Some of the questions that residents have been asking over the last few
months are listed below along with their answers. Have a look at the questions
below or click on one of the buttons to look at a specific subject. This
page will be updated as the CBHO process continues.
Alternatively, if you have a question you'd like to ask
which isn't answered here, you can e-mail it to us at info@ourhodgehill.com.
What is the safety net for the CBHOs? In mark 1 and mark 2 CBHOs the Council will monitor
performance so, if a CBHO looks like it is getting into trouble, the
Council
will support it as it puts things right.
How have priorities for the area been decided? By local residents working with local staff.
In Hodge Hill, intensive door-to-door consultation has taken place, roadshows
held, community fun days organised and postal surveys sent out. Residents
have said what they want to happen to their homes, neighbourhood and
the
housing
service,
as well
as what
they think about setting up a CBHO.
What responsibilities and accountability does Our Hodge Hill have? The board works closely with the council, who
still manage staff and deliver services. If the board wants to take on
more
responsibility
later on, it could do this. Again, it’s up to residents
to decide what they want for their neighbourhood.
Change
How does this affect home owners? There are 3 places on the board for resident
members, including home owners.
Is this going to work? There’s a lot of support for the development
of CBHOs, particularly from councillors and tenants.
Will the Council really release and devolve power? Yes. This is about much more than housing. This
year, many of the services that really make a difference to a neighbourhood
are now run and paid for locally. The Going Local initiative means dividing
the city into its 11 parliamentary constituencies and organising council
services like street cleaning, bin collections, neighbourhood offices,
leisure centres and libraries in each constituency.
Training
Is there training for residents? Yes. Local residents set the pace at which
Our Hodge Hill develops. There is intensive training for resident
representatives to help them take on the responsibility and tasks involved
with being
on the board of a CBHO.
What will the training look like? In a CBHO mark 1 model, residents take a
greater role in working with council officers to improve and provide
local
services. The training to support this includes: tenant and leaseholder
rights and responsibilities; estate management policies and procedures;
housing finance, budgeting and monitoring expenditure; and setting targets
and monitoring. Training on improving committee and equality and diversity
skills will continue.
As residents move to take direct responsibility
as a CBHO Mark 2, and set up organisations such as Tenant Management Organisations,
training will become more detailed and formal. Building on previous training
residents will look at legal structures, accounts and budgeting, employing
staff, and all aspects of housing management.
Training for residents moving onto a mark 3 CBHO will include business
planning, capital funding and regulation of registered social landlords.
Monitoring performance
and standards
Who will ensure it works? The Council will set the overall housing strategy,
which will include how the Decent Homes standard will be met. The Council
will agree service standards with each CBHO and then monitor its performance.
And, of course, local residents will take a central role in making sure
that real improvements happen in their neighbourhood.
What happens if it all goes wrong? In mark 1 and mark 2 CBHOs, the Council is still
the landlord and therefore ultimately responsible for making sure that
things go right. If things start to go wrong the Council will help the
CBHO to put them right. For example, it will be able to help the CBHO
find specialists for particular problems or recruit board members with
special expertise. The Council will also be able to help CBHOs keep in
touch with each other.
Money
What is given back to the area by the council from the collection
of rates? Council services that are currently funded from
council tax, non-domestic rates etc. will continue to be paid for in
this
way. The main difference is that service delivery is controlled
more locally to reflect the different priorities of different neighbourhoods.
