Appendix 1 - Action Plan – Review of Registered Social Landlords
Recommendation / Proposed Actions/Progress / Success Measures / Responsibility / Date- that the communication exchange between RSL partners and the local authority is improved by:
Protocol drafted by LA
Protocol circulated for comment.
LA to review feedback and produce revised version for comment.
Final amendments made to protocol
Publication of protocol /
- Protocol agreed and signed
- Appropriate ward councillors provided with contact details of key RSL staff.
- Outcome - Greater communication / liaison between Members and RSL staff.
31st March 09
1stApril 09 – 31st April 09
18th May09
1st June 09 – 14th June 09
30th June 2009
b)including this up to date information in the induction packs of new Members as appropriate; / Protocol and up to date RSL contact details to be forwarded to democratic services for inclusion in induction pack for new Members. /
- Protocol and up-to-date RSL contact details incorporated into Members Induction Pack.
- Outcome – New Members have an awareness of protocol and key RSL contact details
Housing Strategy team Leader / 30th June 2009
c)providing all RSLs with general information regarding the role/remit of ‘ward councillors’ as a means of general awareness raising of their roles within the local community and request this information is shared with their front line housing staff; / Information regarding the role of ward councillors to be circulated along with draft protocol. /
- Briefing on Members role issued to RSL staff
- Outcome - Increased awareness of the role of ward councillors amongst front line RSL staff.
Housing Strategy team Leader / 1st April 09
d)providing RSLs with key contact details including ward members and appropriate Council Officers on an annual basis, and encouraging RSL officers based within a local area to informally meet with the appropriate ward members as a matter of course; / Recommendation that RSL staff should be encouraged to meet with ward members to be incorporated into the Protocol
Housing and Neighbourhood Partnership to be used as the mechanism to seek feedback on meetings undertaken – frequency of reporting to be agreed as part of the development of the protocol. /
- Meetings held between appropriate ward councillors and RSL staff
- Outcome - Greater communication / liaison between appropriate Members, RSL and LA staff.
Housing Strategy team Leader
Dave Pickard as chair of Housing and Neighbourhood Partnership and Julie Higgins in
secretariat role / 30th June 09
Monitoring timescales to be agreed as part of the development process of the protocol
e)SBC Housing Service advising ward members on the strategic role of the LA in dealing with complaints relating to RSLs. / Briefing paper to be distributed to Members setting outthe LAs role in dealing with complaints concerning RSLs. /
- Briefing paper issued to Members.
- Outcome – increased Member awareness of the LA’s role in dealing with complaints about RSLs
Housing Strategy team Leader / 28th February 2009
- that steps are taken to ensure all partner RSLs are active partners in the LSP, in particular, the thematic Housing and Neighbourhood Partnership.
Frequency of RSL attendance to be monitored.
Findings to be considered by the Housing and Neighbourhood Partnership as part of the annual review process. /
- Regular attendance of the HNP meetings by RSL representatives
- Outcome – RSL’s actively participating in the housing and neighbourhood partnership to contribute to the Sustainable Community Strategy
secretariat role / 28th February 2009
Ongoing
30th June 2009
3. a) that the Council create a framework of RSLs who wish to develop within the Borough and this framework be used to identify those RSLs capable of working with the Council to secure future funding, and to assist private developers to identify suitable RSLs to work with them on the deliverability of affordable housing on s106 sites.
b) that the criteria for RSLs on the framework include:
- their role as developing organisations;
- their role as a key local authority strategic partner in order to supportagendas including homelessness, training and employment, and the physical and social regeneration of the Borough, for example by attendance at the Housing and Neighbourhood Partnership;
- the standards expected in terms of service and presence within Neighbourhoods.
c) that the criteria and membership of the framework be regularly reviewed, and an annual update be reported to Housing and Community Safety Select Committee. / Letter referred to in point 1 to advise of recommendation, indicative timetable and opportunity for comment.
