provide meeting places, with hire charge assistance where community centres
are unavailable.
Provide translation and interpretation facilities, subject to resources.
Attend 30 TRA meetings across the Borough a year
TRA’s will provide these services:
Represent interests of tenants and residents in consultation with Council and
other bodies
Provide RIU with AGM minutes, Committee member list and balance sheet
Provide evidence of activity to address equalities issues
Provide a copy of constitution to members on request
Have meetings open to all tenants and oppose all forms of discrimination within it.
The budget heads for tenant participation for 2002/03 are:
1. TRA Admin and publicity grants £15,519
2. TMO Development (section 16) grant £60,000
3. TMO start up costs £58,020
4. Tenant training £5,000
5. FITA funding £89,678
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A budget for the repair of Community Centres of £100,000 for 2002 – an increase
of £40,564 from 2001 (was £59,436 in 2001/02) - has been allocated , for division
amongst the Housing Areas, by number of centres in each area.
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2. CONSULTATION ON POLICY ISSUES
It was agreed to keep the existing structure of consultation but to review it three
months after the signing of the Compact, and thereafter annually.
In brief, the structure is as follows:
1. Tenants and leaseholders are consulted on housing policy and
management issues through the structure of Area Housing Panels, the principal
members of which are Tenants and Residents’ Associations, and through their
membership and voting rights on the Housing Consultative Panel. All committee
reports are fed through this system, and views of the Panels are taken on board by
Committee through consideration of panel minutes before decisions are taken.
Additionally, AHPs may convene local Panel meetings to discuss issues arising at a
more local level than Area.
2. That additionally, leaseholders are consulted on policy issues through the
Islington Leaseholder Forum (ILF), which has membership and voting rights on the
Housing Consultative Panel, through which views and recommendations made by
the ILF are made known.
3. That additionally, tenants and leaseholders of Tenant Management
Organisations established under the 1993 Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban
Development Act, and subsequent Right to Manage regulations and the other
Tenant Management Co-ops , including the Homestead Co-ops, are consulted
through the Tenant Management Organisations/Tenant Management Co-ops Review
Group, which meets prior to each HCP and considers Committee reports including
those of specific relevance to their membership.
It is agreed that the Area Housing Panel and Housing Consultative Panel constitution
will be reviewed one year from the date of agreement of Compact through a Working
Party convened from Area Housing Panels.
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3. TENANT INVOLVEMENT IN COMMUNICATIONS POLICY
Tenants are consulted on the way in which the Council communicates with them,
and these are key commitments which come from the Compact negotiations:
The Communications policy with respect to tenants and leaseholders should be
reviewed on an annual basis by the Housing Consultative Panel in liaison with
the Area Housing Panels, which will examine methods of communication and
make recommendations on matters of clarity, timeliness and relevance.
Annual Report to Tenants
Introduction will contributed by the Chair of FITA.
- There will be a supplement per Housing Area describing policy and management
- changes in each Area, and what is being proposed.
Tenants’ newsletter – Housing Islington
- Prior to each publication, Area Housing Panels will decide what contributions
from the tenants movement should be accepted, and two articles per issue
will be included in the bulletin. The timing and method of this input shall be
reviewed by Panels and agreed by the HCP one year after the adoption of the
Compact, and annually thereafter.
Communications policy review
The Housing Consultative Panel will review communications from Islington
Housing on an annual basis, indicating good and bad points. A report to
Housing Committee (or successor) would then be made, and actioned
accordingly, with a report back to the next available round of AHPs on actions
taken.
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4. TENANT PARTICIPATION STRATEGY TRAINING FOR
TENANTS, STAFF AND COUNCILLORS
1. Aims
As part of its commitment to tenant empowerment, training is given to tenant and
leaseholder representatives in all the consultative forums, as referred to in the
Service Level Agreement. The Compact therefore commits the council to the
following aims which reflect the Tenant Participation and Tenant Management
Training Strategy and Plan for Tenant Representatives, adopted in 1997/8.
They are -
To promote meaningful tenant consultation and involvement in providing and
monitoring the housing management service.
To support tenant representatives (particularly new representatives) in dealing
effectively with housing management issues and confidently establishing and
maintaining good working relationships with councillors and council staff.
To develop tenants' skills in establishing and managing their own organisations.
To encourage participation and involvement from all parts of the community.
Full details of how to obtain training is available from the Residents’ Initiatives Unit.
2. Reviewing training needs
Housing policy and practice does not stand still, and nor should training
programmes. As part of the Compact, it is agreed that during 2001/02 or 2002/03
(subject to the date of agreement to the Compact) a training needs audit (review
of training needs against what we have) will be carried out by the Council to
establish the need for training in tenant and resident participation for tenants and
residents involved in representative bodies to ensure that they are in a position to
make an effective contribution to local decision making on housing matters. A
similar audit will be carried out in relation to the staff and councillors involved in
participation to ensure that the best advice can be given to tenants and residents
wishing to play an active role in consultation and participation.
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In order to make sure that all training options are considered, the Council is
committed to the use of an independent resident advisor selected by the Council
and FITA to ensure that training is the best available.
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5. LOCAL COMPACTS
At present, there is well-established local consultation with tenants and leaseholders
through Area Housing Panels. Each of these Panels will consider the way in which
consultation takes place in relation to the particular concerns which exist there, and
will devise local agreements which will say how Areas will be consulted, and the
standards required. An example would be that each Area would choose a series of
performance indicators to measure the standard of housing services provided locally.
Progress has been made in improving local involvement through the delegation of
£2.5 millions of the Capital budget, caretaking and cleaning and security budgets, to
ensure that local residents can put forward schemes, which will make a real
improvement to the local housing environment.
In summary, local arrangements are as follows:
1. Area Housing Panels facilitate consultation through membership by TRA’s,
TMO’s, and other representative local bodies, taking into account views expressed in
local meetings set up by each AHP, and feeding into the Housing Consultative
Panel, of which AHP’s have membership and voting rights – two per panel.
2. Delegation of local capital, and environmental budgets to Area Housing panels,
along with part of the caretaking and cleaning and Security budgets.
A framework for Local Compacts will be developed in 2002 as part of the
development of the Borough Wide Compact – which will help Area Housing panels
develop their local compacts. Further information on this process will be available in
2002 from the Residents’ Initiatives Unit or successor.
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6. LOCAL BUDGETS
The Compact commits the Council to greater involvement of tenants in the spending of
resources on local projects to meet local needs.
Guidance has been issued to Area Housing Panels on how this can be done. Decisions
will be given wide publicity later in the year. The Guidance is set out below.
CAPITAL, ENVIRONMENTAL ESTATE, SECURITY and CARETAKING AND
CLEANING BUDGETS - AREA HOUSING PANEL INVOLVEMENT
1. Introduction
As part of the Tenant Participation Compact arrangements, tenants and leaseholders
now have greater involvement in deciding how money shall be spent on local areas
to improve the buildings and environment in which they live. The following is a guide
to what the money can be spent on, and the procedure for doing so.
At the Housing Committee of 29 June 2000, the following budget areas were agreed
to be the subject for recommendation by Area Housing Panels. The figures are
Borough-wide totals, and are shown for 2002/03.
Table 1 – Capital and Environmental Estate Budget
1. Local capital schemes: £1,000,000
Environmental estates works: £ 500,000
2. Security Budget
Borough-wide: £160,000
3. Caretaking and Cleaning Budget
Borough-wide: £1,000,000
In order to conform to legal requirements, the Committee resolved that the formal
decision on expenditure under “delegated authority” must be taken by either the Area
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Housing Manager or an Assistant Director of Housing, but that in exercising this
authority, they should have regard to the Area Housing Panel’s recommendations.
2. The budgets.
1. ENVIRONMENTAL AND CAPITAL PROGRAMME
£1.5 millions boroughwide for 2002/03: £250,000 per Area.
It should be noted that window replacements, roofs, heating, structural repairs,
concierge security, cyclical remedial enhancement and programmed repairs are
dealt with through the main capital programme, on which there is already
consultation through Panels. The “Cyclical Remedial Enhancement Programme” is
the new name for the Planned Maintenance Programme – the re-naming is due to
changes in financial regulations which require Councils to be clear about whether
work is classed as “capital” or “revenue”. The budgets below can be spent on things
which cannot be done through this main programme.”
