Community Cashback THE BIG SOCIETY AT WORK

1. Community Cashback THE BIG SOCIETY AT WORK putting power in people's hands

2. Summary • What is Community Cashback ? • Key features • Will it work? • Community Cashback programme • Help to get started • Case study

3. What’s it all about? • Based on principles of Tenant Cashback • Incentivises tenants who wish to play a bigger role in their local community • Enables tenants who group together to manage small-scale local services and budgets in order to deliver better services • Re-investing any savings back into the community

4. What is Community Cashback? • Tenants’ group takes control over local communal service provided by landlord e.g. cleaning, concierge, gardening, one off repairs/works • Landlord pays tenants’ group what it would normally cost to provide service • If tenants’ group does it cheaper – they can invest surplus into community project or improving the service

5. Key features • Recognised/formal and ad-hoc tenants groups • Services costing less than £170,000 pa • Tenants may provide service themselves, through contractor or own staff • Landlord and tenants group enter into a community cashback agreement • Consultation and planning • Budgeting and financial control • Equalities, health and safety, insurance • ‘Horses for courses’ approach

6. Does it work? • Based on Local Management Agreement model • In Westminster since 1987 • About 50 agreements • Led to several TMOs • Unique, ‘middle way’ approach • Partnership approach

7. Community Cashback Programme • Department of Communities and Local Government initiative • TPAS and NFTMO delivering Community Cashback as part of national programme to inspire and empower tenants – Tenants’ Central • Promoting nationwide – to landlords and tenants

8. Help to get started • A comprehensive, easy to use Community Cashback toolkit (online) • Full suite of model documents • CC Agreement, constitutions, contracts, consultation, specifications and much more • Technical support and advice to get you started • Guide TMO network and the NFTMO • Grant available of up to £3,000 for developing a CC project to cover start up costs • Application forms and info available online now at www.tenantcentral.org.uk/community-cashback/

9. Case Study – Russell Chambers Residents’ Association (RA) • RA signed CC agreement 01July 2013 with Camden Council, London • Providing caretaking and cleaning services to 3 blocks – 36 homes • Less than £10,000 per annum • RA employing own local cleaning contractor

10. Russell Chambers RA • New RA set up specifically for CC agreement • Adopted model constitution • Set up bank account and took out public liability insurance • Adapted model documents – specification, contract • Agreed health and safety requirements • Worked closely with the Council

11. Plan to invest savings in: • Painting of stairwell walls (each three years) • Cleaning and re-painting of base of outside railings (each three years) • Painting of the front doors (each three years) • Steam clean of basement area (once per annum) • Checking roof after rains to ensure drains are not blocked and rainwater is draining away (after heavy rains) • Washing down of entrance archway (twice per annum)

12. Contacts • www.tenantcentral.org.uk/community-cashback/ • www.nftmo.com • www.tpas.org.uk • www.communities.gov.uk