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Constituency - Other Urban Areas
Nominee - Teresa McNally
Company - Ochil View Housing Association
Nominated by - William George Tainsh
Voluntary Committee Member - Yes
Elected/Ballot Required - Ballot Required*
Constituency - Other Urban Areas
Nominee - Mairi Brown
Company - East Kilbride HA
Nominated by - Jean McDonald
Elected/Ballot Required - Ballot Required*
Constituency - Rural and Islands
Nominee - Gordon Mitchell
Company - Hjaltland HA
Nominated by - Robin Sandison
Voluntary Committee Member - Yes
Elected/Ballot Required - Nominated
Constituency - City of Glasgow
Nominee - Wilma Masterton
Company - Glasgow Housing Association
Nominated by - Sandra Forsythe
Voluntary Committee Member - Yes
Elected/Ballot Required - Nominated
Constituency - Other Cities
Nominee - Steven Black
Company - Tenants First Housing Co-operative
Nominated by - Sandy Murray
Voluntary Committee Member - Yes
Elected/Ballot Required - Ballot Required*
Constituency - Other Cities
Nominee - Ewan Fraser
Company - Dunedin Canmore HA
Nominated by - Craig Sanderson
Elected/Ballot Required - Ballot Required*
*Where there is more than one nomination for any one constituency ballot papers will be sent out to each organisation within that constituency.
The closing date for receipt of ballot papers is 2.30pm on Friday, 20th August 2010.
There is one ballot paper per organisation.
Thirty years on from Margaret Thatcher's decision to give council tenants the right to buy the house they had been renting, research conducted by the University of St Andrews suggests the scheme has failed to mobilise the workforce as expected.
Dr Maarten Van Ham of the Centre for Housing Research, an expert in the area of neighbourhoods and housing said:
"The right to buy has given many households access to home ownership, but not to better places, so what have they gained? It concerns me that many are stuck in the same house and the same neighbourhood".
SFHA Policy &
Strategy Manager Andy Young said that it’s worth learning the lessons of the past on Right to Buy,
particularly as the Housing (Scotland) Bill goes through parliament.
He said:
“The view of housing associations is that Right to Buy has no place in an affordable rented sector that is struggling to meet the growing housing needs of Scotland’s population. The stark fact is that demand for rented homes is now far outstripping supply.
“Although currently the subject of an exemption, in October 2012 around 30,000 housing association homes, most newly built and many scarce larger family homes, (which were the most popular in terms of sales when Right to Buy was introduced back in 1980) will for the first time become subject to the Modernised Right to Buy.
“We see this as a terrific opportunity for the Scottish Government to go further and end the Modernised Right to Buy for housing association tenants. If this happened 30,000 properties at the popular end of the scale, would immediately be protected without the loss of existing rights.”
To read the report click http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/news/archive/2010/Title,53592,en.html
The Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum has published its first annual report.
The SFHA’s representative on the Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum, David Ogilvie (Policy & Strategy Manager) said:
“We welcome the publication of this report, which is a fair and frank account of the achievements of and the challenges that have faced the Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum in the first full year of the Energy Assistance Package and the Home Insulation Scheme.”
“In the context of rising domestic fuel prices coupled with proposed swingeing cuts in public spending by the UK government, and the consequent financial and policy challenges that will face the Scottish Government, local authorities and housing associations, it has to be said that currently the prospects of meeting the 2016 Fuel Poverty target look rather bleak.
“As the voice of Scotland’s housing associations on the Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum, the SFHA continues to push for radical action to address the ongoing plight of Scotland’s fuel poor. At such a time of fiscal austerity, the concept of “spend to save” needs to be embedded into Scottish Government and local authority thinking on tackling fuel poverty. We believe that investing more in tackling fuel poverty now, whether that be rolling out advice and access to social tariffs or insulation for homes, is what will deliver real efficiency savings for the public purse.
To download a copy of the report click here
As part of the SFHA's service improvement programme, we are accelerating the development of the new SFHA website and we hope to have this with you in the near future.
If you would like more information or have any queries, please contact: sfha@sfha.co.uk
The SFHA has welcomed launch of Scottish Government consultation ‘Wider Planning for an Ageing Population’.
Last summer, the Scottish Government, COSLA and the NHS established the ‘Reshaping Care for Older People’ programme which aimed to engage all interests in reshaping care and support services in order to meet policy objectives in a sustainable manner. The programme consists of eight work streams, including one on housing and communities, known as Wider Planning for an Ageing Population.
