Publication scheme
Housing Corporation Publication Scheme
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) was passed on 30 November 2000. The FOIA gives a general right of access to all types of recorded information held by public authorities, sets out exemptions from that right and places a number of obligations on public authorities.
Under the FOIA every public authority is required to adopt and maintain a publication scheme setting out the classes of information it holds, the manner in which it intends to publish the information, and whether a charge will be made for the information. The purpose of a scheme is to ensure a significant amount of information is available, without the need for a specific request. Schemes are intended to encourage organisations to publish more information pro-actively and to develop a greater culture of openness.
The aim of this publication scheme is to outline the information about the Housing Corporation and its work which is made available to the public. This scheme is divided into a number of sections, and classes of information are grouped within those sections. It also sets out the terms, conditions and the procedures for accessing the information, and our complaints procedure.
Contents
The Role of the Housing Corporation
Governance and structure of the Housing Corporation
Procedure for accessing information
Review by the Information Commissioner
The Role of the Housing Corporation
The Housing Corporation (the Corporation) is a non-departmental public body (NDPB), sponsored by the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG). It has been in existence since 1964 and its role is defined by housing legislation (Housing Associations Act 1985 and the Housing Acts of 1988 and 1996). It is responsible for investing public money in housing associations which are registered with the Corporation (legally known as Registered Social Landlords) to provide homes that meet the needs set out in local and regional strategies and, through regulation, for protecting that investment and ensuring that it provides decent homes and services for residents. As regulator and investor the Corporation seeks to ensure that public funds are put to best use, to encourage innovation and good practice and to promote improved performance.
Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) registered with the Corporation take a variety of forms which include:
- charities that are housing associations;
- industrial and provident societies; and
- not-for-profit companies.
The Corporation operates only in England. Information about social housing in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is available on the following websites:
You can find out more about the Corporation by reading What is the Housing Corporation? Information about the organisation’s aims and objectives is set out in our Corporate Plan.
Governance and structure of the Housing Corporation
The Corporation has a Board, which is appointed by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, of up to 15 members including the Chief Executive. It is currently chaired by Peter Dixon and has overall responsibility for the running of the organisation, making sure it meets its delivery targets and for giving advice to Ministers on housing issues, policy and its implementation. The Board meets six times per year and has four main committees: the Audit and Risk Committee, the Investment Committee, the Registration and Regulation Committee, and the Remuneration Committee.
The Chief Executive of the Corporation is appointed by the Secretary of State and is responsible for the day-to-day operations and management of the Corporation. The current Chief Executive is Steven Douglas, who was appointed in July 2007. He is designated by the Permanent Secretary of the sponsoring department as the Corporation’s Accounting Officer, with responsibilities for ensuring that all the resources available to the Corporation are properly used and that the services provided give good value for money. He is ultimately answerable to Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee for such matters.
The Corporation’s senior internal management group is the Executive Management Team (EMT), which is responsible for oversight of the day-to-day management and operations of the organisation. This group meets fortnightly. The Corporate Management Group (CMG), comprising senior policy, corporate and field directors, has responsibility for strategic policy within the organisation. This group meets formally on a bimonthly basis.
The Corporation is geographically organised into five fields (Central, London, North, South East and South West) which are administered from nine offices throughout England (Cambridge, Croydon, Exeter, Gateshead, Leicester, Leeds, London, Manchester and Wolverhampton), with corporate services and policy located in Maple House, London.
Clare Rees, Information and Complaints Officer, has responsibility for Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) procedures, supported by Marianne Zierau.
About the publication scheme
The Corporation’s publication scheme has been developed under the requirements of the FOIA and has been agreed by the Information Commissioner. It provides a guide to the information the Corporation has determined it will publish, having regard to the provisions of the Code of Practice on access to Housing Corporation information, the FOIA and the Environmental Information Regulations.
Exemptions
Some information held by public authorities is regarded as exempt information under Part II of the FOIA. There are 24 such exemptions and they can be applied to information held for a variety of purposes. The exemptions include material related to national security, law enforcement, formulation of government policy, information provided in confidence, commercial interests, and personal data (individuals already have the right of access to information about themselves under the Data Protection Act 1998). These exemptions have been considered when determining the content of our Publication Scheme.
