Housing Services Tenant Participation Team Tenant & Resident Group Manual - February 2019 - North Ayrshire Council
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Housing Services
Tenant Participation Team
Tenant & Resident Group Manual
February 2019
This manual is available in other formats, such as Braille, on audiotape, in large
type and other languages if you ask us.Contents Section A – Introduction .................................................................................................. 2 22T 22T Section B – Overview of Tenant Participation ............................................................... 4 22T 22T Section C – Legislation / Scottish Housing Regulator / Housing Charter ................... 6 22T 22T Section D – Tenants & Residents Associations........................................................... 10 22T Section E – Register of Tenant Organisations ............................................................. 34 22T 22T Section F – Help and Advice ......................................................................................... 39 22T 22T Section G – Support and Assistance (Financial and In-Kind) .................................... 39 22T 22T Section H – Useful Contacts ......................................................................................... 41 22T 22T Section I – North Ayrshire Council Housing Office Information ................................ 43 22T 22T Section J – Locally Based Registered Social Landlords............................................ 4 5 22T 22T 22T Section K – General Enquiry Information .................................................................... 46 22T 22T 22T Section L – Councillor Information ............................................................................... 46 22T 22T Revised February 2019
Section A – Introduction
This manual has been developed by North Ayrshire Council in conjunction with
Tenant & Resident Representatives. It provides information, training, advice and
support to tenants and tenant organisations across North Ayrshire.
The manual is set out in an easy to read format and is available in large print, other
languages and Braille on request.
It provides guidelines on:
• What Tenants & Residents Associations can do;
• Ways of ensuring the group is democratic and accountable ;
• Practical advice on constitutions;
• Information on the committees and the duties and responsibilities of office
bearers;
• Information on sources of funding available from North Ayrshire Council, local
organisations and other funding bodies;
• Information on the National Strategy for Tenant Participation;
• Where to get help.
Tenant Participation Team
As part of North Ayrshire Council’s Customer Connections Tenant Participation
Strategy 2017-2022, a dedicated Tenant Participation Team has been in place since
November 2004. They are based at Bridgegate House, 3 rd Floor, Irvine, KA12 8BD
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and will work with local people in North Ayrshire to promote tenant involvement in
planning, monitoring and improving the Council’s Housing Service.
The Tenant Participation Team supports and develops tenant participation
throughout North Ayrshire and encourages tenants to become involved in decision
making processes. The Tenant Participation Team’s functions include:
•• Coordinating tenant consultation;
•• Working with other departments to enhance participation;
•• Providing advice on issues such as funding and successfully running Tenants
and Residents Associations;
•• Skills development in the form of training and information sessions for all tenant
representatives;
•• Attending meetings and supporting Tenants and Residents Association members
in conjunction with area housing staff;
•• Encouraging participation with under-represented groups;
•• Typing and photocopying for Tenants and Residents Associations and
Registered Tenant Organisations.
•• Assisting in setting up a social media page.
The Tenant Participation Team will be happy to help you and can be contacted by
any of the following methods below:
2Tenant Participation Manager on 01294 324869/324871
Tenant Participation Officers on 01294 324868/324871
Web-site: www.north-ayrshire.gov.uk
22TU U22T
Email: TenantParticipation@north-ayrshire.gov.uk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/nachousingservices
Twitter @NACHousing
3Consultation
This manual has been designed to give tenant representatives useful and helpful
information about the Housing Service. It forms our on-going commitment to
consultation and participation and will be reviewed and updated annually. Once
finalised and accredited with the ‘Tenant Tick’*, the document will be issued to all
tenants and residents groups in North Ayrshire.
*Housing Services publications are endorsed with the ‘Tenant Tick’ following
approval by an editorial panel, which is made up of tenants and officers.
Section B – Overview of Tenant Participation
The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 introduced new duties for local authorities and
Registered Social Landlords (RSL’s) in relation to Tenant Participation. Landlords
now have statutory duties to inform, consult and involve tenants and Registered
Tenant Organisations on proposals relating to housing management and housing
(and related) services and have a duty to have regard to representations made by
individual tenants or tenant groups.
North Ayrshire Council has a commitment to further develop and improve tenant
participation since the introduction of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001. The Act sets
out a range of duties on Council and Registered Social Landlords to develop tenant
participation.
These include:
• To develop and implement a Tenant Participation Strategy;
• Set up and maintain a Register of Tenants Organisations;
• Consult with registered tenants groups and individual tenants on a range of
issues.
What is Tenant Participation?
Tenant Participation is about tenants taking part in decision making processes and
influencing decisions about housing policies, housing conditions and housing (and
related) services. It is a two way process which involves sharing information, ideas
and responsibility between the Council and tenants.
Tenants have a right to expect that Housing Services and policies should meet their
needs and preferences. Participation aims to do this as far as possible depending
on resources.
Effective participation benefits both tenants and North Ayrshire Council. It gives
tenants an opportunity to influence decisions about the housing service that they
receive.
4The Customer Connections Strategy
The purpose of the Council’s Customer Connections Tenant Participation Strategy
2017-2022 is to achieve continuous improvements in the Council’s performance in
supporting and enabling tenants to participate. This involves listing and prioritising
actions and agreeing them with tenants, resulting in efficient, effective and improved
practice using various methods.
A copy of the Strategy is available from North Ayrshire Council’s Tenant Participation
Team or it can be downloaded from the Council’s website at www.north-
ayrshire.gov.uk.