On 29th June, the SG launched consultation on the report produced by the Wider Planning for an Ageing Population stakeholder working group. The report provides details of the approach taken to the work stream, the issues and draft outcomes discussed and the suggested actions.
David Ogilvie, SFHA Policy & Strategy Manager said:
"The SFHA is pleased to have played a major role in the completion of this report. This is a very significant consultation for the sector, given the scale of the demographic changes we are facing, and the fact that we are going to have to make tough choices in the current financial environment. The report outlines the actions we, as a sector and with our strategic partners, must take now and over the coming years to ensure we continue to meet the housing and support needs of our older people. This is vital work, and we are encouraging members to give us their views. "
Consultation on this important report will run from 29th June until 29th September 2010. You can read more on the SFHA website here http://www.sfha.co.uk/index.php?pg=50&id=147
The SFHA Board has taken the decision to publish all non-confidential Board Minutes and EGM Minutes on the SFHA website. In order to access the minutes, please select from the list below. Please note that Board Meetings take place every quarter and that minutes will be posted once they have been ratified at the next Board meeting. In addition, non-confidential Board Papers may be available by requesting information from kcolburn@sfha.co.uk
Ahead of today’s debate on the Housing (Scotland) Bill in the Scottish Parliament, (Wednesday 23rd June 2010), the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) is calling for amendments to simplify and strengthen the proposed legislation on restricting Right to Buy and regulating social housing providers.
The SFHA said removing the potential to charge the sector for regulation and extending the sector’s exemption form the Modernised Right to Buy would fit the Bill – keeping red tape to a minimum and preserving vital affordable housing stock.
The Bill proposes some restrictions on the Right to Buy, including ending it for new properties and new tenants, but the SFHA is calling for it to go further and scrap the Modernised Right to Buy (introduced in 2002) for housing associations and co-operatives. Associations and co-ops currently enjoy a ten-year exemption from the legislation which ends in 2012.
Andrew Field, Acting Chief Executive of the SFHA, said:
“The SFHA is very pleased that the Government and MSPs are moving to curb the Right to Buy which has resulted in such a drain on Scotland’s affordable housing stock. We also welcome plans for a Social Housing Charter with strong tenant involvement.
“We look forward to the parliamentary debate on the Bill tomorrow, and are appealing to MSPs in advance to ensure the Scottish Housing Regulator has sufficient resources to do its job, and remove the potential plans for charging affordable housing providers for regulation – which could well impact on tenants’ rents.
“We also want the housing sector to keep its exemption from the Modernised Right to Buy, which would not interfere with any existing tenants’ rights and would retain thousands of high-quality affordable homes for the future.
“Protecting affordable housing supply and simplifying red tape for Scotland’s housing providers makes sense and is particularly important in this era of belt tightening.”
When the Modernised Right to Buy was introduced in 2002, housing associations were granted a ten-year exemption which expires in September 2012. Because of this exemption, the SFHA contends that these tenants do not currently have any Right to Buy.
There is an opportunity to extend the proposed reforms by removing then Modernised Right to Buy from housing associations and co-operatives, in order to preserve valuable social housing stock.
If the Modernised Right to Buy was scrapped, or the housing association exemption extended beyond 2012, then up to 80,000 properties – mainly built during the past 15 years – would immediately be protected without the loss of any existing tenant rights.
David Bookbinder, Head of Policy and Public Affairs, said:
Even allowing for the Scottish Government’s revised, lower forecast for post-2012 sales, CIH Scotland believes that at a time when housing expenditure over the next 10 years is expected to reduce sharply, it makes no sense to newly give the RTB to any tenant who does not currently have it.”
“CIH recognises that historically, RTB has had some positive impacts in creating mixed communities, but we believe that the priority now must be to retain as much as possible of the remaining rented housing stock. We would prefer to see a re-examination of the former Tenants Incentive Scheme, as floated in the Scottish Government’s recent Housing Discussion document. This scheme will bring immediate relets and could be a cost effective use of public money.”
The SFHA has produced a briefing note for members on the main contents of yesterday’s Emergency Budget announced by the UK Chancellor George Osborne.
The packed programme of “austerity measures” was nonetheless intended to confirm the Government’s aim that while “everyone will pay something,” the lowest paid and most vulnerable groups would be protected.
