About Thrive Homes
60 Second summaryThrive Homes has been set up by the Council to take on the ownership and management of its homes
Thrive Homes would be independent of the Council
Thrive Homes would be a not for profit organisation
There would be a legally binding agreement with the Council requiring Thrive Homes to deliver all the promises
Thrive Homes would be registered with and regulated by the Housing Corporation
A new landlord
Thrive Homes has been set up by the Council to provide a better housing service for tenants.It would not have to pay money to the Government each year from the rents that tenants pay as the Council does and so it would have more money to invest in improving tenants’ homes and estates.
Thrive Homes is a ‘not for profit’Industrial and Provident Society which means that all of its income will be ploughed back into improving tenants’ homes and to provide services to tenants.The board members would be volunteers and no dividends would be paid out.
Thrive Homes would be a registered social landlord if the transfer goes ahead.Registered social landlords are organisations that provide affordable rented housing to people in housing need.They are registered with and regulated by the Housing Corporation.
Thrive Homes would be:
- Based in Three Rivers
- Run by a board made up of 15 members.The board is currently operating in ‘shadow’ form and shadow board members have worked with the Council to prepare the transfer proposal
- Registered with the Housing Corporation, the Government agency that regulates registered social landlords in England.
Thrive Homes would also be registered with charitable rules.One advantage of charitable status is that charities pay less tax and this allows them to make better use of their income for the benefit of the persons they are assisting.
The values and objectives of Thrive Homes
Thrive Homes aims to offer the best possible service to its tenants and has adopted the following values:
- To treat tenants and leaseholders with honesty and integrity
- To be committed and positive about providing excellent standards of service
- To be an open and forward thinking organisation which would provide the services tenants and leaseholders need
- To listen to customers and consult tenants and leaseholders on policy and service issues.
Thrive Homes has also adopted the following objectives and would:
- Provide tenants with information about the housing service on a regular basis
- Listen to its customers and actively involve them in the service
- Make the best use of its homes to meet continuing demands for affordable housing
- Achieve high levels of customer satisfaction, actively seeking to improve its services
- Improve access to its services by expanding new technologies and innovative ways of working
- Work in partnership with the Council to help achieve safe, active and healthy communities.
The board of Thrive Homes
If transfer takes place, the board would have overall responsibility for running Thrive Homes including deciding policies and setting budgets.The board is made up of five residents (four tenants and one leaseholder), five Council nominees and five independent experts on housing, finances etc.
All board members have the same voting rights and have a duty to act in the best interests of Thrive Homes.
How the board members were chosen
The four tenant board members and one leaseholder member were selected by an interview panel consisting of two members of the Tenants Steering Group, and three members from the management board of an organisation outside of the district, to ensure impartiality.All tenants and leaseholders were invited to apply for the four tenant and one leaseholder place available.
The five Council board members were nominated by the Council on the basis of the current political composition of the Council.
The five Independent people were chosen by the Tenant and Council board members following advertisements in the local, national and specialist press and through an interview process.They are not connected with the Council and were chosen for their skills and experience.They have valuable experience and expertise (not just in housing) to ensure the board is able to satisfy the Housing Corporation’s strict guidance on how the organisation should be run.
Resident board members
EdithFrow
Edith is a sheltered tenant from Rickmansworth.She retired from a career in the WRAF and the stationery industry. Edith is determined that the views of the elderly and sheltered tenants are taken into account with Thrive Homes, and with five grandchildren she is keen to see good quality affordable housing available for the future.
KerryHarding(Chair)
Kerry grew up in the area, and has lived in the district for the last eleven years.She worked for BUPA for eight years, and is currently a part-time carer, juggling the demands of being a mum to four children with offering care in the community for the elderly.Kerry is very keen on tenant participation, and believes that residents should beinvolved in how their rents are spent and the services they receive.
AlanPurser
Alan has lived in Three Rivers for 14 years and now lives in Chorleywood.He is an active member of the Chorleywood Tenants and Leaseholders Association and wants to see new affordable homes for local people being built again.
