Funders

South Staffordshire Housing Association was formed in 1997 to receive over 5000 properties from South Staffordshire Council under a Large Scale Voluntary Transfer.

The transfer was funded by a syndicate of two established and well-known financial institutions, the Nationwide Building Society and the Britannia Building Society.

Regular contact and meetings take place between the Association's Executive Team, in particular the Director of Finance and Resources, and the Funders, who also receive a quarterly Report on the Association's financial position.

Nationwide Building Society: (external link)www.nationwide.co.uk

Britannia Building Society: (external link)www.britannia.co.uk

The National Housing Federation

The National Housing Federation is the body that represents the independent social housing sector. It has around 1,400 non-profit housing organisations currently in its membership and it is growing all the time. Between them they own or manage around 1.4 million homes. The Federation is funded by membership fees and commercial services such as conferences, training and publications.

The National Housing Federation: (external link)www.housing.org.uk

The Federation works with its members and other partners in seeking to:

• Promote its members: promote the values, successes and the vital future role of independent social landlords
• Represent a united sector: represent and negotiate for the strategic interests of a diverse but united sector in providing affordable homes to meet the nation's housing and social needs
• Inform and support its members: inform and support so that its members can pursue innovation and excellence in an environment of competition

In all this, it strives to achieve excellence and value for money.

Local Councils

South Staffordshire Housing Association was formed in 1997 to receive over 5000 properties from South Staffordshire Council under a Large Scale Voluntary Transfer. The Association has benefited from the solid foundations inherited from South Staffordshire Council. The properties transferred had already received significant investment in quality maintenance and modernisation services, and the vast majority of our employees transferred from the local authority.

In order to help the Association meet housing need in the area, the Association now works closely with other local councils and parish councils, including Bridgnorth District Council, Wolverhampton City Council, Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council and Cannock Chase District Council. The Association's successful partnership with the various councils depends upon good working relationships, good practice, and on mutual recognition of the responsibilities of each party. Our aim is to continue to develop good working relationships with the local authorities in the areas which we serve.

We are an active member of the Southern Staffordshire and Northern Warwickshire Housing Partnership, providing the Chair and secretarial services for this body which pulls together representatives from all of the major councils and housing associations in the district, as well as a representative of the Housing Corporation. The Association also chairs the West Midlands Regional Providers Network and the Staffordshire Supported Housing Network and is also part of the Local Strategic Partnership in the area.

Links to Local Authority Websites

Bridgnorth District Council: (external link)www.bridgnorth.gov.uk

Cannock Chase District Council: (external link)www.cannockchasedc.gov.uk

Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council: (external link)www.dudley.gov.uk

South Staffordshire Council: (external link)www.sstaffs.gov.uk

Stafford Borough Council: (external link)www.staffordbc.gov.uk

Wolverhampton City Council: (external link)www.wolverhampton.gov.uk

Financial Services Authority

As an Industrial and Provident Society, an "organisation conducting an industry, business or trade either as a bona-fide co-operative or for the benefit of the community", the Association is registered with the Financial Services Authority, the registration body whose role covers many organisations which are engaged in a wide variety of businesses. These include workers' co-operatives, retail co-operatives, social clubs (such as the Royal British legion, working men's clubs, Conservative clubs), sporting organisations (such as rugby, cricket and golf clubs, allotment societies and other voluntary community based organisations).

Financial Services Authority: (external link)www.fsa.gov.uk

The Association's main contact with the Authority is in connection with the completion of annual returns and amendments to the Association's Rules.