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Welcome to the site for the Housing Associations’ Company Secretaries Forum.
Update from TSA Chief Exec
Claer Lloyd-Jones, Chief Executive of the TSA, has written to providers to update them on progress with the transfer of regulation. In her letter of 3 February she covers:
- Update on the HCA Regulatory Committee
- Statutory consultation on changes to the the Regulatory Framework
- NROSH+ the successor to the Regulatory and Statistical Return
Wandle seek Head of Strategy & Governance
Initially based in either Clapham or Tooting but moving to new offices in 2012, Wandle are seeking a Head of Strategy & Governance. The role includes being Company Secretary and leading on corporate communication and project management. The post pays £65,000 and applications close at 9am on Friday 24 February.
Details here.
Social Housing Red Tape Challenge
At the same time that the TSA is consulting on proposed changes to regulation the Cabinet Office is consulting on the regulatory and administrative burdens that face Registered providers, Private landlords and the Construction industry.
The consultation, which is part of the Government’s Red Tape Challenge, runs until 16 February 2012. More information here.
Companies House seek user panel
Companies House are recruiting participants who want to be part of their user panel. If you use their services and want to provide feedback then you can get further details here.
What the Regulator wants
For secretaries perhaps the key part of the Localism Act 2011 is the Regulator’s Fundamental Objectives which are set out in Part 92K of Section16 of the Act. These say that:
(1) The regulator must perform its functions with a view to achieving (so far as is possible)—
(a) the economic regulation objective, and
(b) the consumer regulation objective.
(2) The economic regulation objective is—
(a) to ensure that registered providers of social housing are financially viable and properly managed, and perform their functions efficiently and economically,
(b) to support the provision of social housing sufficient to meet reasonable demands (including by encouraging and promoting private investment in social housing),
(c) to ensure that value for money is obtained from public investment in social housing,
(d) to ensure that an unreasonable burden is not imposed (directly or indirectly) on public funds, and
(e) to guard against the misuse of public funds.
(3) The consumer regulation objective is—
(a) to support the provision of social housing that is well-managed and of appropriate quality,
(b) to ensure that actual or potential tenants of social housing have an appropriate degree of choice and protection,
(c) to ensure that tenants of social housing have the opportunity to be involved in its management and to hold their landlords to account, and
(d) to encourage registered providers of social housing to contribute to the environmental, social and economic well-being of the areas in which the housing is situated.
(4) The objectives are referred to in this Part as the regulator’s fundamental objectives.
(5) The regulator must exercise its functions in a way that—
(a) minimises interference, and
(b) (so far as is possible) is proportionate, consistent, transparent and accountable.”
SW Governance website launched
The South West Governance Network have launched a website providing information about the group and papers from its meetings. If you are a Company Secretary for a provider based in the South West you can find out more about the South West Governance Network here.
ICO Strategy for 2012
In his latest blog the Information Commissioner talks about the objective of upholding information rights of individuals and the need for organisations to continue to focus on data protection and feedom of information compliance despite the pressures they are under.
The blog also links to the Information Commissioner’s strategy for 2012 under the heading “Promoting openness by public bodies and data privacy for individuals“.
December Land Registry Landnet published
The December edition of the Land Regisrty’s magazine Landnet has been published. PDF
The edition covers:
- A review of cancellation and rejection policies
- Information on an e-document registration service
- Work being done on a Monitoring Service to help prevent fraud
- Training available on adverse posession
- Ways of determining leases
Changes to EU procurement limits
The EU Directives and UK Public Contracts Regulations require that contracts above certain limits are procured in accordance with EU regulations. The sterling equavalent of the euro limits are set every two years.
As of 1January 2012 the new sterling equivalents are:
Supplies £173,934
Services £173,934
Works £4,348,300
The value of a contract can be assessed as follows:
- Where the Contract is for a fixed period, by taking the total price to be paid or which might be paid during the whole of the period;
- Where the purchase involves recurrent transactions for the same type of item, by aggregating the value of those transactions in the coming 12 months;
- Where the Contract is for an uncertain duration by multiplying the monthly payment by 48.