Initial framework drafted
Draft framework circulated internally for comments.
To review feedback and send outdraft version of framework to RSLs for comment.
To review feedback
Issueamended version for final comment
Make final amendments
Publication of framework
Formal advertisement of framework
Sign up of RSLs to Framework
Desktop reviewof process end of year and thereafter annually.
Report to Housing and Community Safety Select Committee. /
- Framework agreed and signed
- RSL contribution toHousing and Neighbourhood Partnership
in consultation with Julie Nixon and Steve Nelson Cabinet Member / 28th February 2009
31st March 09
1st April 09 – 30th April 09
18th May 09
15th June 09 – 28thJune 09
29th June 09
13th July 09 -26th July 09
31st July 09
7th Sept 09
31st Oct09
31st March 2010 / annually
31st March 2010
4. that in order to ensure that non-developing RSLs are ‘good landlords’, promote tenant involvement, participate in community involvement, and that they attend the Housing and Neighbourhood Partnership, the Council should undertake an annual review, taking into account the views of tenants/Members/key stakeholders including relevant SBC services, and to work with appropriate regulatory bodies should this benecessary following the review. The results of this review should bereported to Housing and Community Safety Select Committee. / Questionnaire issued to residents / members / key stakeholders
Data collated
Findings to be reported to Housing and Safety Select Committee
Findings to go back to partnership /
- Questionnaire to residents / members / key stakeholders issued
- Identification of good practice across RSLs re tenant /community involvement
- RSL attendance at Housing and Neighbourhood Partnership
Dave Pickard as chair of Housing and Neighbourhood Partnership and Julie Higgins in
secretariat role / 1st October 2009
30th Nov 09
To be agreed
31st Dec 09
5. that following recommendations 3) and 4), the Council evaluate the work undertaken by RSLs specifically in relation to their ‘community investment funds/activity’ on an annual basis and to share best practicebetween partner RSLs and other housing providers, using the meetings of the Housing and Neighbourhood Partnership. / Questionnaire to be sent out to members of the Housing and Neighbourhood partnership
Information collated and summary report produced to include best practice
Report findings back to partnership /
- Questionnaires issued
- Report presented to Housing and Neighbourhood partnership
- Outcome – the sharing of good practice between members of partnership re community investment funds/activity
secretariat role / 1st October 09
30th Nov09
31st Dec 09
6. that in relation to planning obligations, building on the policy work already undertaken as part of the LDF process, officers of Housing and Planning Services (and other services as appropriate) should undertakejoint workor training as deemed appropriate by the Heads of Housing and Planning Services to examine best practice in order tofurther develop experience and expertise when negotiating s106agreements that contain provision for affordable housing, in order topromote greater understanding of the opportunities and constraints contained within and to maximise the number of units delivered through this method, and that the Housing and Community Safety Select Committee should receive an annual report stating what joint work ortraining has been completed. / Initial discussions between Heads of Housing and Planning to identify opportunities for joint training / working
Staff training programme developed for 2009/10
Joint working initiatives carried out as appropriate
To report to Housing and Safety Select Committee training and joint initiatives undertaken by staff /
- Training delivered / received
- Joint working exercises undertaken as required
Julie Higgins –
Housing Strategy Team Leader / 28th Feb 2009
31st March 2009
Ongoing as appropriate
31st March 2010
7.a) that Members of the Housing and Community Select Committee (and all Members where appropriate) be provided with timely information relating to the ‘housing market’ (including for example key Government announcements and projects initiated within the Borough). / Briefing papers to be issued to Members as required
Members seminars to be organised as required /
- Member Briefing papersissued and seminars organised as appropriate
- Outcome – members kept up to date with housing announcements
b) that the Housing Service actively seeks to bid for/secure resources to deliver new housing initiatives (for example ‘Mortgage RescuePackages’) / Housing service to work with other service areas and external partners to investigate and influence future funding opportunities to deliver new housing initiatives /
- Funding submissions made/supported
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