SHR Board Meeting - 25 January 2022

Present

Apologies and declarations of interest

GW welcomed all present.  There were no apologies or declarations of interest.

Account of Intervention in Thistle Housing Association

IB, HS and KP presented SHR’s account of intervention in Thistle Housing Association (THA) to the Board ahead of publication.  IB highlighted how they had used feedback from the Board on previous intervention accounts, to shape the report and how SHR has learned from the overall experience.  KP introduced the account of intervention in THA and reported on the team’s experience of the intervention. 

The Board considered the report and discussed:

• the debt per unit;
• triggers for SHR engagement in this and other potential cases;
• the evidence base for the report and how SHR involved the Statutory Manager and Appointees as well as legal advisors in drafting;
• report format, welcoming how clearly it sets out the intervention;
• how to promote it to social landlords to encourage learning and as guidance for RSL governing body members, welcoming plans to update the lessons learned report to take account of the recently published intervention accounts and consider the impact through engagement with landlords. It also noted that the RTO network will be promoting publications via a new website and to its subscribers;
• legislation, welcoming how the account ties back and explains the links to this;
• the role of the Statutory Manager and Appointees, the support provided to them by SHR and agreeing it was very grateful for all their input; and
• some minor points of drafting clarity around the timeline and remit of appointments.

The Board thanked all of the SHR staff team involved in the intervention.  It welcomed the opportunity to discuss the account ahead of publication and encouraged communications plans that maximise the opportunities for learning.  It noted plans to produce an updated lessons learned from statutory interventions. 

 Action: KP to take account of the Board’s feedback when finalising the report for publication.

Resilience Reimagined Programme

MC presented a proposal for a development programme to help SHR and some key stakeholders better understand organisational resilience and how this can be regulated. He explained the background to seeking a suitable supplier and the importance of having one that can accommodate the learning in the context of SHR’s Regulatory Framework and approach to regulation.   He also explained plans to involve Scottish Government to aid policy development and also some landlord representatives to help grow understanding. MC explained that there is a limit to the number of external places available after SHR Board and staff team have taken up slots. 

The Board considered the proposal and discussed:

• the phases and associated costs, noting it was asked to consider phase one only at this point, which is stand alone and does not tie SHR into potential future optional phases and noted the indicative costs for these;
• other providers considered, noting that none were able to provide it in the context of Scottish social housing and regulation;
• potential for an end product for landlords from phase one, noting that SHR will want to consider the learning after phase one and then look to further phases;
• the positive reputation of the recommended provider;
• the connections between risk management and uncertain operating contexts, welcoming the proposal and initiatives that make risk management something that Boards’ engage with; and
• intellectual property rights (IPR), noting that on completion of phase one SHR will consider development of a response and any related IPR issues.

The Board welcomed the proposal and approve commissioning Cranfield University to provide a development programme on organisation resilience and its regulation.  It approved expenditure and noted this spend would be in 2022/23 budget so would be incorporated into the budget which would be presented to it in March 2022. 

Action: MC to commission Cranfield University to provide a development programme on organisation resilience and its regulation and incorporate the costs into the 2022/23 budget. 

AOB

Cyber – IM alerted the Board to a recent email phishing attempt targeting senior SHR staff, updating them on actions taken by SHR and advising Board members to be on their guard. 

Siobhan White – GW congratulated SW on a recent appointment by Scottish Ministers to NHS Lanarkshire Board.

Local Government, Housing & Planning Committee – GW reported that he and MC will present SHR’s annual report and accounts 2020/21 to the Committee for scrutiny on 22 March 2022. 

Deputy Chair – GW updated the Board on considerations around appointing a deputy Chair from within SHR’s Board.  He asked interested members to notify him. 

The Board noted the updates. 

Ian Brennan – the Board noted that this was its last meeting with IB.  It thanked IB and paid tribute to his work with SHR and its stakeholders since 2009 and wished him well with his plans for the future.  The Board agreed that it looked forward to working with the new Director of Regulation HS. 

Actions: Members interested in the role of deputy Chair to notify GW. 

DONM

The Board noted that it will meet on 22 February 2022.

Post meeting notes

Between 25 January 2022 and 22 February the Board was briefed or received updates on:

• SHR office opening;
• the Scottish Government’s Rented Sector Strategy consultation;
• Publication of SHR’s report on intervention in Thistle Housing Association; and
• Publication of the quarterly dashboard for Q3.