Latest News | The Almshouse Association

Policy & Governance update: 20.09.21

The Almshouse Association regularly posts a news summary of the latest Policy and Governance legislation that could impact / requires action from our member charities, with links to further information where applicable. Please find below our latest summary:

New Housing Secretary Announced – As part of the recent Government reshuffle, Michael Gove MP has been appointed as Housing Secretary, replacing Robert Jenrick MP. The Association will be writing to Mr Gove to outline our priorities for improving support for almshouses.

Prime Minister sets out autumn and winter Covid plan – The Prime Minister has announced the Government’s plan to manage Covid throughout autumn and winter. Over autumn and winter, the Government will aim to sustain the current situation through:

Building defences through pharmaceutical interventions – for example, the announcement that the most vulnerable will be offered a “booster shot”
Identifying and isolating positive cases to limit transmission
Supporting the NHS and social care
Advising people on how to protect themselves and others
Pursuing an international approach

If the NHS came under series pressure, the Government will implement “Plan B” that would include:

Introducing mandatory vaccine only Covid status certification in certain settings.
Legally mandating face coverings in certain settings, such as public transport and shops.
Communicating clearly and urgently to the public if the risk level increases.
Consider asking people to work from home.

Posted 20 09 21

New mediation scheme

The Almshouse Association has launched a dedicated mediation scheme for its members in conjunction with the Society of Mediators.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have seen an increase in the number of enquiries involving disputes between almshouse charities and their residents. These have been on matters such as the non-payment of the weekly maintenance contribution, antisocial behaviour by residents, the refusal to allow maintenance to be carried out on the property, and much needed maintenance work not being carried out by the charity on the property amongst others.

In each instance, communication between the charity and its residents has broken down and in some cases the charity’s trustees have felt that they had no other option but to ask the resident to leave. Setting aside a resident’s appointment can be costly and stressful for all involved.

Mediation is a technique for resolving such disputes before more formal action is required. Mediation is held by a neutral person (a ‘mediator’). The mediator is impartial and will help to find a solution to the issue that all parties can agree to. It is, however, a voluntary process and all parties must be willing to participate. Mediation can take place at any time but, if undertaken at an early stage, could prevent an issue ending up in court and the all the associated costs.

Under the new mediation scheme, members will have access to a pool of mediators who have been trained on the peculiarities of almshouses and the legal landscape in which they operate. A 1-2 hour session with a mediator will cost between £325 and £425 + VAT and sessions can either be held online or in person (with the charity providing a venue).

To find out more about the scheme or to download a referral form, visit Mediation Scheme | (almshouses.org) or contact us at memberservices@almshouses.org

Posted 15 September 21

Royal visit to Colchester

Colchester almshouses were delighted to host a visit by The Almshouse Association Royal Vice Patron HRH The Duke of Gloucester on 9th September 21.

The Duke and Lord Lieutenant Mrs Jennifer Tolhurst were welcomed by The Almshouse Association CEO, Nick Phillips and introduced to supporters, trustees and residents of the St Mary Magdalen almshouses who are celebrating their 900 year anniversary!

Supporters included The Mayoress Mrs Elizabeth Davidson, Mayor, Cllr Davidson, Rt Revd Roger Morris – Bishop of Colchester, Sir Bob Russell – High Steward of Colchester (ret MP and Ex Mayor).

The Duke said how astonishing it was to find an almshouse established during the time of the crusades still providing a home to those in housing need.

One resident who moved in to St Mary Magdalen House in January, said he was hugely grateful for the security in the eight months he has lived there. He said

“The people have welcomed me with open arms – I couldn’t have asked for more help”

The Duke also met resident Jordan Smith (pictured left) who is an ambassador for the Prince’s Trust and has won 17 caps playing for the England cerebral palsy football team.

The Duke then went on to see the nine fabulous new almshouses built in Winnocks Road next to the 17^th Century almshouses. They now form part of the great community of Winnocks and Kendall almshouses right in the heart of Colchester.

During his visit the Duke met residents Irene and Douglas Brownsdon (pictured right) Mr Philip Tolhurst, Mr Simon Brice High Sheriff of Essex and Mrs Brice, Councillor Eddie Johnson, Chairman Essex County Council & Mrs Carol Johnson, Mr Adrian Pritchard Chief Executive Colchester Borough Council, Mr Roger Hirst Police & Crime Commissioner, Mr Harrington Chief Constable, Mrs Susan Leng Trustee ex-Chairman with 40 years service and Mr John Enfield Chairman of Winnocks & Kendall.

Before moving on to his next appointment, HRH unveiled a plaque celebrating his visit to Colchester (top photo) and John Bradley, vice chairman of trustees at Winnocks and Kendall’s Almshouse, added

“We’re really grateful to the Charity Bank and Colchester Council for funding this wonderful project – without them, it simply would not have gone ahead.”

