We are Tenant Led
Dovecotes Tenant Management Organisation has been successfully managing council housing stock on the estate since 2006 when 860 council owned properties were transferred under the Right to Manage Regulations. Governed by a board of tenants and owner-occupiers Dovecotes is a locally managed service led by local people. Our most valuable asset is our people, they have the knowledge, experience, and skills to deliver a high-quality housing management service.
Dovecotes TMO limited is a Company incorporated under the Companies
Act 1985
Registration Number: 05692344
This means that every member receives financial protection should the Company encounter financial difficulty and is forced into liquidation (in other words, goes bust!). Provided that the law hasn’t been broken, the most each member has to contribute to pay off all the debt is £1. In return for this financial protection, the Company must manage its affairs according to its Registered Constitution (called the Memorandum and Articles of Association)
Membership
Membership of the Company is open to anyone aged 18 or over who is lawfully resident in a council or former council property on the Dovecotes estate.
The membership is split into two groups:
1. Tenant Members
2. Owner-Occupier Members
Tenant Board members are voted in by Tenant Members and owner occupier Board Members are voted in by owner occupiers. Up to four people can be co-opted onto the committee by board members at the first board meeting after the AGM.
This reflects the differing role of these two ‘‘interest groups’’ within the Company and ensures that Tenants can take the lead on matters that affect them most. These are mainly allocation, tenancy, repairs and maintenance issues. It also reflects the fact that owner-occupiers will be affected by the Companies activities, too. For instance environmental matters will be of interest to owner-occupiers.
Membership ceases if a member moves out of the Dovecotes TMO area, resigns in writing, is expelled by an extraordinary general meeting or dies.
BECOMING A BOARD MEMBER
Our elected and co-opted board members play an important role in setting the strategic planning of Dovecotes TMO through governance and decision making. In their role of monitoring the effectiveness of service delivery and the appropriateness of policies they ensure tenants benefit directly from the services delivered through the TMO.
Committee members work with officers to provide input and advice through the governance arrangements contributing to the organisation achieving its objectives. Regular and tailored training is provided to expand their skills and knowledge creating a more robust and resilient governance structure. Board members meet monthly and have 5 sub-committees (Staff and Employment, Community Events, Finance, Repairs and Maintenance, Health and Safety) who meet regularly to ensure the TMO is fulfilling its obligations in regard to our ‘Management Agreement’ with the City of Wolverhampton Council.
We want to create better housing for now and in the future with a service that adapts to the needs of the community. We have already established a reputation that we are ‘open for business’ as a locally managed organisation delivering services directly to its community. We will continue to provide an accessible and inclusive housing service that our tenants can rely on and seek feedback through estate surveys, scrutiny panels and events using valuable knowledge to assess how we are performing and understand what is important to tenants to create a more cohesive approach to our strategic planning.
Anyone who is a member of Dovecotes TMO is also entitled to become a board member. More information can be found in our Guide to being a Board Member
Board members run the TMO, they are a democratically elected management committee and are all volunteers (not paid). Board members are elected at our AGM in September and receive an induction and on-going training in things like Equality and Diversity, Safeguarding, Housing Law and Health and Safety. As a board member you will be expected to adhere to a Code of Conduct. You will also be expected to attend training sessions and our board meetings which are held monthly.
By becoming a board member, you will oversee the TMO’s operations, services and finances and ensure the TMO’s vision and objectives are upheld. Together with the rest of the board you will take decisions on service improvements, investment, and future service priorities as well as monitoring existing services.
To become a Board Member, contact our office or speak to Amie Merry on 01902 552780, who will arrange a meeting and talk to you more about the role and getting involved and the process for formal election to the board which takes place at the AGM.
Our Management Board
Learn more about our current board members and what drives them to make Dovecotes a better place
Ann Webb, Chairperson
Ann joined our management board in 2016 and is Chair of Dovecotes TMO, she grew up on the estate and now lives here with her husband. ‘I have been honoured to serve on the board for the past few years, being part of such a vibrant and exciting organisation fills me with pride, I want more and demand more for tenants on the estate. I have seen the estate change and grow over the years and feel really proud of being part of the TMO. We are really lucky to live on an estate that is run by tenants, where every voice matters even the little ones. I see the estate through different lenses, I have grown up here and now help to raise my grandchildren who also live on the estate. Over the past 12 months we as an organisation have recieved national accalim for our community work and governance, to be part of such a vibrant, energetic, forward thinking and commited team is a real honour’.