Headlines included a VAT increase to 20%, £11bn welfare cuts, the restoration of the link between pensions and earnings, an increase in the personal income tax allowance and a cut on corporation tax.
On the changes to Housing Benefit, Andrew Field, Acting Chief Executive of the SFHA said:
“SFHA would welcome any changes to Housing Benefit that simplify the system, but any cuts in the housing benefit budget must not be at the expense of the most underprivileged members of society, who are often tenants of social landlords."
"Approximately two thirds of housing association tenants in Scotland are recipients of housing benefit. Currently the Scottish Parliament enjoys devolved housing powers in all respects other than housing benefit. The SFHA has long called for housing benefit to be brought within the control of the Scottish Government.
“We would also call for capital spending on building more new affordable homes to be maintained, which will help the economy.”
Responding to the UK Government’s
emergency Budget, CIH Scotland Chair Jim Strang said:
“The Budget brings Scotland and the rest of the UK a significant step
closer to the grim reality round the corner. We may have to accept
that the cake will be smaller but housing must at the very least retain
its share of that cake.”
“It seems likely that providers will increasingly be exploring new
provision – such as mid-market rent – which uses less public funding
but meets genuine need. But our greatest challenge will still be to
maximise social rented supply. If there is to be less new build, then
issues such as how we use our relets will become more important than
ever.”
For a copy of the briefing, click here http://www.sfha.co.uk/site/documents/1966.doc
The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) said that while it is delighted that the Scottish Government has acted on three decades of representations to end the Right to Buy, it is critical that more is done to protect vital affordable housing stock through the forthcoming Housing (Scotland) Bill. The Local Government and Communities Committee has this week (Tuesday 8th June) released its Stage 1 Report on the Bill.
The Bill proposes some restrictions on the Right to Buy, including ending it for new properties and new tenants, but the SFHA is calling for it to go further and scrap the Modernised Right to Buy, introduced in 2002, for housing associations and co-operatives.
Andrew Field, Deputy Chief Executive of the SFHA, said:
“We commend MSPs for recognising that restricting the Right to Buy is an effective way of preserving vital affordable housing stock – something which will be more important than ever in the coming years.
“The SFHA will continue to press the case for the scrapping of the Modernised Right to Buy, to alleviate the acute shortage of affordable homes for rent in Scotland.”
Mr Field added:
“We welcome the Committee’s commitment to a single housing regulator. However, we have concerns about how the Scottish Housing Regulator will be able to consult upon and implement a new more focused, analytical regime during what will be a lengthy period of severe budget constraints.”
A huge rise in affordable homes has bolstered the faltering house build rate according to the latest government statistics, released today (Thursday 27th May 2010).
Responding to the news that 30% more affordable homes were completed in 2009-10, as the total number of homes built slumped 20%, the SFHA said it was vital to continue support to Scotland’s housing associations and co-operatives, the main developers of new affordable housing.
Andrew Field, Deputy Chief Executive of the SFHA, said:
“The figures for 2009-10 prove that housing associations and co-operatives can deliver the quality new-build homes that Scotland needs. The affordable housing sector has been there when Scotland needed it in a time of recession and it’s vital that, despite the difficult public spending environment, we continue to support new affordable housing for rent.
“Building new homes for rent is one of the best ways of generating economic and social benefits across the country, in communities where need is greatest.
“Last year, through our Year of the Home Coming campaign, the SFHA called for 10,000 new homes for rent to be started. These figures show 10,000 were started, and though only 7,000 of these were for rent, it is still a big achievement.”
“However, the drop in completions at the start of this year is due to the near £200m cut in this year’s budget and shows we cannot afford to strip back resources for housing any further, at a time when the number of households in Scotland is increasing and the private sector is struggling.
“We will be making these points, along with looking at ways of funding Scotland’s housing in the future, as part of the Scottish Government’s newly-launched discussion on the future of housing.”
The results from thermal imaging of 10,000 Scottish homes are to be analysed and published online in an innovative bid to cut Co2 emissions and make properties cheaper to heat.
Infra-red technology will be used to “photograph” homes throughout Scotland as part of a pilot partnership project spearheaded by the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA).
Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Housing and Communities Minister will today (Monday 24th May) visit a housing association tenant in Coatbridge, whose house was “scanned” as part of the project. His landlord, Clyde Valley Housing Association, was one of four Scottish associations pioneering the project.