The information included in the scheme has been categorised into a number of sections and within those sections into a number of classes. The classes that include information to which an exemption has been applied have been identified under ‘Information included in the scheme’. The material indicated as exempt within these classes are exempt from the legal requirement to publish in accordance with the scheme.
Charging policy
The Corporation will normally make no charge for simple requests for information. It will not charge where providing the information is necessary for the execution of the Corporation’s responsibilities. The classes that include information for which a fee or a charge will be levied have been identified within the relevant sections under ‘Information included in the scheme’. Our charging policy is:
- free information can be downloaded from our website library, although the user will have to meet any charges levied by their internet service provider, printing costs etc. For applicants without internet access, leaflets, booklets or a single print-out as on the website can be ordered from the Enquiries & Complaints team or the relevant field office at no cost.
- multiple print-outs of information, archived copies of documents which are no longer available on the website and information which gives rise to significant extra work may incur a charge. Requests for such information should be addressed to the Information and Complaints team. Applicants will be given an estimate of the cost in advance and the charge will be payable before the work is undertaken.
- all other priced information can be ordered from the Enquiries & Complaints team. Orders over £50 can be dispatched with an invoice; orders for smaller amounts must be accompanied either by a cheque or credit card details. The quoted price is inclusive of standard postage and packaging.
Business systems access
Some information on the website is not accessible by the general public, but it is part of our service to deliver electronic business systems. Access, therefore, to some of the on-line services is restricted to housing associations and/or local authorities and Corporation staff. These restrictions are described within the relevant classes.
Document retention and disposal
The Corporation's document retention and disposal policy states how long each class of document will be retained by us and after how long it will be either archived or disposed of.
Copyright
All data within the publication scheme is copyright the Housing Corporation. It may not be reproduced in full or in part without the prior permission of the Corporation.
Information included in the scheme
The information included in the scheme has been categorised into 11 sections, and within those sections into 59 classes. The sections and classes are ordered alphabetically. Full details of all the documents that come within the scheme can be found in the Sections and Classes document.
Sections:
- About the Corporation and housing associations
- Consultation
- Corporation circulars
- Governance of the Corporation
- Housing association performance
- Innovation and Good Practice Programme (IGP)
- Media and communications
- Policy and strategy
- Procedures and guidance
- Research and good practice
- Tenants and residents
Procedure for accessing information
Information included in the scheme is available via the Corporation’s website at www.housingcorp.gov.uk. Requests for information that cannot be downloaded from the Corporation’s website, or from applicants who do not have website access, should be addressed to the Enquiries and Complaints Team.
We will do what is reasonable to provide information in alternative formats on request, including tape, Braille, large print and translations. If we encounter difficulties in meeting a request, we will discuss the best solution with the applicant.
The Enquiries & Complaints team on 0845 230 7000 is available to help if you have any queries about how to order any of our documents.
Right of internal review
If an applicant is unhappy with the way in which their request has been processed they may ask that the Corporation conduct an internal review.
An application may request a review (for example) if:
- their application was not dealt with wtihin the 20 working day timescale
- they did not receive all of the information requested
- they feel that exemptions have been wrongly applied; and
- they feel a fee has been wrongly charged.
Appeals should be made in writing to:
Board Secretary
Housing Corporation
Maple House
149 Tottenham Court Road
London W1T 7BN
Fax: 020 7393 2099
Email: foia@housingcorp.gsx.gov.uk
The review will be undertaken by a senior Corporation official who has not previously been involved with your request and you will be advised of the outcome.
Review by the Information Commissioner
If you are dissatisfied with the outcome, or the handling, of the internal review and the formal complaint conducted by the Corporation, you may seek an independent review from the Information Commissioner. Requests for a review by the Information Commissioner should be made in writing directly to:
The Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF
Tel: 01625 545 700
Fax: 01625 524510
e-mail: mail@dataprotection.gov.uk
Comments and suggestions
We welcome any comments or suggestions about the publication scheme and the website structure. Please send them to:
Information and Complaints Officer
Housing Corporation
Maple House
149 Tottenham Court Road
London W1T 7BN
Fax: 020 7393 2099
Email: foia@housingcorp.gsx.gov.uk
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