Link Housing Association 50th Birthday

1962 ~ 2012

Link 50 Contents

Foreword ..................................................................................3 Introduction ..............................................................................4 Getting started ..........................................................................6 Early growth ..............................................................................8 To the rescue – the 1974 Housing Act ....................................10 Expansion ..............................................................................12 Home ownership ....................................................................14 Funding – a sea change ........................................................18 Involving our tenants ..............................................................20 Promoting financial inclusion ................................................24 Helping others ........................................................................28 Supporting people..................................................................30 Addressing homelessness ....................................................36 Partnership in practice............................................................40 Working with older people......................................................46 Mergers, transfers and new subsidiaries ..............................50 Building communities ............................................................54 Supporting sustainability........................................................60 Housing for disabled people ..................................................62 LinkGiving ..............................................................................64 Valuing staff ............................................................................66 Link to the future ....................................................................68 Thanks ....................................................................................69 Timeline ..................................................................................70 Captions ..................................................................................72

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Link 50 Foreword September 1962 was a month to remember! We were getting over the grey post-war drudgery of the ’50s and (especially those of us who were teenagers) enjoying the increasingly “swinging” ’60s.

We marvelled at epic blockbuster “flicks” such as Lawrence of Arabia and ground-breaking dramas like Z Cars (and images from all over the world thanks to the Telstar satellite) on our new television sets.

Although most of us were happily singing along to Frank Ifield’s I Remember You as it made No.1 in the charts, this kind of bland “pop” had just about reached its sell-by date. It was about to be swept aside by four young Scousers who had recorded their self-penned Love Me Do on the 4th day of that month.

But it wasn’t only the entertainment industry that was being turned on its head.

Nikita Khrushchev was loading Russian missiles onto ships which would soon be heading for Cuba and a showdown with the USA that brought the entire planet close to annihilation.

The Conservative Government introduced the contentious Commonwealth Immigrants Act designed to restrict the numbers of Commonwealth citizens coming into the UK. On 12th September, a minor civil servant called William Vassall was arrested on suspicion of spying for the USSR, unleashing a chain of events destined to bring down the British Government and encourage us to question our leaders as never before.

The following day in Edinburgh, one woman and five men put the finishing touches to the establishment of a housing association to provide good quality accommodation options in and around the Capital. The difference here is that their actions have not been consigned to the history books – their initiative has continued to grow and evolve into one of the leading and most respected social enterprises in Scotland.

This is a tribute to them and the story of how their vision was developed to such an extent that, half a century later, that organisation is nationally recognised for the quality and integrity of the services it provides.

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Introduction The 1962 Housing (Scotland) Act made nearly £3 million in funding available through the Scottish Development Department and the Public Works Loan Board to encourage pilot developments of cost rent (unsubsidised) houses. The target client group was the middle management sector which was seen by the government as essential to the re-vitalisation of the Scottish economy.

Shortly after the announcement, a group of business and professional people with a range of experience and interest in housing got together to discuss the potential of this opportunity. They held their first meeting on 27th July – present were architect Mr P Cocker, Mrs H Cocker, Mr R Soper QS, Mr A Malcolm, Mr I Innes & Mr D Scott-Douglas.

At their next meeting on 13th September, they formally established Link Housing Association.

The name Link was chosen to signify the organisation’s position as a link between the private and public housing sectors. The declared aim was to “carry on the industry, business and trade of providing housing for letting and any associated amenities in Scotland”. They also agreed on Link’s first mission statement: “The provision of houses for the incoming peripatetic middle management sector and for certain specialist groups such as the elderly.”

Not quite as catchy as Link’s current mission statement “valuing people, working together, providing homes and building communities.”

In the early years, Link was largely dependent on people working on a voluntary basis but from 1969 it developed into a nationwide housing association employing its own full time staff. Now, in 2012, Link has more than 400 staff members and offers a wide range of services to 10,000 families and individuals, primarily in Scotland’s central belt.

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Getting started The fledgling organisation managed to secure over £1 million of the available Government funds and used it to build more than 200 houses in high amenity areas in Polmont and Barnton and in Cramond, Edinburgh. In what transpired to be a long history of firsts, the development in Polmont was the first in Scotland to receive the formal approval of the Secretary of State for Scotland under the 1962 Act. All three developments received Saltire Awards for design, reflecting the commitment to quality which still lies at the heart of all Link’s activities.

At the same time, Link (under the name of Link Benevolent Housing Trust) received a loan from Edinburgh Corporation to provide 100 small flats (mostly by sub-division or modernisation of older properties) as well as 15 new properties. These flats were for “retired people who were able to live independently” who would then free up under-occupied family houses. Through careful design, Link aimed to “prolong to the greatest possible extent, the active and independent life of the elderly.” All of these properties were in Edinburgh in desirable locations like Royal Circus, St Bernard’s Crescent, Morningside Park and Craigmillar Park – where, in early 1964, Link Trust’s first tenants moved in. According to a report to the board in August that year, they had already formed “a pleasant community”.

All of these homes were let on a cost rent basis – the rents paid by tenants had to be sufficient to cover the cost of repaying loans and interest over 60 years as well as the ongoing costs of managing, maintaining and insuring the properties. As we shall see later, this proved to be unsustainable in the long term.

Link was awarded the first Historic Buildings Council Grant in Edinburgh’s New Town to allow the work at St Bernard’s Crescent to happen.

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Early growth The 1964 Housing Act created the Housing Corporation which encouraged housing associations to progress from cost rent developments to a new form of tenure called coownership. Co-ownership housing offered a choice to people who could not – or did not want to – buy or rent a home in the traditional way.

Link took a leading role in this new initiative, in keeping with the Management Committee’s vision for the future agreed in September 1970: • There would be no limit on the number of developments, including rehabilitation work.

• It was prepared to consider developments outside Scotland, including working with the Western European Building Corporation.

Link actively sought sites throughout Scotland and re-organised itself into a group of separate but affiliated societies, one for each new co-ownership development. This entailed a name change to “Link Housing and Associated Societies.” Funding was obtained from building societies for 50-66% of the cost with the balance coming from the Government via the Housing Corporation.

Each co-ownership society jointly owned all the properties with individual members paying “rents” which covered loan repayments and other costs. When co-owners moved out, they received a premium payment related to the increase in value of the housing stock during their occupation.

During the 1970s, Link developed and took over management of 15 co-ownership estates totalling over 650 homes across central Scotland – Edinburgh, Glasgow, Paisley, Dunblane, Dundee, Perth, Dumfries, Gullane and Musselburgh.

By the late 1970s, the increasing cost of this type of housing, coupled with rising interest rates and the complexities of its management, made it a less attractive form of housing provision. Since the Tenants’ Rights, Etc. (Scotland) Act 1980 enabled co-ownership societies to sell properties to their members, co-ownership has virtually disappeared from the Scottish housing scene.

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To the rescue – the 1974 Housing Act By the early 1970s, the cost rent model was running into serious difficulties. There were severe letting difficulties at Polmont due to the relatively high rent levels. This was exacerbated by the existence of a nearby Scottish Special Housing Association development which, thanks to subsidies, could offer accommodation at much lower rents.

The repairs budget was also under pressure and tenants were advised that only heating, major plumbing and external repairs would be carried out. The only solution to the fiscal crisis appeared to be substantial rent increases but Link’s management committee was reluctant to pursue this option as it felt it would lead to a mass exodus of tenants. A compromise figure of 12.5% was agreed but even then committee members were so concerned that they agreed to pre-empt the tenants’ reaction by offering an explanation of their reasons in an article in “The Scotsman”.

The 1974 Housing Act, however, came to the rescue. It not only introduced the concept of “Fair Rents” but also made grants available to housing associations to keep rents “affordable”.

These grants could be used for building new housing schemes as well as carrying out major repairs on existing stock. In addition, more opportunities were created to build accommodation for specific groups – single people, elderly people and disabled people.

In order to access these funds, housing associations were required to register with the Housing Corporation, publish their policies and procedures and submit to regular scrutiny.

Unsurprisingly, on 23 June 1975, Link was the first housing association in Scotland to register.

