Issue - meetings

The Board considered a report that set out the findings of consultation with Registered Providers with respect to the formation of a new partnership and associated protocol.

Following agreement by the Board on 23 March 2009 a draft protocol had been formed, in consultation with Members and Council officers, which was then circulated to Registered Providers for comment. Of the thirty-seven Housing Associations consulted eight responses had been received.

The Board discussed the key issues raised during the consultation process and the was agreement that awareness of the multi agency training sessions on Safeguarding needed to be raised and better promoted. It was also agreed that reference to this should be made within the protocol.

The Board was advised that the Housing Associations that had commented would be contacted before the protocol was finalised. Although the response received was disappointing there was agreement that the concerns raised were representative of the sector particularly with respect to the quotas for lettings. There was a general consensus that the 90% proposed would be too onerous and would adversely affect the ability of providers to offer transfers within their stock.

There was discussion around information sharing and how this could be improved, particularly when people were moving. It was acknowledged that vulnerable clients were more prone to falling into crisis after moving if agencies failed to share information effectively.

The Board was advised that there were existing information sharing protocols and that there was agreement that officers should liaise to ensure that these were being used effectively. It was also requested that details of these were circulated with the minutes.

In response to concern that the consultation exercise had only resulted in a small number of responses it was suggested that the questionnaire should be re circulated to the wider group of Housing Associations to give them a second opportunity to respond.

It was agreed that references in the document to ‘RSL’s’ should be replaced with the term ‘Housing Associations’.

RESOLVED:

That, subject to the points set out below, the final draft protocol be signed off by the Chair, prior to submission to the Council’s Cabinet:

1. The circulation of existing information sharing protocols to Board.
2. References to RSL’s be replaced with the term Housing Associations
3. The inclusion of web links within the document where possible