CCH Bulletin July 1999
The Newsletter for the Co-operative Housing Movement in England and Wales.
In this issue:
- Editorial
- How is Your LA Playing its Latest Instrument?
- First TMO to Register with the Housing Corporation
- More Funds Being Raised for Housing Co-ops
- Brighton's "All Together Now"
- TMCs Investors in People
- CCH Regional Conferences
- More Proposals from the CCH
Editorial
by Andy Moran, Mushroom Housing Co-op
Some of us at the CCH are already looking forward to our conference at the end of September.
Mind you, some of us are involved in the planning and implementation of it, so it is not surprising that it is on our minds.
One such person, whilst pointing out to me recently the calibre of our conference speakers, commented that the co-op movement tends to hyperbolise when referring to guests at conferences and gatherings.
"The stars come out tonight", is apparently the phrase most abused.
Well the brightest lights in the universe will be gracing the co-op college at Stanford Hall, Loughborough. A Lord, a Baroness, a Minister and an MP no less, will be speaking.
The ability to attract such people to our conference can be seen as further evidence of the growth of our movement and how seriously we are now being taken.
This is particularly gratifying to long-serving members of the CCH and the movement generally.
Long may it continue.
AJM
How is Your LA Playing its Latest Instrument?
Recent amendments to the Housing Benefit Regulations have been used to query the benefit entitlement of some housing co-op members by at least one local authority (LA).
Section 3, Paragraph 1e of Statutory Instrument (SI) 1998 No. 3257, which came into effect in January 1999, has been quoted as it disallows claims for individuals who are employees or directors of the organisation with which they have their rent agreement with.
However, paragraph 1(B) of the same section states that "Sub-paragraphs (e) and (g) of paragraph (1) shall not apply in a case where the person satisfies the appropriate authority that the liability was not intended to be a means of taking advantage of the housing benefit scheme."
In other words, your LA could ask you to prove that your housing co-op was not set up to fiddle them out of housing benefit!
The up-side of course is that you should have no problem in succeeding.
At this time, the CCH is not aware of any individuals who have had their housing benefit entitlement withdrawn because of SI 3257, but please contact the CCH office if you are or have had any problems.
Credit goes to Ian Eiloart from Two Piers Housing Co-op/ Chisel Housing Association, who responded to the issue when raised on Co-opNet.
Andy Moran
First TMO to Register with the Housing Corporation
Wilfrid East Housing Co-operative, from Poplar, North London, anticipates taking ownership of their 95 properties in the near future following their successful registration with the Housing Corporation.
Wilfrid East, a successful tenant management co-operative since 1981, aims to receive transfer of their homes from the recently established stock transfer organisation, HARCA, in their long march from tenant management to ownership.
Chair of Wilfrid East, Evangelos Pourgouris, commented, "It will be a great feeling to have the ownership of our homes. As a TMC for 18 years we have been able to look after the properties to a much higher standard than other properties in the area, as well as carrying out many improvements."
"This, as well as our long track record, has made it easier for us to get funding for the transfer, and we look forward to being able to provide more improvements for our members and tenants."
The registration of Wilfrid East has come about through the dedication and hard work by co-op members, as well as through developing relationships with various organisations, including the Housing Corporation.
Roger Jarman, Head of Housing Management at the Corporation, commented, "We are happy to see the registration of Wilfrid East go forward, and it is good to see another resident controlled organisation meeting our criteria. This demonstrates that our registration conditions are not a barrier to further tenant control and ownership in the sector."
Chris Hull, Treasurer of Wilfrid East, said, "We have been working closely with the Corporation since Autumn, 1997 and have had a good working relationship with all their officers. We have learnt a lot from the process, and we hope to have a successful relationship with the Corporation in the future."
"There are many successful tenant management organisations out there. Transferring ownership will mean that we will be able to make further significant improvements to our members lives, homes and environment."
"We hope that other TMOs will follow us into ownership. The route has now been established and we have demonstrated that it works."
Nic Bliss
More Funds Being Raised for Housing Co-ops
ICOF has just launched a new share issue for its pioneering Community Capital Fund.
The fund was originally launched in 1994 to extend their lending remit beyond worker co-ops into the broader social economy, and it has been used to lend into the housing co-op sector.
