SHR Board Minutes Minutes - 27 May 2025

Present

Welcome and meeting with PATH Scotland

GW welcomed all present, especially guest speaker SA from PATH Scotland.  SA presented to the Board on the work of PATH, setting out the work the charity has been promoting around positive action and training in housing since 1998 for minority ethnic, refugee and migrant communities. SA highlighted PATH’s programmes including:

• housing traineeships, explaining the high percentage that go on to permanent roles;
• leadership development: and
• support for life skills and employability. 

She explained how each programme is delivered and PATH’s role to facilitate and support the people and organisations involved.   SA also highlighted some of the challenges for minority ethnic, refugee and migrant communities including:

• subtle racism and micro aggression;
• lack of diversity in the social housing sector;
• the continued need for more skills and empathy to help everyone navigate conversations on race;
• importance of peer support that is gained through the traineeship and leadership programmes;
• knowledge gaps in the social housing sector around enabling positive action practices;
• a decrease in the volume of traineeships offered by landlords since the pandemic;
• the political context; and
• low employability rates and the particular challenge around education for those living in temporary accommodation.

SA explained PATH’s current financial position and the high volume of referrals made to it.   She also set out aims to establish at least 12 new PATH traineeships in the coming months  and restart the currently paused leadership programme.  

The Board and SA discussed:

• PATH’s work and agreed it was important to highlight this to the social housing sector in Scotland;
• the role of SHR’s Annual Assurance Statements and the full breadth of the equality agenda SHR applies to its approach to regulation as well as some targeted work it is doing around Gypsy/Travellers;
• the impact of a diverse workforce on tenants and service users, noting some research carried out on this in England & Wales;
• potential for partnership working for PATH with other charities such as the King’s Trust;
• the importance of involving those from minority ethnic and migrant communities, who are already working in the sector, in finding future solutions and ongoing discussions with the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH around creating spaces to do that.  

GW thanked SA for making time to meet with SHR.  The Board and SA welcomed the opportunity for the discussion. 

Apologies & declarations

GW welcomed staff observer RM to the meeting.  There were no apologies.  GW reminded the Board of his previously-declared conflict of interest with Blackwood Homes and the Board noted he would not participate in any related discussion under the serious casework update later in the agenda.     

There were no other declarations of interest made.

Consent Agenda

The Board noted and approved the consent agenda including:

• the Chair and Member activity report;
• draft minutes and the action log from SHR’s Tenants Together Scotland Liaison Group April meeting;
• 25 February Board minutes; and
• the matters arising report.

Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee Correspondence

GW and MC presented a draft response to the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee.  MC explained this was based on discussions with the Board in April and that GW, EF and AW had inputted to the drafting.  He also thanked Members who had provided comments since the draft was circulated.   The Board considered the draft letter and discussed:

• the tone and pitch of the letter, agreeing it was important to provide clarity around points raised by the Committee;
• the importance of providing detail on SHR’s approach to handling any complaints in relation to bullying, noting the codes and policies in place for staff and Board members as well as the training in place;
• the importance of tenant consultation, acknowledging the limitations in SHR’s direct role, but also the important related points made by the Committee;
• joint work with SHARE;
• the Committee’s important role in the scrutiny of SHR, noting the potential range of next steps open to the Committee.  The Board also welcomed that MC and the new Chair will also have an opportunity to update the Committee on SHR’s work when they present SHR’s 2024/25 annual report later in the year; and
• previous work SHR’s internal auditors carried out in 2020, noting that it was shared with the Scottish Parliament via the Committee at that time and that there is always potential for further internal audits.

The Board also noted engagement with stakeholders on the correspondence and asked MC to include reference to this.  The Board approved the letter for issue asking GW and MC to finalise it taking account of the Board’s feedback.  

Actions: MC and GW to take account of the Board’s comments and also incorporate recent stakeholder feedback as they finalise and submit SHR’s response to the Committee.  

CEO report

MC presented on issues and developments that impact regulated bodies, the wider housing environment and SHR.  He highlighted the Housing to 2040 Strategy Board, explaining stakeholders are seeking action planning, national leadership and locally developed solutions.  The Board noted that the next Scottish elections will take place in May 2026. 

MC explained the approach to collecting data on cladding that the Scottish Government had taken and SHR’s input.   HS confirmed that the Scottish Government has agreed to share data and analysis with SHR.  The Board also noted the related funding discussions between landlords and Scottish Government.  

MC also updated the Board on the positive outcome from the survey of staff about SHR’s office accommodation.  The Board noted the results and asked IM to share a copy with it. 

MC and GW reported on a recent meeting with the Minister for Housing to discuss the outcome of the risk assessment, including systemic failure in some local authorities.  It noted that the Minister reported that the outcome report from the Housing Finance Task Force is expected soon.

The Board also discussed:

• Consumer Scotland’s work, noting that SHR has shared the work it does with tenants and service users with it;
• rent caps set out in the Housing Bill and what this may mean in areas where private sector rent increases may be lower than the social sector;
• the impact on SHR’s core work that additional initiatives and public body compliance duties have, agreeing the importance of proportionate approach while ensuring SHR continues to meet its public body obligations;
• the potential for unintended consequences and additional roles for SHR flowing from the Housing Bill;
• how landlords contact tenants, including by telephone;
• importance of good quality stock quality information to help landlords understand and tackle any issues; and
• turnover in Scottish Government and the impact this has on SHR.  