MargaretSwift
Margaret has been a leaseholder in Chorleywood for over 12 years.She has been a member of the Chorleywood Tenants & Leaseholders Association and more recently the Tenants Steering Group.After working in personnel for the NSPCC, she has since 1994, had a variety of roles in Watford Borough Council's Housing department.She is currently working alongside tenants to increase their involvement in repairs and major improvements.
Vacant position
There is currently a vacancy for a resident board member
Council board members
Pam Hames
Pam is a councillor for CarpendersPark ward, and also a Watford Rural Parish councillor.Prior to taking early retirement, Pam worked in the NHS for twenty-one years.She has been involved with the consultation on the future of Council homes since the beginning.
RichardLaval
As an IT specialist, Richard hopes his skills will be of use to Thrive Homes.In addition, he is a councillor for Bedmond & Primrose Hill ward.He believes that the key objectives must include enhancing both the housing stock and the housing service provided to tenants.
SarahNelmes
Sarah is a councillor for Penn ward in Mill End, Rickmansworth.She works for the independent service for resolving disputes between consumers and financial firms, as well as having a small business in Chorleywood.She has a keen interest in housing issues.
Elizabeth Boléat
After 14 years representing Oxhey Hall and MoorPark and Eastbury Wards, Elizabeth retired from Three Rivers District Council in May 2005.During her time as a Councillor, she was actively involved in the Housing Committee, the Arrears Committee and chaired the Housing Sub-Committee.Following a career in housing finance, Elizabeth served on the boards of several housing associations, ranging from a large developing association to a small specialist association providing homes for people with disabilities.
Vacant position
There is currently a vacancy for a Council board member
Independent board members
ChanderHingorani
Chander is an accountant by profession and has worked at senior level in various sectors of commerce and industry, including a spell of six years in the Middle East and three years in West Africa.
During the last 16 years, Chander was Financial Controller of a major trade association in Europe where in addition to finance he was also responsible for business development, and created a mutual insurance company for its members.
Now Chander is focused on the two important sectors of health and housing.He feels very passionately about affordable housing and providing care and support to the community as well as patient and public health care issues.
Raj Kumar
Raj is a fully qualified member of the Chartered Institute of Housing.He has worked for a number of social housing organisations including large registered social landlords in Birmingham and London, and has been Head of Service for a Local Authority, with responsibility for the Council’s 8,000 homes.He has published three Good Practice Guides, is a trained mediator, and also an Internal Facilitator for Investors in People and Charter Mark.
With more than 18 years experience of work in tackling anti-social behaviour and nuisance, Raj has developed a number of social inclusion initiatives and remains committed to improving neighbourhoods by working closely with residents on regeneration projects throughout the country.
ElspethMackenzie
Elspeth has had a varied career in housing management, spanning 20 years and has a wide experience of managing rented stock, strategic planning and the governance of housing associations.She is currently Chief Executive of Griffin Housing Association which is part of the Origin Housing Group.Griffin Housing Association focuses on low cost home-ownership and rent for key workers.She is a member of the Leasehold Management group of the Home Ownership Advisory Panel and the London Homeownership Group.Her previous experience includes being Vice-Chair of Crown Housing Association, and Chair of Grange Housing.
RikkiNath(Vice Chair)
RakeshNath was called to the English and Mauritian bars in 1985 after which he spent 20 years as a lawyer in major public and private organisations before embarking on personal business ventures in 2005.His career has spanned international construction projects, industrial chemicals and broadcasting culminating in several board appointments of well known organisations.Having worked in both public and private sectors, he offers first hand insight into the challenges ahead.Rikki has lived and/or worked in Herts for most of the last 20 years.
JohnWelch
John is a Chartered Surveyor with over twenty years experience in the housing sector.He is employed as Property Services Director for Howard Cottage Housing Association based in Letchworth Garden City.John has gained experience in numerous fields including asset management, development, housing maintenance, health and safety, property valuation and housing management.He has previously held senior positions with both a housing association and a local authority.
Payment of board members
Although the Housing Corporation allows payment, the Board of Thrive Homes has determined that its members will not be paid and they have been recruited to serve on a voluntary basis.Board members are entitled to claim out of pocket expenses when incurred in carrying out Thrive Homes’ business.
