* Rent Guarantee post transfer to be extended *

***News *** The Welsh Assembly Government have announced that it will consider extending the rent gurantee period beyond the five year period normally associated with transfers of stock from local authoirty to a registered social landlord.

The decision reflects concerns raised by tenants about what will happen to rent following the five year period. The Minister for Social Justice and Regeneration has ordered an amendment to the guidlines to relect this.

The Stock Transfer Guidance 2002 - Rent Gurantees, Paragraph 4.3.4 of the current guidelines should now read... local authorities can offer to transfering tenants rent increases post ballot that will not exceed the rent increases they would have paid as council tenants if transfer had not taken place. Obviously this would have to be reflected in the 30 year business plan developed by Councils and approved by the Welsh Assembly Government.

Previously 'the Assembly would not normally agree to a rent gurantee for more than five years'.

New tenants i.e. people who are not currently secure tenants of the Council and who move into a home for the first time after transfer will be charged RSL benchmark rents as set by the Welsh Assembly Government from the start of their tenancy.

End

Resident Participation Strategy consultation summary

Introduction

The Welsh Assembly has launched its resident participation strategy consultation document and its associated guidance. The Welsh Tenants Federation provides here a summary of the contents to assist members who might have difficulty wading through the weighty document. We suggest that members do the following:

• Set up ‘reading groups’ to formulate a response
• Be sure to try and get a broad range of opinions on board i.e. by profile e.g. young people; elderly; single parents; ethnic minorities; leaseholders; owner occupiers (people who have exercised their right to buy) etc.
• Write up a summary and discuss the outcomes with your members and relevant stakeholders at the earliest opportunity
• You can use the questions included as an example or put in your own
• Finally ask what’s missing or ask members to include suggestions to help the strategy work better

LET US KNOW HOW YOU GET ON AND FORWARD YOUR RESPONSE TO THE WTF.

Thank you.

Resident Participation Strategy - A summary of the core content and background

Paper includes

• Understanding why the strategy and guidance are required. Overview of the strategy and guidance
• Provides information about the consultation process that will take place – 18^th Sept 12^th Dec
• Purpose of the consultation is to discuss issues related to resources, communication, training & capacity building, service planning and performance monitoring

Question: Has the paper and guidance covered all the issues?

Background

• Better homes for People in Wales provides a commitment to TP
• WAG recognises that there is ‘patchy’ performance by social landlords and that improvements are required
• The Strategy takes into consideration the report on the ‘Evaluating of tenant participation in Housing management and design (CIH Cymru + Rowan)
• It accepts the recommendations of the report in particular …Assembly Government to develop a National Strategy setting out minimum standards and clarifying expectations for the sector together with guidance
• The WAG set up a task and finish group to review the recommendations, this consisted of: WAG, TPAS Cymru, WTF, WFHA, Local Authority, Cymorth, Tai Pawb

Aim of the strategy

To promote quality resident participation services in the pursuit of continuous improvement in the delivery of responsive housing and related services

The strategy does this by setting out:

Assembly Government position

Their expectations of social landlords (does the stratgey meet your expectations?)

What support is available from WAG (Is there suffient support from the WAG?)

How the assembly will monitor social landlords performance

Context

The strategy identifies that:

Social landlords share information, ideas and decision making with residents and other relevant stakeholders about

o Housing management and related services

Service planning priorities

How they will work together with residents and other stakeholders to achieve these

WAG’s Expectations of landlords

• Develop a local participation strategy covering core elements
• Minimum standards with respect to:

Scope of participation

Options for participation

Delivery mechanisms

Monitoring, evaluation and review processes

WAGs has a dual role

• Ensure delivery on the ground & delivery strategically
• Create links with Resident participation in National and local participation
• Ensure adequate monitoring and review
• Providing support for landlords

Support for landlords

• Partnership working
• Core funding for the WTF and TPAS Cymru
• Tenant Empowerment Grants
• Promote good practice through Social Housing Management Grant Programme
• Help fund National Tenants Resource Centre’s Capacity Building & Small Grants programme

Timetable for implementation

• Consultation on draft documents Sept to Dec 06
• WAG Resident participation Strategy will then be issued January 2007
• Social Landlords Local Resident Participation Strategies should be developed by August 2007 (too short?)
• 3 yearly fundamental reviews from August 2007 onwards

Are the timescales practical ?