The Board noted the CEO report.

Action: IM to share a copy of the survey on SHR’s office with the Board.

Q4 Corporate Performance report

MC presented the final corporate performance report for 2024/25. He explained that the Board was already sighted on much of it as it reflects the annual report preparation that the Board has been involved in.   The Board considered the report and discussed:

• work that SHR had not been able to progress, including a renewed MOU with the Care Inspectorate and a new MOU with the Health and Safety Executive.   MC explained that neither organisaiton had capacity to take these forward with SHR. The Board reflected on if this should feature in SHR’s risk register. It agreed that these remain important aims and asked GW to write to the Chair of each organisation;  
• the continued impact on SHR’s of Oracle - the new HR and Finance System introduced by Scottish Government. The Board noted issues around user experience and extracting data.  IM confirmed that discussions are ongoing between Audit Scotland and the Scottish Government and that SHR will reflect the transition in its annual report and accounts;
• flexi balances, noting both system issues that may be affecting data and the impact of a transition to a shorter working week.  It expressed concerns for wellbeing and welcomed that staff are encouraged to use leave and flexi balances;
• turnover with some of the tenant advisors, noting this was around personal circumstances and that plans are in place to allow for exit interviews in the future;
• the development thematic, noting that SHR was unable to resource this work in 2024/25 and it is also not planning to take it forward in 2025/26 work plans unless the resource situation changes.  The Board noted that the risks around development remain and that SHR will take other opportunities to highlight these, including through the risk assessment outcome and in stakeholder engagement;
• the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report briefing SHR published, noting stakeholder feedback, and that Scottish Government had published a related report in March 2025. The Board asked MC to circulate this;
• rent increase comparison, noting that SHR had in the past published some information to inform Scottish Government’s considerations around rent controls and that this is published as part of the comprehensive data set and can also be drawn from the comparison tool; and
• rent affordability, noting some increases are expected to be above inflation as landlords seek to recover from a position built up since the pandemic, noting that SHR will continue to comment on the challenges around this.  

The Board noted the Corporate Performance Report for Q4.

Actions: 

• GW to write to the Chairs of the Care Inspectorate and HSE about MOUs with SHR.  
• MC to circulate the Scottish Government’s March 2025 publication in relation to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report. 

Outcome of the risk assessment

HS and JJ presented on the outcome of the regulatory risk assessment.  They highlighted:

• importance of keeping the approach to the risk assessment under review to ensure it is focussed on key and emerging risks and takes SHR’s resources into account;
• the final outcomes in terms of compliance and engagement around services to Gypsy/Travellers, tenant and resident safety, systemically important RSLs, stock quality issues such as RAAC and cladding;
• the challenging operating environment, explaining it is unlikely to improve any time soon;
• breaches in statutory duties for people experiencing homelessness and the variations in performance between local authorities;
• plans to include, for the first time, structured engagement conversations with all landlords that provide sites to Gypsy/Travellers in addition to the structured conversations that take place with all local authorities around homelessness duties; and
• local authority compliance with safety obligations.  

The Board considered the outcome of the risk assessment and discussed:

• safety, noting the increased level of engagement, particularly with local authorities and SHR’s relationship with the HSE;
• correlation between culture in an organisation and governance; and
• homelessness duties, noting different performance and the varied impact across Scotland, but that systemic failure is now impacting three local authorities, which is the main focus of SHR’s engagement.  The Board agreed careful language would be needed to communicate these nuances around performance.  

The Board noted the update and thanked all staff involved in the risk assessment work.   

Regulatory Engagement – serious casework

HS presented a report for assurance on the most serious regulatory casework. She explained movement in the landlords detailed in the report.

GW reminded the Board of his previously-declared conflict of interest with Blackwood Homes and temporarily withdrew from the meeting to allow the Board to discuss the case. 

The Board considered the report and discussed ongoing engagement with Blackwood and Blochairn.

The Board thanked HS and her team, noted the report and agreed it continued to provide useful insight.

AOB, Agenda Planner, Effectiveness & DONM

GW updated the Board on recruitment work by Scottish Ministers to appoint a new Chair and member to the Board. The Board noted progress and welcomed that induction planning has commenced. GW also highlighted an ongoing governance survey and forthcoming member appraisals, thanking the Board for participation. 

The Board noted the agenda planner and that it will next meet for a workshop with Management Team and then a session with all staff on 24 June 2025. 

The Board considered the effectiveness of the meeting and papers.  It agreed that it was content. It welcomed that RM was able to observe the meeting and he reported back on his observations.  

Briefings

Between the 27 May and 26 August

• SHR publications
• Media updates
• Landlord Groups meeting preparation
• 2025/26 Annual report narrative
• Correspondence with the Scottish Parliament
• Housing Investment Taskforce report
• Appointments to SHR’s Board
• Staff survey on SHR’s office