A resident led commission was set up at the beginning of 2015 to examine the options for the future of council housing in H&F.
The commission was chaired by the Right Honourable Keith Hill, a former minister for housing and the MP for Streatham for 20 years.
The commission was made up of an independent group of tenants, leaseholders and housing experts who were asked to look at how the council could:
- safeguard council homes and estates for the future
- give residents greater control over their homes
- protect tenants’ rights and keep rents and charges at levels residents can afford
- fund improvements to homes and housing services
Tenants and leaseholders were invited to apply to join the commission in a letter sent by Councillor Lisa Homan, Cabinet Member for Housing in January 2015. Over 100 applications were received. With support from TPAS, Keith Hill and residents nominated by TRAs drew up a shortlist from the applications and appointed the successful residents to the commission. No councillors or management staff were involved in this process or sat on the commission.
A number of external advisers were available to the commission to ensure that appropriate specialist and independent advice was provided to the commission, to residents and to the council. These contracts were formally tendered in line with the Council’s Contract Standing Orders.
Over the summer months, the commission organised a series of public hearings, estate engagement events and drop-ins, community festivals, Tenants’ and Residents’ Association meetings and special borough forums. These were promoted through their monthly newsletters (distributed to all tenants).
The commission presented its recommendations to the council in the autumn of 2017.
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See the Cabinet report on the Strategic Housing Stock Options appraisal (See agenda item 16 (pdf)