Region 6

MINUTES

Held in the EATRF Offices, Kilmarnock,

on Tuesday 13th December 2016

Present:

Mary McCartney / Gretna & District Tenants and Residents Association / MM
Ronald Ritchie (Chair) / Dumfries and Galloway Federation / RR
Frank Dawson (Treasurer) / Co-opted / FD
Bruce Cuthbertson (Secretary) / East Ayrshire Tenants and Residents Federation / BC
Anne Cameron (Vice Chair) / Treetops Tenants and Residents Association / AC
Janet Gemmell / West Drive Tenants Association / JG
John McKenzie / Campbell Area Tenants & Residents Association / MAC
Jinty Steele / Bellsbank Tenants & Residents Association / JS
Margaret Johnston / Locharbriggs Tenants and Residents Association / MJ

In attendance:

Caroline Harte / East Ayrshire Council / CH
Ann Marie Stanley / Scottish Government / AMS

Apologies:

•Welcome

Ronald welcomed everyone to the meeting

•Previous Minutes

The minutes were proposed by Mary McCartney and seconded by Jinty Steele

•Matters arising:

  • What’s happening with Mark? He hasn’t attended meetings but not given apologies
  • Bruce advised 31st October 2016 letter sent to Mark he read out letter but advised no response as yet
  • Ann Marie suggested letter to be sent to confirm that as no response that be taken as he no longer wishes to be involved
  • Ann Marie advised restructuring of Regional Network. No more members to be added until restructuring agreed
  • Margaret advised her computer not working so please send no emails until further notice
  • Page 3 – meeting was 10.30am not 10am
  • Page 1 – should read Tuesday 13th December 2016
  • Page 2 – SLA should be RSL’s

•Correspondence

•All correspondence sent out prior to meeting and some discussion held around this

•SHR do not do hard copies – large documents to be printed and alot of information. Some discussion around the fact that SHR are digital and won’t give out hard copies

•Next meeting with Regulator 24th January 2016 – suggested that this is brought up at this meeting ACTION Bruce

•SHR Liaison Group – Bruce

•Doing presentation to “number 2 delegates”

•Training session on how SHR works. No2 to attend 2 meeting annually

•ARC figures go in and then there are corrections

•Chairs & Secretaries

•15th November 2016

•Charter review - Parliamentary committee looking at this in January 2017 and looking for a rep from across regional networks

•Hugh McClung presentation

•Round table on HRA

•Welfare reform – Bill Chapman

•William Fleming –Some discussion held around re-classification of RSL’s. Await document to be published.Parliamentary committee looking at this in January 2017 and looking for 2 reps across regional networks

•Small changes in Regulators role

•SHR Liaison – Bill Chapman

•Annabel McMillan – update on website

•Regional Networks

  • Some discussion held around this
  • Come about as 9 committees/regions struggling to keep members
  • Ann Marie will circulate a paper after meeting
  • Several reps met to brainstorm restructure of Regional Network
  • How it would look
  • How it would be structured
  • Less TARA’s now than when started
  • How can it work more effectively
  • Some regions struggling with numbers of members
  • Agreed – membership should be from RTO’s
  • RTO’s should be core membership
  • Ann Marie read out proposals to have either 4 or 6 regions from the existing 9
  • The group discussed the meeting minutes
  • Ann Marie confirmed nothing set in stone and all up for discussion
  • Concern raised over the combination of regions and where they could meet
  • Other regions have difficulty getting members to attend
  • Tenants groups disbanding – some discussion held on why this may be
  • Ann Marie suggested that reps should take paperwork and review proposals and feedback to Ann Marie by the 9th February 2017. This is to be made priority for next meeting
  • Suspending AGM – is this going to be difficult to cancel? And what does constitution say? Ann Marie asked all if they were in favour of suspending AGM – reps felt that there were issues with constitution and possible costs incurred with cancelling. Anne asked if the group needed legal advice. The group agreed to go ahead with AGM and use it as a consultation for the restructure – all agreed and it will be called EGM
  • Video conferencing discussed and the benefits and difficulties around this. Needs to be in place.
  • End of Oct 2017 new structure will be in place
  • Letter sent out re AGM to all reps, TPO’s and RTO’s ASAP to ensure a good attendance before the Christmas holidays ACTION Ann Marie to send letter out
  • Frank advised he will be standing down at AGM due to personal commitments
  • EGM will look at constitution and change it to reflect no need to call EGM to change constitution
  • ACTION all reps to advise comments on paper by 31st December 2016

•Finance Report

•£1186.21 total balance

•£923.24 Bank Account

•Petty cash balance healthy at £262.97 less today’s expenses

•Agreed £1000 top up in February 2017

•FOI Consultation

•Andrew Gunn gave presentation

•Ann Marie explained what FOI is

•FOI to be extended to RSL’s

•Ann Marie went through various questions and the answers were as follows

1)Yes

2)Subsidies for new build = FOI. Public landlords to same rights as council tenants

3)Timescales – yes but happy if quicker/sooner

4)Comments on draft = Ann Marie to review and make comments. She will circulate amongst reps for agreement

5)Equality should be in effect so none. All treated equally

  • AOCB
  • Old person’s forum – Janet was not aware of meetings due to pc / email issues. Ann Marie will notify Janet by calling notice
  • Social security consultation
  • 140 events around country – reps advised no-one was aware
  • Ann Marie confirmed that will be reviewed
  • Dates for the next meetings were agreed as:
  • AGM 30th March 2017
  • 11th May 2017 – Janet gave her apologies for this meeting
  • 13th July 2017
  • 14th September 2017
  • DONM

Next Meeting: AGM 30 March 2017