12/05/2022 - Permalink

Council agrees to extend management agreement with STAR Housing

Related topics: Housing / Partner organisations

Council today approved to extend the Management Agreement between Shropshire Council and Shropshire Towns and Rural Housing (“STAR Housing”) for a 10-year term.

The council had commissioned a review of STAR Housing, who have been managing the council’s housing stock since 2013. The review concluded that STAR Housing has operated effectively within the terms of its Management Agreement.

The review by Campbell Tickell established that STAR Housing is in a strong position, and that it has been an effective steward; also finding that STAR Housing is a lean and cost-effective organisation, delivering services which perform well against the performance targets set by Shropshire Council, and benchmarking consistently in top quartile when compared with its peers.

Sue Adams, Managing Director of STAR Housing, said:-

“This is a wonderful endorsement of the work of STAR Housing, working in partnership with the council to provide homes and services for our tenants and the wider community.

“STAR Housing has delivered ‘Decent Homes’, delivers high quality services and has developed valued community connections. Under the stewardship of STAR Housing, council housing finances are in a strong position, ensuring that there is money to provide ongoing maintenance requirements and to provide capacity for building new homes. The review concluded that STAR Housing should continue to manage homes for the council.

“We look forward to working with the council in a strengthened partnership over the next 10 years.”

Jane Trethewey, Shropshire Council’s assistant director of homes and communities, said:-

“STAR Housing has proven itself to provide high quality services for our council tenants and their homes for many years. It is a testament to the hard work of the STAR Housing team that they have come through this review with a recommendation to continue. So, we are delighted to be putting a renewed Management Agreement in place to secure the future of our council homes in Shropshire.”

STAR Housing is one of several organisations that work in partnership with Shropshire Council to support the priorities identified in Shropshire’s Housing Strategy. The organisation supports the key priority to ensure people whose housing needs are not met through the local open market housing can access housing that meets their needs.

The council will work with STAR Housing to facilitate a new 10-year term from April 2023 that will run until March 2033. The 10 year Management Agreement will take effect once all necessary works to facilitate this have been completed and any regulatory consent has been obtained.

You can find the full report here: (Public Pack)Star Housing Management Arrangements Agenda Supplement for Council, 12/05/2022 10:00 (shropshire.gov.uk)

Further information

Council was asked to approve the following recommendations:-

  • Approve that Shropshire Council extend the term of the Management Agreement with STAR Housing for a term of 10 years, incorporating such changes as are needed to give effect to Campbell Tickell’s recommendations.
  • Approve that all actions to facilitate the 10-year extension of the agreement and to respond to points arising in the discussions with STAR Housing are delegated to the assistant director of homes and communities in consultation with the Cabinet member for physical infrastructure.
  • That work to develop and agree the Management Agreement and other related documentation between STAR Housing and Shropshire Council is completed, and that the authority to approve and complete the Management Agreement is delegated to the assistant director of homes and communities in consultation with the Cabinet member for physical infrastructure.
  • Should any changes be required to the Constitution of STAR Housing, the authority to approve those changes is delegated to the assistant director of homes and communities in consultation with the Cabinet member for physical infrastructure.
  • That a future report will be presented to Cabinet prior to March 2023, regarding the future relationship, arrangements, monitoring and governance between STAR Housing and Shropshire Council.