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Expansion The new regulatory regime heralded a period of significant expansion in the Edinburgh, Falkirk and Glasgow areas with Link establishing new office bases in all three locations in order to maximise its chances of acquiring new sites. Link’s long and fruitful relationship with Falkirk Council was established in 1977 when it was asked to take the lead role in a substantial rehabilitation programme comprising 600 units over a 5-year period. The focus was on the Grahamston area of the town, (Wallace Street, Bute Street and Church Place) and there were also major projects in Camelon (at Hamilton Street, Glasgow Road and Haddows Buildings).

Link’s new presence in Central Region had the added benefit of creating opportunities to work with other local councils, producing homes in Stirling, Dunblane, Tillicoultry and Dollar.

In Edinburgh, the focus was mainly on Housing Action areas, another legacy of the 1974 Act. Link’s contribution was a significant number of single-person properties in locations such as St. Stephen Street, Stockbridge and Abbeyhill. After years of negotiation with planning authorities, a flagship development of small flats in the heart of the New Town was started at Jamaica Mews with the first tenants moving in during 1981. Family housing was also on the agenda with large developments being completed at Linkburn in the west of the city and Mortonhall in the south before the end of the decade.

Major developments in Glasgow included 88 flats at Cowcaddens (including 15 cluster flats) and 40 at Vicarland Place in Cambuslang along with much-needed single person accommodation in Airdrie at Robertson Street.

Link also completed new developments in West Lothian (Bathgate, Uphall and West Calder), Midlothian (Penicuik), Fife (Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy) and Perth & Kinross (Crieff).

In the early 1980s, the Housing Corporation encouraged Link to expand even further afield into the Highland and Borders Regions. In the next few years, this produced homes in Fort William, Kyle of Lochalsh, Coldstream, Eyemouth, Galashiels, Kelso and Melrose.

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Home ownership Link has a long history of helping people on to the home ownership ladder. Far in advance of the 1987 Housing Act which introduced the Right to Buy for housing association tenants, Link operated a voluntary sales policy. Link tenants who had occupied their homes for a minimum of three years could apply to buy although there were no discounts available and an administration fee of 2.5% of the District Valuer’s valuation was added to the price. Not surprisingly, very few properties (only 22) were sold on this basis.

The Tenants’ Rights, Etc. (Scotland) Act of 1980 was the Thatcher Government’s first major piece of housing legislation. One of its outcomes was to set the framework for a new form of tenure – shared ownership.

This new form of low-cost housing targeted people who aspired to home ownership but were unable to buy outright. It helped to introduce mixed tenure in areas otherwise comprising either wholescale owner-occupation or social rent. Shared ownership allowed people to buy a share in a property and pay “rent” on the share remaining in the association’s ownership. They could buy further shares when they were able with the ultimate option of owning the property outright.

Link was one of four housing associations involved in the pilot programme and secured about £1 million of funding to buy 48 properties throughout Central Scotland, mainly in Glasgow and Lanarkshire. Shared ownership went from strength to strength through the 1980s and into the early 1990s with Link buying hundreds more properties “off the shelf”.

From the mid-1990s, the focus was on associations building their own shared ownership units.

Since then, Link has produced a further 300 properties for shared ownership mostly in Edinburgh, Falkirk, Fife and Grangemouth. These homes continue to be a popular option for people who cannot buy properties outright and shared ownership has now established itself as a “mainstream” tenure option.

In 1985, Link Housing Association established a new subsidiary, Link Homes Ltd, as a voluntary non-profit making housing association not registered with Scottish Homes (the successor body to the Housing Corporation). Working with local authorities, Scottish Homes, local enterprise companies, developers and others, Link Homes met the needs of people looking for high quality, low-cost accommodation for sale, something Link Housing Association itself was precluded from doing. It reinvested any surpluses in its own activities or those of its charitable parent body.

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Home ownership Link Homes has now provided more than 400 high quality homes for sale in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Hamilton, Stirling, Fife, the Scottish Borders and Highlands. Almost all were purchased by first-time buyers, most of whom had been on local authority waiting lists.

(Link Homes also delivered 140 homes for market rent in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stirling, Falkirk, Coatbridge, Livingston and Fife.)

The Housing (Scotland) Act of 1987 introduced the Right to Buy for housing association tenants. Initially, all associations were included but an amendment was proposed which would exempt those with charitable status. As Link had become a charity in 1985, it seemed it would escape but the government was intent on ensnaring Link and altered the legislation to include any association which had obtained charitable status on or after the date Link got it! There was certainly a huge demand from Link tenants – in the first 10 years Link sold over 600 properties.

In recent years, with 100% mortgages disappearing from the market place, the focus switched to Shared Equity. In September 2005, Link piloted a new initiative called “Homestake” in Edinburgh and the Lothians in partnership with Communities Scotland (successor body to Scottish Homes) and two other associations, Dunedin Canmore and Castle Rock Edinvar.

Homestake was aimed at first time buyers and those on low or fixed incomes to help them buy homes on the open market called the Open Market Shared Equity Pilot (OMSEP), potential buyers were able to buy a majority stake in the property that they wanted to purchase and the remainder was held by the Scottish Government (having made an interest free loan, repayable on sale). In the first year, Link helped over 200 people purchase a new home.

The Scottish Government rebranded Homestake as the “Low-cost Initiative for First-Time Buyers” (LIFT) in January 2008. Link was appointed to administer the OMSEP in Edinburgh and the Lothians, Perth & Kinross and Stirling. During this time, Link also provided a shared equity service to Cube, Dunedin Canmore and West of Scotland Housing Associations.

In April 2009, the Scottish Government invested £46 million allowing Link to expand its delivery of the scheme across 25 local authority areas.

Link was appointed by the Scottish Government in 2010 to be an agent for its New Supply Shared Equity Scheme “trial” with developers. Link’s role was to advise prospective buyers, assess their eligibility for the scheme and process applications. In 2011, Link was appointed as agent to work with nine major house builders across a range of new build developments within the central belt.

With Link’s help over 2000 people have been able to buy properties through the LIFT scheme.

We have also built over 200 properties for sale through shared equity.

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Funding – a sea change The 1988 Housing Act was another important milestone for Scottish housing. As well as creating Scottish Homes by combining the Housing Corporation and the Scottish Special Housing Association, it introduced a new funding regime. Housing Association Grant for new developments was to be reduced and the shortfall was to be funded by private loans raised by each housing association. In addition, rents were no longer set by the Rent Registration Service but by the associations themselves who had to ensure that they were not only sufficient to cover loan repayments and day-to-day management and maintenance costs but also allowed them to set aside funds for future major repairs and refurbishment. The concept of “affordability” quickly became the hot topic of the day as associations wrestled with the difficulties of setting rents which were high enough to cover costs but were not out of the reach of their traditional client groups, i.e., those on relatively low or fixed incomes.

At the same time, the standard “Secure Tenancy” was replaced by the “Assured Tenancy”. The primary aim of this new form of tenancy was to revitalise the private rented sector by relaxing rent restrictions and making it easier for landlords to recover properties from sitting tenants.

Housing Associations were also obliged to use it although there was one immediate benefit – Assured Tenants did not have the Right to Buy which put a welcome brake on the loss of existing and future stock.

In August 1989, Link completed its first development under the new financial regime at Dryburgh Way in Grangemouth. The project costs were met by 75% Housing Association Grant and 25% in the form of a low-start, deferred interest loan from the Woolwich Building Society. Link was also able to limit the rents to less than 5% more than Fair Rents for comparable properties.

Since then, Link has borrowed substantial levels of private finance to help fund its development programme and other activities. A significant milestone was reached in 2001 when it secured £50 million from a syndicate involving the Royal Bank of Scotland, Abbey National and Lloyds TSB Scotland. At the time, this was the largest single social housing loan in Scotland.

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Involving our tenants “Working together” is a key part of our mission statement and developing tenant liaison and involvement has always been fundamental to our approach. Link has a long tradition of helping to establish and support tenant participation. Now more than ever before, we believe that our tenants are integral to influencing the design of our properties and helping to improve our services.

Link’s client base has changed much in the last 50 years. The first tenants were selected on very different criteria from now. In 1964, the management committee decreed that the main criterion would be “financial adequacy”. Thereafter, tenants would be selected on date order, subject to a satisfactory interview with the committee which wanted to be satisfied that prospective tenants “would be able to fit in with their neighbours”. Two types of applicant would be refused – those of “insufficient financial means” and those who were “suspected troublemakers”!

Link’s first informal tenants’ group was formed in Barnton in the late 1960s. As is often the case, they came together because they were unhappy with the repairs service they were receiving.

