Collaboration

The Irish Council for Social Housing (ICSH) retains a membership of over 300 Housing Associations within Ireland each year. Around 30 of these Housing Associations are medium to large scale housing providers who operate nationally, have professional full time staff, and manage between 100 and 4000 units of accommodation each. The remaining ICSH Housing Association members are predominantly small scale with 5 – 30 units of accommodation, are rural based and have no paid staff.

In response to increasing legislation and regulation in the voluntary housing sector, the ICSH recognised the need to develop a support structure to help small scale housing associations and their volunteers. In 2006 and in collaboration with Limerick County Council, the ICSH commissioned a research report to look at possibilities for groups to collaborate together in County Limerick. The research considered collaboration in housing management, housing maintenance and housing related support services. The report’s final recommendation was for collaborating groups in Limerick to develop a Housing Services Company that could provide all of these services on a needs basis and at a reduced cost. A company model was proposed in which all the housing associations involved in the company would have equal say and responsibility.

In 2007, the ICSH presented the company model to all Housing Associations in County Limerick. This was achieved through Limerick County Council’s Strategic Policy Committee, the Limerick Housing Forum and through direct meetings with each of the housing associations. The report was positively received and a steering group was established with members of Limerick County Council, the Limerick Housing Forum and the ICSH to see if the company model could be implemented.

In 2007, The County Limerick Housing Services Company (CLHSCo) was set up as a limited company by guarantee with charitable status. The ICSH facilitated company set up and recruitment of the company’s manager. The company currently provides services to 15 housing associations who manage 207 units for older people’s accommodation. At present, the company facilitates the following services:

· Housing Management support

· Support and assistance on Health and Safety

· Access to competitively priced legal, accounting and auditing supports

· A centralised housing maintenance service including the management of rent arrears and problem tenancies

Nine of the 15 members of the company are represented on the Board of Directors. Income for the company is generated from member’s monthly subscriptions for services and grant assistance from Limerick County Council and the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government (DEHLG). The model was recently referred to as an example of best practice for the sector in the DEHLG’s commissioned 2009 Strategic Review of the Capital Funding Schemes for Voluntary and Co-operative Housing by Grant Thornton. The role of the representative bodies such as the ICSH was also acknowledged in playing an important role in extending this model across the country.

There is little doubt that The County Limerick Housing Services Company has been a good success and it is referenced in the ICSH Collaboration Toolkit which was launched in November 2010.

It has demonstrated that combined efforts in the collaboration of services can not only achieve efficiency and value for money but also help to retain the spirit of volunteerism.