The proposals are not greatly different from the previous Local Capital budget
arrangements. Subject to the Housing Investment Programme allocation being at the
anticipated level, the Local Capital Budget will be £1.5 million for capital and
environmental work.
This Budget is made up of the following elements:
(i) Environmental Works
£500,000 Boroughwide: £83,333 per Area
The budget can be spent on projects which include items in the list below. This is not
an exhaustive list, but such projects would typically be those which do not involve
external work to buildings, except outdoor stores, and the clearance of old garages.
It should be noted that this does not exclude the possibility of part of the capital
budget being spent on environmental works, if desired.
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Railings/ fencing
Lighting
Paths/footways
Play Areas/Play Equipment
Resurfacing
White/Yellow lining/marking
Estate signs
Tree planting
Speed barriers
Garage clearance/ demolition of redundant outbuildings
Repair works to outdoor stores
(ii) Capital Works
£1,000,000 Boroughwide: £166,667 per Area
The budget can be spent on projects which can include the following:
Security Work
(e.g. Security gates, entry phones)
Garage repairs
Community centre repairs
Caretaker stores
Wall construction (e.g. new individual and estate boundary walls).
It is suggested that individual schemes should be limited to a maximum of £35,000 in
order to get a good spread of projects across the Area.
2. Security Budget
£160,000 Borough-Wide for 2002/03
The Budget to be decided on the basis of total numbers of properties in the Area
compared to total stock in the Borough.
Table 2. Security Budget 2002/03
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Allocation per area
Upper Street
£31,272
Central Street £26,362
Boleyn Road £19,822
Holland Walk £30,189
Isledon Road £30,720
Lyon Street £21,635
Total £160,000
Traditionally, the allocation to Area Offices was used to fund schemes
recommended by the Play and Youth Service, and there are a number of such
schemes which are ongoing. Panels will need to take account of such schemes
in deciding how to prioritise expenditure. However, there is scope for Area
Housing Panels to decide how to spend any balance available in 2001/02,
having taken account of the above, or to substitute new schemes.
Area Housing staff will advise on existing Security schemes in the Area, and
schemes which could be undertaken, to enable Panel members to recommend
which schemes should continue, and whether there is scope for substitution
and additional projects.
Typical schemes which would fall under this budget would be:
Security works – e.g. security gates, entry phones, lighting, closing access ways
used for criminal activity, raising walls/fences, anti – climbing measures, etc.
It should be noted that if Panels decide to spend the Security Budget on the items
suggested above, this would allow greater flexibility in the spending of the local
Capital budget.
Subject to the overall figure per Area, there is no limit to expenditure per project per
Area.
3. Caretaking and Cleaning Budget
£1000,000 Borough-Wide for 2002/03
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The Budget to be decided on the basis of total numbers of properties in the Area
compared to total stock in the Borough.
Table 3. Caretaking and Cleaning Budget 2002/03
--
Allocation
per Area
Upper Street £195,450
Central Street £164,764
Boleyn Road £123,885
Holland Walk £188,680
Isledon Road £192,000
Lyon Street £135,220
Total £1,000,000
The intention is that Area Housing Panels have an input into deciding staffing levels,
equipment and methods of service delivery in respect of this budget.
4. Decision procedure
Meeting One - September/October before spend year
Initial discussions between Area Housing Panel and Housing Project Officers to
establish the scope for Area Housing Panel recommendation (budget level,
project types, etc.) To help this, details of past bids and initiatives will be given, to
allow Panels to make provisional choices. It is expected that Panels will set
priorities against which projects can be assessed. It is also expected that Panels
will make some provisional choices of projects, taking account of these priorities.
This may take the form of a long or short list of projects.
Meeting Two – November/December
At Area Housing Panel Meeting or other appropriate meeting – to set firmer
priorities , which will allow the short listing and fine tuning of projects.
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Meeting Three – January/February
Area Housing panels will finalise and agree the actual projects, and budgets will
be allocated against these. Successful bids will then be factored into Capital
Programme and monitored.
5. Spend
If decisions are not taken within a reasonable time to ensure commitment and
expenditure in the given year (July backstop) then the Council may release or re-
allocate resources to other purposes.
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7. WIDENING INVOLVEMENT
It is important to make sure that tenant bodies are open to every part of the
community, so that they can truly be seen as representative. Following
discussions with the Compact negotiating Committee, the June 2000 Housing
Committee made important recommendations which will help widen
involvement. The main aim is:
To encourage Tenants and Residents’ Associations and other
representative bodies to actively promote membership and involvement
amongst under-represented groups.
Area Housing Panel membership is drawn from delegates from Tenants and
Residents’ Associations within individual Areas. The general principle is that
it is essential to ensure that all involvement channels in Islington are used as
fully as possible.
Important recommendations were made, which the Council actively supports
and promotes:
Encourage Tenants and Residents’ Associations to actively promote
membership and involvement amongst under-represented groups.
Approach community groups representing under-represented
communities, e.g. Black and Minority Ethnic Communities, and seek
representative(s) to be members of Area Housing Panels. This work has
already been commenced in respect of widening involvement in the Links
Association. This was a key aspect of the Tollington Pilot Project . The
outcomes of this work will be extended other Housing Areas of Islington.
Use appropriate Council publicity to seek nominees as co-optees of Area
Housing Panels.
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To continue outreach work to increase awareness of existing avenues of
participation available, and to learn about preferred methods of
involvement and consultation, which might not have been attempted. This
work will not only increase involvement in existing tenant and resident
associations, but ensure more inclusive membership of the Area Housing
panels from sources other than traditional TRA’s.
To have estate inspections immediately prior to TRA meetings to increase
tenant representatives’ involvement in the process, and to obtain
immediate feedback on estate issues. This initiative was piloted in the
Finsbury/Clerkenwell Neighbourhood.
The Equalities in Participation Strategy contained in the Tenant Participation Policy
and Procedures Manual provides guidance and standards for widening involvement.
It is currently under revision. It cannot be revised effectively without the input of
tenants and residents’ associations. It has therefore been decided that:
A working party will be convened consisting of Area Housing panel
Representatives from TRAs and officers of the Council to annually review the
Council’s equalities policies and practices with the aim of ensuring that TRA’s
and other representative bodies are able to widen involvement in their
organisations from all sections of the communities they represent.
TRA’s will be expected to demonstrate on an annual basis (when submitting their
applications for Administrative and Publicity Grants) the actions they have taken
to widen their active membership and committee.
The Council will give advice to and assist recognised TRAs to widen involvement.
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8. PERFORMANCE INDICATORS – MEASURING THE
EFFECTIVENESS OF HOUSING MANAGEMENT.
Tenants have a right to know how the housing service is performing, and the Annual
report to tenants includes “performance indicators” to show just this. Additionally,
Area Housing Panels receive these indicators on a regular basis. The Compact
commits the Council to publish performance indicators on general housing
management and resident participation to every Area Housing Panel meeting.
Performance indicators (PIs) to measure improvements in
resident participation
Until recently, there were no PI’s which can be used to measure improvements in
resident participation. The Compact now commits the Council to report on the
following:
% of tenants and residents in catchment represented by each TRA against
(a target to be agreed between the TRA and the Council.)
% of possible and actual attendance levels at TRA AGM against (a target to
be agreed).
% expenditure of Admin and Publicity Grant against amount granted.
% of leaseholders voting in Islington Leaseholder Forum elections. These indicators will be reported in the Annual Report to tenants, and at Area
Housing panel meetings.
Indicators to measure housing service performance
The Compact commits the Council to highlight the following indicators at Area
Housing panel meetings, to show how the housing service is performing.
VOIDS RELETS & TURNAROUND TIMES
ALLOCATIONS
INCOME COLLECTION
ARREARS
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HOUSING NEEDS
TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION
APPEALS AND REVIEWS
RENT ARREARS IN TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION
HARASSMENT
LINKLINE
BENEFITS
HOMEOWNERSHIP
REPAIRS
DISREPAIR CASES
TELEPHONE ANSWERING
CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE PUBLIC
CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE OMBUDSMAN
MEMBERS ENQUIRIES
COMPLAINTS FROM COUNCILLORS, MPs MEPs
COMPLAINTS FROM THE PUBLIC
FRAUD & INVESTIGATIONS
PERSONNEL
Indicators on Anti Social Behaviour and actions taken are included in the
Harassment indicator.