Registered Tenants Organisations.
A Registered Tenants Organisation (RTO) is an independent organisation of tenants
and residents set up primarily to represent tenants’ housing and related interests.
The aim is to give Tenants and Residents Associations, which meet certain criteria, a
recognised role in the tenant participation process.
If you would like more information about setting up a Tenants and Residents
Association in your area, or how to register an existing Tenants and Residents
Group, please contact, Tenant Participation Team (see Page 53 for contact details)
or ask a member of staff at your Area Housing Office (see section E). Alternatively,
information can be downloaded from the Council’s website at www.north-
ayrshire.gov.uk.
Consulting with Tenants
The Act requires the Council to notify tenants and every RTO about certain
proposals and their likely effect. These include:
• Policies relating to housing management, repairs or maintenance which will
significantly affect the tenant if implemented;
• The standard of service it intends to provide in relation to housing management,
repairs or maintenance;
• Rent increases;
• The Customer Involvement and Empowerment Strategy;
• A transfer of housing to a new landlord.
In addition and in line with the Council’s Customer Involvement and Empowerment
Strategy we will consult on:
• Housing Management (allocations, estate management, tenancy agreements,
tenant participation and services);
• Stock Improvements;
• Service quality;
• Compliments and Complaints procedure;
5• Any proposals relating to the management of the Council’s housing stock.
The Council uses a range of methods to consult with tenants including public
meetings, conferences, surveys etc. Whatever method of consultation is used, the
Council will ensure it is reviewed in the light of the responses received.
“Tenant participation is about tenants taking part in decision making processes and
influencing decisions that landlords talk about; housing policies; housing conditions;
and Housing Services. It is a two-way process involving the sharing of information
ideas and power. Its aim is to improve the standard of housing conditions and
service.”
“Partners in Participation” - National Strategy for Tenant Participation (1999)”
Decision making is where tenants help to make decisions together with staff or as a
North Ayrshire Tenant and Resident Network Member or where tenants are asked
themselves to make decisions.
Section C – Legislation / Scottish Housing Regulator / Housing Charter
Housing (Scotland) Act 2001
The Housing (Scotland) Act (the Act) became law in July 2001 but many of its
provisions were implemented after this date, for example the Scottish Secure
Tenancy was introduced for all tenants of social landlords from September 2002.
The main changes of the Act relate to are:
• Scottish Secure Tenancy;
• Right to Buy;
• Security of tenure;
• Rights of succession;
• Rent Setting;
• Repairs & Improvements;
• Consultation & Participation;
• Short Scottish Secure Tenancy;
• Communities Scotland;
• Single Regulatory Authority;
• Strategic Role of Local Authorities;
• Homelessness.
If you would like more information on the above Act, please visit
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2001/10/contents
6Housing (Scotland) Act 2010
The Housing (Scotland) Act 2010 created two fundamental influences in the social
housing sector in Scotland. These are the:
• Scottish Social Housing Charter (SSHC); and the
• New Independent Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR).
Together they have created a new environment in which the Council and our
customers must work in partnership to achieve positive outcomes for communities.
This emphasis from the Scottish Government means that landlords must deliver
quality services, involve their customers in assessing the performance of these
services and be able to demonstrate value for money.
To view the full Act, please visit
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2010/17/contents/enacted
The New, Independent Scottish Housing Regulator
A new, independent Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR), was established on 1 April
2011 under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2010.
The SHR has one statutory objective, to:
"Safeguard and promote the interests of current and future tenants of social
landlords, people who are or may become homeless, and people who use housing
services provided by registered social landlords (RSLs) and local authorities".
They regulate social landlords to protect the interests of people who receive services
from them and do this by assessing and reporting on:
• How social landlords are performing their housing services
• RSLs’ financial well-being
• RSLs’ standards of governance
The new Regulator comprises of the following five Board members:
• Chair – George Walker;
• Deputy Chair – Anne Jarvie;
• Board Member – Mike Dailly;
• Board Member – Simon Little;
• Board Member – Lisa Peebles;
• Board Member – Andrew Watson;
• Board Member – Robert Gil;
• Board Member – Siobhan White;
7The Housing (Scotland) Act 2010 sets out the SHR’s future statutory objective,
functions, powers and duties. During the first year, 2011/12, the SHR will develop
plans for a new regulatory framework.
The agency will continue to regulate using Scottish Ministers’ powers under the
Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 until they have carried out their consultation and are
ready to exercise the new functions from the 2010 Act.
What happens next?
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If you would like more information, please contact the Scottish Housing Regulator
(See page 38 for details).
Scottish Social Housing Charter
The Scottish Social Housing Charter was approved by the Scottish Government on
14 March 2012.
It sets out the standards and outcomes that all social landlords should aim to achieve
when performing their housing activities.
The charter was developed in consultation with landlords, tenants and other
interested groups and members of the Council’s tenants and resident’s network were
involved in the consultation process. Monitoring and reporting against the outcomes
in the charter began on 1 April 2012.
A revised edition was issued in April and became affective from 1 st April 2017. This
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will be in place for five years.
