Co-regulation & Special Interest Groups

1. Co-regulation & Special Interest Groups Joanne Tilley, Executive Director Business Support

2. What is “co-regulation”? • Social Housing Regulator regulates “economic standards” which include Governance & Finance • Social Housing Regulator also sets standards for: • Home • Tenancy • Neighbourhoods • Customer Services • Will only “step in” if there is “serious detriment” to tenants • Regulation of consumer standards is therefore … up to us!

3. EMH Homes Co-regulation Structures Co-ordinating Panel Scrutiny Panel Special Interest Groups Local Groups

4. Links to our Boards

5. Independent Scrutiny Panel • 17 members recruited by tenants on basis of skills & experience • Independent of: • Board – although report directly to them • Special Interest Groups • Local groups • Co-ordinating Committee • Access to “critical friend” consultancy support

6. Local Groups • Tenant led local groups – own constitution & ways of working • Liaising with residents locally • Developing and monitoring local service offers • Recruiting new active residents • Work along staff to help co-ordinate estate inspections & improvement plans • Community engagement • Supported by EMH Homes’ operational teams

7. What are “special interest groups” • These groups involve partnership working with emh homes and emh group staff to help shape services, policies and procedures, and drive continuous improvement • Also communication with tenants

8. What will special interest groups do? • Main consultative groups for considering and developing housing and maintenance related policies • Get communication right!

9. Role of Co-ordinating Committee • Strategic engagement with executive and Board • Main consultative body on key strategic issues • Co-ordinate resident engagement activities • Oversee value for money in resident engagement • Oversee learning and development for active residents • Monitor outcomes • Close liaison with Scrutiny Panel, including where appropriate, challenging the impact, effectiveness and performance of tenant scrutiny functions

10. Special Interest Groups

11. Co-ordinating Committee

12. Co-ordinating Committee

13. Maintenance Group • Repairs service • Responsive repairs including appointments • Planned maintenance • Out-of-hours • Improvements to homes • Aids and adaptations to help people cope with disabilities • Appointing suppliers

14. Customer Services Group • Customer Service Centre and associated service standards • Reception services • Complaints • Customer surveys and their feedback • Ensuring services are tailored to meet diverse needs • Customer service accreditations such as Customer Service Excellence

15. Neighbourhoods Group • Anti-social behaviour • Estate services • Who we let our homes to and how? • Managing empty homes • Rents and service charges • Arrears • Tenancy conditions & tenancy support

16. Communications Group • Take a lead on communicating co-regulation activities between groups and with other tenants • Editorial input on tenant newsletters • Website - is it accessible and useful to residents? • Lead on the use of social media • Annual report and value for money statements • Consultations with non-involved customers • Communication that meets diverse needs

17. Special interest sub groups • Sub groups of these special interest groups might be formed where appropriate (including time limited task and finish groups), but representation on the co-ordinating committee will be limited to these four core Groups • Leaseholder group shall be a sub-group of Neighbourhoods group

18. Membership • Membership of the Special Interest Groups shall be open to all residents expressing an interest, subject to numbers remaining manageable (20 maximum?) • Initial membership shall be agreed on a first come first serve basis, and a waiting list established for those not initially accepted onto the Group • Membership subject to conditions set out in the Code of Conduct

19. Open to all • Arrangements for how to apply for membership of these Special Interest Groups shall be published widely, including in newsletters, and on the website • The Communications Forum shall take a lead in ensuring that methods for communicating how to apply are effective and inclusive

20. Equality and Diversity • One of emh homes’ core values! • Special interest groups must ensure they: • treat all tenants with fairness and respect • demonstrate an understanding and respond to the different needs of tenants

21. Frequency of meetings • Meet at least 4 times a year • Times/venues to be agreed by members

22. Role of the Chair • Chaired by tenant/resident of emh homes who shall be elected by members of the group via a secret ballot • Chair shall represent the group on the Co-Ordinating Committee • No tenant/resident should be Chair of more than one group with representation on the Co-ordinating Committee • The Chair should not be a member of the Scrutiny Panel

23. Support from staff • The maintenance forum, neighbourhoods forum and customer services forum shall be supported from within emh homes’ teams • emh group’s Communications Team will take a lead on supporting the Communications Forum

24. What happens next? • Taster session today • Sign up for membership! • Next meeting elect a Chair – for one year initially … then for 3 years, followed by maximum of 3 more years • Discuss terms of reference for each group – to be agreed by the Co-ordinating Committee and emh homes’ Board • Help us get it right!

25. Thank you – any questions?