Local Performance Indicators
As part of local Compacts, Area Housing Panels will work on a list of indicators
which they believe to be important in showing how the housing service is responding
to local needs. Full publicity will be given to this list, and consultation arrangements
made, further into the process later this year.
Some Panels have already decided which indicators they are particularly interested
in, and these are reported below:
Boleyn Road Area Housing Panel
1. Boleyn Road Area Housing Panel
Repairs – performance to different priority times
Voids – turnaround time
Allocations – what percentage of lettings were going to differing groups of those
registered
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Lettings – What percentage of acceptances there were for these differing groups
Caretaking & cleaning – The council is asked to devise and submit performance
information on how clean it keeps its estates.
Leasehold completions – Percentages of ongoing completions and summaries of
how much stock this represents.
Rent Arrears – Performance to targets, in particular the statistics on “write-offs”
was requested.
Squats – numbers in each area.
Unauthorised Occupancy – numbers in each area.
Tenancy Audits – numbers done & outcomes in each area.
2. Central Street Area Housing Panel
It was agreed that the following PI’s would be added to future minutes, for reporting
to the Panel:
housing benefit
voids, allocation, lettings.
repairs
Telephone answering and mail response
personnel
harassment
Estate inspection Services
Home Ownership Unit
Homelessness
rent Arrears
Income
Antisocial Behaviour
(Other Panels’ choices to be added when available)
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9. REVIEW OF MEETING PLACES
There are 46 Community Centres in the borough which are available for use by
Tenants and Residents’ associations. No charge is made for their use. A list of
premises and contacts can be found in this pack (Appendix A).
Additionally there are other public buildings and spaces which are available, of which
details are available in this pack. Further information on terms and conditions can be
obtained from the Principal Officer (Community Centres) at the Residents’ Initiatives
Unit tel: 020 7527 4224.
It is recognised that there may not be enough meeting places available of the right
sort, and the Compact commits the Council to an annual review of meeting places.
This will cover:
1 The present availability of meeting places
2 Any shortfall – where groups cannot gain access to these or other local
resources, for further examination and response by the Council
3 Other meeting places which may be used, and a schedule of charges.
4. The adequacy of existing support to TRA’s to pay hall hire charges.
The Council gives the following commitment:
A list of meeting places with details of location, access arrangements and suitability
for persons with disabilities will be made available to each TRA on an area basis.
Where appropriate meeting places do not exist, arrangements will be made to
ensure that meeting places are made available, where possible. The availability of
meeting places will be reviewed on an annual basis by the Council.
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10. STOCK TRANSFER AND PRIVATE FINANCE INITIATIVE
CONSULTATION
10.1 STOCK TRANSFER - CONSULTATION AND INVOLVEMENT
Stock Transfer is where the Council decides to dispose of tenanted property to a
Registered Social Landlord (or Housing Associations as they are otherwise known).
There is a need to fully consult with those involved, and the statement below sets out
the Council’s commitment to do so.
It should be noted that Islington Council’s Tenant Participation Compact no longer
applies to properties which have been transferred. However, substitute
arrangements will be negotiated with the organisations which take on such
properties.
Council policy on the Transfer of Housing Stock
1.1 As a responsible housing authority and landlord the Council is required to
make decisions about the effective management and use of its resources
including land and housing stock owned by the authority. For some years the
Council has observed a policy of disposal of vacant and expensive to repair
housing. This has included disposals to Housing Associations. In more recent
years it has become clear that the Council, cannot in the foreseeable future,
fund all of the works many of its housing properties require to remain fit and
suitable for letting. The Council has, in consultation with affected tenants
resident on estates with major repairs and improvements backlogs, adopted
the route of transferring such tenanted housing to Registered Social
Landlords, who through a variety of means, can fund the necessary works
and offer transferring tenants a range of rights equivalent to a secure tenancy.
Such transfers are only to social landlords registered with the Housing
Corporation.
1.2 The Council is committed to the principle that tenant and resident
representatives must be actively involved in the evaluation process and that
comprehensive arrangements for full tenant consultation and involvement
must be applied.
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1.3 This statement provides guidance as to how the Council will conduct a
process which may lead to the transfer of Council tenants to another landlord.
It sets out the Council’s ideas about the ways in which tenant and resident
representatives should be involved in the process of exploring and evaluating
any stock transfer option. It also indicates the type of transfer conditions,
which the Council would expect any group of tenants who expressed support
for such a transfer to be offered by a potential new landlord organisation.
Because the circumstances in which these options are being considered will
vary substantially the arrangements described below should be regarded as
flexible and subject to variation where appropriate.
2. The relevant stages are:
Initial Stages - assess viability of transfer in consultation with tenants and
leaseholders, involving the formation of a Steering Group of tenants and
leaseholders to ensure consultation.
Developing the Proposal with Steering Group Involvement – more detailed
research into the proposal, and an initial ballot to find out strength of support
amongst tenants and leaseholders.
Firming up the Proposal– assessing the financial and legal implications. Liaising
with potential landlords. Determination by the Steering Group as to whether the
relevant proposal is to proceed.
Statutory Consultation - ending with a formal ballot of tenants. Transfer is decided
on tenants’ vote, and full account is taken of leaseholders’ views..
Post- Statutory Consultation – supporting tenants and leaseholders during the
transfer process, if the majority of tenants voted for the transfer.
3. Consultation – the detail.
Initial Stage
The Council seeks that tenant representatives will be involved in any proposal
involving a tenanted stock transfer option from the earliest stages. In some cases
the initiative may come directly from tenant representatives themselves. In other
case the Council will require that tenants are informed of the proposal at the
earliest practicable point. In practice this is likely to mean when some limited
initial work has been carried out to assess the intrinsic viability of the proposal.
Where there is an existing tenant organisation such as a tenant association,
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some discussion with the tenant organisation is likely to form part of the initial
assessment.
The initial assessment is likely to be carried out by officers in conjunction with
members and through contact with potential funding agencies such as the DTLR
(Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions); the Housing
Corporation and other funding organisations. If the initial assessment suggest
that the proposal merits further development the Council will need to ensure that
a sound framework for tenant consultation is in place to enable the involvement
of tenants to be carried out in a representative and accountable manner. If the
Council already recognises a representative body such as a TRA or TMO the
Council will wish to discuss the form of tenant involvement with that body. The
Council may require the TRA or TMO to take certain steps to ensure that it is
sufficiently representative to assume responsibility as a Steering Group.
This may include, for example:
ensuring that all parts of the estate are adequately represented
ensuring that the different constituencies on the estate – such as the
young, the older, different sexes and ethnic groups, etc – are properly
represented
ensuring that different tenures are represented
ensuring that officers of the organisation have the required skills to lead
the organisation through a demanding and protracted process
forming a representative ‘steering group’ to represent the TRA or TMO in
discussions with the Council about the Council’s proposals
The Council will provide full support to assist the Steering Group to address
these issues including resources and training as required.
2.4 Where there is no existing recognised TRA or TMO or where the TRA or TMO
does not wish to take on the role the Council will convene an open meeting
and seek to form a Steering Group to represent the tenants and residents on
the estate and/or of other properties covered by the proposal. The role of the
Steering Group will be to reflect and represent accurately as far as reasonably
practicable the views of these residents and to work with Council officers,
members and consultants on a wider and more detailed evaluation of the
options for the future of the area covered by the proposal.
The Council consider the role of the Steering Group to be fundamental to the
consultation process.
2.5 The Council will consider funding for a “tenants’ friend” consultant to be
appointed to provide independent advice for tenants representatives on the
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Steering Group. If such a tenants’ friend is to be appointed, the tenant
representatives will be entitled to choose the consultant and to make the
appointment although the Council will wish to determine the budget available
and be involved in drawing up the work programme and timetable. In this
context the role of the tenants’ friend may need to encompass the provision of
financial and legal advice and may be provided by more than one
organisation.
