Clydebank Housing Association meets all rules

The Clydebank Housing Association has received an update from the Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) regarding its regulatory status. After undergoing an independent review, the SHR has determined that Clydebank Housing Association is now fully compliant with regulatory requirements.

The journey towards compliance began in January 2024 when the watchdog initiated discussions with Clydebank to address concerns related to governance. These concerns primarily focused on Clydebank’s adherence to regulatory standards in governance and financial management, as highlighted in the review of Clydebank’s governing body meeting minutes.

An updated engagement plan published by the Regulator revealed that initially, Clydebank did not acknowledge the concerns raised nor acted upon the request to seek independent expert advice to validate its compliance. However, Clydebank later took the initiative to commission an independent review of its governing body member appointments to investigate the issues flagged by the SHR.

By March 2024, the Regulator had temporarily changed Clydebank’s regulatory status to ‘Compliant (under review)’ pending the outcome of the independent review. The findings indicated that Clydebank had not fully complied with its constitution between May 2023 and March 2024, leading to the cessation of membership for two governing body members who had missed four consecutive meetings without leave of absence being granted.

The Regulator emphasised that operating without a properly elected governing body exposed Clydebank to risks, potentially hindering the organisation’s ability to effectively lead and direct its operations. In response, Clydebank swiftly developed an improvement plan to address the identified concerns and commenced implementation even before the independent review concluded.

Subsequent to the independent review’s completion, Clydebank updated its improvement plan and shared it with the SHR. Most of the planned actions within the improvement plan have been executed, with significant progress made in the remaining actions. As per the review’s recommendation, Clydebank is set to commission an additional independent review of its governance framework in the near future.

By June 2024, the Regulator had completed its assessment of Clydebank’s regulatory status and was satisfied with the assurances provided by the association regarding its compliance with Regulatory Standards. This positive development led to the official update of Clydebank’s regulatory status to ‘Compliant.’

Looking ahead, the Regulator has expressed intentions to maintain ongoing engagement with Clydebank as it proceeds with the review of its governance framework. Lynette Lees, Chief Executive of Clydebank Housing Association, expressed confidence in the measures implemented thus far to strengthen governance. Lees highlighted a successful management committee recruitment drive and ongoing positive communication with the SHR as catalysts for proactive steps towards enhancing governance.

In a statement to Scottish Housing News, Lees commented, “We are pleased that our revised Engagement Plan demonstrates compliance with regulatory requirements, and we remain committed to further strengthening and enhancing our governance practices.”