ANNEX 1 THE INITIAL DELIVERY PLAN [Drawn up in the format

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ANNEX 1

THE INITIAL DELIVERY PLAN

[Drawn up in the format in Annex 2]


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


25.2 Production of performance information and reports

25.3 Monitoring the Organisation’s performance

X

16

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]

18

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:

19

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;

20

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.

21

22

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.

23

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.

24

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”.

25

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

26


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

√

27


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

28


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

30

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:

31

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

32

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.

33

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.

34

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.

35

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

39

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.

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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


]

Various No 9522 Isledon Rd

Aubert Court

CC

Avenell Road

London N5 1BJ


]

Playgroup

and

various

3750

(P)

9525 Upper

Street

Jean Stokes CC

Coatbridge

House

Bemerton

Estate

London N1


]

Various No 9559 Lyon Street

Bennett Court

CC

Axminster Road

London N7 6BN

(T)


]

Various No 9513 Isledon

Road

Bentham Court

CC

135 Bentham

Court

Ecclesbourne

Road

London N1(T)


]

Nursery –

ground

floor

No

Various -

1st floor

9548 Upper

Street

Birchmore Hall

Highbury

Quadrant

London N5


]

Various No 9535 Boleyn

Road

Caledonian

Estate Hall

Sophia Close

Caledonian Rd


]


76

London N1(T)

Sebbon Street

CC(T)

Sebbon Street

London N1 2DZ


]

Various No 9556 Upper Street

Margery Street

CC

Margery Street

London WC1X

0PH(T)


]

Various No 9582 Central St.

Earlstoke

Estate Tenant

Room

21a Midway

House

Manningford Cl.

London EC1V

7HP


]

Volunteer

grp.

Playgroup

3500 Central St.

Elthorne Estate

Clubroom

Mulkern Road

London N19


]

6300 9504 Holland

Walk

Brunswick CR

Ground floor

Mulberry Court

Tompion

Street

London EC1V

0PH(T)


]

Various No Central St.

Gambier Hall

Mora Street

London EC1V

8DL


]


Goodinge CC

North Road

London N7(T)


]


Half Moon CC

Wynford Street

London N1


]

Various No Lyon Street

Hargrave Hall

Hargrave Road

London N19


]

Various Yes Holland

Walk

Harry Rice Hall

Hargrave

Park(T)

London N19


]

Various No 9307 Holland

Walk

77

The Chestnuts

CC

Highbury

Grange

London N5


]

Various No 9542 Boleyn Rd

Hilldrop CC

Community

Lane

Hilldrop Road

London N7


] Article V. V

Various

3100

(P)

9519 Boleyn Rd

Holly Hall CC

Blythwood Rd.

Crouch Hill

London N4

4EU


] Article VI. V

Various

5500 9584 Holland

Walk

Hornsey Lane

Estate CC

Hazelville Rd

London N19

3YJ(T)


]

Various

9509 Holland

Walk

Ivy Hall

Holly Park Est.

Crouch Hill

London N4

4BY(T)


] Article VII. V

Various

No 9808 Isledon

Road

Kings Square

meeting room &

playhouse

Rahere House

Kings Square

London EC1(T)


] Playgroup

Various

7125

No

9575 Central St.

Lorraine Estate

CC

Biddestone Rd

London N7

9UD


] Article VIII. V

Various

No 9529 Lyon Street

Mayville CC

Woodville Rd

London N16

8NS


] Article IX. V

Various

No 9568 Boleyn Rd

Miranda Est.

CC

Henfield Close

Miranda Est.

London N19

3RB(T)


] Article X. V

Various

No 9501 Holland

Walk

Nailour Hall

Blundell Street

London N7

9BU(T)


] Article XI. V

Various

No 9561 Lyon Street

78

New Orleans

CC

Hornsey Rise

London N19

3SY(T)


] Article XII. V

Various

No 9510 Holland

Walk

Packington CH

1a Packington

Square

London N1

7UA


] Article XIII. V

Various

Packington

Est. Office

0207

5276161

Peregrine TH

Hall Street

London EC1(T)


] Article XIV. V

Various

No 9576 Central St.

Popham Estate

CC

Popham Street

London N1(T)


]

(P) and

various

3100 (P) 9511 Upper St.

Liz McKeon CR

Providence

Place Flats

Off Upper

Street

London N1


]

Islington

Pensions

Forum

No Upper St.

Ringcross CC

Lough Road

London N7


]


St Johns CC

Holland Walk

Elthorne Est.

London N19

3XS(T)


]

Various 1500

Archway

child-

minders

9509 Holland

Walk

Sickert Court

CC

Canonbury St.

London N1


]

Day centre

Playgroup

2750 9537 Lyon Street

Stephens Ink

CC

Gillespie Road

LondonN5


]

Various No 9526 Isledon Rd

79

Tealby Court

Hall

Roman Way

Ringcross Est.

London N7


]

Playgroup 3100 9537 Lyon Street

Tompian Hall

Percival Street

London EC1(T)


]


Vibast CH

163 Old Street

London EC1(T)


]


Westbourne

Estate CC

Roman way

London N7(T)


]


Weston Rise

CC

Estate Office

187 Pentonville

Rd

London N1 (T)


]

Various No Central St.

Williamson St.

CC

Parkhurst Rd

London N7(T)


]

No Lyon Street

Yorkway CC

Treaty Street

London N1


]

Various No Lyon Street

Girdlestone

Est. CC (1&2)

Under 110

Salisbury Walk

London N19

5DU(T)


]

Various No Holland Walk

Walnut Tree

CR

Mayville Est.

London N16


]

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.

Documents

ANNEX 1 THE INITIAL DELIVERY PLAN [Drawn up in the format