Getting Involved in the Charter-
Working Together for Better Outcomes
Thursday 30th September 2010
Golden Lion Hotel, Stirling
This one day conference for tenant participation workers and support staff will enable delegates to find out more about the proposed Social Housing Charter and how to support tenants and colleagues to get involved in its developments.
A member of the Scottish Government’s Charter team will inform delegates about the progress that is being made in the Charter’s development and the plans for further consultation during 2011.
The delegate rate for the day is £185.00 including lunch and refreshments. PRICE FREEZE – prices the same as workers events held in 2009. Book before the 31st July 2010 and receive a 10% discount on the cost of each place booked.
To book your place could not be easier, click on the booking form above and complete the online booking form. Your booking will be sent to us electronically and you will receive an email from Toni Muirhead to confirm your booking. If you need any other information contact us at 0141 248 1242.
Annual Conference 2010
Raising Standards: 2010 & beyond
Minister for Housing, Alex Neil, opened the Tenants Information Service (TIS) Annual Conference with his Ministerial address.
The Minister informed delegates that the Scottish Government had responded to the current economic recession by producing its new consultation document Fresh Thinking: New Ideas to encourage debate and discussion about the future direction of housing policy in Scotland.
He encouraged delegates to take an active part in that debate over the next few months to influence Government decision making. Mr. Neil also stated his plans to see greater tenant empowerment in Scotland and for tenants to have more opportunities to express their views and make decisions about the future of their RSL landlords if mergers or group structures are being considered.
He informed local authority tenants that he wants to see more transparency in the income and expenditure of the housing revenue account and supports this being included as an outcome in the Social Housing Charter. TIS will be working with the Scottish Government to assist tenants and landlords develop the outcomes to be contained in the national Charter and also negotiating the local outcomes which will be developed jointly by landlords and their tenants
TIS has recommended to the Government that the Housing Bill should require tenants to be involved in landlord self assessments to monitor and regulate performance against the Charter outcomes. This principle should be at the centre of the new regulatory framework.
Following the Minister's address on Saturday morning Lesley Riddoch chaired a lively debate session in the afternoon. The panel members were Michael Thain, City of Edinburgh Council, Roger Popplewell, Scottish Government, Fraser Stewart, New Gorbals Housing Association and Gordon Campbell of the Clydesdale Bank. Panel members and conference delegates debated the topic of.
The key issues being debated were the future pressure that will be put on tenants' rents as a result of landlord's increased borrowing due to the economic recession and reductions in Scottish Government subsidy to local authorities and RSLs.
The important issue of affordable rents for tenants was also raised while Gordon Campbell put forward his ideas about stakeholder housing as an alternative model for delivering affordable housing which gives tenants a stake in their home and retains the house in the affordable sector for RSLs. The discussions amongst conference delegates on the subject continued long after the debate was over.
The powerpoint presentation from the Investing in Affordable Housing session is available to view by clicking on the link below.