The charter will help tenants and other customers by providing them with a clear
statement on what they can expect from their landlord. Landlords will have a clear
focus on achieving outcomes that matter to their tenants and customers. The charter
will also provide the basis for the Scottish Housing Regulator to monitor, assess and
report on the performance of social landlords throughout Scotland. The Council will
be working closely with service users affected by the charter to keep them updated
on progress and to develop initiatives to ensure we meet the standards and
outcomes expected. We will also be required to report annually to tenants on our
performance in achieving or progressing towards the charter outcomes.
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8Annual Return on the Charter
Within the Scottish Social Housing Charter there are seven standards as follows:
• Overall satisfaction
• The customer landlord relationship
• Housing quality & maintenance
• Neighbourhood and Community
• Access to housing & support
• Getting good value from rents and service charges
• Other customers
Within the seven standards there are 37 indicators that are reported on. These
indicators demonstrate how we are performing as a Housing Service.
Landlords must provide the Scottish Housing Regulator with their completed ARC by
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the end of May each year starting in May 2014 for the performance year 2013/14.
By the end of the August of that year the Regulator will publish a report for each
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landlord with key information from its ARC. This will be made available for tenants
and other service users through the Regulators website.
Section D – Tenants & Residents Associations
Why start a Tenants & Residents Association?
Thousands of tenants have improved the area they live in by joining together with
their neighbours and forming a Tenants & Residents Association. This has often
been described as the vehicle for a tenant’s “voice” within their area.
There are a lot of reasons for tenants and residents to join together to form an
association. Here are just a few of the main ones:
• To be consulted on or campaign for or against issues such as, housing transfers,
regeneration of neighbourhoods, repairs i.e. dampness, Housing Services, and
problems with neighbours, dampness;
• To have a representative voice;
• To enable tenants to communicate with their landlord, and to influence decision-
making that affects your and your neighbours’ homes;
• To give accurate advice and information to tenants and residents;
• To increase the sense of belonging to a community;
• To campaign on certain issues e.g. better play facilities, better housing
conditions.
9What is a Tenants & Residents Association?
Tenants & Residents Associations are generally community groups made up of local
people acting in a voluntary capacity to promote and defend the interests of tenants
and or residents in their area.
These days, various formats may be possible when setting up a local group. These
include:
• A Tenants & Residents Association for everyone aged 16 years and over
living in the community;
• A tenants association for tenants only;
• A tenants association for tenants of one particular landlord; or
• A combination of the above.
Groups can involve both tenants and residents of an area. What is important are the
aims of the group and this should be set out in the group’s constitution.
Tenants & Residents Associations can:
• Provide a collective voice for tenants in an area, act as a focus for consultation
and an organisation to lobby for changes;
• Develop extra services through self-help schemes e.g. lunch clubs;
• Offer advice to local people
Most Tenants & Residents Associations hold regular meetings open to all tenants in
the area, but conduct their business through a smaller committee.
The strength of any Tenants & Residents Association lies in the involvement of local
people in the activities of their group. Most Tenants & Residents Associations start
with a small group of people who are keen to do something for the area. It is quite
easy to get started.
Stage A:
Finding people:
• Contact neighbours and put up notices locally to see if other tenants are
interested in setting up a Tenants & Residents Association;
• Put up notices in the Post Office, shops, nursery etc., and local venues.
10Stage B:
Initial Meeting
A small planning meeting should be arranged to discuss the reason and benefits of
setting up the Tenants & Residents Association, and how to get help.
Decide on:
• What to do;
• How to do it;
• Delegate tasks;
• Share responsibility;
• Operate democratically.
But most importantly contact the Tenant Participation Team at North Ayrshire
Council for advice, support and guidance (see Page 53 for contact details).
Stage C:
Public Meeting
A public meeting should be arranged to test wider support for your ideas. This
meeting will formally launch the Tenants & Residents Association and elect a
committee. At the meeting agree a date for a further meeting to discuss priorities and
decide how to get things moving. Most groups delegate responsibility for this work to
a group of people who form a working group or committee. It is a good idea to get a
mixture of people involved, eg younger and older people.
Councillors and Council Employees at Meetings
There is no simple rule about the attendance or otherwise of Councillors and council
employees at the meetings of Tenants and Residents Associations.
To help you make a decision, consider the next two important points:
• Tenants and Residents Associations are independent organisations that control
their own affairs including who can attend their meetings;
• Councillors and council employees have no inherent right or obligation to attend
the meetings of a Tenants and Residents Association. However, Council staff
are happy to attend if they are able to do so.
The organisation needs to make a decision about who should or should not attend a
meeting. It is also a matter for the Councillors and council employees to decide
whether to accept any invitations given or to seek such invitations.
Organising a public meeting
11What is the purpose of the public meeting?
• The group needs to think about what you hope to achieve from the public
meeting, so that you design the meeting to meet the purpose;
• Investigate all the options to ensure that you achieve the purpose;
• Who do you want to attend?
• Who do you want to contribute to the meeting?
Getting People There
Advertise is the key principle
• Organise it so it runs smoothly –share out tasks;
• Have a clear purpose;
• Choose a convenient, pleasant and accessible meeting place if possible;
• Put on tea / coffee;
• Consider preparing and distributing a leaflet or poster throughout the
community;
• Advertise in your local newspaper, supermarket, post office or community
notice board and radio station;
• If possible, follow up publicity by word of mouth.
Other useful ideas
• Make it convenient - date and time (choose the most convenient time);
• Think who you are trying to attract to your meetings;
• Length of meeting (usually two hours is long enough for a public meeting);
• Suitable venue;
• Will participants need help with transport?
