This working group was set up in 2022 to consider lived experince in relation to accessible housing and independent living. The work of this group feeds into the Scottish Government's wider stakeholder working group on this subject, which includes two Regional Network representatives on it's membership list.
The Communications sub-group was established to take forward work in relation to communicating between Regional Networks, RTOs and other stakeholders and promoting the Networks and their work, including the development and update of the Regional Networks website, information leaflets and Newsletters, the communication strategy etc.
The Communications Group will be responsible for: -
- Implementing the Regional Network’s internal and external communications structure
- Monitoring and reviewing the efficiency of the Regional Network’s internal and external communications and amend the procedures, if necessary, to ensure that all concerned parties, as detailed in the Appendix table
- Receive the required information in line with the established frequency
The New Deal for Tenants draft consultation mentions the point on tenant participation and an equalities led approach to ensuring the needs and experiences of all tenants are reflected, therefore the newly formed Housing to 2040 Working Group will look at how this can best be achieved, by gathering views, ideas and experiences and to help shape the way forward for this work and informing the Scottish Government of their views to influence change.
- Specifically for tenants of Local Authorities, not Housing Associations
- Opportunity to share practice
- Support tenants to engage with their landlord
- On the operation of the HRA
The Rent Focus group was set up in 2020 to look at issues in relation to affordability of rent, landlord consultation and rent setting, and lived experience of tenants in managing rent and housing costs. The group is supported by the Scottish Government Tenant Priorities team and TPAS.
The Scottish Housing Regulator regulates Registered Social Landlords and the landlord and homelessness services of local authorities. It is an independent Non-Ministerial Department, directly accountable to the Scottish Parliament.
The Liaison group was set up in 2015 and works with the SHR on housing issues affecting tenants. The current group should have a maximum of 17 members (comprising of 4 members from each Region plus the Chair), and is currently coordinated and Chaired by Leonora Montgomery, North of Scotland Regional Network.
The full group of up to 17 meet quarterly for a pre-meeting to identify topics to be raised with SHR representatives. Two weeks later, a group of 9 (maximum) will attend a meeting with SHR representatives, comprising two members from each Regional Network plus the Chair. In general, those attending the meeting with SHR representatives should also have attended the pre-meeting, unless exceptional circumstances apply.
The Stakeholder Groups that Regional Networks feeds into are :-
- a new Housing for Varying Needs design guide
- the supply of accessible and adapted homes
- a new Scottish Accessible Homes standard for all new homes
- an inclusive programme of retrofitting social homes
- streamlining and accelerating the adaptations system
- housing options for older and disabled homeowners
- a person-centred approach that aligns Housing and Health & Social Care services
The group will:
- Critically review of the main working definitions of affordability and the different uses of affordability in policy and practice.
- Agree the process of consensus-building.
- Commission focus group co-ordinators and co-design focus group work.
- Agree a set of provocations by different speakers for future meetings.
- Test out and debate a shared understanding of affordability for Scotland.
- Agree draft recommendations for Scottish Ministers
The group will:
- Critically review of the main working definitions of affordability and the different uses of affordability in policy and practice.
- Agree the process of consensus-building.
- Commission focus group co-ordinators and co-design focus group work.
- Agree a set of provocations by different speakers for future meetings.
- Test out and debate a shared understanding of affordability for Scotland.
- Agree draft recommendations for Scottish Ministers
The following are currently inactive Working Groups :-
Short term working group set up to get direct opinions and thoughts from network members on extending ban on evictions- if necessary this group will be brought together again in the future.
Accordion Sample Description
The role of the group is:
- To support and advise the Scottish Government on the use of devolved social security powers in relation to housing.
- To advise the Scottish Government on the impact of UK Government welfare reform and support mitigation activity to reduce any negative effects.
This group has not met recently, we are looking into whether it will reconvene
In March 2021, the Zero Emissions Social Housing Taskforce (ZEST) was convened by the then Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning to look at the opportunities, barriers and solutions required of social housing to maximise its contribution to the Scottish Government’s ambitious climate change targets. ZEST published their report, Achieving Net Zero in Social Housing in August 2021.