Link’s Secretaries, Bonar Mackenzie WS, reported to the committee that “seldom a day passes without receipt of tenants’ complaints.”

The tenants at Cramond Green also attempted to flex their muscles by demanding that Link write to the authorities at Edinburgh Airport asking them to alter the flight path so aircraft did not pass over their homes.

The 1980s and 90s witnessed growth in the number of tenants’ organisations across Link’s areas of operation. These groups not only allowed tenants to exchange views but they helped to develop a community spirit as they provided opportunities for tenants to meet socially. There was growing recognition within Link that tenants could make a significant contribution to the management of their homes. We now provide support to 16 registered tenants’ organisations and 4 non-registered groups.

Our first full-scale tenant satisfaction survey was conducted in 1992 which produced an average satisfaction threshold of 80%. Not surprisingly, the main message to Link was to improve communication. One outcome was a new tenant participation policy to allow tenants’ views – individually and collectively – to be assessed more accurately and reflected in our policies and practices. At the same time a new Tenant Handbook was launched along with a regular Tenant Newsletter. We still carry out major satisfaction surveys every two years to allow us to gather feedback from tenants on our services, helping us continuously to improve the service we provide.

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Involving our tenants In 1998, as part of a new Tenant Participation strategy, Link’s first Tenant Liaison Officer was appointed to work with staff, tenants and local communities to identify the need for projects which would assist in the alleviation of local economic, employment, training, health amenity and security problems. Through consultation and training, the Tenant Liaison Officer developed relationships which encouraged greater tenant involvement in Link's activities.

We held our first Tenants’ Conference in November 1999 which brought together staff and tenants to discuss specific issues. We continue to hold such Conferences annually.

Our achievement in developing and improving our tenant services was recognised in 2004 when Link received the top accolade for “Outstanding Achievement” in the Good Practice in Tenant Participation awards from the Tenant Participation Advisory Service / Chartered Institute of Housing in Scotland.

In 2010, Link became only the second Registered Social Landlord in Scotland to be formally accredited by the Tenant Participation Advisory Service (TPAS) which recognises excellence in tenant participation.

In 2011, Link helped to produce a DVD called “Welcome to your New home” which is issued to all tenants at the start of their tenancies. It outlines our obligations to tenants and, just as importantly, what responsibilities a tenant has to Link, their neighbours and the community. In October 2011, the DVD won the award for “Best Practice Initiative – Involving All” at the TPAS Scotland Annual Conference.

Now in 2012, we have a range of interactive and innovative ways for tenants and residents to get involved right through to Board membership. Our tenant participation activities ensure that tenants can take part in and influence discussions and decision-making processes on service delivery and service planning. Tenants are able to participate in tenant-led inspections, consultations and surveys as well as being able to undertake training and attend conferences and events.

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Promoting financial inclusion Link has always prided itself in the quality of advice it gives to its tenants, owners and other customers. In the early years this was very much the responsibility of housing officers who were expected to be “all-rounders” with knowledge of all tenancy issues, maintenance matters and be able to give advice on debt management and state benefits. In recent years, however, the provision of financial advice has become much more specialised.

As part of our commitment to helping tenants maximise their incomes, we appointed a Welfare Rights Officer in 1999. In that first year, over 400 tenants benefited from her help. In one early case a tenant received an extra £99 a week. Over the next few years, the Welfare Rights Service grew as it responded to the needs of tenants and others who might not have been claiming or receiving all the welfare or social benefits to which they were entitled. The team raised almost £2m in increased benefits for tenants during the first few years.

Launched in 2005, Link established a new service for older people called the Older Persons Advice Project (OPAP) using funds received from the Pensions Service Partnership Fund. Its purpose was to help older people access benefits and to offer further information and advice to help promote independence and tackle exclusion and isolation. Link was one of 15 Scottish organisations to secure a Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) contract under the terms of the Fund. During its first two years it was successful in raising more than £0.75 million of benefit income.

The OPAP service was so successful that in 2007 it was able to expand into Edinburgh, Fife and the Lothians, thanks to grant support from Communities Scotland, Dunedin Canmore Housing Association and Link itself.

In November 2009, the Older People’s Advice Service (OPAS) was launched, thanks to £700,000 of funding from the Scottish Government. It targeted people over-60 in the most deprived parts of Clackmannanshire, West Lothian and North Lanarkshire. This new service was based on the success of OPAP which by that time had raised over £2million in unclaimed benefit income.

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Promoting financial inclusion Just like OPAP, OPAS helps to combat poverty and financial exclusion by improving take-up of older people’s benefits with particular emphasis on clients who have health problems, are housebound, or who live in remote areas. In 2009, a social impact measurement was carried out to evaluate the OPAS project. This social return on investment (SROI) study revealed that for every £1 invested in the project it achieved an impressive social return of £27.53.

Both OPAP and OPAS have been recognised for the work they have done to improve the lives of older people, including the 2009 UK Housing Award for “Outstanding Achievement in Housing in Scotland”, and the “Service Provider of the Year – working with 65 +” at the Herald Society Awards 2010.

In 2010, Link’s Advice Service achieved accreditation from the Scottish National Standards for Information and Advice Providers. It was the first housing association service to have received accreditation for money advice provision and only the second to achieve accreditation for welfare rights advice.

At Link’s Annual General Meeting in September 2010, the Housing and Communities Minister Alex Neil made an unexpected visit to praise Linkwide’s Older Person’s Advice Project (OPAP) and Older People’s Advice Service (OPAS) which by that time had raised more than £4 million in benefit income for older people in Scotland.

Since its formation in 2005, OPAS has now boosted the weekly incomes of over 5,400 older people by securing over £11 million in benefits.

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Helping others Link has always been willing to share its expertise with other housing associations and considers this an important part of its work.

Our first foray could hardly have been further afield! In 1971, Link took over management of Scottish Airports Housing Association in Shetland and continued to provide administrative services after it became Hjaltland Housing Association in 1980. This arrangement continued until 1985 when Hjaltland became fully independent.

In 1975, Link staff and Board members initially serviced the newly established Port of Leith Housing Association. Such was its success, that after only a year, it was able to become an independent association with its own full-time staff and office base in Leith. Now, in 2012 it is a major contributor to the revitalisation of Edinburgh’s port.

Nearby, Link also helped Lorne Area Housing Association with its action area assistance programme. As Link’s agency work in Broughton Road, Edinburgh, had coincidentally stalled due to funding restrictions, we were able to provide a development service to Lorne allowing it to complete contracts, giving Link development staff full-time employment until more funding was available.

Link also provided development agency services to Kingdom Housing Association in Fife prior to it becoming a fully independent organisation in 1985.

Culdion Housing Association (which provided housing for abused women and their families) and James F. Montgomerie Housing Association (for people with hearing impairments) also benefited from Link’s support in their early days, during the 1980s.

Since 1990, Link has also provided agency services to Horizon Housing Association (providing for disabled people in an integrated setting), North Edinburgh Action Group (housing and services for people with learning disabilities) and Hunters Hall Housing Co-operative (a community based organisation working in the Craigmillar area of Edinburgh).

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Supporting people Link has always been a pioneer in the provision of supported accommodation by a nonspecialised housing association.

From the early 1980s, Link’s management committee determined “the important role Link could play in the provision of special needs housing”, recognising that this would be a “fast-growing area.” Since then, Link has managed a variety of supported accommodation projects throughout Scotland, often in partnership with other organisations. Then as now, Link caters for young people, people with mental health issues or those with learning disabilities. Additionally, we also cater for those who are homeless or who have addictions.

In the early days, Link’s role was primarily as a housing supplier with partner organisations providing the support the tenants required. In 1985, however, Link set up and managed its first Care Housing project at Craigmillar Park in Edinburgh. The original building had been acquired

by Link in 1964 and converted into small flats but was now badly in need of refurbishment.

Unfortunately, both the Scottish Development Department and the Housing Corporation refused to fund this work and recommended it be sold off. Link had other ideas and funded the conversion to a care home from its own reserves, supplemented by the proceeds from voluntary house sales to sitting tenants. Eight studio flats were created along with communal lounge, dining room and kitchen. The tenants required varying degrees of support under the overall supervision of a residential manager. A second Care Housing project was soon established at Dougall Court in Dalkeith, again using Link’s own money. Two semi-detached properties were acquired from the local authority and converted into a home for six adults with learning disabilities.

