Quarterly Report
October 2001
Representation
Membership remains static at 173 member organisations.
Policy
The CCH's co-operation in housing strategy, developed in partnership with the Co-operative Union and the UK Co-operative Council has been moved forward in the following areas:
Stock transfer
The CCH's stock transfer proposals will be launched on 24th October in the House of Lords in a Mutuo publication together with critiques by Cobbetts and HACAS Chapman Hendy. A project proposal is being drafted to consult on and develop/implement the stock transfer proposals. A key part of the consultation programme will be two seminars, aimed at local authority members, staff and tenants, in Manchester on 5th December, and in London on 12th December. For further details, please contact the Co-op Union Events Office on 0161 246 2908 or rbutler.coopunion@co-op.co.uk
Best practice in community control for RSLs programme
Work has started on this programme, which forms a key part of the Housing Corporation's Communities in Control strategy. The programme will develop a range of community control options for tenants and residents and disseminate these options. Consultants have now been appointed to work on the programme - Social Regeneration Consultants in partnership with the University of Lincoln & Humberside and BOW Community Projects. It is intended that a seminar, with an invited audience, on key issues will be held in January 2002 as part of the programme.
Community Land Trusts
A seminar bringing together various practitioners from across the country looking at Community Land Trusts was held in September 2001. Fieldwork for the CCH Community Land Trust programme has started, alongside structural planning being carried out by HACAS Chapman Hendy. This work is being jointly funded by Birmingham City Council and the Housing Corporation.
The CCH has also played a role in working with the Co-op College to investigate training requirements for housing co-ops.
Promotion
The next CCH annual conference will be held in the North-West on 22nd to 24th March 2002. Sally Keeble MP, Deputy Housing Minister, has agreed to address the conference.
The CCH has attended the following events in the last two months:
- TPAS conference.
- a fact-finding mission to Scottish housing co-ops.
- the North-East Co-op Links AGM.
- an event bringing together housing co-operators on the South coast.
- an event hosted by Leicester Housing Co-ops & Leicester HA.
The CCH has also been asked by the Housing Corporation to assist Clays Lane Housing Co-op. This work is in progress.
Research
The following pieces of research are available:
Tenant Control & Social Exclusion
A study into how tenant controlled organisations impact on the government's social exclusion agenda.
Service provision to housing co-ops
A detailed assessment of how organisations provide services to housing co-ops.
Database of policies and procedures
A CD-ROM containing sample policies and procedures for housing co-ops.
Code of Governance
The CCH Code of Governance, published in partnership with the National Housing Federation.
As part of the review of Tenant Management Organisation Modular Management Agreement, the CCH has been asked to draw up a Code of Governance for TMOs.
Publicity
The CCH's interactive website continues to be sited at http://www.cch-uk.org/. The CCH also now operates a discussion list for serious housing co-op afficienados!