• Is a crèche required?
• Advertise to as wide an audience as possible.
Preparation for the Meeting
• Who is going to chair the meeting? The person you choose needs to be able to
keep order, letting everyone have their say without straying off the point. It can
be a difficult job and you may wish to get advice from the Tenant Participation
Team. If this is the case, meet with them beforehand to plan the meeting;
• Decide on how everyone on the committee will contribute to the meeting;
• Make up an agenda for the meeting. Put the most important thing first to capture
people’s attention. Allow for questions and answers and ask the chairperson to
summarise what has been decided;
• Arrange for someone to take notes of the meeting so you have a full record of
the meeting and any decisions taken;
• Ask people to sign an attendance sheet as this can be used in the future as a
contact list;
• Make sure everyone has their say and don’t allow the most talkative and
confident people to take over the meeting;
• Some people at the meeting may try to raise individual complaints or personal
points, explain politely but firmly that the meeting is to discuss issues that people
12have in common with one another and that individual complaints can be dealt
with at the end of the meeting;
• Use this meeting as confirmation for the way forward of your new group. Ask for
volunteers to help in the work of the association.
Venue Arrangements
Book a suitable venue, taking into consideration:
• Location;
• Ease of access for everyone. Try and ensure that consideration is given to
people with mobility problems;
• Size of hall;
• Chairs / tables / layout of Meeting.
13Example Agenda
XXXXX Tenants and Residents Association Public Meeting
To be held
On
XXXXXX November at XXXXX in XXXXXXX
1. Welcome and Introduction
2. Apologies
3. Minute of the previous meeting
4. Matters arising
5. Correspondence
6. Financial report
7. Introduce speakers
8. Any other Business
9. Date / Time / Place of next meeting
14Constitutions for Tenants and Residents Associations
In order for your group to work efficiently and effectively a Constitution is necessary.
This document emphasises the importance of having clearly documented ways of
working.
A Constitution helps to clarify: -
• Who you represent;
• What your group is about;
• How your group is run.
It is common for landlords to insist that groups have a Constitution before they will
give them any money. The Constitution should be the basis of your organisation and
be set out for everyone to see.
The key issues that the Constitution should include are:
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• What do you intend to do? (The aims of the group);
• How are you going to do it? (The rules of the group);
• How are you going to organise yourselves?
• How will decisions be made? (Safeguards to make sure your group is run in a
democratic and fair way).
Some Constitutions can be complicated, but they don’t have to be. A Constitution
should be easy to understand and avoid jargon. It should be available to all
members who want to look at it, so it must be a useable document that makes clear
what the group is about and how it is run. As well as being clear it needs to be
flexible so that rules and regulations are not so rigid that the group cannot function
efficiently.
Constitutions are generally made up of the following sections:
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• Name of the organisation;
• Area covered by association;
• Aims of the organisation - List here what your group wants to do;
• Objectives of the group – List here what your group wants to achieve;
• Membership - State here who can join;
• The Committee - This is the body that manages the day-to-day affairs of the
group. It is up to you to decide how many committee members you want, how
they are elected and how often they should meet;
• Conduct of Business or Standing Orders – This contains information on how
the business of the association will be managed and includes details such as
duration of meetings, bringing the group into disrepute and how the
association deals with offensive remarks;
• Annual General Meeting - This is the meeting where your committee reports
on the activities of the group during the previous year and then some or all
members resign and new members are elected. Your Constitution should
state when and how this meeting will be held and how members will be
informed;
• Other general meetings - These are other meetings throughout the year open
to your members;
• Quorum - This means the number of members required at meetings for a
decision to go ahead. You can decide what the quorum will be for your group.
15• (The quorum is usually 1/3 of members. Exact numbers depend on the
number of people elected on the committee and this can vary from group to
group);
• Changes to the Constitution - Your Constitution should develop along with
your group, so it is sensible to have a section in it that covers how to alter the
Constitution;
• Finance - If detailed clauses are put in the Constitution this will help the group
to run smoothly and help the treasurer in their role;
• Dissolution - Here you state how your group can be wound up and what will
happen to any funds or possessions in the group’s ownership.
When your draft Constitution has been drawn up, it will need to be agreed at a public
meeting. All members should be able to have a copy. If it has been drawn up well it
should ensure the group works well, ensure it carries out its true purpose and aims,
and should help to resolve problems in times of conflict.
16North Ayrshire Council Model Constitution – July 2013
1. Name
The name of the group shall be: XXXX Tenants and Residents Association.
2. Area
The area covered by the association shall be XXXX
3. Aim of the Group
The aim of the group shall be:
To safeguard and promote the interests of residents in the area on matters
concerning housing, the environment and the social and community life of the
area.
4. Objectives of the Group
a) To bring tenants and residents together to ascertain their views on a wide
range of issues affecting the area
b) To advocate those expressed views to the various agencies / bodies
delivering services in the area
c) To give residents a voice in the decision making processes which affect them
d) To uphold equal opportunities and work towards good relations amongst all
members of the community, especially prohibiting any conduct that
discriminates or harasses on the grounds of race, religion, disability, political
beliefs, sex or sexual orientation.
5. Membership
Full membership of the group shall be open to individuals of 16 years and over
who are interested in pursuing the work of the group. Members must not
discriminate on the grounds of nationality, political opinion, race, religious opinion,
gender, sexuality or disability.