Andrew Field, Deputy Chief Executive of the SFHA, said:
“Substantially reducing carbon emissions in a relatively short space of time is challenging and this pilot project is at the forefront of efforts to meet the Government targets.
“The use of cutting edge technology will enable housing providers to pinpoint precisely where heat is being lost and to put resources into work where it will have the most impact, resulting in lower emissions, lower fuel bills for tenants and warmer homes.”
The four housing associations taking part in the pilot which if successful, could be rolled out across the country, are River Clyde Homes, Dunedin Canmore, Clyde Valley and Cairn housing associations.
Experts will analyse the images to calculate levels of Co2 emissions and the amount of heat/money being lost through roofs, walls and windows etc. These results will then be made available via the internet providing landlords and Government with an innovative and efficient tool to gauge the effectiveness of various insulation and energy management measures as well as, reporting on the contribution such measures have made to both carbon savings and tenant fuel cost savings.
The scan results will enable the associations to cost effectively prioritise work on energy efficiency measures such as loft, cavity wall and water tank insulation in around 2000 properties.
This work will attract extra CERT (Carbon Emissions Reduction Target ) funding, provided by utilities companies into Scotland. The homes will be rescanned after the work is completed to quantify the improvements achieved, and having the data available online will provide an information resource to enable cost -effective targeting of similar improvements elsewhere in the country.
Housing is a major contributor to Co2 emissions and the pilot has been launched in response to the Scottish Government’s ambitious emissions reduction targets. The Climate Change (Scotland) Act states that emissions should be reduced by 42% by 2020.
The Government is funding the pilot which will run for 15 months and the thermal imaging will be carried out by IRT Surveys of Dundee. The management of the project and the development and design of the online information resource is being provided by Citrus Mind Limited, a specialist Scottish technology and business improvement consultancy.
The SFHA and its members work on several fronts to reduce fuel poverty among society’s most vulnerable. This scheme has the added bonus of also tackling global warming.
If expanded, data collated for the project could be used to illustrate the wider picture either by housing association, council area or ultimately, nationwide.
Stewart Little, CEO of IRT surveys, described the pilot as a “win-win situation”. He said:
“We’re thrilled to be collaborating with SFHA on such a dynamic and laudable project. Pressure from on high and local government leadership are spurring the development of projects which make practical, environmental and financial sense.
“This is a great example of the way public and private sector can work together on schemes that benefit everyone – local industry, local communities and centrally, the environment. It’s a long term environmental investment which will deliver financial benefits to the community in the short term – it’s a win-win situation and we’ll be hoping that the pilot is rolled out nationwide.”
The Scottish Government has published full details of its Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AHIP) for 2010-11. As anticipated, the total planned expenditure is £471m and takes account of the consequences of the £120m capital spend brought forward from that planned for 2010 -11 into the AHIPs for 2009-10 and 2008-9.
The SFHA notes from the detailed breakdown that the planned expenditure for housing association and housing co-operatives new build rented and low cost home ownership homes is down by £169m against 2009-10. This means that 1,569 less homes for rent and shared ownership will be approved for building than was planned for the current year. Within the same programme, the planned approvals for council house building have been increased by 508. Clearly, this means that fewer homes will be built next year and in an environment where there is ever-increasing demand from Scotland’s people.
While the SFHA has in the past welcomed council house building where it represents an increase to the number of affordable homes built each year, this is clearly not going to be the case in 2010-11. The SFHA believes that local authorities will not be able to support financially this level of building for very long.
The SFHA’s Acting Chief Executive, Andrew Field, said:
“The SFHA recognises that this situation is a direct consequence of the acceleration of the AHIP both this year and last. But we now call upon the Scottish Government to ensure that the £82m addition to its 2010-11 budget announced by Alistair Darling yesterday is used to boost building of new homes by housing associations and housing co-operatives.
Our members have an excellent thirty year track record of building high quality affordable homes for those in the greatest need and in doing so contributing to the regeneration of some of the most disadvantaged areas of Scotland. In the current economic climate, with so many people finding it difficult to find and keep a roof over their heads, it is critical that this continues to form a significant part of the Scottish Government’s capital investment.
Housing associations, housing co-operatives and local authorities need to be working together to address Scotland’s affordable housing crisis, not competing with each other for a share of an ever-reducing cake.”
Full details of the 2010-11 AHIP can be downloaded from the Scottish Government’s website using this link: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/Housing/investment/ahip
