CRC and CHC Collaboration
25th February 2010
For Immediate Release
JOINT STATEMENT OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF COMMUNITY HOUSING CYMRU AND CARE & REPAIR CYMRU
Care & Repair Cymru (CRC) and Community Housing Cymru (CHC) are delighted to announce that they have begun a formal consultation process with their members on forming a closer collaborative working arrangement between both organisations. Following on from Board approval, both organisations have commenced legal and due diligence proceedings to enter into a formal structure, and believe that through this arrangement, they can become more effective, work smarter and as a result deliver more to their members and beneficiaries. The intention is to put in place a formal structure that will protect the separate identities of CRC and CHC. The existing CRC Management Board and CHC National Council will continue to govern the respective organisations. Talking about the proposed collaboration, Nick Bennett, Chief Executive of CHC said “With the widely anticipated cuts in budgets, we need to strengthen the case for investment in Housing and housing services, and demonstrate more clearly how investment in housing actually helps government achieve many of its health and social care objectives in a cost effective way. Greater integration across housing bodies such as CHC and CRC will help strengthen housing’s voice at a national and local level” Wendy Bourton, Chief Executive of CRC, commented “It is important that housing organisations demonstrate to government a real commitment to providing better value for money for public expenditure. These collaborative arrangements, between two strong and respected organisations, will provide a stronger housing voice, help both organisations deliver their services and objectives more effectively, and bring the potential for reinvesting efficiency savings into our services that help vulnerable clients living in poor housing”. Work on developing the details of the formal structure will continue, and will be considered by the CRC Board and CHC National Council in the coming weeks and months.
ENDS---
For further information on CHC, please contact: Edwina O’Hart, PR Officer, Community Housing CymruT: 029 2055 7414 M: 075 1169 4450 E: edwina-ohart@chcymru.org.uk Nick Bennett, Chief Executive is available for interview – Both English and Welsh.
For further information on CRC, please contact: Vera Brinkworth, Head of External Affairs, Care & Repair CymruT: 02920 576286 M: 07776 307116 E: vera.brinkworth@careandrepair.org.uk Wendy Bourton, Chief Executive of Care & Repair Cymru, is available for interview
Note to Editors
Community Housing Cymru is the membership body for housing associations and community mutuals, which are all not-for-profit and provide around 112,000 homes and housing services throughout Wales. As a registered charity our objectives are to: · promote the voluntary housing sector in Wales · promote the relief of financial hardship through the sector's provision of low cost social housing · provide services, education, training, information, advice and support to providers of such housing in Wales · encourage and facilitate the provision, construction, improvement and management of low cost social housing by housing associations in Wales. Care & Repair Cymru is the national body for Care and Repair in Wales, and the Older Persons Housing Champion. The 22 Care and Repair Agencies across Wales help older people to remain living in their own homes with increased independence and dignity. This is achieved by carrying out and facilitating adaptations, repairs and improvements for older people in their own homes.