Quarterly Report
January 2002
Representation
One co-op has applied for membership of the CCH in the last quarter:
- Mina Housing Co-op, Bristol
The CCH now has 174 member organisations.
Policy
The CCH's co-operation in housing strategy, developed in partnership with the Co-operative Union and the UK Co-operative Council has been moved forward in the following areas:
Stock transfer:
Following the launch of the CCH's stock transfer proposals - the Community Gateway Model - in Portcullis House in November in the Mutuo publication entitled "Transferring Ownership: Community empowerment in social housing", two successful seminars aimed at local authority members, tenants and officers were held in December. A project will now go forward to develop/implement the stock transfer proposals in partnership between the CCH / Co-op Union / Chartered Institute of Housing.
Best practice in community control for RSLs programme:
Work is now well underway on this programme, which forms a key part of the Housing Corporation's Communities in Control strategy. The programme will develop a range of community control options for tenants and residents and disseminate these options. An initial programme of exploratory interviews with key players have been held, and a seminar with an invited audience to discuss key issues has been held. A programme of fieldwork interviews will follow shortly.
Community Land Trusts:
A draft feasibility report has been produced on the community land trust programme for internal discussion, and work has been started on developing appropriate legal frameworks.
The CCH is co-ordinating with the National Federation of TMOs and the Association for Tenant Involvement & Control to consider action on protecting the rights of transferring council tenants with regards the Right to Manage.
In the last quarter, the CCH has also responded to:
- the Housing Corporation's consultation on regulation and inspection.
- the Race & Housing Code of Practice consultation.
Promotion
The next CCH annual conference will be held in Wigan on 22nd/24th March 2002. Sally Keeble MP, Deputy Housing Minister, has agreed to address the conference.
The CCH has attended the following events in the last three months:
- the Housing Corporation's annual conference.
- Co-operative Union Special Congress.
- the UK Co-operative Council Forum.
- Tenant Management Organisation think-tank.
Research
The following pieces of research are available:
Tenant Control & Social Exclusion
A study into how tenant controlled organisations impact on the government's social exclusion agenda.
Service provision to housing co-ops
A detailed assessment of how organisations provide services to housing co-ops.
Database of policies and procedures
A CD-ROM containing sample policies and procedures for housing co-ops.
Code of Governance
The CCH Code of Governance for housing co-ops, published in partnership with the National Housing Federation.
The CCH Code of Governance for tenant management organisations, published through the DTLR (shortly to be sent out for consultation).
Publicity
The CCH's interactive website continues to be sited at http://www.cch-uk.org/. The CCH also now operates a discussion list for serious housing co-op afficienados!
Forthcoming meetings
Forthcoming CCH General Council meetings will be held on:
- 9th February 2002 - Brent Community Housing - London
Any housing co-op member (particularly those from CCH member organisations) are welcome to attend. Please contact us for further details.
