"Actively seek partnership opportunities with other smaller rural housing associations"
A number of partnerships were developed during the year, some leading to important strategic business opportunities. This includes the decision for The Cambridgeshire Cottage Housing Society (TCCHS) to merge into the English Rural Group, with the process well underway by the year end. The value of this decision being the safeguarding of assets for the benefit of affordable rural housing, whilst enabling increased efficiencies of scale and reducing administrative expenses for both parties. The business case for the merger focusses on the ability to sensitively dispose of older listed properties considered no longer fit for social housing and reinvesting money back into delivering new high-quality affordable rural developments. Ultimately this is intended to transform the profile of TCCHS housing stock into a modern housing portfolio which provides affordable, well-designed and energy efficient homes that village communities can benefit from.
The partnership with Cirencester Housing also evolved, with English Rural appointed as their development agent through a formal Memorandum of Understanding. The aim is that combined endeavours will secure new momentum across rural Gloucestershire to get more affordable housing opportunities off the ground. Alongside this development work, the existing strategic and financial business planning support continued.
A range of other smaller housing partners were also aided during the year, often localised within villages alongside English Rural’s operations.
Chimney restoration work underway at Old Manor Farm, a 16th century period property we manage for The Cambridgeshire Cottage Housing Society
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New development partnership launched in Gloucestershire
£50,000 fee income generated from partnerships with others that can be applied to purpose
Agreement for The Cambidgeshire Cottage Housing Society (TCCHS) to merge into the English Rural Group
An affordable rural home in the Cotswolds from our partner, Cirencester Housing
>> The original aim of partnerships with other like-minded housing associations was to secure value from English Rural’s staff team through making their skills and capacity available. Over time, the availability of capacity within the staff team has diminished, due to growing internal demands and resources leant to partnerships in place. To overcome this, future partnership opportunities are likely to rely more on increasing staff capacity through additional recruitment to the staff team, rather than working on the principle that spare capacity exists within it.