How board members will be chosen in future
The current Shadow Board Members will serve until the first annual general meeting (AGM) of Thrive Homesafter the transfer takes place.Retiring board members would be eligible for re-selection.
Council board members would continue to be nominated by the Council and hold office for a period the Council decides.
Tenant board members will be elected by tenants and details of the process would be widely advertised.
Independent and tenant board members would retire in rotation.New independent board members would be chosen for their skills and recommended for election at the AGM of Thrive Homes.This would provide continuity and a process for gradual renewal of the board.Independent board members would be elected by all the members of Thrive Homes.
The transfer of existing housing staff
Thrive Homes would employ paid staff to run the housing service on a day-to-day basis.If the transfer goes ahead, staff currently working for the Council would transfer to Thrive Homes with their conditions of employment at the time of transfer protected under the Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment (TUPE) regulations.
As the maintenance service would also transfer, the Council’s housing repair staff would also transfer under the TUPE regulations.This would ensure continuity of service for tenants and means Thrive Homes would have a skilled and experienced workforce to rely on.
Thrive Homes recognises that its staff would be its greatest asset and it would set out to be an employer that people would want to work for.Its aim would be to retain and attract quality staff by making their working experience rewarding, challenging and enjoyable.There would be a comprehensive training programme for staff and a commitment to the expansion of apprenticeship schemes.
The additional repair and improvement work that would be undertaken by Thrive Homes will create new employment opportunities for people locally.
Regulation and inspection
The Housing Corporation is the Government agency that regulates all registered social landlords.Thrive Homes must achieve registration with the Housing Corporation before a transfer can take place.
The Housing Corporation:
- Has established a regulatory code with which all registered social landlords must comply.The code sets rules and standards which all registered social landlords must follow.These standards are set to ensure that tenants’ rights are protected, services are of a high quality and that financial management is sound.
- Regulates registered social landlords to ensure these expectations are met.If Thrive Homes did not meet these expectations, the Housing Corporation would have the power to intervene.
Through its housing inspectorate, the Audit Commission would also have a role in checking the standard of service delivered by Thrive Homes.
The finances of Thrive Homes would be monitored by external auditors.This means that there would be safeguards in place to prevent Thrive Homes getting into financial difficulties.The Housing Corporation would monitor the financial performance of Thrive Homes during its early years of operation and is able to take action if any registered social landlord gets into financial difficulties to make sure as far as possible that tenants are protected.
Working closely with the Council
Before the transfer takes place Thrive Homes would be required to enter into a legally binding contract with the Council.This agreement would allow the Council to take action if promises made to tenants are not being kept by Thrive Homes.
Tenants would be protected by arrangements set up by the Council to monitor Thrive Homes’ performance.As part of those arrangements, the Council would have to consult on any proposed changes to the tenancy agreement before the written consent of tenants is sought.
Priority would be given to people in greatest housing need.Thrive Homes would assist the Council in fulfilling its legal duty to house homeless people.Thrive Homes would try to match the properties available to the circumstances of people needing housing.It would continue to make appropriate lettings in sheltered housing schemes.
Thrive Homes would work closely with the Council to ensure empty homes are allocated in a way that promotes choice, considers peoples’ needs and encourages the development of sustainable and balanced communities. Thrive Homes would aim to ensure that properties are let quickly and efficiently, and that the time properties remain empty is kept to a minimum.
Thrive Homeswould continue to operate a tenants’ transfer and exchange policy like the Council does.This would enable tenants who need to move to bigger or smaller properties or to another type or location of property to be considered for a move.Within its policy Thrive Homeswould include measures to respond to the possible rehousing needs of victims of harassment and domestic violence.
Thrive Homes would work in partnership with the Council to introduce a choice based lettings scheme, in line with current Government policy.Under this scheme housing and transfer waiting list applicants would need to respond to adverts that list available properties.The Council would be able to provide applicants with up-to-date information on the demand for different types of property, indications of likely waiting times, details of rent and services and details of properties.This would give applicants the opportunity to make a much more informed choice when applying for properties.
For more information on the Council’s continuing housing role, see Section 1.