BOROUGH OF POOLE

23RD FEBRUARY 2005

REPORT FROM HOUSING CONSULTATIVE PANEL MEMBERS
TO POOLE HOUSING PARTNERSHIP LTD
EXPENSES AND INCENTIVES POLICY FOR REPRESENTATIVES

1.Purpose of Report

1.1To present proposals and seek formal recognition from P.H.P. for a new Expenses Policy for all tenant and leaseholder representatives.

2.Recommendation

2.1H.C.P. members are invited to agree and comment on these new proposals to P.H.P.

3.Background

3.1At the last H.C.P. meeting on the 12th January 2005 it was agreed that members would submit their proposals to the next meeting of the H.C.P. and that these proposals would form the recommendations to the P.H.P. Board for their consideration on 25th March 2005.

3.2There has been pressure since 2003 to review the expenses policy for representatives. During discussions via the H.C.P. Working Group the core proposal was to make out of pocket expenses payable at £10 per meeting.

3.3Officers stated they were unable to recommend this proposal due to financial and legal perspectives.

3.4Research has revealed that any out of pocket expenses are not declarable for tax and benefit purposes. The Government recognises the value placed upon volunteer workers and are supportive of their efforts. They are due to implement a £20 per week disregard from any Charitable or Voluntary income.

3.5Research also identifies clear links between amounts spent on Tenant Participation for attracting, motivating and retaining people and its subsequent effectiveness.

3.6Panel members have evidenced, courtesy of T.P.A.S., other Councils and Housing Associations who pay their Board and Panel members between £20 and £30 for attending meetings.

3.7Panel members are keen to progress the involvement of representatives both now and in the future and believe the solution lies in giving both officers and representatives the freedom to design and negotiate arrangements to match preferences and circumstances without damaging the voluntary ethos on which the involvement is based.

H.C.P. MEMBERS GUIDANCE

Before coming to any agreed decisions members were reminded that there was a proposed new

  • Code of Conduct from P.H.P. which should be taken into account as the role of the current Tenant/Leaseholder Representative placed increasing demands, pressures and responsibilities upon Representatives if this was to be implemented
  • Poole’s Tenant and Leaseholder Partnership Agreement March 2002 (page 6, No. 1) provides support and assistance to the Tenant/Leaseholder groups by “Paying expenses to panel representatives for attending meetings”. This partnership agreement has not been reviewed even though it is clearly stated that this should happen in the document and the H.C.P. Constitution every six months.
  • H.C.P. Working Group set up to review the current Constitution which proposed to P.H.P. in September 2004 that payment should be £10 per meeting for out of pocket expenses.

The following discussions took place:-

  • That having worked hard as a group to try and progress the issue of paying expenses fairly it was felt that the recommendations were no further forward and that the issue had not received serious attention.
  • Opportunity cost is a real issue if people choose to give up their time and expertise to help their landlord and community then by definition they are foregoing the opportunity to do something else instead. This choice has a clear social value which any expenses system should address.
  • Panel members and other representative think that times have changed, and that better recognition and reward is now needed to ensure the level and quality of involvement now required and desired. There is a real willingness and demand to consider new approaches to incentives, recognition and reward.
  • Members stressed that incentives, recognition and rewards should not be mixed up with payment of expenses.

H.C.P. PROPOSALS

1.Unanimous decision that the amount of £10 formerly proposed be upheld.

Reasons for this decision:-

(a)we are the ones doing the work and therefore we feel we are best placed to identify the value placed on the work we undertake behind the scenes.

(b)this would incorporate all the other incidentals such as travel, parking costs, phone calls, letters, use of equipment, ink cartridges etc., this would lessen the time and burden of pursuing claims for minor costs which could be encompassed within one payment, benefiting both Representatives and the T.P.O.

(c)those dependant upon taxis could pay for this provision out of that payment.

(d)we feel this is a fair and simple proposal taking into account different circumstances and involvement.

  1. Create a new post of Treasurer who would take responsibility for payment of expenses to other Representatives. Similar to a branch Manager he/she would on a monthly basis collect monies which have been deemed as the projected cost of Representatives for that month and ensure payment is made quickly and effectively at meetings to cover costs incurred.

Benefits for this new proposal would be twofold. It would remove the barriers of having to wait a long time to be reimbursed by cheque. It would also free the T.P.O. from the lengthy system now in place for payment and also ensure that payments have not been missed and/or mislaid which has been problematic in the past.

This proposal would need to be finely tuned and the Panel welcomes any additional assistance from P.H.P. to develop this system.

Other proposals included:-

  1. Attracting a two tier system as the level of responsibilities and pressures rise according to the proposed New Tenant Participation Structure.
  1. Also exploring the necessary support and funding direct from the Council which the Panel feels could create a healthy balance between the Tenants/Leaseholders Representatives and P.H.P. This would ensure accountability and lessen the power difference between the two parties whilst meeting Equal Opportunities as defined in the Innovation and Good Practice Programme as supported by the Housing Corporation.

ANGIE WARREN

CHAIR OF HOUSING CONSULTATIVE PANEL

23RD FEBRUARY 2005

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