We understand that the proposed changes to the way Homeline is provided are important to tenants and that there are a number of questions and concerns about the current consultation.
It is important to distinguish between two separate decisions:
A decision has already been made that the Homeline service will continue. Homeline will not stop. The decision is that the service will be provided by an external provider rather than directly by the Council.
No decision has been made about whether Homeline should continue to be included within tenants' tenancy agreements. This is the subject of the current consultation.
The current consultation is therefore not about whether Homeline will continue. It is about whether the Homeline wording should remain within tenancy agreements.
If the wording is removed from the tenancy agreement, the impact would be that Homeline would move from being a mandatory/automatic service linked to the tenancy to an opt-in service, provided under a separate agreement.
No decision has yet been made on this point.
Yes, but there are two separate elements to the decision-making process.
A decision has already been made that Homeline will continue as a service. Homeline will not stop.
It has also been decided that the Homeline service will be provided by an external provider rather than directly by the Council.
However, a separate decision has not been made about whether Homeline should remain included within tenants' tenancy agreements.
That is what the current consultation is seeking tenants' views on.
The current consultation is specifically about whether the Homeline wording should remain within tenancy agreements.
At present, the wording within some tenancy agreements makes Homeline a mandatory/automatic service.
The proposal being consulted on is to remove the Homeline wording from the tenancy agreement.
If this proposal is approved, Homeline would become a separate, optional service, meaning tenants could choose whether they wish to receive it and would enter into a separate agreement with the service provider.
No decision has been made on whether the wording will be removed.
The proposal is to separate the Homeline service from the tenancy agreement.
There are currently tenants who have Homeline wording within their tenancy agreement but who do not actually receive or use the Homeline service.
The Council therefore needs to consider whether it is appropriate for Homeline to remain a mandatory/automatic element of a tenancy agreement where not all tenants with the wording receive the service.
The proposed approach would separate the tenancy from the additional Homeline service and allow tenants to choose whether they wish to receive it.
This is one of the matters on which tenants are being asked to provide their views.
No.
Removing the wording from the tenancy agreement would not mean that Homeline stops.
The Homeline service will continue.
The potential change would be to the relationship between Homeline and the tenancy agreement.
If the wording is removed, Homeline would no longer be an automatic/mandatory service linked to the tenancy and would instead be provided as a separate service that tenants could choose to opt into.
The Council recognises that many sheltered housing tenants consider Homeline to be an important part of their accommodation and feel strongly that it should remain included within their tenancy.
However, the current arrangement applies more widely than only to tenants who actively receive the Homeline service. There are tenants who have the Homeline wording within their tenancy agreement but do not actually receive or use the service.
The Council therefore needs to consider whether it is appropriate for Homeline to remain a mandatory/automatic service within tenancy agreements where not all tenants with the clause receive the service.
The proposal being consulted on is to remove the Homeline wording from tenancy agreements and provide Homeline separately.
If this approach is approved, tenants who want the service would be able to opt in and enter into a separate agreement with the provider.
No decision has been made on this point, which is why tenants' views are being sought through this consultation.
The current consultation is specifically concerned with the contractual relationship between Homeline and tenants' tenancy agreements.
The Council has to consider a range of factors when reviewing its arrangements, including financial, legal, contractual and operational considerations.
However, the consultation is not about whether Homeline will continue. A decision has already been made that the service will continue, with an external provider delivering the service.
The consultation is about whether Homeline should remain a mandatory/automatic service within tenancy agreements or become a separate opt-in service.
No.
The Homeline service will continue.
If the proposal to remove the Homeline wording from tenancy agreements is approved, tenants who want to continue receiving Homeline would be able to opt in and enter into a separate agreement with the provider.
The current consultation is about whether this proposed arrangement should be introduced.
There are tenants whose tenancy agreements contain Homeline wording but who do not currently receive the Homeline service.
This is one of the reasons the current contractual arrangement is being reviewed.
The Council needs to consider whether it is appropriate for Homeline to remain an automatic/mandatory element of a tenancy where a tenant does not actually receive the service.
The proposed alternative is to separate Homeline from the tenancy agreement so that the service can be provided to those tenants who choose to receive it.
No.
No decision has been made to impose a new tenancy agreement.
The current consultation is about whether the existing Homeline wording should remain within tenancy agreements.
If a decision is subsequently made to remove the wording, tenants would be provided with appropriate information about any changes to their tenancy agreement and what this means for them.
There are currently different charging arrangements for Homeline, and we recognise that this can be confusing.
The amount a tenant pays, or whether they currently pay anything, can depend on their individual circumstances and the arrangements under which their Homeline service is provided.
The consultation is an opportunity to explain these arrangements more clearly and to hear tenants' views about the proposed future arrangements.
No change to an individual's charges has been implemented as part of this consultation.
If the proposal is approved, tenants will be provided with clear information about the cost of the service and what this means for them before entering into any new agreement.
No tenant should assume that they will automatically be required to pay a particular amount as a result of the consultation.
The Council needs to ensure that any proposed changes are fair, reasonable and take account of the circumstances of different groups of tenants.
The consultation process provides an opportunity for tenants to identify any concerns about how the proposal could affect them.
Any relevant equality considerations will be taken into account as part of the decision-making process.
The Equality Impact Assessment is part of the information that needs to be considered alongside the proposal.
Where appropriate and in accordance with the Council's processes, relevant information is available to tenants and were published online.
Tenants can also raise specific concerns about how they believe the proposal may affect them as part of the consultation.
The Council is required to ensure that any proposed changes are considered against the relevant legislation, tenancy agreements, policies and procedures.
The consultation itself is part of the process of gathering views before a final decision is made, and has had legal scrutiny.
Where tenants raise specific legal or procedural concerns, these will be recorded and considered through the appropriate process.
If the proposal is approved, tenants would have the choice to decide whether they wish to continue receiving Homeline under the proposed separate service arrangement.
Further information would be provided about the implications of choosing not to continue with the service.
Tenants should not make a decision based on assumptions during the consultation period.
If the proposal is approved, tenants who wish to continue using Homeline would be able to enter into a separate agreement for the service.
Details of the agreement, charges and how the service would operate would be communicated to tenants before any change takes effect.
The consultation is being undertaken so that tenants can provide their views before a final decision is made.
Consultation does not necessarily mean that every proposal will change, but it does mean that feedback must be properly considered as part of the decision-making process.
We want tenants to tell us what they think, including what they do not agree with and what alternative arrangements they would prefer.
Tenants can provide feedback through the consultation channels that have been provided.
You can raise questions, concerns, suggest alternatives and explain how you believe the proposal would affect you.
All relevant feedback received during the consultation will be considered as part of the decision-making process.
Once the consultation closes, the feedback received will be reviewed and considered alongside the other relevant information.
A report will then be prepared for the appropriate decision-making process.
No final decision should be assumed until that process has been completed.
Tenants will be informed of the outcome and any next steps.
No changes to the current arrangements will take place simply because the consultation has started.
If a decision is made to proceed, tenants will be given information about what the changes mean for them, including any relevant notice periods and arrangements for entering into a separate Homeline agreement.
You are entitled to disagree.
In fact, we want tenants to tell us if they do not agree and to explain why.
You can provide feedback about the proposal itself, the impact you believe it could have on you, the charging arrangements, the opt-in/opt-out approach or any alternative arrangements you think should be considered.
We recognise that Homeline provides reassurance and peace of mind for many tenants, particularly those living in sheltered housing.
We understand that the proposed changes may cause concern and that tenants may have strong views about the future of the service.
The consultation is an opportunity for tenants to have their say. No final decision has been made.