Members shall have an equal vote and at all times conduct themselves in a
reasonable manner when attending meetings.
6. The Committee
a) A committee shall be elected to carry out the business of the association and
shall serve for a period of up to 14 months from the previous Annual General
Meeting.
b) The committee shall be made up of chairperson, vice-chairperson, secretary,
and treasurer and up to XXXX other committee members. All members will
have voting rights. No Committee member shall fill more than one position.
17c) The committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the
Association
d) Should a committee member fail to attend three consecutive committee
meetings without tendering apologies, the committee may at its discretion
terminate that person’s membership of the committee.
e) Vacancies on the committee may normally be filled at a general meeting until
the next Annual General Meeting
f) The committee and its office bearers shall carry out the duties given to them
by a general meeting of the association
g) Councillors may attend committee meetings as and when invited by the
committee
h) The committee shall meet not less than XXXX times per year, in addition to
the AGM and other general meetings
i) The quorum at any meetings of the committee shall be XXXX including at
least two office bearers.
7. Conduct Of Business:
a) Members may speak only through the chair.
b) Decisions will be made by a simple majority, voted in through a show of hands
or a secret ballot.
c) Meetings will end at a time agreed by the Committee.
d) Any offensive behaviour, including racist, ageist, sexist or inflammatory
remarks will not be permitted.
e) Any member who consistently brings the group into disrepute or refuses to
comply with the constitution shall be expelled on a two-thirds majority vote of
the full Committee.
f) Any such member will have the right to appeal within 28 days of the expulsion.
The appeal shall be heard by the membership at a Special General Meeting
called for that purpose.
g) Minutes will be distributed to the membership at least xxxxx (7) days after a
meeting.
8. The Annual General Meeting (AGM)
a) There shall be an Annual General Meeting within fourteen months of the
Associations inaugural meeting or last annual general meeting.
b) The Annual General Meeting shall:
• Receive a report from the committee of its activities, including a statement
of accounts, fully audited;
18• Accept the resignation of all committee members and elect a new
committee;
• Vote on any recommendations / motions and any amendments to the
constitution; and
• Appoint two competent individuals, not having served on the committee
during the preceding twelve months or elected to serve on the committee,
to audit its accounts.
b) The secretary will notify all members of the date of the meeting not less than
XXXX days in advance of that meeting.
d) The quorum of annual general meetings shall be XXXX members.
9. Other General Meetings
a) The committee shall normally hold at least XXXX general meetings per year in
addition to the Annual General Meeting.
b) A request for further general meetings should be made in writing to the
secretary, carrying the signatures and addresses of XXXX members. A
request for a general meeting should state the reasons for calling it. The
committee may also call a general meeting.
c) The secretary will notify all members in writing of the date of the meeting not
less than XXXX days in advance of that meeting, and state its purpose in the
notice.
9. Changes to the Constitution
a) The constitution may be altered at the Annual General Meeting or at a special
meeting called for that purpose
b) Proposed changes must be submitted to the secretary in writing not less than
XXXX days before the AGM
c) Changes must be agreed by at a least two-thirds majority of voting members
present at the meeting
10. Finance
a) All monies raised by or on behalf of the Association shall be applied to further
the aims of the group.
c) The treasurer shall keep proper accounts of the finances of the group and
make a report available at every committee meeting. The committee shall
agree all financial transactions.
c) The funds of the group shall be managed through a bank or post office
account. Cheques written on behalf of the group must bear the signatures of
two office bearers out of the three cheque signatories.
1911. Dissolution
a) The Association may only be dissolved by a special meeting called for that
purpose. Such a meeting shall come about following a proposal in writing
signed by a simple majority of those remaining in membership being submitted
to the secretary.
b) All members shall be informed of such a meeting at least XXX days before the
date of the meeting.
c) Dissolution of the Association shall only take effect if agreed by two thirds of
those members present and voting at that meeting.
d) Any assets remaining after meeting liabilities must be distributed among local
charities or community organisations with similar aims nominated by that
meeting.
e) Any money received via funding bodies should be returned to the funding
body in relation to the funding criteria.
f) On dissolution, any documents belonging to the Association shall be disposed
of in a manner agreed by that meeting.
12. Adoption
This constitution was adopted at the inaugural general meeting of XXXXX
Tenants and Residents Association on XXXXXXXXXXX
Signed……………………………………………………. (Chairperson)
……………………………………………………. (Secretary)
20The Committee
The committee is elected by the members of the Tenants and Residents Association
to carry out the work of the association. The committee organises general meetings
of all its members, and the group’s Annual General Meeting, and must carry out the
decisions made at these meetings.
The committee has the responsibility to make decisions on behalf of the group. It is
important that these decisions get reported back to the full membership. This can be
done in a variety of ways including newsletters, members’ meetings, and public
meetings.
There is no set way of organising a committee but there are ways of working that are
more common and useful than others. Try and make sure that the committee
represents all the people in your community.
Working Together
In order to work effectively together, you need to be clear who is responsible for
what. Some jobs on the committee can be taken by one person or can be shared.
Teamwork is essential.
Purpose of a committee meeting
• To decide what action to take;
• To come to a decision which is acceptable to the group;
• To benefit from the ideas, skills, knowledge, and opinions of all members;
• To conduct business efficiently in accordance with the Constitution.
