It was revealed that English Churches HG and Riverside Group were discussing merger plans, which would lead to an organisation with around 52,000 homes and an annual turnover of £186 million. The alternative of a group structure was also on the agenda for discussion.
Fch Housing & Care and Orbit Group are to form a development partnership, but ruled out going into a group structure. The partnership will see Orbit submitting bids for Housing Corporation funding on behalf of Fch.
Genesis HG signed an agreement to manage about 2,000 affordable homes, to be provided by Assettrust Housing, in the south of England over the next five years.
Keynote HG and Prime Focus progressed their merger plans by setting up a shadow Board. The two midlands-based housing groups hope to complete the merger, which will see a new organisation emerge with assets of nearly £1 billion, by March 2006.
The Housing Corporation placed Moseley & District Churches HA under supervision, due to concerns about its governance and management, following an adverse inspection report by the Audit Commission.
Moseley & District Churches HA manages around 1,450 homes in Birmingham. The Corporation used its statutory power to make three appointments to the Association's Board:
The Housing Corporation announced the removal of Redland HA from supervision. The Association was placed under supervision, in October 2003, due to concerns about governance and management. Three statutory appointments were made to its Board.
Redland HA recently joined the Somer Housing Group, and the Corporation is now satisfied with the progress it has made in addressing the Corporation's concerns.
Communities Scotland made four appointments to the Management Committee of Shettleston HA, which is due to take over 900 homes from Glasgow HA. The intervention occurred to ensure that the Association could continue its functions if a threatened vote of no confidence in the entire Board was supported. As it turned out members later rejected the motion. Shettleston HA already owns 1,500 homes in Glasgow.
The Housing Corporation announced it made three statutory appointments to the Board of Teign Housing, which manages around 3,600 homes in the Devon:
The Corporation placed Teign Housing under supervision because of concerns about its governance and management.
Circular 04/05: The Housing (Service Charge
Loans) Regulation 1992
The Housing (Service Charge Loans) Regulations 1992 came into force on 17 August 1992. They state that, provided
certain conditions are met, some leaseholders have the right to request a loan from the Housing Corporation toward the cost of service charges for
major repairs.
The Circular advises housing associations of the Right to a Loan from the Corporation for the year ending 31.03.06. It replaces Circular 05/04.
Circular 03/05: Annual Efficiency Statements
This circular outlines the
Housing Corporation's expectations for how housing associations will produce their Annual Efficiency Statements, the deadline for submitting them to
the Housing Corporation, and how compliance will be assessed.
Source 75: Breaking Glass Ceilings: Making Housing
Associations Better for Women
This report explores the experiences of women working in housing associations. The objective of the
research was to:
