Syed Maqsood and Kevin Wan North West Housing Association Case Study Principle 6 Co-opeartive Ways Forward Conference January 2014

1. Case study – Principle 6
Secondary Co-operatives
North West Housing Services Ltd
Syed Maqsood , Chief Executive
Kevin Wan, Director of Finance

2. Introduction
∗ Brief History of NWHS
∗ Our Mission and Values
∗ Our Members
∗ Our staff
∗ Recent Achievements
∗ Future role of Secondary co-ops

3. Brief History of NWHS
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Social Housing in the UK – Housing co-ops
Formed in 2006 by a consortium of 35 independent members
Customer-owned and controlled secondary co-operative society
Currently 46 full members / 30 non-members
£1.8 million turnover NWHS , Members cumulative turnover £12m
33 highly qualified staff
Manage £250 million of member assets
Work exclusively in the Third Sector providing a range of services
Members of SEN, Co-operatives UK, National Housing Fed, CCH

4. Mission and values
“We aim to be the chosen service provider for housing cooperatives, small housing associations, leaseholders and other
community-based organisations in the North West of
England”
By operating within the 7 co-operative principles to enable
and support our members to achieve financial sustainability
and meet their social objectives.”

5. Our Members
∗Housing Co-operatives
∗Small community Housing Associations
∗Tenant Management Organisations
∗Leasehold Management Companies – not for profit
Non Housing : Diversification
∗Worker co-ops
∗Consortia Co-ops
∗Community benefit societies
∗Charities
∗Community Interest Companies

6. Members Benefits
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Services provided on a not for Profit basis
Cost sharing and Mutual trading tax status
Share in the Surplus
Increased Bargaining Power / economies of scale
Board Membership
Community focus
Access to a large network of like minded organisations
Members training seminars and social events
Access to right expertise and better technology

7. Our Staff
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33 Highly Qualified and Professional staff
Highly Experienced in the third sector
Senior team members sit on other Third sector Boards
Low staff turnover and excellent attendance
Attractive terms and conditions
Remuneration approved by the Board
Ratio of Highest paid to lowest is 5 to 1 – FTSE 100 262 to 1
Invest in staff – Continued Professional development

8. Recent Achievements

9. Social Enterprise NW Awards 2013: NWHS highly
commended in the Co-operative of the Year category

10. Social Enterprise NW Awards 2013: NWHS highly
commended in the Co-operative of the Year category

11. Cherryfield Co-operative relocation: 19 new homes in Kirkby to be
developed in partnership with Knowsley Council and Tesco

12. Langrove Community Housing Cooperative: five new homes to be
developed in partnership with Riverside
Housing Association

13. Helped set up Arts Hub Creative Community Co-operative, The only creative
community co-operative in Merseyside

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15. Other Achievements of Note
∗ First organisation in the UK to obtain HMRC approval to
use the VAT Cost Sharing Exemption
∗ First organisation in the UK to be accredited by the
National trade body CCH for quality of services offered to
Housing Co-operatives
∗ Nearly £20k of Surpluses given to the community via our
community small grant fund
∗ First Members rebate given in 2013 : £60k rebated back to
our members
∗ £250k Members loan fund set up and lending

16. Future Role of secondary co-ops
∗ Shared service co-operatives – enable smaller coops to compete
∗ Business credit union
∗ Expand the range of services and benefits offered
to members
∗ Support members to grow
∗ Support and enable creation of new co-operatives
∗ Question to the floor – further ideas for the use of
Federated models in the sector – what are the
barriers ?