ICOF has found that it can be either the prime lender or provide "equity gap" finance, and is keen to provide more support for housing co-ops where appropriate.
Community Capital needs more funds because of high demand; remarkably it has incurred no losses since inception.
The target is to raise another £1 million, on top of the £500,000 already raised.
To invest in or borrow from ICOF, please see the contact details in the box advert below.
Andrew Hibbert, ICOF
Brighton's "All Together Now"
On 7 May at Hove Town Hall, Sussex co-operators gathered together to meet and greet one another, liaise and learn, and to hopefully put into motion the machinery to start an organisation which would enable Sussex co-operators to go forth and co-operate.
The forum for such disappeared with the local CDA circa 1989, but evidently the movement in the area has been growing, if perhaps in a more fractured way, judging by the fact that about 70 people attended, all keen to know "what's out there".
The conference was Organised by Two Piers and Diggers Housing Co-ops, as well as the Sussex Co-op Party, CWS South East and other local co-operators.
Housing co-ops, LETS, farming and environmental co-ops, food and other worker co-ops, were all represented.
The Local Co-op party was strongly represented by Mayor Francis Tonks, Councillor Sue Johns, Chair of the local Co-op party and David Lepper, MP for Brighton Pavilion. All gave stirring verbal support to the would-be network, to the envy of the small contingent from Southampton Co-operators' Network, invited for their expertise and experience of such a network, mirroring the fact that active local council support for co-operators is still patchy. Malcolm Corbett of Poptel, ICOM and Social Enterprise London (SEL), pointed out that the arrival of a network for the Sussex area was "timely" and that the networking opportunities for co-ops was considerable, based upon the experience of SEL.
Upon questioning, Malcolm however admitted that the housing co-op movement was not as yet working alongside SEL, but it is a matter that SEL is addressing. After group-work by those present which looked at co-operation and the needs and wants of a local network, the meeting ended by setting up a committee to work upon the ideas and information from the conference and get things going. Thanks to Gordon Donaldson for manning the stall.
Since the Hove gathering, the network appears to have decided upon a catchier name Social Enterprise Brighton.
Andy Moran
TMCs Investors in People
Burrowes Street Co-operative in Walsall, a Tenant Management Co-operative (TMC), has recently achieved the "Investors in People" award.
Jennie Barfoot, Estate Director, believes that the co-op is the first Tenant Management Organisation in the country to achieve the award.
The award was made to the co-op in May for recognising its commitment to the training and development of "all its people", the workers and those living on the estate.
The TMC has successfully applied a "best possible value for money" approach, as well as being inclusive with its people.
For more information, contact Jennie Barfoot, or the Co-op's Chair, Terry Edis on 01922 613292.
Andy Moran
CCH Regional Conferences
The Midlands
"We have not done enough to connect with housing co-ops"
, said Graham Farrant, Director of Housing at Birmingham City Council, at the CCH's second regional conference on housing co-ops in the West Midlands.
Graham was joined by Lord Graham of Edmonton, the Chairman of the UK Co-operative Council, Chris Handy, the Chief Executive of Accord Housing Association and Jacqui Smith, MP for Redditch as keynote speakers at what was an extremely positive conference.
Over 100 delegates from Housing Co-ops, Local Authorities, Housing Associations and the wider Co-operative movement attended the conference. A highlight of the day was the showcase of housing co-ops presented by representatives from Paddock, Balsall Heath, 20/20 and Victoria Housing Co-ops, which outlined the day to day benefits of housing co-operatives.
Following the conference, a "taskforce" was set up to investigate opportunities for new housing co-op development, and to follow-up invitations to meet with Graham Farrant and other local authority representatives.
Nic Bliss
More Proposals from the CCH
CCH, through its Policy and Research Sub-group, and working in conjunction with the National Federation of Housing (NHF), has complied a list of proposals on a resident controlled housing strategy.
This collaboration followed recent activity and co-operation between the CCH and the NHF.
The document has been supplied to the Housing Corporation and follows on from the corporation's tenant participation strategy, published last November, and the Office for Public Management (OPM) report on "Models of Resident Controlled Housing".
Andy Moran
