Barnet Co-operative Party Branch Meeting

Guest speaker: Cllr Mick O’Sullivan, Chair of Housing Scrutiny Committee, Islington Borough Council – Housing Association Reform

The talk will be based on a paper from Cllr Mick O Sullivan which he presented to the London Tenants Conference in October 2017.  His paper proposes:

• The Membership of all Registered Providers should be open to its residents and junior staff members.
• All  Housing Association residents have the same rights that Council Tenants with secure tenure regime enjoyed at the moment.
• All Registered Provider Residents should have the right to manage.  With the management and maintenance allowances received by the management organisation determined by the regulatory body rather than the Registered Provider.
• At least 70% of the Board of a Registered Provider above a certain size be elected by their residents and junior members of staff. With at least one third of the Board being residents and junior members of staff.
• That Registered Providers area of operations should be restricted to certain well defined geographical regions and their size restricted to reflect the communities they purport to serve.
• The ratio between the highest paid employee and the lowest paid employee of registered providers should be no more than six to one pro-rata. All employees and the employees of registered Providers contractors should be on the hourly local living wage.
• There should be a balance struck between Housing associations laudable ambitions to build more social Housing and the practical steps of being good landlords, maintaining assets properly and providing good services to their existing tenants.
• The minimum stock condition standards for property owned or managed by registered providers should be tightened and reflect aspirations to alleviate fuel and utility poverty wherever possible.  This should be backed up by increased powers for the regulator and the creation of a culture within the regulator willing to use these powers.

Directions

By Car:
On-site car parking space available. There is off-street parking nearby.

By Tube:
Finchley Central tube station (Northern Line) is a 5 minute walk.

By Bus:
Bus 125 stops in front of the church. Buses: 13, 125, 143, 326, 460