Brighter Futures Housing Association Limited is governed by a Board of remunerated Non-Executive Directors and an Executive Management Team.
Our Board comprises people who are committed to Brighter Futures and the communities we serve. The Board members have a wide range of skills, knowledge, and experience to draw on and make decisions about our strategic objectives, financial viability, and policy. They also oversee the work of the organisation.
Our Executive Management Team work closely with the Board to achieve the highest standards of governance, value for money and services to our residents and customers. More information about our Non-Executive Directors and our Executive Management Team can be found in the Our Team page.
Brighter Futures also has shareholders who can take part in our Annual General Meeting and vote for new Board members.
Legal Status
Brighter Futures is a Registered Society under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014. This means that we are a charity because under English law a charity is any organisation that does charitable acts for the benefit of the public. Brighter Futures like other charitable Registered Societies does not need to be registered with the Charity Commission.
Our Rules
Like all Registered Societies Brighter Futures has a set of Rules that are our ‘constitution’. The Rules set out our charitable purpose, how the business is governed and how it manages its relations with the outside world. Brighter Futures has adopted the National Housing Federation’s (NHF) Model Rules 2015 which were produced in conjunction with the Social Housing Regulator and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Brighter Futures is not permitted to breach these Rules or act outside of the powers defined in the Rules.
A copy of our Rules can be found on the FCA’s Mutual Register at Mutuals Public Register: Brighter Futures Housing Association Limited (fca.org.uk)
Our charitable purpose is defined in Rule A2 which says:
A2 The association is formed for the benefit of the community. Its objects shall be to carry on for the benefit of the community:
A2.1 the business of providing and managing housing and social housing and providing assistance to help house people and associated facilities and amenities or services for poor people or for the relief of aged, disabled, (whether physically or mentally) or chronically sick people.
A2.2 any other charitable object that can be carried out from time to time by a Registered Society registered as a provider of social housing with the Regulator.
These definitions may sound old fashioned, but they are also contained in the Charities Act which all charitable purposes must comply with.
Brighter Futures must also comply with charity and other applicable charitable law, and this restricts the activities we can undertake. We are not able to do things which fall outside our charitable purpose. Put simply, as a provider of social housing our purpose as a charity is to house people who are unable to afford a home of their own.
Brighter Futures has also adopted the NHF’s Code of Governance 2020 which is designed to help housing associations achieve the highest standards of governance and board excellence. Information about the Code can be found here.
How We are Regulated
Brighter Futures is registered with the Regulator of Social Housing (‘the RSH’) as a provider of social housing. The RSH is a government body whose role is to promote a viable, efficient and well-governed social housing sector that is able to deliver homes that meet a range of needs.
The RSH has put in place Regulatory Standards that all providers of social housing must comply with. The Standards are designed to make sure that Brighter Futures is a good landlord to its residents, that are homes are maintained to a good standard and safe to live in, that we listen to our residents. The Standards also cover how the business is run, how we manage risk, and how we maintain financial viability and ensure value for money. Click here to learn more about the standards Brighter Futures is required to adhere to.
The Brighter Futures Board reviews and confirms our compliance with the Regulatory Standards and Code of Governance.