Around the same time, Link appointed one of its housing management staff to the new post of Special Needs Housing Officer with the main aim of “helping vulnerable people move towards independence”. The rapid growth of this activity led to the creation of the Community Housing Team within the Housing Department. Its remit was to “improve the management and support of young people and mentally ill tenants.” The first major project was providing support to 45 vulnerable young people in nine cluster flats in Edinburgh. By the end of 1986, it had expanded sufficiently to require new office space and moved into premises at 13 Queen Street which it shared with Penumbra, a volunteer organisation established by Link and others a few years previously to support people with mental health issues.

In 1988, following changes to the housing and welfare benefits system, Link created a new Supported Accommodation Department (to supercede the Community Housing team). This was further recognition of the growing demand for services for the increasing numbers of young people who not only needed housing but care and support.

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Supporting people We introduced new high quality housing and support at Lower London Road, Edinburgh, in 1995. Ten new tenancies were made available representing a new approach to support provision. Six tenancies were allocated to establish a project for people with long term mental illness (the Edinburgh Mental Health Service) and the remaining four tenancies were integrated into our young people’s housing and support projects.

In June 1996, the conversion of a “Grade B listed” former rope-mill in Kirkcaldy into the first purpose-built Foyer in Scotland was a logical extension to the range of options Link offered at the time. The West Bridge Mill was established to address the “no home – no job” cycle as it not only provided quality supported accommodation to 44 residents but also gave residents access to training and employment opportunities. It also housed 14 units for small businesses and other commercial interests along with conference and training facilities and a restaurant for visitors and residents.

Link has consistently recognised and responded to the aspirations and needs of its supported tenants. Between 1998 and 2000, Link used its own reserves to replace its group homes and “cluster” flats (pioneering developments in the 1980s but failing to meet expectations 20 years later) with small scale, “ordinary” tenemental property in Edinburgh.

Following a major organisational review in 2001, a new subsidiary called LinkLiving was created to deliver the supported accommodation and housing support service. At the time it provided services in Edinburgh (Young Persons Service and Mental Health Service), Midlothian, Fife and Falkirk to people who faced social exclusion through homelessness, mental health problems, learning disabilities or multiple needs, offering “person centred” housing support services to more than 300 service users.

During 2005, LinkLiving produced a film entitled “Lives Behind Labels’ which featured service users speaking first-hand about their experiences of supported living. It received widespread acclaim and LinkLiving’s national profile received a boost when a copy of the film and accompanying booklet was formally presented at the Scottish Parliament in January 2006.

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Supporting people LinkLiving was soon diversifying even further. Established in 2005, SmartMove offered a Peer Education Service in Falkirk aimed at tackling potential homelessness by recruiting volunteer peer educators to offer housing support and advice to other young people. Re-named SmartLiving, it took off in 2008. It was accredited by Investors In Volunteers and secured funding to support its next three years from the Robertson Trust and Falkirk Council. In March 2010, it won additional funding from the Scottish Government’s Wider Role Fund, Fife Council, Robertson Trust and Link Group to extend its activities into Edinburgh and Fife, joining forces with Port of Leith, Dunedin Canmore, Paragon, Kingdom and Fife Housing Associations.

SmartLiving has won several awards, most notably the “Service Provider of the Year (working with under 24s)” at the Herald Society Awards in 2010.

Supported by funding from Fife Community Mental Health Partnership Forum a new volunteer befriending and mentoring service was launched in Fife in May 2009. RealLiving now covers Central Fife and its volunteer befrienders/mentors have helped many people with mental health issues to develop confidence, gain independence and build social networks in their local communities.

In 2010, a number of new initiatives were established in Fife. A new gardening project was set up by RealLiving volunteers at Craigencault, the Ecology Centre at Kinghorn Loch. A Supported Self Help service was (set up in partnership with NHS Fife and through funding by the Local Mental Health Partnership) aimed at helping people in North East Fife, who had mild to moderate mental health issues.

LinkLiving continues to explore different ways of delivering services which respond not only to the needs, wishes and aspirations of the people requiring support but also to identified community and corporate objectives.

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Addressing homelessness The prevention of homelessness has always been one of Link’s key objectives and we have participated in a number of initiatives which have exemplified our approach.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Link’s focus was on producing homes for single people by renovating older properties, mainly in the Falkirk area and building new developments in Edinburgh such as Bonnington Road in Leith and Jamaica Mews in the New Town as well as shared “cluster” flats in Lyne Street. A major development was also completed at Cowcaddens in Glasgow as well as four in the Scottish Borders (in Galasheils, Kelso, Coldstream and Eyemouth). This type of accommodation was vital to meet the needs of growing numbers of single-person households created by relationship breakdowns. It also helped meet demand from young people leaving home for the first time – indeed, Link was one of the first housing providers in Scotland to offer tenancies to 16 and 17-year-olds.

To ensure that those in the greatest need were given priority, Link completed a major overhaul of its allocations policy in 1982, introducing a “groups plus points” system for the first time.

Covenanted money from the sale of Link Homes properties was also used to good effect. It helped fund a new development at Etna Court in Falkirk and helped Link Housing provide furnished tenancies for homeless applicants with no goods of their own.

Link also participated in the Tenants Incentive Scheme (TIS) in the early 1990s which provided grants to tenants to help them buy properties on the open market, thus releasing rented houses for applicants on the waiting list.

In 2000, a new support service was set up in partnership with Falkirk Council which helped young council tenants to sustain their tenancies by boosting self esteem and providing practical advice and home-making skills, together with help with welfare benefit entitlements.

Link has also helped relieve homelessness among home owners. In 1998, we joined forces with the Royal Bank of Scotland to offer a Mortgage to Rent service. This allows owner occupiers who are finding it difficult to keep up their mortgage repayments to sell their home to Link. In return, they are offered a tenancy at an affordable rent, allowing them to remain in their home and stay settled in familiar surroundings. This activity was expanded following the introduction of a nationwide, Scottish Government sponsored scheme in 2003.

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Addressing homelessness Link launched a new tenancy sustainment strategy in 2009, designed to help tenants sustain their tenancies and setting out how we work with them to achieve this. Through pre- and posttenancy visits providing information on welfare benefits and referrals for support to LinkLiving support services, there has been a 74% reduction in evictions and abandonments.

Link’s approach to preventing homelessness was recognised by the Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) in 2009. The SHR carried out an inspection in Glasgow and Link was one of six RSLs to take part. The study concluded that Link had a good approach to preventing homelessness.

In September 2010, Link Housing Association took over the management of the City of Edinburgh Council Private Sector Leasing (PSL) scheme. Link was the first Registered Social Landlord in Scotland to manage such a scheme.

PSL offers contracts to private landlords to provide empty properties which are let by the Council to those who are homeless or in housing need. Link currently manages over 1700 properties and administers the property and management functions on behalf of the Council.

Link and the City of Edinburgh Council were shortlisted for the “Partnership of the Year Award” at the UK Housing Awards 2012 in recognition of the success of the Edinburgh PSL scheme.

Link continues to contribute as fully as possible to the Scottish Government’s 2012 target of achieving permanent accommodation to all unintentionally homeless people in Scotland.

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Partnership in practice From the outset, Link recognised the importance of working in partnership, developing and maintaining close working relationships with a number of other organisations such as: • Local authorities • Banks and Building Societies • Public Works Loan Board / Housing Corporation / Scottish Homes / Communities Scotland / Scottish Housing Regulator • Other housing associations • Building contractors / developers • Local enterprise companies • Health Boards • Voluntary organisations • Scottish Government In 1989, Link signed a joint statement of intent with Falkirk Council, which aimed to assist both organisations to work towards alleviating housing related problems in Falkirk in a spirit of mutual co-operation and respect.

In 1990, Link worked in partnership with Stirling University and Stirling Council (with funding by Scottish Homes and Dunfermline Building Society) to provide over 150 rooms, in 37 two storey houses in Bridge of Allan for students. At the time, Stirling University badly needed additional accommodation and the Council recognised that additional provision like this would help relieve the pressure on the private rented sector. The cost of the project was £2.6 million of which less than 43% was grant-funded. The properties were completed in August 1991. Further flats were built at Union Street in Stirling in the next couple of years but that was to be the last – the Treasury decided that the housing budget shouldn’t be subsidising accommodation for educational establishments.

Link worked in partnership with Edinvar and Haven Housing Associations, Link Homes, and Edinburgh Council for Single Homeless on a project at St John’s Hill, Edinburgh, which was completed in 1998. 67 new homes were built in a variety of tenures, including 30 flats for affordable rent, 17 flats for shared ownership, 11 flats for market to rent, nine flats for sharing and a day centre.

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Partnership in practice Using its own reserves, Link match-funded grants from the Scottish Executive (through Falkirk Council) as part of the Government’s Empty Homes Initiative to amalgamate unpopular bedsits in Hamilton Street, Falkirk, into two and three bedroom family homes. Conversions took place between 1998 and 2000, resulting in a more balanced and stable community.

Another notable success was the construction of five new energy-efficient “sustainable” homes in Ballingry in Fife by a group of 10 self-builders who, on completion in 2000, occupied them on a shared ownership basis. Link’s partners in this project were Community Self Build Scotland, Fife Council, Scottish Homes, Lauder College and the Benarty Improvement Group.

Kintry Another partnership initiative – this time on a much larger scale – was seen in the Niddrie/Craigmillar area of Edinburgh. From 1999, a consortium of four housing associations (Link, Canmore, Castle Rock and Edinvar) participated with the local community and the City of Edinburgh Council to help with the area’s regeneration. The consortium adopted the title “Kintry” (meaning “neighbourhood” in old Scots).

The first phase of new homes built on cleared sites was completed in 2001 and included 60 for rent by Link and 67 for sale by Link Homes. 2004 saw the transfer from the City of Edinburgh Council of 130 flats in Craigmillar Castle to Link for improvement.

Having successfully facilitated the building or improvement of some 650 homes and anticipating the establishment of a local Neighbourhood Board to cover the whole area, Kintry wound itself up in 2006.

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Partnership in practice Inverlink Established in 1995 as a joint venture between Link Homes and Tulloch Homes, Inverlink developed projects with various housing associations, Scottish Homes and local authorities.

Its remit incorporated a wide range of provision including general needs housing for rent, lowcost housing for sale and projects for Community Care. It also provided development and management services to housing and community care organisations which did not have inhouse development staff or other resources to carry out the work. These included housing associations, voluntary organisations and local authorities.

In 1998, Inverlink finished its first development – for Almond Housing Association in Livingston – and completed a new citadel for the Salvation Army in Falkirk. It went on to deliver low-cost homes for sale in Falkirk, Bellshill, Coatbridge and Auchtermuchty and developed special projects for Barony Housing Association and the Richmond Fellowship.

In 2004, Inverlink’s various activities and projects were absorbed into Link Homes’ and Link Group’s remits and the company is currently dormant.

Larach Link and five of the other most dynamic Scottish Registered Social Landlords joined forces in 2002 to form the Larach alliance to develop 800 new homes by 2007 while improving quality and sustainability and establishing pioneering co-operative relationships between client, contractor and supplier.

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Working with older people Link has a long track record of working with older people before the advent of Sheltered housing. The rehabilitation of pre-1919 town houses in Edinburgh carried out by Link Trust in the 1960s was aimed at meeting the needs of this sector of society by creating small, easilymaintained flats close to amenities like shops and bus stops.

Link’s first foray into sheltered housing happened almost by accident. In the late 1970s, the English-based Raglan Housing Association decided to discontinue its work in Scotland. Most of its developments were handed over to the Help the Aged Housing Association but they were unable to take on the disabled facilities at a sheltered complex at Kilsyth Road in Kirkintilloch. At the behest of the Housing Corporation, Link came to the rescue and the project was launched with an opening ceremony in May 1980.

Link completed the first of its own sheltered complexes in 1989 at Castings House in Grahamston, Falkirk. Four years later, Morar Court in the Bowhouse area of Grangemouth was opened. In between, Link acquired two more developments off-the-shelf from Cumbernauld Development Corporation – at Ben Lui Place in September 1990 and Glen Lyon Court in the new village of Craigmarloch the following year.

With Link’s merger with Gap Housing Association in 2000 Link inherited a further five sheltered complexes in Cambuslang (2), Glasgow, Airdrie and Lochwinnoch. Our most recent sheltered developments were completed in 2005/6 at Claddens Place in Possil, Glasgow, and Albany Court in Denny. The latter was built in partnership with Falkirk Council and was partly funded by Communities Scotland, which awarded over £2 million of Housing Association Grant to Link for the project. Link now has 12 sheltered housing complexes.

Link has also been involved in assisting older people who own their homes. Between 1993 and 1995 we were awarded the contract to manage the Falkirk Care & Repair project. It provided a co-ordinated service for elderly and disabled homeowners and private tenants who need repairs, improvement or adaptations to their homes. Our subsidiary, Horizon, currently provides the West Lothian Care & Repair service which carries out small repairs in the homes of older people.

This year, Link secured the contract for the delivery of Care & Repair and Handyperson Services in North Lanarkshire which is being managed by Horizon Housing Association. Small repairs are carried out for owner occupiers who are aged over 65 or who have a disability. The handyperson service provides a service to those aged over 65 whether they own their home or not. The two year contract aims to assist over 3000 people each year.

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Working with older people In 2011, we joined forces with Action for Hearing Loss Scotland (formerly the Royal National Institute for the Deaf) to establish a drop-in service called “Hear to Help”. Trained volunteers provide advice and tips on maintaining NHS hearing aids in our sheltered complexes in North Lanarkshire and Glasgow. It means that people can have their hearing aid maintained locally without having to make a visit to the audiology department of their local hospital or health centre.

Residents in each of our complexes have the opportunity to learn new skills such as food preparation or become a “Silver Surfer” to allow them to use the internet.

Over the years, both staff and residents have held a number of fundraising events raising money for various charities.

Link constantly strives to deliver the best possible service to its older customers and (as at September 2012) we are adding the finishing touches to a three-year “Older Persons’ Strategy.”

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Mergers, transfers and new subsidiaries Mergers and Transfers of Engagement have been a feature of Link’s development since the early 1970s. The first stock transfer was from Keystone Housing Society including properties in Falkirk, Stirling, Dunblane and Dumfries. In 1976, two more housing associations handed over the reins to Link – Drummond Housing Association which had been renovating flats at King’s Wark in Leith and Holyrood Housing Association which was doing likewise at Canongate on the Royal Mile.

In 1977, 172 family houses in Grangemouth, which had been built for employees at the BP refinery, were transferred to Link by Avon Housing Association. Today, only 20 still remain available for rent with the vast majority having been bought by sitting tenants.

James F. Montgomerie Housing Association had with Link’s help converted a former manse into a ten bed long-stay unit in the Gorbals, Glasgow, for people with hearing impairments and other disabilities. It merged with Link in 1990.

Stock transfers were the order of the day during the 1990s. At the start of the decade, the process of Scotland’s New Town Development Corporations coming under the control of the local authorities had begun and they were looking at ways of protecting their newly built houses from the Right to Buy. One way was to transfer them to housing associations such as Link. Glenrothes Development Corporation handed over 30 family houses in Finglassie and 160 new-build units were acquired from Cumbernauld Development Corporation (CDC). In November 1995, CDC transferred a further 125 units in Carrickstone and, a year later, 75 more in Blackwood.

A different process resulted in Link acquiring and refurbishing 180 council houses in the Hillhouse area of Hamilton in 1991. This time the sitting tenants were asked to vote on whether or not they wanted Link as their new landlord. A resounding majority (71%) voted in favour and Link went on to spend several million pounds regenerating the area.

In 1996, Lowlands Housing Society wound up and, after a tendering process, transferred its business to Link. This resulted in Link acquiring 190 units for rent and shared ownership in Edinburgh and south-east Scotland.

A watershed for Link was the merger with Gap Housing Association in December 2000. Gap managed 2,600 homes, mainly in Glasgow, North Lanarkshire, Ayrshire, Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire. Overnight, therefore, the combined organisation became the largest of its type in Scotland with more than 6,200 properties in management in 22 Scottish local authority areas.

Over 50 members of staff transferred to Link as part of the merger.

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Mergers, transfers and new subsidiaries The merger with GAP also paved the way for substantial investment in new or improved houses as it ensured that a backlog of major improvement and repair projects was cleared whilst delivering quality services to tenants. Link also took on the management/factoring of a significant volume of owner-occupied homes.

Late in 2006, Larkfield Housing Association joined the Link group as a subsidiary. Owning or managing almost 1000 properties in Greenock, this was the only example at that time of a Scottish RSL having another Scottish RSL as its “parent”.

January 2008 saw the transfer of housing from Blythswood and Port Glasgow Housing Associations to Link. In addition to Blythswood’s 153 houses and flats, which Link had managed since 2003, we also took over ownership of Port Glasgow HA’s 243 properties, and began work on delivering an investment programme to ensure that all of this stock achieves the Scottish Housing Quality Standard by 2015. This transfer was an immediate gain for Larkfield as it took over the management of the Port Glasgow properties on behalf of Link.

We welcomed Horizon Housing Association into the Link group in October 2009. Horizon has an excellent reputation for the quality of its housing and is recognised as a lead provider in Scotland of houses and services that meet the needs of disabled people. At a time where there is a chronic shortage of housing for disabled people, (particularly but not exclusively wheelchair users) its purpose has never been more relevant.

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Building communities Link has always been committed to developing regeneration initiatives in partnership with local communities as well as promoting social and economic security, stability and development in the diverse communities in which we are active.

Some of Link’s earliest schemes in Edinburgh featured non-housing elements. Cramond Green, built in 1965, contained a doctor’s surgery while at the same time Link Trust’s rehabilitation project at St Bernard’s Crescent contained a new shop.

We appointed a Community Regeneration Co-ordinator in 2000 to identify and progress “wider role” initiatives which complemented our traditional housing activities. In the following year, Linkwide was established as a subsidiary to focus on community regeneration and wider role activities. Over the past decade, it has delivered a significant programme of area regeneration in partnership with local communities, politicians, local authorities, health boards, voluntary organisations and Communities Scotland. Initiatives have included the provision of IT Starter Packs for young people in Falkirk, an IT Learning Centre in Airdrie, a Healthy Living Centre and a Dental Surgery in Coatbridge and a locally-based social enterprise in Clydebank.

The regeneration of the Oatlands estate in Glasgow remains one of the largest regeneration projects in Scotland, involving the development of 1250 new mixed tenure houses, community facilities and a raft of infrastructure measures. In 2006 Link was invited by Glasgow City Council and other Oatlands partners to play a role in the regeneration process. Link acquired housing stock in the estate and is heavily involved in broader regeneration activities which have most recently included sponsorship of the area’s new youth football team and an involvement in the proposed redevelopment of the local St Margaret’s Church for a combination of business and community uses.

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Building communities Following Link’s merger with Gap Housing Association, the first project was the construction of 245 houses for social rent and low cost home ownership in Petersburn, Airdrie. This "volume procurement" contract within a wide-ranging, community regeneration initiative, was the first of its kind in Scotland and was valued at £18 million. It received the highest single award of grant from Communities Scotland – £12.4 million. Link's intensive work with various agencies and the local community in Petersburn was recognised in 2006 when the Chartered Institute of Housing in Scotland presented Link with its Excellence in Community Regeneration award.

In 2009, Link developed partnerships to launch new projects aimed at young people. Working with Action for Children Scotland (AfCS), a national Youthbuild programme was rolled out. Link was part of a steering group which aimed to help deliver projects on some of Scotland’s areas of highest need. Larkfield HA partnered AfCS in Greenock in 2011/12.

Link also helped launch Green Action with The Waterways Trust Scotland in Falkirk. This is a volunteer programme offering training, employability skills and a personal social development programme to young people aged 16 to 24.

Local residents recognised the potential for developing a large area of wasteland in the centre of the estate for recreational use. By forming the Petersburn Development Trust and securing (with Link’s help) almost £1million of funding from numerous sources, the community now enjoys a park comprising play areas for teenagers and toddlers and a new football pitch.

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Building communities Link is currently working with Westpoint Homes on a major regeneration project in Paisley that will transform the former Renfrewshire Council headquarters on Cotton Street, (overlooking the town’s historic abbey), into 137 new residential apartments and commercial space. Phase one of the development, which got under way in 2010 with the help of £1.59 million of Scottish Government funding, will see the creation of 30 two-bedroom homes available through the New Supply Shared Equity Scheme. This key project has major support from both Renfrewshire Council and the Scottish Government and will be a big step forward in the Paisley Vision Board’s regeneration plans, which herald a promising new era for the town.

Promoting healthy living, we have lent our support to several youth football teams – Barrhead Boys FC, Port Glasgow Select FC, Stenhousemuir Boys Club and St Catherine’s Primary FC in Gracemount, Edinburgh. Our support of St Catherine’s was one of a range of activities we organised with local pupils before, during and after the construction of 21 new homes in the area. We also supported Gracemount Primary and Kaimes Special School with funding and invited pupils to visit the site to see the homes under construction. We also encourage children to look after the areas in which they live. In 2007 a team of children called “Link’s Litter Brigade” helped to tackle a litter problem at Whyte Place, Edinburgh.

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Supporting sustainability Link’s ethos is to undertake business activities in a manner that supports and delivers improvements in the quality of life for all our customers, without compromising the needs or aspirations of future generations.

This drive towards "sustainability" was behind the completion in 2000 of 64 new homes at Comely Green Place in Edinburgh for rent, shared ownership and community care needs. This was the first major housing project in Scotland to use sustainable construction indicators and targets to find a better way of building the kind of homes people want to live in.

31 new flats were also developed on the site as part of an overall project designed to minimise the adverse effects of the new development on the environment and to reduce the cost of houses.

Since the Comely Green Place initiative – which was recognised in 2000 by the Chartered Institute of Housing in Scotland with a Scottish Housing and Innovation Award for environmental building and best practice – all of Link's projects have been developed with sustainability in mind.

In 2009, an Affordable Warmth strategy was developed to help tenants combat fuel poverty. Its objectives are to increase the energy performance of our properties, support tenants to improve energy efficiency in their homes and maximise their incomes.

At West Bridge Mill, Kirkcaldy, a new £240,000 combined heat and power unit was installed in 2010. Made possible thanks to £200,000 of funding from the Energy Efficiency Design Awards, the new energy efficient power unit resulted in the reduction of up to 70% in energy costs for the 30 young residents whilst also creating savings for the 12 voluntary organisations with offices there.

Also in 2010, we became the only UK organisation participating in a three-year, Europe-wide project to assess real-time energy monitoring equipment ahead of the UK directive on smart metering. The equipment (which measures home energy consumption) was installed in a number of tenants’ homes, allowing them to monitor their home energy use minute-by-minute and manage their energy costs through behavioural changes and instant tariff switching. The project’s findings will inform the development model for rolling out Smart metering throughout Europe. The project involves four countries and is being led and funded through the Glasgow Caledonian University Centre for the Built Environment.

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Supporting sustainability To support our work, a new sustainability strategy was developed in 2011. It has four key objectives – having a responsible environmental impact, creating sustainable communities, providing support and advice to individuals and communities and efficient and responsible use of resources.

We continue to pilot innovative low carbon options which help make our tenants’ homes more energy efficient and help combat fuel poverty. These include: • The installation of a biomass district heating system in Bridge of Allan as a “retrofit” to replace old electric storage heating. The project reduces carbon emissions and energy costs thereby combating fuel poverty across an estate that houses 185 people.

• The installation of 20 square meters of solar thermal panels at our sheltered housing complex in Cambuslang. The project limits the demand for fossil fuel and reduces energy costs for residents.

• Working with Scottish Gas to trial a micro-combined heat and power appliance at a tenant’s house in Drip Road, Stirling – one of the first of its kind to be installed in Scotland. The appliance delivers renewable electricity and heat by utilising bio-natural gas. While producing heat, the unit generates electricity, making it a cost effective way of heating and providing energy in a home. The appliance saved the tenant almost £300 on fuel costs in 2011/12 – especially impressive following the coldest winter in 30 years.

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Housing for disabled people Link had traditionally left the provision of housing for disabled people to specialist organisations. Since 1980, however, several of our developments have included properties designed for wheelchair users – for example, at Lyne Street in Edinburgh, Wallace Street in Falkirk and Moorelands Place in Addiewell. In addition, we spend considerable sums adapting mainstream properties to allow tenants with varying disabilities to remain in their own homes.

Since joining in 2009, Horizon has taken the lead in developing the Link group’s approach to providing housing options for disabled people. Link and Horizon are committed to increasing the numbers of homes suitable for wheelchair users. Link will support this by acquiring land and developing new homes to underpin Horizon’s plans. The strategy recognises the need to offer housing for wheelchair users in all tenures and to establish minimum targets for provision of wheelchair-accessible properties as a proportion of the overall programme.

We have also been active in the owner-occupied sector. In March 2009, Link worked with the housing advice charity Ownership Options to launch a new scheme – the first of its kind in Scotland – called Access Ownership. Link contributed £1 million from its reserves to help disabled people purchase properties on the open market on a shared ownership basis, assisting many people who would not be able to afford to buy a home outright.

A young man called Jamie McGillivray was the first buyer to use the scheme and moved into his new home in early 2011. Going forward, Horizon Housing Association will use its expertise to help administer this innovative programme on Link’s behalf.

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LinkGiving Over the years, Link staff have been enthusiastic participants in a variety of fundraising activities. In 1984, Link set up a Tenant’s Benevolent Fund with money raised by the fantastic marathon-running exploits of former Director, Robin Hamilton. Topped up by regular donations, the Fund is still dispensing much-needed financial assistance to tenants and service users who require basic household goods.

In 2009, it was decided to give something back to the communities in which we work. The first “LinkGiving” day allowed staff to take a break from their normal working day to take part in a variety of voluntary activities. The enthusiastic teams organised a diverse range of initiatives, including a barbecue for local unpaid carers in Grangemouth, redecorating two hostels for homeless people in Edinburgh, gardening and tidying at a Riding for the Disabled Centre in Balerno, cleaning up of a stretch of the Forth and Clyde Canal and developing a community meeting space in Paisley. Sheltered housing open days raised more than £6000 for Macmillan Cancer Support.

The second LinkGiving initiative was held throughout September 2011. This time staff had the opportunity to choose the date and location of the project they would work on. Some projects had staff helping over a few days which allowed bigger tasks to be undertaken. Gardens at Capability Scotland’s New Trinity Service in Edinburgh and the Hayfield Centre, Glasgow, were completely transformed making a big difference to the people who used them.

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Valuing staff A key part of Link’s philosophy is “valuing people” and this includes our staff who play a vital role in delivering the quality of service that our customers have come to expect.

External accreditation is an important measure of Link’s commitment to its staff and Link was proud to become an Investor in People (IIP) in 1992. Signing up to the IIP scheme demonstrated Link’s commitment to continuous improvement through the management and development of staff. As part of this a new training and development plan was introduced giving staff access to a wide range of training. This meant that Link would be equipped to deliver an excellent service in a changing and demanding environment.

All subsidiaries within Link are now IIP accredited. We were exceptionally proud to attain IIP Gold status in November 2011, a level only 2% of organisations ever achieve.

We also work to ensure staff are happy and healthy at work by participating in Scotland's Health and Work Award scheme. By 2006, all Link companies had achieved a Silver award. In 2009, we became only the second Registered Social Landlord to win the Healthy Working Lives Gold Award and have just retained this award in this our golden anniversary.

In 2010, to show our commitment to employing, retaining and developing the abilities of disabled staff we were accredited with the “two ticks” symbols of the Positive About Disabled scheme.

Link was honoured to be named the 12th “Best Workplace in Scotland 2011” and 31st “Best Workplace in UK 2011” by the Great Places to Work Institute. Based on feedback from staff surveys and management questionnaires, the scheme recognises organisations that have achieved outstanding effectiveness in HR and people excellence.

We recognise that Line Managers have a significant impact on how we support, encourage and develop staff. In conjunction with Brodies LLP we devised a Leadership Development Programme (LDP) in 2011. A number of leadership standards were agreed and our Leadership Charter sets out what staff should expect from any line manager within Link. Staff new to a line management role receive training to ensure they fully understand Link’s expectations.

We have always supported and developed our employees and encouraged them to undertake formal qualifications as well as significant amounts of job related training. We do this as we are determined to keep improving Link’s reputation as an employer of choice.

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Link to the future Throughout its history, Link has maintained a position at the forefront of the modern housing association movement.

Link’s contribution has taken many forms over the past 50 years as new legislation and ideas have presented exciting challenges and opportunities for expansion. The skills, expertise and professionalism of staff members have developed as Link has taken a pioneering role in furthering new initiatives under different financial regimes. A firm and confident foundation has been established which will enable Link to continue to progress and to expand into new areas of housing, service provision and community regeneration.

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Thanks Throughout Link’s history a number of people have committed exceptional expertise and energy on a voluntary basis to establish and develop Link. Any “roll of honour” must include the following (with apologies to the other 200 or so volunteers who are not named here but have played a large or small part in our adventures).

Link Chairmen Philip Cocker Feb 1963 – March 1963 Duncan Scott-Douglas March 1963 – August 1971 Ivison Wheatley Aug 1971 to July 1976 Sir Angus MacKintosh July 1976 to Sep 1980 Douglas McKay Sep 1980 to July 1986 Bill Semple July 1986 to May 1987 Douglas Sievewright May 1987 to September 2007 Robbie Robertson September 2007 to January 2012 Peter Foreman January 2012 to Present

Significant others Robert H Soper Patrick Stephen-Samuels Ronald Watson Helen Livingstone Jennifer Balfour Eric Maxwell Christopher McNeill Jim O’Neill Charles Chapman

Moira Sibbald Alan Ferguson Frank Colston Tom Clark Archie Dale Amanda Britain Eleanor Robertson Freda Middleton John Hinton Roy Stirrat

Secretaries / Chief Executives Bonar Mackenzie Dec 1962 – Dec 1969 Duncan Scott-Douglas Dec 1969 – July 1970 Hugh McCallum July 1970 – Feb 1972 David Lawson Feb 1972 – Oct 1973 Gordon Morrison Nov 1973 – July 1974 Soper & Dingwall Aug 1974 – Dec 1975 David Bogle Jan 1976 – July 1982 David McBeath Aug 1982 – March 1987 Craig Sanderson April 1987 to present 1962 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 1970 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 1980 | 81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 89 | 1990 | 91 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 2000 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 2010 | 11 | 12

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Timeline 1962

27 July – meeting held to discuss formation of Link Housing Association

1962

13 September – formal establishment of Link Housing Association

1962

First office established at 11 Hill Street, Edinburgh (courtesy of Bonar Mackenzie W.S.)

1963

Link’s first “grouping” – Link Benevolent Housing Trust established

1968

The Link group becomes Link and Associated Housing Societies to accommodate co-ownership societies within structure

1974

Link management taken on by Soper and Dingwall and office base moves to 48 Great King Street in Edinburgh

1976

Glasgow office established in St Vincent Street

1976

Head office moves to 38 York Place, Edinburgh

1977

First Falkirk office opened at 18 Campfield Street

1979

Falkirk office relocated to 35 Vicar Street

1980

Glasgow Office relocated to Lion Chambers in Hope Street

1983

Head office expands into 26 York Place

1985

Link Homes established

1986

New office base at 13 Queen Street, Edinburgh for Community Housing team

1988

Supported Accommodation department created

1989

Head office moves to 45-47 Albany Street, Edinburgh

1992

Glasgow office closed and new base opened in Cumbernauld town centre

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Timeline 1993

Falkirk office moves to 33-35 Wellside Place

1993

Link Homes becomes a subsidiary of Link Housing Association

1995

Inverlink established

2000

New office for housing support services opened in Midlothian

2001

Major review of the organisation with new subsidiaries created – Link Group, Link Housing, Link Homes, Linkwide, LinkLiving, LinkProperty, InverLink

2001

Link Housing’s Edinburgh staff move to Union Street

2002

Link Housing’s west region staff move to new base at Abbey Mill, Paisley

2002

Staff in former Gap office in Coatbridge move into Cumbernauld office

2002

LinkLiving staff move into separate office in Edinburgh at Dalmeny street

2006

New Customer Service Centre opened at Watling House, Falkirk

2006

Further reorganisation of company. Link Group now parent company to Link Housing, LinkLiving and Linkwide (which incorporates Link Homes)

2006

Larkfield Housing Association becomes a subsidiary of Link

2007

Creation of new Technical Services department

2007

November, Link moved from its headquarters in Albany Street, Edinburgh, to a new purpose-built head office in Slateford

2009

Horizon Housing Association becomes subsidiary of Link

2010/11

November, changes to the governance and organisational structure: The disestablishment of Linkwide. Creation of an Asset Management Directorate within Link Group. Link Housing Association incorporates Link’s Advice team and a consolidated factoring service

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Captions Page 5: Various Link site sign boards over the years Page 7: 1. Barnton, Edinburgh 2. Craigleith House, Edinburgh 3. Polmont opening ceremony 1965 4. / 5. / 6. Founding Member, Bob Soper (Link Board Member), Duncan ScottDouglas (Link’s 2nd Chair), Patrick Stephen-Samuels (Link Board Member) and Philip Cocker (Link’s 1st Chair) at Link’s 40th birthday celebrations 7. Cramond Green, Edinburgh 8. St Bernard’s Crescent, Edinburgh Page 9: Shared Ownership at: 1. Comiston Drive, Edinburgh 2. Southbrae Drive, Edinburgh 3. Canonmills, Edinburgh 4. Dalcraig Crescent, Dundee 5. Fair-a-Far, Cramond, Edinburgh Page 11: 1. & 2. New Build and rehabilitation at Wallace Street, Falkirk 3. & 4. Jamaica Street, Edinburgh (before) 5. David Bogle (Link Secretary) (L) and Douglas McKay (Link Chair) (R) invite The Rt Hon Tom Morgan CBE, Lord and Lady Provost of Edinburgh to open Jamaica Mews 6. Jamaica Mews (after) Page 13: 1. Glenogle Court, Crieff 2. St Stephen Street, Edinburgh 3. Wilson Street, Airdrie 4. Adam Thomson Court, Coldstream 5. Douglas McKay (Link Chair) (L) and David McBeath (Link Director and Secretary) (centre) greet Rev John M K Paterson, the 72

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Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland at Coldstream 6. Drumcross Road, Bathgate Page 15: 1. John Knox Street, Glasgow 2. Sloan Street, Edinburgh 3. Hawthorn Buildings, Edinburgh 4. West Mill, Dean Village, Edinburgh Page 17: 1. Lomond Drive, Falkirk 2. Craig Sanderson (Link Chief Executive) (centre) Anne Begg, Perth Solictors Property Centre and Stewart Maxwell, Minister for Communities and Sport launch LIFT, January 2008 3. Gracemount, Edinburgh 4. Wood Street, Falkirk Page 19: Leanne and Gordon, Maria and Frank and Emma and Chris all purchased their properties through Homestake or LIFT Page 21: Examples of tenants handbook and newsletter, and one of our Housing Officers Elaine McAuley Page 23: 1. Minister of State, Gregor MacKenzie, MP for Rutherglen presenting keys to a new tenant at Vicarland Road, Cambuslang in 1978 2. Link Housing Chair Angela Currie, TPAS Chief Executive Lesley Baird, Link Director of Housing Maureen Middleton and Tenant Participation Officer Lenore Suddon at the presentation of Link’s TPAS accreditation in March 2010 3. “Welcome to your New Home” – DVD for tenants produced in 2011 4. Link and Horizon joint tenant conference in March 2012

Page 25: 1. Link Housing Officer, Murray MacMillan providing advice to a tenant 2. Tenants speaking to Link’s Money Advice Officer, Karen Auld at our tenant conference 2012 3. Residents at Peel Court, Cambuslang Page 27: 1. Housing and Communities Minister Alex Neil speaking at Link’s AGM in 2010 2. Staff and customers launch the Older Person’s Advice Service in November 2009 Page 29: 1. Mohanjit Singh (Port of Leith HA Director) and Alison McNeill (Link’s Housing Manager), colleagues at Link in the mid 1970s 2. & 3. Broughton Road, Edinburgh (before and after) 4. Alan McGuckin, Chief Executive Officer, Kingdom Housing Association and former Link Development Officer 5. Boddam, Shetland Page 31: 1. Dougal Court, Mayfield, Midlothian 2. Nigel Griffiths, Chair of Housing, Edinburgh District Council, Bill Semple, Link Chair and Drummond Hunter, Penumbra Chair at the opening of Link and Penumbra’s office at 13 Queen Street, Edinburgh in 1986 3. 29 Craigmillar Park, Edinburgh 4. At home in Jamaica Mews Page 33: 1. HRH Prince Charles visits West Bridge Mill, Kirkcaldy 2. Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Minister for Housing) discusses plans with Douglas McKay (Link Vice Chair) and David Bell, Architect 3. West Bridge Mill, Kirkcaldy

Page 35: 1. RealLiving volunteers 2. Launch of SmartLiving in Edinburgh 3. Service users at West Bridge Mill Page 37: 1. Cowcaddens, Glasgow 2. Lady Jennifer Balfour of Burleigh and Eric Maxwell (left and 2nd left) plant a tree at Lyne Street, Edinburgh 3. Douglas Sievewright (Link Chair), Cllr James Short (Housing Convenor Falkirk Council) and Sandy Watson (Scottish Homes) at Etna Court, Falkirk 4. Bonnington Road, Leith Page 39: 1. Lower London Road, Meadowbank, Edinburgh 2. Dun Alainn, Kyle of Lochalsh 3. Gordon Brown MP presents the keys to one of his constituents at Hill St, Inverkeithing (Market Rent) Page 41: 1. St John’s Hill, Edinburgh 2. Link Homes Chair Ronald Watson and Robin Cook MP 3. Student accommodation, Union Street, Stirling Page 43: 1. Self-builders at Ballingry, Fife 2. Kintry is launched by Jan Myerthall (Kintry Chair), Susan Deacon MSP, Sheila Gilmore (City of Edinburgh Council Housing Convenor) and Peter McKinlay (Scottish Homes CEO) Page 45: 1. Reema Road, Bellshill 2. Salvation Army Citadel, Falkirk 3. Morlich Walk, Livingston for Almond Housing by Inverlink

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Page 47: 1. Castings House, Falkirk 2. Glen Park Road, Lochwinnoch 3. Residents enjoying the sun 4. Peel Court, Cambuslang (with solar panels fitted) 5. MacKenzie Terrace, Grangemouth – joint development with Bield Housing Association 6. The Avenue, Tillicoultry 7. Kilsyth Road, Kirkintilloch Page 49: 1. Sheltered Housing Manager Amy McKay with residents at Peel Court 2. Helen Livingstone (right) (Link Board member) opens The Avenue, Tillicoultry 3. Sheltered Housing Officer Nancy Jack explains “Hear to Help” at Glen Lyon Court, Cumbernauld

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Page 55: 1. Doctors surgery, Cramond, Edinburgh, 1967 2. Link’s first landscape maintenance team 3. New shop at St Bernard’s Crescent, Edinburgh 4. New dental surgery, Kirkshaws, Coatbridge Page 57: 1. Beardmore Place, Dalmuir 2. & 3. New park and homes at Petersburn 4. GAP Housing Association in Shortlees, Kilmarnock 5. Green Action launch with Flora Wallace, Paragon Housing Association Chair (L) Page 59: Link works with young people in Edinburgh, Barrhead and Oatlands (Glasgow)

Page 51: 1. Carrickstone, Cumbernauld 2. Former Avon Housing Association houses, Grangemouth 3. Keystone (Perth) Housing Society properties 4. Princes Park, Falkirk – transferred to Link

by Keystone HA in 1978 5. & 6. The King’s Wark, Leith – before and after 7. Ballater Street, Glasgow (James F Montgomerie Housing Association)

Page 63: Satisfied Horizon Housing customers, supporters and members including the MacGillivray family, Keith Brown MSP, Horizon Chair Drew McPhail and Julia Fitzpatrick, Horizon Managing Director

Page 53: 1. Larkfield Chair Danny McMillan (front right) signs agreement with Link in 2007 2. Link sponsors community transport and local football club in Port Glasgow 3. Robbie Robertson, Link Chair (front left) and Frank Rochford (Horizon Chair) signing agreement in November 2009

Page 67: 1. Link signs up to the Investors in People programme in 1991 2. Roy Stirrat, Link Vice Chair receives Gold Investors in People award from Peter Russian, Investors in People Scotland Chief Executive 3. Staff conference 1999

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Page 65: Original tenant benevolent trust fundraiser, Robin Hamilton, Development Director Staff participating in various recent LinkGiving activities

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