2.6 The Council will also wish to ensure that information is provided for all tenants
and residents of the dwellings included in the scheme. A range of options will
be considered to ensure that sufficient information is provided at an early
stage to inform the residents of the proposal and to begin to test out the level
of tenant support for the type of proposal being considered even at this early
stage. These are likely to include:
open day events
newsletter including translated materials
regular surgeries and drop-ins
public meetings
door to door surveying of tenants views
exhibitions
visits to other schemes of a similar type
3 Developing the Proposal with Tenant Involvement
3.1 Having distributed information about the proposal at an early stage the
Council will need to carry out more in-depth research to identify those issues
which are of most concern to the tenants and residents and to ensure that the
proposed scheme addresses those needs comprehensively. A full tenant
survey may be proposed or a programme of block or localised meetings to
allow for proper discussion with tenants and residents in small groups. This
process should be conducted over a relatively short period in order to provide
the Council and the Steering Group with a full and accurate if snapshot view
of the concerns of those people living on the estate.
3.2 The Steering Group should now be meeting regularly with the Tenants’ Friend
to examine the options, which are being presented to tenants and residents,
and to evaluate the responses from the research on tenants’ needs. The
options to be considered by the Steering Group should include the option to
remain tenants of the Council and the full implications of each option – both
positive and negative – for tenants should be presented objectively.
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3.3 The Steering Group will be closely involved in the appraisal of the Council’s
proposals for the physical improvement or alteration of the estate. The
Council’s technical officers will work closely with the Steering Group on this
aspect of the scheme and the Council would expect that the technical
advisers to any potential new landlord would also work with the established
Steering Group.
3.4 In conjunction with the Steering Group, the Council will be identifying possible
partners in any improvement or modernisation scheme, which is supported by
tenants. In proposing or identifying possible partners in the scheme, the
Council will be guided by the extent to which any partner can deliver the
criteria set out in Appendix 1 to this document.
3.5 Once an outline of the physical works to be undertaken and an initial view has
been made of the type of partner preferred by the Council and the Steering
Group the Council will conduct an indicative test of tenant support for the type
of proposal which is being formulated with the Steering Group. This will not be
the formal tenant consultation required under section 106A of the Housing Act
but will be intended to demonstrate that sufficient tenant support exists at this
stage of the proposal to proceed to the later stages of development.
3.6 To be a meaningful test of opinion the form of a survey or ballot will be carried
out on a secret and confidential basis. All secure tenants and leaseholders will
be entitled to participate, the purpose of the process being to test out opinion
rather than to pass a particular ‘winning post’.
3.7 If the proposal involves selective stock transfer the indicative arrangements
will need to ensure that the views of tenants in the dwellings proposed for
transfer are assessed separately as well as in the context of the estate-wide
response.
4 Firming up the Proposal
4.1 Once an indicative survey or ballot has indicated that there is likely to be
sufficient tenant support to allow the proposal to proceed the Council and the
Steering Group will need to enter formal negotiations with the proposed
partners to agree the rights of tenants and leaseholders and financial issues
which will form the basis for the transfer of dwellings. These discussions will
also need to establish the type of management arrangements, which are to be
provided by the new landlord organisation and the provision for the
involvement of tenant representatives in those arrangements. The Steering
Group will be advised and supported by the Tenants’ Friend organisation(s) to
enable them to thoroughly understand all the issues involved for tenants and
residents.
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4.2 At this stage a full financial appraisal will be produced; this will be available in
full to the Steering Group to enable tenant representatives to take an informed
view of all aspects of the proposal including investment proposals,
management arrangements and projected rent and service change levels.
4.3 The Council and the Tenant Steering group will now agree proposals for the
future of the estate/dwellings. Provided that as far as it known, the Steering
Group is representative of the wider views of tenants and residents on the
estate, the Council will not proceed to the next stage without the agreement of
the Tenant Steering Group. The future proposals at this stage may therefore
be that the dwellings will remain the property of the Council and the
maintenance strategy will be determined by the resources available to the
Council for the maintenance of its housing stock. If this is the case, the
proposals, which will not involve any stock transfer options, should be
presented to a public or general meeting of tenants and residents for
discussion and agreement.
4.4 Alternatively the proposals may involve the proposed transfer of housing stock
as part of a package of proposals for the future improvement and improved
management of the estate dwellings. Where tenanted stock transfer is
proposed the Council will carry out both formal tenant consultation of all
tenants affected by the proposal and a secret postal ballot of all tenants
specifically affected by the stock transfer element. (these may not be
coterminous if the stock transfer element is selective).
5 Formal Tenant Consultation
Statutory Consultation
The consent of the Secretary of State for the Environment is required to
dispose of houses occupied by tenants on secure tenancies to another
landlord. Section 106A of the Housing Act (1985), requires that all secure
tenants affected by any proposal to dispose of land or dwellings to a private
sector landlord, including a housing association or other registered social
landlord which counts as a private sector landlord for these purposes, must be
consulted about the proposal before any application is made for the Secretary
of State to approve the transfer. The Act requires that all secure tenants must
be informed of the details of the transfer including:
the identity of the proposed private landlord
the ‘likely consequence’ for the tenant
the effect of the preserved right to buy, and
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the effect of the rules regarding consultation with tenants before Secretary
of State’s consent is obtained.
The tenant must be given the right to make representations within a
reasonable specified period.
The local authority must consider any representations received and serve a
further notice on all secure tenants informing them of any significant changes
in the authority’s proposal for disposal of the land and dwellings. The tenant
must be informed of his/her right to communicate any objections to the
proposals to the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State may not give
consent for the disposal to proceed if it appears to him/her that a majority of
the secure tenants affected are against the proposed disposal. The Secretary
of State may require further consultation to be carried out in order to make a
decision.
Council Procedure
The Council will carry out the statutory consultation process when the
following criteria are met:
the Tenant Steering group has informed the Council that the transfer
should proceed
the identity of the proposed new landlord has been agreed
the rights of transferring secure tenants have been agreed
an undertaking about rent levels for the period following transfer has been
obtained
the details of repair and improvement programmes have been agreed
The Council will ensure that when the first consultation letter is sent to secure
tenants full information about the proposal is provided in a digestible form in a
plain English format and available in such other languages as may
reasonably be required by the tenants and residents and which the Council is
able to accommodate. The Council will also make provision for a telephone
hotline to be available during the consultation period to give secure tenants
and leaseholders or freeholders (see below section 5c) access to any
additional or clarifying information they may require. The Council will allow a
minimum of six weeks from the date of the consultation letter for this stage of
the consultation process to be carried out.
57
Following the serving of the first consultation notice the Council will make
provision for a period of open discussion on the merits of the proposal. The
Council will provide opportunities for secure tenants and other residents to
meet and discuss the merits and de-merits of the Council's proposal. This
may involve estate wide meetings or more localised meetings at the block
level. The Council wiII be guided by the Tenant Steering Group on the best
way to approach this.
To facilitate full and objective discussion of the proposals the Council will
permit the case against the transfer to be put alongside the details of the
Council's proposals if there are tenants or residents who wish to take this
view. The Council will expect any case 'against' a transfer at this stage to be
subjected to the same rigorous scrutiny as the Council's own proposals would
receive and the Council will expect to take part in this scrutiny.
Depending on the circumstances the Council will decide whether independent
monitors should be appointed to monitor the consultation process to ensure
an objective evaluation. This might be appropriate for example if it is apparent
that the issue remains controversial or highly contested amongst tenants and
residents affected by the proposal.
After the completion of the first stage of the formal consultation process, any
representations received from tenants and residents will be fully considered
by the Council to determine whether it is necessary to amend any aspect of
the proposal, which has been put to tenants and residents.
Approximately eight weeks after the first consultation letter is sent the Council
will serve the second letter informing all secure tenants (a) of any changes to
the Council's proposal which have arisen from the first stage of consultation,
and (b) that they may send any further objection to the proposal to the
Secretary of State. The Council will allow a minimum of six weeks from the
date of that letter for this stage of the consultation process.
