Three Valleys first casualty of TSA regulation
Social housing regulator the Tenant Services Authority has confirmed Three Valleys Housing is the first major association to be placed under supervision on its watch.
The TSA stepped in earlier this week because of concerns about TVH’s governance and management. It moved just over a week after the TVH board suspended its chief executive Paul Eastwood and its director of finance amid allegations of staff bullying.
Following the suspension, the board of the 5,800-home association decided a merger with another social landlord would best suit the needs of its tenants.
The TSA has placed two other associations, Bristol Youth Housing Co-operative and West Newcastle Housing Co-operative, under supervision since it launched in December 2008 - but each manages fewer than 10 homes.
Clare Miller, executive director for governance and viability at the TSA, said it was up to TVH’s board to decide how the association would be run in the interim before a merger.
‘The board has taken ownership of that process and there are many undecided factors that will determine how long that will take.’
Neither the TSA nor TVH’s board has identified suitable housing associations for a merger, though a number have expressed an interest.
Peter McCormack, chief executive of Derwent Living, said: ‘If we were approached we would be very interested in seeing if we could assist, especially as Three Valleys is just 15 minutes from our head office. Obviously we have not been approached and don’t know what the issues are yet but I am confident we could help.’
The TSA has also made two statutory appointments to TVH’s board in order to help oversee work to select and join another group, and to maintain the quality of services to tenants. Val Hammond, chair of Acclaim Housing Group, and Lakhbir Jaspal, deputy group chief executive of Accord Housing Group, have been appointed with immediate effect.
TVH’s troubles began last year when it was instructed by the TSA to commission a review of alleged high turnover of senior staff and board members.
Bob Hingston, chair of TVH, said the board members appointed by the TSA would ‘strengthen the leadership of the organisation’.
Have your say
You must sign in to make a comment
Readers' comments (1)
byronboy | 08/03/2010 1:26 pm
You put this article together on Feb 5th, Jamie and to date we are all still waiting to see the 'strengthening' that Bob Hingston (Chair) claimed would take place following the appointment of the TSA selected Board Members. Thus far all that has happened is 1) Bob Hingston wrote to all tenants Mar 1st promising that things would not get worse during all this change (his words I promise you) - COULD THEY? 2) One of the elected new Tenant based board Members has resigned already - never attended a board meeting I believe.
3) A further senior manager departure last week - goodness knows why, but I daresay it wouldn't take much persuasion for anyone to leave if they had a job to go to. 4) An attempt to enroll a long-term 'active resident' onto the board last week failed.
Positive change will have to be forced into the organisation I think.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment