1. Richard Grosvenor - FED Director Darren Welsh – Head of Housing DEVELOPING A NEW RESIDENT-LED HOUSING SERVICE FOR KINGSTON

2. Why Change? Major cuts in Government support to local authorities across the UK mean all councils must find innovative new ways to improve the efficiency of their service provision. Twelve months ago, the Council started exploring alternative methods of delivering its public services more effectively, reducing costs without cuts to services. With other SW London councils, RBK has already created more cost effective but improved arrangements for some of its services, including childrens’ service, legal, IT, and waste disposal.

3. The Council’s vision: Staying as we are is NOT an option – the Council is committed to delivering all its services in more cost efficient ways, including housing. It believes that LESS council involvement in the actual delivery of public services, is a good thing. It is determined to maintain standards. It also believes the ‘end users’ of its services should play a greater role in the way they are planned and managed. For housing, this means the Council fully endorses a resident-led service. For housing, there are two main options: either find an arms-length management company to run the service, or build a resident-led model giving tenants & leaseholders the major say in the delivery of services.

4. The Federation’s approach: Not in favour of handing its housing services to a remote management company, the Council’s leadership backed Kingston Federation’s proposals to create a resident-led housing body. However, in twice rejecting a stock transfer, tenants and leaseholders had made it clear they preferred to stay with their council landlord – despite criticising its housing performance. This gave us a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity to design a more user- friendly and community-focused housing service, while giving residents the reassurance of remaining council tenants and leaseholders. The Federation’s proposed solution was to develop a sound, practical alternative, giving tenants and leaseholders a leading role in delivering housing services, while retaining the Council as landlord

5. Our shared view of what a resident-led proposal should look like: There are a number of features both the FED and the Council have agreed should be included in any new model: The Council must continue to remain the landlord and residents stay as council tenants and council leaseholders Residents need to have joint management control - with a direct say in the way that services are run and delivered Any new venture should include all key functions of a housing service It should have a strong focus on communities, and improve estate amenities and environments.

6. The FED examined several possible management structures to which a transfer could be made: 1. A Community Interest Company (CIC) - Too complex to set up, too inflexible, limited resident engagement 2. A Housing Association (HA) - No say for residents; previously rejected by tenants, financially non-viable 3. Arm’s length management organisation (ALMO) - Favoured in the past, but many failing with services reverting to Council, including Hillingdon, Islington, Hammersmith & Fulham, and Lambeth 4. A Gateway Housing Trust - Tenant-led but also involves a stock transfer, losing Council as landlord 5. A Community Housing Trust (CHT) – the clear ‘winner’ for the FED and RBK - Resident-led independent management board but Council remains landlord - Offers greatest flexibility & new opportunities - Would enable re-integration of Council’s existing fragmented housing service What were the options?

7. What is a Community Housing Trust? It’s an independent organisation run by a resident-led management board, that provides housing services on behalf of the Council Residents have a majority of places (approximately 60%) on the Trust Board, so are able to shape priorities Its aims include the development and delivery of extra community based activities & higher standards of service provision (incl. award-winning customer care)

8. What are the benefits of a CHT? The Council continues as the landlord and residents stay as council tenants Residents have a direct and substantial say in the way the service is run and delivered A Trust can put all its efforts into improving housing services It will provide a stronger focus on communities

9. A Community Housing Trust in Action: Welwyn Hatfield CHT Been running for past 5 years & increased resident satisfaction It has freedom to be enterprising & innovative It manages 9,000 properties on behalf of Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council Council retains housing stock & residents stay council tenants CHT organises regular community based activities and provides direct help to community groups (such as residents’ associations) organising activities & events.

10. A Community Housing Trust in Action: Welwyn Hatfield CHT (2) After the first year, resident representatives elected to Board by all residents in externally and independently-run elections CHT management board comprises 7 residents (one of whom is Chair), 3 councillors and 5 independent members Recently took on management of community transport, a community centre and community safety, for the Council Has re-purchased former council homes and is now planning new build housing, to increase social housing stock levels

11. The requirements to create a CHT: We need to show sufficient tenant and leaseholder support to submit an application to Government The Council then gives its final approval The CHT bid is submitted to Government for approval

12. Developing a CHT in Kingston (1) The Federation’s Proposals Report setting out plans for a CHT, went to Council’s Leadership Team last November. Council gave all-party agreement in February, to develop detailed proposals and seek resident support for a community housing trust A joint CHT project steering group was established in February, comprising FED representatives & RBK officers

13. Developing a CHT in Kingston (2): Shadow board with nine resident representatives, 3 councillors and three independent members appointed to oversee CHT’s development. A major publicity and awareness programme will be launched later this month, presenting the many benefits of a CHT to council tenants and leaseholders. Residents will be encouraged to ask questions and feed back their comments.

14. Developing a CHT in Kingston (3) Testing and building tenant and leaseholder support: Attendance at Fun Days – Chessington, Malden Manor, and Cambridge Road Door knocking throughout borough in July RA meetings and public meetings held in each area Wide use of social media and on-line Articles in Home Life and Home Truths

15. Key Dates: Commence publicity & resident awareness campaignEnd of May Start resident consultationsMid to late June Complete resident consultations End of September Final approval for CHT from CouncilEnd of November Approval from GovernmentExpected by Jan 16 Community Housing Trust startsJune 2016

16. Questions and Discussion