Keeping Everyone Involved
Every Tenants & Residents Group has to work hard at keeping people involved. If
your organisation is to be strong you must make constant efforts to keep your
membership informed and to get wider involvement.
Being a good committee member
A committee member may not have any special title or task, but their presence on a
committee is just as important as that of the office bearers.
Some duties of the committee members are as follows:
• Attend meetings/start on time;
• Stick to the agenda;
• Support the group/work as a team;
• Take action on tasks identified from the previous minute;
• Vote on issues;
• Discourage domination by one or a few;
• Assist with projects, fund raising etc.;
• Support and encourage quieter members;
• Abide by the decisions of the group;
21• Encourage membership;
• Listen to each other;
• Feedback to the committee;
• Aim towards constructive discussion and decisions;
• Help with advertising, distributing pamphlets etc.;
• Elect office bearers;
• Put forward ideas;
• Make suggestions.
A good committee member should always have:
• A diary;
• Necessary paperwork for the meeting, agenda, minutes reports;
• Notepad / pen;
• Folder to keep all your paperwork.
The Tenant Participation Team can facilitate committee roles and responsibilities
awareness raising sessions if required. For further information please contact the
Tenant Participation Team (see Page 53 for contact details).
22The Chairperson
Success (or otherwise) of a meeting can depend upon how it is chaired. The
chairperson is the person who makes sure things get done – not the person who
does everything.
There are two basic jobs the chairperson or should do:
a) Guide the association to achieve its aims
b) Chair the meetings of the association
Some of the duties of the chairperson are as follows:
• Know the Constitution;
• Liase with the secretary on the agenda and meeting arrangements;
• Welcome members and introduce guests;
• Ensure fair discussion;
• Stop anyone taking over, dominating discussions;
• Sum up problems, points, decisions;
• Keep order/ensure a chance for all to have their say;
• Get through the agenda on time;
• Help prepare agendas;
• Ensure decisions are carried out;
• Act as a spokesperson or leader for the group.
A Chairperson should always have:
• A diary;
• Necessary paperwork for the meeting, agenda, minutes reports;
• Notepad / pen;
• Folder to keep all your paperwork.
The Tenant Participation Team provides Chairpersons pack and encourage
associations to use this pack.
23The Secretary
A good secretary must be reliable and efficient. He or she will pay strict attention to
matters of details and ensure prompt replies to correspondence.
It is important that the secretary’s name, address and telephone numbers are well
publicised to landlords and organisations that want to make contact with the
committee.
Prior to the meeting:
• An agenda for the meeting should be prepared in consultation with the
chairperson;
• A suitable venue for the meeting should be arranged and speaker arranged if
necessary;
• A notice of the meeting and agenda should be sent to all committee members so
that they will receive them at least a week before the meeting is arranged;
• Agendas should be sent out for all meetings even if they are held at the same
time and place each week or month;
• The secretary must keep a complete, approved and signed up to date set of
minutes;
• Ensure that all correspondence has been dealt with, and when necessary, obtain
replies for the next meeting;
• Keep a good filing system.
At the meeting:
• The Secretary should keep a record of everyone attending the meeting or collect
their signatures in an attendance book / sedurunt. Apologies for absences should
also be recorded;
• Ensure that a quorum is present before any business is done;
• Read the minutes of the previous meeting (unless already sent out) and obtain
the chairperson’s signature for the official copy;
• Read out all correspondence received and report any action taken since last
meeting;
• Ensure that the chairperson is supplied with all the necessary papers and
information relevant to the meeting.
After the meeting:
• When drafted, the chairperson should sign the minutes and a copy should be
forwarded onto the Tenant Participation Team, Area Housing Manager and
elected members. (see pages 36-54 for contact details)
The Tenant Participation Team provides a secretary pack and encourages
associations to use this pack.
24The Treasurer
Every Tenants & Residents Association should make sure a treasurer is appointed to
handle the money coming into and going out of the group. The Treasurer:
• Should keep a clear and accurate book-keeping system and be able to handle
figures;
• Is responsible for the proper handling of the finance of the organisation, but not
the actual raising of money;
• Will be one of three officers of the committee authorised to draw out money.
Normally two out of three of these signatures are required when money is
withdrawn.
Prior to the meeting:
• The treasurer should prepare a financial report before each meeting
• Ensure all approved bills are paid.
At the meeting:
• The treasurer should present a report of money paid in and out of the account;
• The treasurer should bring all the account books to the meeting so that he/she
can answer any questions;
• The treasurer should advise on the amount of money available for the group’s
work and warn of excess expenditure.
At the Annual General Meeting:
The treasurer should prepare a statement for audit prior to the AGM. The Tenant
Participation Team can appoint an auditor if required. Please contact the TP Team
for further information. (See Page 53 for contact details).
• The treasurer should present the balance sheet and financial statement at the
AGM after they have received the audited accounts.
The equipment a Treasurer will need:
• Money box;
• Bank book;
• Cheque book;
• Petty cash book;
• Accounts book (The Tenant Participation Team can provide this if required);
• Note pad;
• Folder for receipts.
The Tenant Participation Team provides a Treasurer pack and encourages
associations to use this pack.
25The Agenda
The agenda is a list of things to be done. It is a plan that helps the meeting to run
smoothly. It is important to have an agenda prepared in order for the meeting to
run efficiently. If possible it should be circulated in advance of the meeting so those
committee members can come prepared to talk about the items at the meeting.