HRH The Duke of Gloucester with John Enfield (Chairman of the Trustees) trustees, John Bradley, Anna Daniell, Tim Bushell, Pat Sharman, Wendy Allen, Brian Taylor

HRH The Duke of Gloucester meets residents of Winnocks and Kendalls Almshouses, Mrs Andrea Elliott, Ex military veterans Mr Alan Toussaint and Mr Trevor Orton.

“The almshouse movement is greatly boosted by a visit from HRH The Duke of Gloucester. As an architect, the new building programme of almshouses has been of great interest to The Duke and he also seems delighted to meet the residents and hear their wonderful stories. Knowing how busy he is we feel very privileged to host a visit by The Duke.”
Nick Phillips, CEO | The Almshouse Association

[Top photo: HRH The Duke of Gloucester with (left) HM Lord Lieutenant Mrs Jennifer Tolhurst, Nick Phillips CEO, The Almshouse Association, Michael Siggs, Almshouse Clerk, trustees and residents of Winnocks and Kendal Almshouses, Colchester]

Posted 13 September 21

Click here to read more almshouse news and stories

Government launches portal to offer housing to Afghan refugees

We have all witnessed the terrible scenes which have been the result of the evacuation of civilians from Afghanistan.

To aid this effort, the Government has launched a portal where members are able to flag their willingness to assist these refugees.

We know most Governing Documents of almshouse charities are linked to local residents or a particular industry, however, if members are able to offer any support we hope this article is useful.

Posted 2 September 2021

Association’s 2021 AGM

Our seventieth AGM will take place virtually on 29 September 2021 at 10am.

Our sixty ninth AGM took place virtually at 10am on 1^st September 2020 by webinar. For a recording, please click here

Main Business of seventieth AGM:

Approval of minutes of sixty ninth AGM held on 1st September 2020 via webinar.
Election of Board Members
Presentation of 2020 annual report and accounts.

All members were cordially invited to attend the webinar. The nominated representative for each member charity are invited to cast their vote. One vote per member charity.

Deadline for voting is Wednesday 22nd September 2021.

The main contacts for each charity will receive an email invite.

Please click here to register for the webinar
If you are the main representative for your charity, please click here to vote.
One vote per member charity.

Should you require hard copies of the voting form, please contact admin@almshouses.org.

23 June 2021; last updated 31 August 21

Policy & Governance: 31.08.21 update

Property and Planning

Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Opens – The first wave of the £3.8bn Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, which is worth £160m, has opened for bids.

Members who are Registered Providers and interested in applying should talk to their local authority who will need to bid for funding on their behalf as part of a consortium.

The competition will be open for 8 weeks with applications being accepted from 23rd August to 15th October 2021 and details of the competition can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-housing-decarbonisation-fund

Community Housing Fund Opens – The long awaited £4 million fund to increase community led affordable homes has opened. The Community Housing Fund Revenue Programme 2021 to 2022 is funded by Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and will help community-led housing groups in the latter stages of pre-development.

The Community Led Homes Partnership (CLH) will manage the grant programme, assessing all applications and administering the grants. Applications opened on 23 August 2021 and will remain open until all funds are allocated or until 31 December 2021, whichever occurs first. The programme will close in March 2022 – all work funding by the grant must be completed by this date.

To apply for the fund, groups will need to complete an eligibility checker on the Community Led Homes website. If eligible, groups will be emailed an online grant application form.

Wales

A new standard for building Affordable Homes in Wales – Welsh Minister for Climate Change, Julie James MS, has announced the ‘Welsh Development Quality Requirements 2021 – ‘Creating beautiful homes & places’. The standard promotes low carbon designs as well as moving away from fossil fuels for domestic heating and hot water systems.

Beyond low carbon targets, the requirements also stipulate new properties to be ‘gigabit ready’, meaning fibre optic broadband or gigabit wireless technology is available, alongside a choice of internet service providers. Where this isn’t in place, infrastructure to enable future installation without disruption must be provided.

These changes, along with a recognition of the need to consider space for home working, are in direct response to the pandemic, which saw much of the country needing to learn and work from home.

The new standards also favour good design and generous space to ensure people live well within their homes.

The standard will come into force from 1st October 2021 and will apply to new affordable homes funded by the Welsh Government. More details can be found here.

Posted 31 August 21

Association joins National Housing Federation

The Almshouse Association is pleased to announce that we have officially become members of the National Housing Federation.

Almshouses are the earliest form of social housing in the country, and as such, the National Housing Federation and The Almshouse Association share similar values wishing to support social and community housing so that we can continue to offer good homes to those in housing need.

