LIVING WELL SCRUTINY PANEL – 2ND DECEMBER, 2002 LBTH HOUSING CHOICE STAGE 2 – A SUMMARY Stage 2 is the process by which each estate constituency is offered the opportunity to select a social landlord partner to work with and develop proposals for investment and service delivery. The estate constituencies are those areas defined for the Stage 1 Referendum. For Stage 2 some estate constituencies are joining together where residents agree that they have common interests and concerns. The Council has agreed long-list of RSLs as drawn up by a resident panel from the Boroughwide Compact Group. The residents marked applications from 26 RSLs according to the following criteria to produce this list: (a) Experience of managing large flatted estates (b) Evidence of commitment to local service delivery (c) Evidence of commitment to residents being able to influence decision making and support to Tenant Management Organisations (d) Evidence of experience in dealing with leaseholders and appreciation of the issues that affect them. (e) Justification for involvement in LBTH Housing Choice (f) Evidence of good local housing service delivery and satisfactory performance against key indicators. (g) Evidence of resident satisfaction with services provided by RSL (h) Evidence of appreciation of BME Housing issues. (i) Evidence of sustainable rent policy following Rent Restructuring (j) Financial strength and provision for investment in existing stock. The RSL long list as selected by the residents’ panel Areas of LBTH Bethnal Green & Victoria Park Housing Association All Grand Union Housing Co-Operative BG, Bow/NP Guinness Trust BG, Bow/NP, S/W LABO Housing Association All Mitali Housing Association BG,S/W Old Ford Housing Association BG, Bow/NP Peabody Trust BG/SW Poplar HARCA IOD/SP, Bow/NP Solon Co-Operative Housing Services BG, Bow/NP Southern Housing Group BG,S/W Spitalfields Housing Association BG, Bow/NP, S/W Swan Housing Association All Tower Hamlets Community Housing BG,S/W Toynbee Housing Association All Circle 33 Housing Trust S/W William Sutton Trust BG, IOD/SP, Bow/NP ( BG =Bethnal Green; NP=North Poplar; SP= South Poplar; S/W = Stepney and Wapping) In addition to the above RSLs, the Council agreed that a new Council Sponsored RSL be set up. This is known as EastEndHomes. 1 EastEndHomes is being offered to residents in direct response to residents’ interest. There is evidence that some residents will have more faith in something new that they take part in setting up themselves. Each RSL was asked to provide: a wish list of up to ten estates as a guide to residents as to areas and type of properties that they think that they are best placed to assist if possible with priorities with a justification as to why they were targeting these estates The purpose of this exercise was to encourage the RSLs to set out their strategy in relation to Housing Choice and to give residents on each estate a clearer idea of which RSLs really want to talk to them. However, residents remain free to talk to any RSL on the long list. As a new organisation EastEndHomes is an option that is available to residents on all estates. Not all are taking up this option with some estate steering groups preferring a shortlist of existing RSLs only. Residents at the heart of the process The success of the Stage 1 Referendum was is part due to the support of the Boroughwide Compact Group. Residents from this group were concerned that residents would have the ability to exercise choice during the Stage 2 process and that in exercising choice residents would be free to talk a range of potential RSL partners without being subject to pressure or hard sell tactics from individual RSLs. The Compact Group were also anxious to ensure that residents were convinced that the Council had not already decided to “sell off everything to the HARCA”. The Stage 2 process is therefore designed to put residents in driving seat so that each steering group can determine how it wishes to proceed rather than being told what to do. Ground Rules These are designed to ensure that residents feel that they are really exercising choice rather than being told what to do by the Council and the RSLs. • All initial contact through designated named council officers • Residents will contact RSLs, not vice versa. • Estate steering groups and the Council will decide when residents are ready to choose their partner • Proposals must be realistic and no false expectations raised. • Council will need to see breakdown of costs for works proposals and agree them with the RSL before they can be presented to residents. • Meeting the Decent Homes Standard is non-negotiable. How the Resident Steering Groups are being recruited The Council is working with existing residents organisations including TMOs and TRAs wherever possible. However, membership of steering groups needs to reflect the profile of residents (tenure balance/ethnicity/age etc) and therefore tenants’ organisations are being encouraged to set up steering groups that address any imbalance in their committees/boards. Where there is no existing organisation, steering groups are being recruited from scratch with letters and leaflets being distributed to all residents seeking 2 volunteers. There is currently an advert running on Ramadan Radio encouraging residents to get involved with their local steering groups. How the Steering Groups are making their decisions Council is giving residents a framework, not telling residents what to do. This is resulting in different approaches. However there are common themes emerging: PPCR the independent resident advisers are providing capacity building including: Training in what to look for in a RSL partner. Residents empowered to set their own priorities and criteria for assessment As part of the training residents are told: Factors that will influence residents’ choice: Service delivery Service Charges Works proposals Opportunities for resident involvement Factors that should not influence residents’ choice of RSL: • Rents – will be determined by restructuring • Tenancy Conditions – rights of secure tenants preserved in contract – e.g. no use of Ground 8 – preserved RTB How the Decisions are being taken: There are a number of different approaches emerging as a result. Case study 1 – Leopold/Burdett Estate (made decision on 14th October) . Established tenants and residents association with very capable chairperson . Steering Group formed from TRA committee with general invitation to residents to join in. Residents drew up a prospectus of their aspirations on a block by block basis. Informal discussions with 3 existing RSLs including site visits to some of their properties. Prospectus issued to same 3 RSLs with invitation to make formal proposals based on how they would address the requirements. Formal presentations to steering group. Exhibition on estate to which all residents invited . Questionnaire given to those residents who attended . Evaluation of proposals and report issued by chair of steering group . Decision meeting and vote on which RSL to select. Poplar HARCA selected . TRA Website has reported progress throughout. This can be viewed at www.leopold.org.uk Case Study 2 – Mile End East (British Street, Eric Street and Bede Estates) 3 Active TRA on British Street but not on the other 2 estates. Leaflets distributed to all residents inviting volunteers for steering group. Public meeting to conform membership of steering group. Steering Group members meet with PPCR and receive training. Steering group send out questionnaires asking residents their views about their estate and what they think would most improve things. Steering Group draws up shortlist of RSLs. Steering Group receives formal presentation from 3 RSLs Steering group issues a series of questions to the 3 RSLs Series of open days held so residents can comment on the various proposals. Further set of questions sent to the 3 RSLs Formal evaluation and decision. EastEndHomes selected Case Study 3 - Boundary Estate (No date for decision as yet) Active TRA in receipt of some Cityside Regeneration funding for newsletters etc. Core of Steering group is TRA but anxious to anxious to include all sections of the community, especially the Bangladeshi residents. Leaflets and public meetings used to recruit extra members. Series of questions sent to those RSLs who had expressed an interest in Estate. These focussed on the listed building status of the estate and the particular problems this poses. Returns used to shortlist 4 RSLs RSLs to be invited to hold open day for all residents on 14th December 2002. Next steps to be determined by feedback from open day. Case Study 4 - Crossways Estate (Due to make decision after formal interviews on 11th December 2002) Estate also subject to SRB6 Regeneration scheme that will provide new homes on the estate. Existing steering group already in place because of SRB6 scheme. Fun day held in July 2002 when all those RSLs that had expressed an interest in Housing Choice on Crossways were invited to have a stall. Separate tendering exercise underway for New Build partner – Housing Choice RSLs register interest and invited to tender. Housing Choice landlords all short-listed for new build so Steering Group decides to merge the process. Further open day scheduled for 23rd November 2002. Formal interviews on 11th December 2002. • here will be regular reporting of progress to enable monitoring 4.