Housing Scotland Magazine June 2013

Welcome to the SFHA Annual Conference special edition of Housing Scotland.

This month’s welfare reform section looks beyond the ‘bedroom tax’ which has preoccupied all of us of late, though its impacts are starting to bite.  We have a contribution from the Minister on the aims of the Scottish Welfare Fund and early findings from our SFHA researcher on use of discretionary housing payments. We have a piece from Orkney Islands Council on special ‘island factors’.  And from inner city Glasgow, Queens Cross Housing Association shares with us its efforts to assist tenants to cope with the welfare changes, and to understand the inequality and poverty facing its tenants.  And Professor Spicker reminds us that this is just the start.

This month sees the introduction of the statutory duty to assess the support needs of certain homeless applicants. So we’re pleased to have contributions from ALACHO, Shelter and Link on what this means and how it will help deliver better outcomes, not least by preventing repeat homelessness. 

Energy efficiency is an ever present theme, especially in one of the coldest springs on record. So it’s particularly important to hear about how to tackle hard to treat tenement properties. And SFHA Policy Manager David Stewart updates us on what members are doing to test the EEESH.  With the SHQS target date looming, SFHA Annual Conference main sponsor LHC suggests ways in which we can achieve the standard with sound procurement practice.

Governance remains central and features this month through three pieces. The first is about the SFHA’s own governance, highlighting the invitation to members to nominate to Board vacancies this year, along with an outline of our internal governance project.  Secondly, we have an update on the Code of Conduct, model policy on payments and Model Rules. And finally Mairi Brown shares her thoughts on motivating governing body members and experience of recruiting new members.

I hope you enjoy the conference, and if you weren’t able to make it, enjoy the magazine.

Also inside........ Round the Houses.....SFHA Events.....Local Authority News.....Contract News