Within the second consultation period the Council will conduct a ballot of all
secure tenants affected to determine accurately the level of support of the
proposed transfer to a new landlord. The ballot will be a secret postal ballot
organised by an independent agency such as Electoral Reform Ballot Services
Limited. Each tenant will be entitled to vote in the ballot process. The ballot paper
will contain details of the proposal. Where joint tenants are shown on the tenancy
agreement, one vote may be cast by each of the joint tenants. Tenants will
be allowed a reasonable period to return the ballot papers which will be a
minimum of 21 days but will be determined by the independent balloting
58
agency. Occupants who were secure tenants but who have breached the
terms of suspended possession orders will not be entitled to vote.
Within the consultation period the Council will also conduct a comparable ballot
separately of leaseholders and freeholders affected to determine (their views
about) the level of support for the proposed transfer to a new landlord. These
ballots will be counted separately for leaseholders and freeholders. These are not
statutory ballots required under the Housing Act (1985) but are for the purposes
of assisting the Council to make a decision as to whether the transfer should
proceed. Each leaseholder and freeholder wiII be entitled to vote in the ballot
process. The same timescale will apply to these ballots as applied to those for
tenants. Leaseholders and freeholders will only be entitled to vote if they occupy
the property as their principal home.
Following the conclusion of the ballots the Council will inform the Secretary of
State of the outcome. The Act states that the Secretary of State cannot give
consent if a majority of tenants do not wish the disposal to proceed.
Consultation of Leaseholders
Section lO6A of the Housing Act, which provides for consultation of tenants
where the transfer of housing stock is under consideration, only provides for
the consultation with secure tenants. The Council will, however, wish to
ensure that leaseholders are properly represented on the Steering Group and
that discussions provide for proper consideration of issues of particular
concern to leaseholders as well as those of concern to secure tenants. The
Council will therefore, wish to ensure that the representation of leaseholders
and secure tenants on the Steering Group is broadly proportionate.
Although the Council has no legal obligation to consult leaseholders before
disposing of the freehold of the property that they hold on lease, the Council
will in any case as a matter of good practice, serve information notices on
leaseholders and any freeholders in the property to inform them of the
Council's proposals at the same time as the two stage statutory consultation
notices are served on secure tenants.
The Council will include leaseholders (but not freeholders) in the ballot
arrangements to be held at stage two of the consultation process as
described in section 5B9 above. The votes of leaseholders will be counted
59
separately from the votes of secure tenants but the Council will consider the
views of all tenants.
Leaseholders have a statutory right to be consulted about any major works or
improvement proposals, which are considered by the Council and deemed to
be a major work. In the event of stock transfer this would be carried out by the
new landlord.
6 After the Formal Consultation
6.1 Whatever the outcome of the formal consultation process the Council will
continue to work closely with tenant representatives to ensure the future of the
estate/properties. The Steering Group will continue to have a key role
representing the views of tenants and residents. If tenants and residents have
not supported the proposed transfer arrangements for the future management
and development of the estate, appropriate alternative arrangements for the
future of the estate will have to be established and may include consideration
of other initiatives such as estate agreements or other tenant participation
initiatives.
6.2 If tenants and residents have supported the proposed transfer the Steering
Group will be closely involved in discussions with the new landlord concerning
the timetable for the formal transfer of the estate and the detailed
arrangements for the handover of management responsibilities. The Council
will ensure that the final documentation governing the transfer of the estate
accurately reflects any undertakings given by the prospective landlords
leading up to and during the consultation process with tenants.
60
APPENDIX 1 RIGHTS FOR TRANSFERRING TENANTS
The Council would seek a guarantee from a new landlord that the following
conditions will apply on any transfer of tenancy or housing to a new landlord.
The Council, will, of course, be bound by statute, Government regulation and
prevailing financial conditions. Where the Council believes that it is not
possible to satisfy these conditions, this will be made clear in published
documentation and the reasons for it. The Council will require the new landlord to undertake to enter into new tenancy agreements in a form
approved by the Council and incorporate the following conditions:
1 New Tenancy Conditions
1.1 The Council will require that all tenants of the property' will be periodic
assured tenants.
1.2 The assured tenants of the property will either enjoy the 'Preserved
Right to Buy' under the Housing Act (1988), (if prior to the transfer they were secure tenants of the Council) or the 'Right to Acquire' under the
Housing Act (1996) if they were not formerly secure tenants.
1.3 The Council will require rights of succession and assignment equivalent
to the statutory rights of succession and assignment enjoyed by secure
tenants to be provided in the tenancy conditions of assured tenants.
1.4 The rights of exchange of secure tenants will be available to assured tenants of the property under the Housing Act 1985. The Council will require that the tenants of the property are given rights of exchange with other assured tenants of registered social landlords and the Council* under the terms of their tenancy agreement. (*in the case of partial transfer)
1.5 The Council will require that assured tenants of the property may
continue to take in lodgers without consent or sublet part of their
property s.6 The Council will require that assured tenants of
the property have the right to improve their property.
1.7 The Council will require that where the landlord has failed to carry out
repairs which are its responsibility assured tenants of the property have
the right to receive compensation where the landlord has failed to meet
the statutory fixed timescales.
1.8 The Council will require that assured tenants of the property are provided
with a right to be consulted about changes in the new landlord's
management policies or management arrangements.
61
1.9 The Council will require that the tenancy agreement to be provided for
assured tenants of the property by the new landlord must also:
set out the tenancy conditions in clear Plain English
describe the type of tenancy which is provided
describe how and when rent levels will be determined by the
landlord define the grounds on which the landlord would commence
court action to recover possession of the dwelling
define the use of the property which is permitted by the landlord
define the landlord's repair and maintenance responsibilities
clearly
set out the landlord's right(s) of access to the dwelling
set out clearly the responsibilities of the tenant including the conduct of the tenant and his/her household towards neighbours and others living or working in the locality and the covenant not to cause nuisance, harassment, noise disturbance or other anti-social behaviour or unlawful activity
set out the rights of the tenant( s ) to improve the properly, to sublet part of the property or to take in lodgers and the rights of succession and assignment .
1.10 The Council will require that the new landlord should provide all tenants
with a handbook or other equivalent documentation which covers the following:
describe how the tenant should report repairs to the landlord including emergency repairs
describe the landlord's complaints procedure describe the landlord's equal opportunities procedure
describe how tenant may access personal records under the Data Protection Act
describe the landlord's arrangements for informing and consulting the tenant(s) on any major works proposed, changes of management arrangement or changes of policy .
2. Rent Guarantees
2.1 The Council recognises that rent levels for transferred dwellings will depend on a range of financial factors which are largely unknown at the current time and which will vary from scheme to scheme.
2.2 The Council will require that the new landlords should guarantee that rents will be affordable for local people -the level of affordability will be a matter for discussion between the landlord organisation and tenants taking account of the type of repair; modernisation and improvement or redevelopment programmes required, and in accordance with Government guidance on rent restructuring.
62
2.3 The Council intend to establish a benchmark principle that rent
increases introduced by the new landlord should not exceed the
baseline Retail Price Index (RPI) rate for annualised inflation
plus one per cent for the first five years following the transfer for
transferring tenants. Rent levels for new assured tenants will be
fixed according to Government regulations.
2.4 The new landlord should not require deposits from new tenants unless
this is in connection with a furnished letting scheme and the terms of
the scheme are clearly defined.
2.5 The Government envisages that rents charged by councils and
housing associations should eventually be similar for like
properties, and this will be taken into account when rent levels
are negotiated. The position here will need to be reviewed in the
light of the government’s policy when finalised.
3 Management Arrangements
3.1 The Council will require that a new landlord must provide a
management service in a location, which provides ready access for the
tenants and residents of the estate/dwellings. The management service
must include the facilities to report repairs and query outstanding
repairs, to pay rent and other charges due to the new landlord and to
report other general matters, which may require the attention of the
landlord
4 Tenant Involvement
4.1 The Council will require that the new landlord should have
sound arrangements for tenant consultation and tenant
involvement in the affairs of the organisation. This should
include policies which provide for tenant representation at the
management committee/board level in the organisation and
opportunities for tenant involvement at the local level. In
considering possible partners as new landlords the Council will
take account of an organisation's past record on tenant
involvement and its proposals for future tenant involvement
5 Guarantees to tenants
63
5.1 The Council would expect any new landlord to provide a formal legally
binding guarantee at the time of transfer, which fully reflected any
undertakings and assurances given to tenants during the consultation
process. The Council undertakes to monitor the performance of the
new landlord in respect of the implementation of any such guarantees.