We believe that the expertise of the NHF will allow the Association to offer more advice and support to our members, as well as allowing us further opportunities to engage with government and other stakeholders.

Posted 24 August 2021

Policy & Governance update: 16.08.21

Property and Planning

GLA Launches Social Housing Retrofit Accelerator:

The Greater London Authority has launched the Social Housing Retrofit Accelerator which is aimed at helping housing providers as they develop bids for the first wave of the £3.8bn Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, which is worth £160m and set to open in the autumn.

Social landlords will now be able to access the GLA scheme to get free technical guidance on retrofitting their homes to cut carbon emissions and reduce heating bills.

It is backed by £3.45m in funding from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and is intended to help speed up energy-efficiency work in social housing across the country.

Bids for the SHDF open on August 23^rd. Members who are Registered Providers and interested in applying should talk to their local authority who will need to bid for funding on their behalf.

Charity

Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance for the charity sector:

The government has updated its Covid-19 guidance for trustees. This includes advice for trustees on holding meetings remotely or postponing or cancelling meetings to reflect the lifting of restrictions in England and Wales.

As restrictions lift, some members may choose to revert to physical meetings. However, Coronavirus is still impacting on events and so it is still reasonable to make adjustments to suit your needs. Further guidance can be found here.

Wales

Coronavirus Restrictions Lifted:

Most of the remaining Coronavirus restriction in place will be lifted from August 7^th. This includes rules on the number of people who can meet indoors as well as social distancing will end.

Wearing a face mask in shops, health and social care settings and on public transport will still be required.

16-08-2021

Policy & Governance: 02.08.21 update

Property and Planning

National Disability Strategy – The Government has published its National Disability Strategy which seeks to improve the life of disabled people across the country. Part of the strategy focuses on housing, particularly accessibility, with some immediate measure including:
- boosting the supply of housing for disabled people by raising accessibility standards for new homes, increasing the supply of affordable homes, including supported housing, and accelerating the adaptation of existing homes by improving the efficiency of local authority delivery of the Disabled Facilities Grant, worth £573 million in 2021 to 2022
- extend disabled tenants’ rights on accessibility
- ensure the safety of disabled people in buildings, for when there are emergencies

Building Beautiful Places – Members who are considering developing new almshouses may be interested in the revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and new National Model Design Code which place ‘beauty’ at the heart of new buildings.

Charity

Charity Commission – updated guidance on charity accounting – The Charity Commission has updated its guidance on Charity reporting and accounting: the essentials November 2016 (CC15d) and on Independent examination of charity accounts: guidance for trustees (CC31) to include advice on the use of electronic signatures on the balance sheet, trustees’ annual report and independent examination.

Adult Social Care

Help with anti-social behaviour for social housing tenants – MHCLG has published guidance that clarifies the roles of the agencies responsible for tackling anti-social behaviour and the help and support available for residents. Although the guidance refers to ‘tenants’ it is generally applicable information.

Environment and Energy

Government Consultation Opens on automatic energy switching – The Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has published proposals to trial automatic switching for customers on expensive default energy tariffs to cheaper deals. The proposals include trials of a new system (to take place in 2024) in which some consumers on costly tariffs would be automatically switched to cheaper ones on the market unless they opt out. BEIS has published a related policy paper and consultation – closing 15 October 2021.

Miscellaneous

Risk management template for event organisers – DCMS has published a Risk management template for event organisers, which it offers as a resource to help event organisers to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission in event settings. This may be of interest to members thinking about holding a celebratory tea party as part of The Almshouse Association’s 75^th anniversary.

Posted 2 August 21

New! Photography competition!*

Are you a budding David Bailey?

As temperatures start to rise across the summer months, we are launching our summer photography competition to coincide with our 75^th anniversary.

The competition is split into themes consisting of:

Generations
Tea and cake
Almshouse pride
Happiness
Flora and fauna
Through the garden gate

You simply choose a theme that your photograph relates to and send the photo to us in jpeg format via email with your name, contact and almshouse charity details to gerryharmon@almshouses.org.

All members are welcome to enter!

The winner will receive a quality garden tool set and £50 Dobbies voucher and the runner up will receive a pair of gardening gloves and £20 Dobbies voucher. Both will receive a commemorative certificate and Almshouse Association pin, as well as coverage on our website and social media channels

The winner and runner up, chosen by a group of judges, will be announced at our afternoon tea garden party on the 8^th September and notified the week commencing the 13^th September 2021.

The closing date for the competition is 4 pm on the 16^th August 2021.

So…. set your shutter speed, polish your lenses, fire up your artistic flare and get clicking!!

We can’t wait to see all your amazing photos!

*Please read our Terms & Conditions for the Photo competition here

Posted 2 June 21