Following the announcement earlier this year that Renfrewshire's Linstone Housing Association is considering joining the Link Group, the two organisations have now signed a joint statement of intent, outlining the goals of the proposed partnership.
It is anticipated that Linstone will become a subsidiary of Link Group Ltd by November this year. Linstone will retain its own identity and continue to own and manage its 1,600 rented homes and provide factoring and estate management services to 2,300 owner occupiers in Renfrewshire.
Both organisations want to create through their partnership a diverse group that will have the strength and expertise to meet the increasing complex challenge of building mixed, sustainable neighbourhoods, without losing touch with local communities.
The anticipated benefits of Linstone and Link joining forces include a strong and established group which can provide affordable housing and 'wider role' services across a large geographical area, with Linstone as the community-based 'local specialists' in Renfrewshire.
It will also see the strengthening of Link's position as a significant national service provider, with Linstone owning and managing housing stock and leading on development activities in Renfrewshire, improvement and development of the services provided to customers of the group and obtaining benefits of economies of scale in procurement of goods and services.
There will be an an increase in the group's ability to tackle regeneration projects, sharing of services within the expanded Link group, including Finance, Regeneration, HR, IT, development, maintenance, housing support/care, health & safety and tenant participation and staff benefiting from increased training, development and career opportunities.
Link Chief Executive, Craig Sanderson said: "We envisage benefits for both organisations in this proposal. By joining together, a broader and more effective range of services would be available to tenants, residents and local communities in Renfrewshire."
Linstone's Chair, Iain Wilson said: "Around 18 months ago Linstone anticipated that the future of housing would encompass even greater partnership working. Working together within the Link group we anticipate that we can provide higher quality, diverse and efficient services to our service users and estates which may have proven difficult to achieve as a Housing Association operating on our own."
Show/Hide comments
Show/Hide comment form