6. Should the Transfer Landlord breach its guarantees to tenants, or can no
longer provide a housing service, the Council will negotiate “step in rights” to
guarantee that tenants’ rights are will be fully protected and that a housing
service continues to be provided.
10.2 CONSULTATION ON PRIVATE FINANCE INITIATIVE
The Private Finance Initiative involves the transfer of management of council
housing to another organisation. Tenants and leaseholders retain their contracts with
the council, with all rights intact. The contract with the PFI agent is usually 30 years.
The council has followed this path in order to attract extra finance to deal with a
serious backlog of repairs and maintenance in respect mainly to street leasehold
properties which built up due to lack of resources over many years.
The Council is committed to consulting tenants and leaseholders in Areas benefiting
from PFI.
On PFI , the Government’s position is that this is the transfer of a management
activity and not ownership and tenants terms and conditions are not affected.
While there is no statutory requirement for balloting of tenants, nevertheless the
Council will circulate to all residents affected by the PFI proposal full details of the
proposal inviting their views. The council will give appropriate consideration to such
views, in determining whether or in what form the proposal can proceed.
The Council’s position on out-sourcing has of course been established in past
practice. The Council strategically makes decisions/proposals as to how it wishes to
structure and deliver services after appropriate consultation, particularly on the
arrangements to be adopted for implementation and delivery. Where there is an
expressed view of representatives wishing to contribute to the processes the Council
has arranged and facilitated such. Examples in the recent past include the transfer of
housing management in the Lyon Street Area to Hyde Northside, part of the Hyde
Housing Group, with significant benefits, as well as the current process around
‘Sheltered Housing’ where there is a Working Group of tenants representatives
looking at different aspects of Circle 33’s proposals and activities.
64
However, the Council, consistent with the Government’s position, whilst consulting
and involving tenants and their representatives is not adopting the same processes
as that which it has for Stock Transfer.
At the 20 June 2001 Islington Leaseholder Forum it was stated that, in respect of
PFI-related works, there is a mandatory cap of £10,000 on costs rechargeable to
leaseholders in a rolling five year period. It should be noted that there are no such
capping arrangements for major works for leasehold properties not included in PFI
schemes.
65
11. REPRESENTATION AT HOUSING COMMITTEE
As at December 2001, there were two further meetings of the Housing Committee,
after which time (May 2002) it will cease to exist. The Council has adopted the
Government’s model for managing the Council in the form of a ‘Cabinet’ style body
of elected members.
Clearly, the Council values highly the input of partners, customers, and other stake
holders, and across the Council’s Committee structures there are now panels that
enable key constituencies to be consulted on forthcoming committee business, and
for those views expressed to be fed to the decision making body/committee.
The Housing Committee consistent with this approach, has the Housing Consultative
Panel and the Area Housing Panels now programmed to take place before each of
the Housing Committee’s meetings and feed their views through this route. The
Housing Consultative Panel now includes representation from the area tenants and
residents panels (12); the Tenant Management Organisations and Tenant
Management Co-ops (1); leaseholders (1) and Housing Associations (1).
The Housing Committee decided (in March 2000) on adopting the new arrangements
introduced across the Council, to review the issue of Housing Consultative Panel
representation on the Housing Committee a year into the process.
In view of the limited number of meetings under the Committee system, it was
proposed by officers that Members consider the more long-term arrangements for
tenant involvement at a strategic level. It was recommended that consideration be
given to maintaining the role of the ‘Housing Consultative Panel’ as one of the points
for consultation on Housing business that is to be considered by the new executive
arrangements. It was recommended by officers that members consider having non-
executive “Member” (Councillor) involvement on that panel to act as potential
advocate within the Council for the Housing Consultative Panel.
Full details have yet (March 2002) to be firmed up, but there will be a body which will
scrutinise the decisions made by the “cabinet”. The HCP can request scrutiny of
housing decisions, and there will be full consultation on the input of tenants and
leaseholders into this process nearer the time of re-organisation.
66
12 LEASEHOLDER CONSULTATION AND INVOLVEMENT.
There are over 7,000 council leaseholders in Islington. In November, the Islington
Leaseholder Forum (ILF) was set up as part of arrangements to improve
consultation, in the spirit of the Compact.
By way of background, in 1999, the Ownership Review Group, including
leaseholders drawn from Leaseholder Associations and Neighbourhood Housing
panels and officers, examined the operation of leaseholder services on general and
the issue of participation and involvement in particular. It was concluded that the
establishment of a forum for leaseholders to express their views collectively about
the services received, from initial applications to purchase to service charge billing
and liaison with Neighbourhood Housing Office staff would lead to real, resident-led
improvements to the Home Ownership service.
The Council therefore established a ‘Leaseholder Panel’ with terms of reference
including considering Housing Committee business in relation to the Leaseholder
perspective. This panel has now been up and running for eight months. The
structure for membership of the panel differs from that of the Area Housing Panels,
members of the Leaseholder panel are directly elected by leaseholders in their area,
they are not representatives of a particular subset of tenants or residents in quite the
same way as Tenants Association representatives being put forward to an Area
Housing Panel by a particular estate or group of properties.
The Council’s relationship with leaseholders also differs from that with tenants, in
that the “property contract” (lease) and the legal framework define minimum
standards for certain aspects of consultation, particularly those, where as a landlord
the Council incurs major ‘recharge’ costs.
It is clear that leaseholders, whilst sharing many issues with the Council’s tenants,
also have other aspects of their relationship, which if the Council is to properly
involve and consult them, requires a different forum that can focus closely upon
these. There are also different expectation emerging from leaseholders, many of
whom have no past ‘council tenancy’ experience, many having in the past lived in
properties where leasehold management is ‘a business activity’ unconnected with
the wider responsibilities of the Council.
The ‘Leaseholder Panel’ has the powers each year to review its terms of reference
and make recommendations for developing its own structure and activities.
67
There are at present no immediate plans to review the arrangements established for
leaseholder consultation, rather, that panel work with the Council to develop
improved services and relationship between owners of leasehold interest in ex-
Council housing, and the Council.
Terms Of Reference For Islington Leaseholder’s Forum.
A. Aims of the Forum.
The ILF is a consultative body to promote Leaseholder/Freeholder
interests.The Forum is established to discuss and review policies associated
with Leasehold management.
The objectives of the Forum are as follows: -
- To maximise leaseholders’ understanding of the method of calculation
of all charges
- To ensure full ILF involvement in all leasehold management activities,
specifically communication, and the Council’s approach to
leaseholders.
- To co-ordinate the referral of leaseholders’ concerns about charging
principles to officers.
- To make recommendations regarding major works procedures.
- To have a role in monitoring those Sections of Housing services which
deal wiith leaseholders/freeholders
- Secure legal advice regarding leaseholder matters
- To have a role in monitoring Tenant Management Organisations in
their dealings with leaseholders/freeholders.
- To examine leaseholder insurance arrangements
B. Policy Issues to be addressed
a. Day to day service charges
68
- the method and basis of calculation of service charge estimates, including
overhead costs
- Co-op/TMO charges
- The billing of service charges
- Block or sub estate breakdowns
- Standing order/Direct Debit payment incentive schemes
b. The billing of major works
- Liaison with Home Ownership Unit to ensure full itemisation of proposed
works where major works contemplated
- billing on estimates
- repayment options
- timetable for billing backlog
- the method and calculation of invoices
- to request technical advice regarding the level and standard of works
c. Information about leaseholders’ accounts
- the extent and quality of published information
- introduction and operation of a home owners’ charter, including dispute
resolution
- level of detail to be supplied with invoices
- the impact of legislative proposals
d. Information about local housing management issues
- service schedules for routine work
- division of responsibilities between staff
- leaseholder involvement in decision-making process
- staff accessibility
- proper liaison with home owners prior to and during major works
- recommend improvements in communication channels with Area Housing
Office staff
e. Other
- Liaison with other Home Owners’/Leaseholder Forums.