Tips
• It is a good idea for the chairperson to ask for any items of any other business at
the start of the meeting in order that they can be programmed into the meeting;
• Two hours is long enough for any committee meeting.
XXXXXX Tenants and Residents Association
[TIME] in [VENUE]
[DATE]
Committee Meeting
Agenda
1. Welcome and Introductions
2. Apologies
3. Minutes of previous meeting
4. Matters Arising
5. General Correspondence
6. Financial Report
7. Feedback from meetings / conferences / seminars & events
8. Group Action Plan update
9. AOCB
10. Date of next meeting
26The Minutes
The minutes are an essential report of the meeting. A method is needed to ensure
the minute is a correct record. They should be circulated to all members before the
meeting.
What things should the minutes actually record?
• Who was present and apologies;
• Minutes should follow the agenda items, Be short, clear, easy to read and
understand;
• Include all decisions made and if necessary record the discussion leading to that
decision;
• Record monthly financial reports and any financial decisions Made at the
meetings;
• Details of incoming correspondence and decisions about replies.
Tips
It is a good idea to include an action column stating who is responsible for carrying
out decisions made.
Write up minutes, as soon after meetings as possible while your memory is still fresh
about what happened at the meeting.
The minutes should be proposed and seconded by someone who attended the
previous meeting and signed by the chairperson of the group.
Share the task. Have a correspondence secretary and a minute secretary.
27Group Name
Date at Time
Committee Meeting
Minutes
Present: Ailsa Brown (Chair)
Betty Carruthers Secretary
Charlie Davidson Minute Secretary (Minutes)
David Eccles Committee Member
Elaine Fraser Treasurer
Fiona Grant Area Housing Manager
Grace Hardie Vice Chair
Apologies Hugh Innes Committee Member
Ian Jamieson Committee Member
Item Description Responsible
Person
1. Welcome & Introductions
AB opened the meeting, went through domestic arrangements and
thanked and welcomed all in attendance.
2. Apologies
Apologies noted as detailed above.
3. Minutes of previous meeting
The minutes of the last meeting were agreed to be a full and
accurate record. Proposed by Elaine Fraser and seconded by
Charlie Davidson.
4. Matters Arising
Page 2 – Playground Equipment
CD sent Request Form to appropriate department for member of
the Team to attend next meeting in January. CD to pursue if no CD
response by the end of the month.
5. General Correspondence
1. Network Minutes from meeting held on 10th November
2011 – Outline of minutes read out to members for
information and discussion. No actions required.
2. Reminder about the Christmas Fair taking place on
Saturday 10 th December at the Community Hall from 9-
P P ALL
12noon.
6. Financial Report
Copies of the Treasurer’s report tabled for members. Noted that
fund balance of £80 is sufficient until next fund raising event in
March.
287. Feedback from meetings / conferences / seminars and events
Report from TPAS Conference in Oct read out to members for
information.
8. Group Action Plan update
Members went through Action Plan and agreed actions required in
December. Members to update on progress at next meeting. ALL
9. Any Other Competent Business
GH raised issue with a blocked drain at the junction outside school
and noted that pedestrians were being splashed by passing cars.
Agreed GH to contact appropriate Council department. GH
10. Date of next meeting
Next Meeting to be held on Thursday 12th January at 7pm in the
Community Centre. Members to bring copies of papers to the ALL
meeting and reminded to prepare questions to put to Council
Officer regarding Playground.
29Guide to groups for inviting housing staff to attend their meeting
To deal with some of the issues that arise during committee business it is sometimes
necessary to invite an individual either from the council or another organisation. This
guidance note is about inviting someone from housing services to your meeting.
Filling out the form
Section Explanation
1 Provide the name and contact details for your group.
2 Provide information about your meeting.
3 Please list the specific questions you want to raise. This will help
you identify the correct service (staff member).
Listing your questions will also allow staff to investigate your query
before they come to your meeting. This will help to make sure that
you get a quicker response to your questions and that your
meetings are more useful to all those attending.
This does not mean, that you can’t ask other questions at the
meeting. We all know that we can’t think of everything all of the
time.
4 Tick the service that you wish to attend.
Restrict how many boxes you tick. You will not have time to have
proper discussion if lots of staff are invited to talk about lots of
different things at the same meeting.
If you need to invite a senior member of staff. Use the blank
spaces.
If you have any questions about inviting housing staff to your meetings
or about c completing the forms please contact the Tenant Participation
Team on 01294 324878
Once you have completed the form please send it to: The Tenant Participation Team,
FREEPOST-NAT-19324, Bridgegate House, Irvine, KA12 8BD.
It’s a good idea to send your form to us as soon as you have made a decision about
inviting a member of staff. However, you will need to give us a minimum of two
weeks’ notice prior to your meeting.
When we receive your form we will let you know who can attend within five working
days. If no one can attend your meeting we will tell you why.
30Some useful information about each service
Estate management is the responsibility of your Housing Officer. They deal with
neighbour complaints, close cleaning, garden maintenance, applications to change
your tenancy details (for example changing your tenancy to a joint tenancy or name
changes), medical applications, obtaining references about future tenants,
applications to exchange (swap your home), transfer (move to another house),
sub-let your home or take in a lodger and caretaking services. Housing officers have
no control over repairs to your home.