Draft guidance (as an toolkit for landlords and tenants)

• Aimed at helping landlords and residents sustain momentum and build on the excellent resident participation practices that already exist in Wales
• Expands upon and follows a similar pattern as the strategy but there is much more material, especially about the minimum standards for the scope of participation options and delivery

Is the document useful to tenant groups or should it focus on the intended and expected outcomes of each standard?

Audit commission research outcomes

• Involving residents to improve services DOES work and it can provide value for money
• Draws on evidence and examples of housing associations positively affecting community capacity
• Can significantly enhance the accountability of housing organisations
• Research states that effective participation is more than making information available or responding passively to resident participation interests
• Residents need support to participate effectively
• Participation is not a passive function and calls for positive and sustained action on the part of social landlords
• Landlords and residents should build in methods for challenging the effectiveness of different participation models and maximise cost effectiveness

WAG’s expectations – Core elements

• Landlords state their primary expression of local delivery of the national strategy is through social landlords developing local resident participation strategy
• Should state its aims, objectives and intended outcomes
• How it was developed and how residents & other stakeholders were involved
• How equality of opportunity in all participation exercises will be promoted
• How organisations will comply with the law on participation and regulatory rights to participate
• Should be developed and reviewed with regard to good practice
• Should refer to other relevant strategies that in turn should contain a statement on resident participation
• Should have minimum standards
• Include participation as a corporate activity
• A comprehensive approach
• Target high priority audiences
• Be responsive to residents needs and wishes
• Be accessible to all and inclusive
• Consider its sustainability
• Residents say on what information is provided
• Information about resources (mapping resource needs)
• Locally based information
• Channels of communication
• Opportunities that enable residents to express their views
• Consultation methods
• Keeping records of consultation and its results

There is much use of the word 'should' as opposed to 'Must' would this ensure that everyone includes these in the stratgey?

Minimum standards (MS) of participation options

• Tenant participation compacts
• Include residents associations
• Working groups (e.g. service reviews or project committees)
• Board committee membership
• Local strategic partnerships
• Resident management & Ownership models

Are these minimum standards sufficient - or are some minimum standards missing - if yes what are they? for example access to independant support and advice.

MS - Delivery

• Operations staff roles clearly defined
• Record-keeping of preferred methods of consultation (database)
• Records of outcomes and response rates (note: action plans)
• Other evidence (e,g, involving hard to reach groups), training attended, subjective evidence of personal growth)
• Information about resources
• Training
• Publicity
• Implementation – Action plan

Should structures for involvement be included in delivery mechanisms as a key standard?

MS – Monitoring and review (by WAG)

• Monitoring meetings and reports
• Reviews
• Residents involved in reviews
• Wales Audit Office (Key Lines of enquiry, (KLOES))
• Revised action plans
• 3 yearly fundamental review

What other WAG review and monitoring mechanisms should be stated? Should WAG have a participation directorate or participation champion ?

MS – Monitoring (by Social landlords)

• Monitoring and review local strategies and action plans
• Local authorities – Inspections (WAO) + WPI
• Housing associations – Regulatory code + WAO Key Lines of enquiry (KLOES)

Should landlords have to have their strategies independently assessd annualy through for example an impact statement provided to WAG?

Recommendations for TPAS Cymru and WTF

• Joint working (synergy)
• Training provision database
• Funding database

What other recommendations should be included for WTF?

The WTF will be responding comprehensively to the document and requires your views. Please contact steve@welshtenantsfed.org.uk or peter@welshtenantsfed.org.uk Tel 01685 723922 where we will record your concerns (anonymously if required) and incorporate them in our response