- Involvement in the specification and monitoring of works contract
Constitution
Composition and Status of Leaseholder Forum
69
The Forum is comprised of leaseholders elected by secret ballot of all
leaseholders in each of the local housing management areas. Such a ballot
shall take place at least every two years.
- Each local housing management area shall be entitled to return two
leaseholders as representatives for that area. Additionally, there shall be
one representative from each recognised Leaseholder Association
(Statutorily recognised Tenants’ Associations recognised under s.29 of the
Landlord and Tenant Act 1985). Leaseholders may be nominated to stand
in such an election or may nominate themselves. In either event, they
must agree in writing to stand for election. There shall be no restriction on
the number of times a leaseholder may stand for election.
- Each representative shall be a current resident leaseholder within that
local housing management area. In the event of the representative
resigning or no longer being a current resident leaseholder in that area, or
otherwise being no longer available to serve on the Forum, the person(s)
with the next highest number of votes at the election of representatives will
be appointed if agreeable, to maintain representation of Areas on the ILF.
- Further non-voting representatives may be nominated or co-opted by the
agreement of the Forum to facilitate the discussion of specific issues
- The Forum may invite officers or Members to attend their meetings
- Forum to elect a representative to sit on Housing Consultative Panel.
Recommendations or proposals resulting from the work of the forum are to be
referred to the Director of Housing for consideration. Issues raised at the
Forum, which relate to local management issues, will be referred to the local
management team, Homeownership Group or Area Housing Panels as
appropriate.
Operation of the Forum
- Meetings will be held approximately five times a year. A meeting shall be
quorate upon the attendance of not less than six of the twelve
representatives, or one half of the elected representatives if the total for
the time being is less than twelve.
- The meetings shall be chaired by a Leaseholder. The meetings may be
addressed by non-members of the Forum with the consent of the Forum.
70
Minutes will be taken and circulated to Forum members within fourteen
days of each meeting.
- Meeting dates to be published annually for the next year and agenda items
and previous minutes will be circulated not less than ten days before the
date of the next meeting.
- A report of the proceedings of each meeting will be sent to the Assistant
Director of Housing (Housing Management) and the HCP as a matter of
routine.
- The Terms of Reference of the Forum shall be reviewed at an Annual
General meeting of the Forum.
71
E. COMPACT REVIEWS
The report indicates that there will be several reviews by tenants and leaseholders of
involvement. This page lists the reviews by body carrying them out. They fall into the
following categories:
Initial review of the 2002/03 Tenant Participation Compact 3 months from signing.
Annual working parties of Area Housing Panel representatives
Annual review by Housing Consultative Panel
AHP Commitments
Council Reviews
Reviews of aspects of the Compact agreement have been mentioned in the report:
this page sets out a summary of the proposed reviews. It is essential that this
happens jointly between tenants and leaseholders, Council Members and officers, to
ensure that it keeps in step with legislative changes and with alterations to the
Council’s housing policies and practices which will have taken place over the year.
Annual working parties of AHP reps
A working party will be convened consisting of Area Housing Panel representatives and officers of the Council to review annually the Council’s equalities policies and practices with the aim of ensuring that TRA’s and other representative bodies are able to widen involvement in their organisations from all tenants and leaseholders represented.
Review the AHP and HCP constitution one year from the date of agreement
through a Working Party convened from the Area Panels
Annual reviews by HCP
The HCP will review communications from Islington Housing on an annual basis.
A report to Housing Committee (or successor) would then be made, and actioned
accordingly, with a report back to the next available round of AHP’s on actions
taken.
72
AHP Commitments
The Communications policy with respect to tenants and leaseholders should be
reviewed on an annual basis by the HCP in liaison with the AHP’s
Annual election of reps to working party on equality issues.
Prior to each tenants’ newsletter AHP’s will decide what contributions from the
tenants’ movement should be accepted. Timing and means of doing so to be
reviewed by HCP after the first year of Compact.
Area Budgets
Meeting One - September/October before spend year. Initial discussions between
Area Housing Panel and Housing Project Officers to establish the scope for Area
Housing Panel recommendation (budget level, project types, etc.) To help this,
details of past bids and initiatives will be given, to allow Panels to make
provisional choices. It is expected that Panels will set priorities against which
projects can be assessed. It is also expected that Panels will make some
provisional choices of projects, taking account of these priorities. This may take
the form of a long or short list of projects.
Meeting Two – November/December. At Area Housing Panel Meeting or other
appropriate meeting – to set firmer priorities , which will allow the short listing and
fine tuning of projects.
Meeting Three – January/February. Area Housing panels will finalise and agree
the actual projects, and budgets will be allocated against these. Successful bids
will then be factored into Capital Programme and monitored.
Council reviews
It is recognised that there may not be enough meeting places available of the right sort, and the Compact commits the Council to an annual review of meeting places.
TRAs and RIU will review annually and develop the Service Level Agreement.
RIU will review TRA recognition and support policies annually
73
It is envisaged that the results of these reviews will be collated every year, and will
form part on an annual review of the Tenant Participation Compact. In addition, any
improvements to resident participation initiatives in Islington will be included in a
revised document, and revisions will be published every year in Housing Islington
and for inclusion in tenants and leaseholders’ information packs.
74
F. THE FUTURE
Thank you for reading Islington’s Tenant Participation Compact for 2002-03.
It is hoped that the Tenant Participation Compact will be used to measure progress
in involvement over the years. This year’s Compact is the first in an annual series, to
be added to and improved.
The Council is committed to involving tenants and leaseholders in this dialogue,
through existing consultation bodies, but also by asking every customer for their
views and suggestions. If you would like to do so, please write to :
Residents’ Initiatives Unit
Islington Council Housing Department
5 Highbury House
London N5 1RN
marking your envelope “Compact”.
75
APPENDIX
LIST OF COMMUNITY CENTRES AND TENANT AND RESIDENT ASSOCIATION
FLATS USED AS MEETING PLACES
1. COMMUNITY CENTRES LIST
Community
Centres
Article I. C
Contact
name and
address
TTel.
No.
Article II. U
Use
Rental
Income
Article III. L
Location
code
Article IV. A
Area
Almorah CC
Almorah Road
London N1
[redacted] [redacted
]
Various No 9547 Upper
Street
Andover CC
Andover Estate
Corker Walk
LondonN7 7RU
[redacted] [redacted
]
Various No 9522 Isledon Rd
Aubert Court
CC
Avenell Road
London N5 1BJ
[redacted] [redacted
]
Playgroup
and
various
3750
(P)
9525 Upper
Street
Jean Stokes CC
Coatbridge
House
Bemerton
Estate
London N1
[redacted] [redacted
]
Various No 9559 Lyon Street
Bennett Court
CC
Axminster Road
London N7 6BN
(T)
[redacted] [redacted
]
Various No 9513 Isledon
Road
Bentham Court
CC
135 Bentham
Court
Ecclesbourne
Road
London N1(T)
[redacted] [redacted
]
Nursery –
ground
floor
No
Various -
1st floor
9548 Upper
Street
Birchmore Hall
Highbury
Quadrant
London N5
[redacted] [redacted
]
Various No 9535 Boleyn
Road
Caledonian
Estate Hall
Sophia Close
Caledonian Rd
[redacted] [redacted
]
Various No 9535 Lyon Street
76
London N1(T)
Sebbon Street
CC(T)
Sebbon Street
London N1 2DZ
[redacted] [redacted
]
Various No 9556 Upper Street
Margery Street
CC
Margery Street
London WC1X
0PH(T)
[redacted] [redacted
]
Various No 9582 Central St.
Earlstoke
Estate Tenant
Room
21a Midway
House
Manningford Cl.
London EC1V
7HP
[redacted] [redacted
]
Volunteer
grp.
Playgroup
3500 Central St.
Elthorne Estate
Clubroom
Mulkern Road
London N19
[redacted] [redacted
]
6300 9504 Holland
Walk
Brunswick CR
Ground floor
Mulberry Court
Tompion
Street
London EC1V
0PH(T)
[redacted] [redacted
]
Various No Central St.