The repairs section of the housing service is responsible for carrying out repairs
which make sure that your home is wind and watertight, and also that the fixtures and
fittings that supply gas, electricity, water and drainage are maintained. See your
tenant handbook for more detailed information about responsibility for repairs.
In addition to providing services for homeless or potentially homeless people, the
homelessness section is also responsible for specialist support units and temporary
accommodation units.
The Antisocial Behaviour Investigation Team is a specialised team of experienced
officers who investigate and resolve problems of antisocial behaviour. These may
include problems of youth disorder, drug dealing, loud music, assaults and
threatening behaviour, etc. Mediation is a way of resolving disputes, which assists
the people involved to find a solution that satisfies everyone with the help of impartial
trained mediators. Disputes can cover a wide range of issues, including noise, pets,
parking, conduct of children, boundary problems, etc.
The role of the Tenant Participation Team is to promote a variety of opportunities
for tenant participation enabling both individual tenants and recognised groups to be
involved at a level that is right for them. Customer care is paramount to the Council
and through its dedicated team provides advice and support to its tenants and is a
main point of reference for tenants and residents within the authority.
In relation to tenants groups the Tenant Participation Team will:
• Listen to concerns and views;
• Provide information and training for groups to get more involved;
• Give practical guidance and support - help with producing minutes, preparing
agendas, producing posters and leaflets etc.;
• Training & consultation events during the year;
• Provide grant funding to recognised Tenants & Residents Groups;
• Increase and develop tenant participation by marketing opportunities;
• And review the Tenant Participation Action Plan every year and set priorities
with tenants, and tenants groups.
Welfare Reform Advice Team
North Ayrshire Council established a Welfare Reform Working Group in February
2012 to assess the impact of Welfare Reform changes on the community and on
Council services. All the Council's services and resources are represented on the
Working Group.
An action plan was also drawn up to prepare for the changes and to communicate
with employees and residents.
31Staff training took place to ensure that our employees were informed and prepared
for the reforms. A new Welfare Advice Team has been established to offer
assistance and support to Council tenants affected by the reforms.
Council Tenants have been kept informed of changes and what they mean for them
through regular articles in Tenancy Matters – the publication for North Ayrshire
Council tenants delivered to every Council tenancy.
If you have any more questions about Welfare Reform, please contact the Benefits
Service or for North Ayrshire Council housing tenants, telephone the Welfare Reform
Advice Team on 03009994606 or email WelfareReformTeam@north-ayrshire.gov.uk.
32Request from a Tenants Group:
Staff to attend a meeting
Group Name: …………………………..……..… Contact Tel: ………………..……….
Information about your meeting:
Date: ……………………….… Time: ………..……....….. AM / PM
Venue:
…………….……………………………………………………………………...……………
Meeting Type: Committee Public Annual General
Questions you would like to raise:
.………………………………………………………………………………………………….
.…………………………………………………………………………………………………
.…………………………………………………………………………………………………
.…………………………………………………………………………………………………
Service that you wish to attend:
Estate Management Allocations
Rent Arrears Capital Programme
Homelessness / Housing Support Repairs
Estate Caretaking Tenant Participation Team
Community Warden Other (please specify)
Antisocial Behaviour ……………………………………..
Signed: ……………………………………………….… Date: ……………………….
Please return this form to: The Tenant Participation Team, FREEPOST RTJS-
BGUH-XLCB, Housing Services, Cunninghame House, Irvine, KA12 8EE.
To be completed by Housing Services staff:
Date received: ………………………….. Date Group Informed: …………………………….
Staff Member (s) to Attend: …………………………….…………………………..……………
……………………………………………………………..………………………………..………
If unable to attend, why……………………………..…………………………………...……
………………………………………………………………………………………………......
33Section E – Register of Tenant Organisations
What is registration?
The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 has introduced a number of new tenant
participation duties that all social landlords must carry out. One of these duties
involves setting up and maintaining a Register of Tenant Organisations.
By registering with us, Tenants & Residents Groups will have a recognised role in the
participation process. Groups will have the right to be consulted on a wide range of
housing issues.
To register, groups must be able to show that they meet the conditions set out below.
Although they are called Registered Tenant Organisations (RTOs), mixed groups
such as Tenants and Resident Associations can apply as long as they meet the
conditions.
What does the register look like?
It is a public document that holds information about Registered Tenant Organisations
(for example, their constitution, and a map or details of the area they represent). It
also includes information on:
• How to contact the group;
• When the group has its committee and annual general meeting.
Copies of the register are available for public viewing at each of our Area Housing
Offices, at our Tenant Participation Team and also available on the Council’s
web-site at www.north-ayrshire.gov.uk.
How does a group apply?
You can contact the Tenant Participation Team at:
The Tenant Participation Team,
FREEPOST-NAT-19324
Bridgegate House, Irvine, KA12 8BD.
Phone: 01294 324869/324871
Fax: 01294 324869/324871
Email: tenantparticipation@north-ayrshire.gov.uk
We will ask you to fill in a registration form and give us:
• A copy of your Constitution (written set of rules);
• Details of the area your association represents, or a map outlining the area;
• The names and contact details of committee members (identifying who holds
which post); and
• A statement setting out how you plan to involve members and how you will
represent their views.
Our Tenant Participation Team can give you help and advice to meet the necessary
requirements. Contact us and we will meet with you to take you through the process.
Once we receive this information, we will check that your group meets the conditions
set out by the Scottish Government.
34You can also read