Gambier Hall
Mora Street
London EC1V
8DL
[redacted] [redacted
]
Various No 9574 Central St.
Goodinge CC
North Road
London N7(T)
[redacted] [redacted
]
Various No 9532 Lyon Street
Half Moon CC
Wynford Street
London N1
[redacted] [redacted
]
Various No Lyon Street
Hargrave Hall
Hargrave Road
London N19
[redacted] [redacted
]
Various Yes Holland
Walk
Harry Rice Hall
Hargrave
Park(T)
London N19
[redacted] [redacted
]
Various No 9307 Holland
Walk
77
The Chestnuts
CC
Highbury
Grange
London N5
[redacted] [redacted
]
Various No 9542 Boleyn Rd
Hilldrop CC
Community
Lane
Hilldrop Road
London N7
[redacted] [redacted
] Article V. V
Various
3100
(P)
9519 Boleyn Rd
Holly Hall CC
Blythwood Rd.
Crouch Hill
London N4
4EU
[redacted] [redacted
] Article VI. V
Various
5500 9584 Holland
Walk
Hornsey Lane
Estate CC
Hazelville Rd
London N19
3YJ(T)
[redacted] [redacted
]
Various
9509 Holland
Walk
Ivy Hall
Holly Park Est.
Crouch Hill
London N4
4BY(T)
[redacted] [redacted
] Article VII. V
Various
No 9808 Isledon
Road
Kings Square
meeting room &
playhouse
Rahere House
Kings Square
London EC1(T)
[redacted] [redacted
] Playgroup
Various
7125
No
9575 Central St.
Lorraine Estate
CC
Biddestone Rd
London N7
9UD
[redacted] [redacted
] Article VIII. V
Various
No 9529 Lyon Street
Mayville CC
Woodville Rd
London N16
8NS
[redacted] [redacted
] Article IX. V
Various
No 9568 Boleyn Rd
Miranda Est.
CC
Henfield Close
Miranda Est.
London N19
3RB(T)
[redacted] [redacted
] Article X. V
Various
No 9501 Holland
Walk
Nailour Hall
Blundell Street
London N7
9BU(T)
[redacted] [redacted
] Article XI. V
Various
No 9561 Lyon Street
78
New Orleans
CC
Hornsey Rise
London N19
3SY(T)
[redacted] [redacted
] Article XII. V
Various
No 9510 Holland
Walk
Packington CH
1a Packington
Square
London N1
7UA
[redacted] [redacted
] Article XIII. V
Various
Packington
Est. Office
0207
5276161
Peregrine TH
Hall Street
London EC1(T)
[redacted] [redacted
] Article XIV. V
Various
No 9576 Central St.
Popham Estate
CC
Popham Street
London N1(T)
[redacted] [redacted
]
(P) and
various
3100 (P) 9511 Upper St.
Liz McKeon CR
Providence
Place Flats
Off Upper
Street
London N1
[redacted] [redacted
]
Islington
Pensions
Forum
No Upper St.
Ringcross CC
Lough Road
London N7
[redacted] [redacted
]
Various No 9536 Lyon Street
St Johns CC
Holland Walk
Elthorne Est.
London N19
3XS(T)
[redacted] [redacted
]
Various 1500
Archway
child-
minders
9509 Holland
Walk
Sickert Court
CC
Canonbury St.
London N1
[redacted] [redacted
]
Day centre
Playgroup
2750 9537 Lyon Street
Stephens Ink
CC
Gillespie Road
LondonN5
[redacted] [redacted
]
Various No 9526 Isledon Rd
79
Tealby Court
Hall
Roman Way
Ringcross Est.
London N7
[redacted] [redacted
]
Playgroup 3100 9537 Lyon Street
Tompian Hall
Percival Street
London EC1(T)
[redacted] [redacted
]
Various No 9583 Central St.
Vibast CH
163 Old Street
London EC1(T)
[redacted] [redacted
]
Various No 9578 Central St.
Westbourne
Estate CC
Roman way
London N7(T)
[redacted] [redacted
]
Various No 9538 Lyon Street
Weston Rise
CC
Estate Office
187 Pentonville
Rd
London N1 (T)
[redacted] [redacted
]
Various No Central St.
Williamson St.
CC
Parkhurst Rd
London N7(T)
[redacted] [redacted
]
No Lyon Street
Yorkway CC
Treaty Street
London N1
[redacted] [redacted
]
Various No Lyon Street
Girdlestone
Est. CC (1&2)
Under 110
Salisbury Walk
London N19
5DU(T)
[redacted] [redacted
]
Various No Holland Walk
Walnut Tree
CR
Mayville Est.
London N16
[redacted] [redacted
]
Various Boleyn Rd
80
TENANTS’ AND RESIDENTS’ ASOCIATION (TRA) FLATS AVAILABLE FOR
MEETINGS
TRA FLAT
Contact
Area
Location/code
Contact tel.
Number
Wedmore Estate
TRA Flat
32 Norcombe
House, Wedmore
Street, London N19
[redacted] Holland Walk 9205
1 bed flat
[redacted]
Wenlake Estate
TRA
12 Wenlake
House,
Wenlake Estate,
London EC1(T)
[redacted] Central
Street
9258
Former lodge
[redacted]
Brecknock Estate
TRA
1 Blake House
Brecknock Estate
London N19(T)
[redacted] Holland
Road
9250
Former lodge
[redacted]
Mersey Estate TRA
Flat 2, Mersey
Estate, London
N7(T)
[redacted] Lyon Street 9222
1 bed flat
[redacted]
Stafford Cripps
TRA flat
1 Parmoor Court
Gee Street
London EC1(T)
[redacted] Central
Street
I bed flat
(ground floor)
[redacted]
103, The Triangle,
Triangle Estate,
Goswell Road,
London EC1(T)
[redacted] Central
Street
3 bed flat [redacted]
Gambier TRA
Ground floor
Gambier House
Mora Street
EC1(T)
[redacted] Central
Street
Former lodge
9574
[redacted]
Braithwaite House
TRA
Ground Floor
Bunhill Row, EC1
Block being
refurbished
Central
Street
Former
caretaker store
Thornhill Houses
TRA Room
Ground Floor
Offord Rd N1(T)
[redacted] Lyon Street Meeting Room
Highbury Estate [redacted Boleyn Road Ex laundry [redacted]
81
TRA
Old laundry Room
2nd floor,
Pitfield House
Grosvenor Avenue
London N5(T)
9359
Hawthorne Close
TRA Flat
44 Hawthorne
Close
London N1 4AW(T)
[redacted] Boleyn Road 1 bed flat – used
by 3 TRAs.
9282
[redacted]
Key:
Address in bold where managed by a tenants and residents’ association.
CC – Community Centre
CH – Community Hall
CR – Community Room
(P) – Playgroup
TH – Tenant Hall
(T) – Managed by TRA
82
ANNEX 5
EQUALITIES POLICY
ANNEX 5 EQUALITIES POLICY
Housing & Performance Department Equalities Action Plan
Introduction and Context
This is the Housing and Performance Department Equalities Action Plan for the year 2004/05.
Valuing Diversity and Delivering Equality is a cornerstone of the council’s One Islington vision and promoted through the Corporate Planand our Dignity for All policy.
The Council has a statutory obligation, under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 to eliminate unlawful racial discrimination;promote equal opportunities; and promote good relations between people from different racial groups.
From April 2002, a new Equality Standard for local authorities was introduced which replaced the CRE standard. The new standardcovers three aspects of equality - race, gender and disability. The purpose of the Equality Standard is to enable local authorities tomainstream these aspects into council policy and practice at all levels and provide a basis for tackling forms of institutional discrimination.
The council has taken a decision to anticipate forthcoming legislation covering sexuality, religion, belief and age by also including theseaspects in the implementation of the Equality Standard.
The overall aim of our Department Plan is to mainstream equalities, working towards making all Islington’s communities socially cohesiveand prosperous with the belief that equality is part of everything we do both as a service provider and employer.It centres on:
identifying and eliminating all forms of discrimination
promoting equalities
addressing any departmental equality-related issues
Contributing to the delivery of the Council’s Corporate Equality Action Plan.