Glenford Clarke
Glenford joined the management board in 2022, he is a pastor and works as a Home Improvement Officer. ‘Being a tenant and working with residents of the city provides me with a range of qualities I bring to the board to help to make Dovecotes a better place for everyone’.
Deb Bentley
Deb joined our board in the Summer of 2022, she is a keen newcomer with lots of ideas of how we can improve the service we deliver to families. ‘Knowing that you have someone in your corner has always been the benefit of living on a TMO run estate. I now have the chance to be that someone and give back to the community’
Stuart Harrison, Vice Chair
Our Vice Chair Stuart joined the management board as a co-opted board member in November 2020. Stuart has lived on the estate for 21 years raising his 5 children with his wife Sarah. ‘I am committed to improving the environment of Dovecotes and want to use my time on the board to make Dovecotes a nicer and safer place to live. I have many life experiences and use these to better the mangement of the estate. I never imagined myself as being part of the Dovecotes management board, it just didn’t seem like the kind of group I would be part of but, it wasn’t long after I joined that my preconceptions were proved wrong. If I can offer any kind of advice for anyone who maybe under the same impression as I was I would encourage you to come along, meet us and ask questions. You may be pleasantly suprised. In life we have all needed help at some point and not found it, what I have learnt from the past 2 years is that help is here, its not judged and the more we talk and listen the better the estate can be for everyone.
Ste Webb, Treasurer
Our Treasurer Ste joined the management board as a co-opted board member in October 2020. Previously a nurse working with patients in a stroke ward, Ste has an understanding and appreciation of the physical and psychological issues faced by our most vulnerable tenants. Ste is passionate about building community spirit and increasing services for those who need them
Janet Smith
Janet has lived on Dovecotes since 1994. Throughout the pandemic Janet worked with Public Health England developing policy at a strategic level to encourage members of communities reluctant to accept the covid19 vaccine to receive their jab. Janet is a true champion of equality, working with Wolverhampton City Council, West Midlands Combined Authority, West Midlands Police, NHS, Department of Health, DWP and local businesses. As a member of the Wolverhampton Stop and Search and Use of Force Scrutiny Group Janet has experience of assessing situations and challenging perceptions. She will also use her skills and experience to champion our BAME and LGBTQ+ members. Janet uses her experience of working on a strategic level on gun, knife crime and gang related violence to make Dovecotes a better and safer place for everyone. As a business woman herself Janet supports Dovecotes to offer opportunities to local people, coupled with her background in diversity, equality and as the founder of Wolverhampton’s Black Business Network Janet is a valuable addition to the management board.
Andrew Slater
Andrew is our Secretary and a long standing member of Dovecotes TMO. ‘I want Dovecotes to remain the best estate in the city. One that appreciates every person, keeps the community safe and fights for those who cannot fight for themselves’.
Sarah Harrison
Sarah is a prudent and forward thinking board member with an eye for detail. Sarah has raised her children on the estate and now looks after her grandchild. Sarah knows first hand the difficulties faced by families and uses this to ensure that the little voices of Dovecotes are heard. ‘One of my favourite things is crafting, I love to make things pretty and add my bit of sparkle into our community events. Our roles on the board are so varied, one day we will be agreeing new policies or discussing estate priorities and the next time I’m making bunting or little gifts for the kiddies. Variety is the spice of life and being part of your board is an honour’.
Board Skills Audit 2023
The responsibilities of the management committee vary widely, and it is unlikely that each member will possess all the skills, experience and knowledge required. Indeed, some committee members may have been co-opted onto our board recruited specifically for their skills in a particular area. However, we must ensure that, as a collective, the committee holds the necessary expertise.
A skills audit is a tool to understand the skill set of our board members and identify any skill gaps that might need addressing such as further training, shadowing, or mentoring implemented in an action plan to address these.
Our Business Plan
Our Business Plan 2023-2026 sets out who we are, what we do and our goals and objectives for the next 3 years and how we are going to get there.
Meetings – Annual General Meeting (AGM)
• approve the annual accounts
• elect board members
• consider any other matters notified in the notice calling the meeting
Three weeks written notice must be given to every member prior to the date of the meeting.
The Board
Between Annual General Meetings, the Company is managed by the Board. This is elected by the AGM and consists of nine elected members, and up to four co-opted members:
• SEVEN representatives nominated and elected by Tenant Members
• TWO representatives nominated and elected by Owner-occupier Members
• FOUR others co-opted by the Board – who may or may not be members of the Company
Elected Board
Elected Board members serve for a period of three years before they must seek re-election, with three members retiring at each subsequent AGM. This makes it unlikely that the whole Board will change in any one year. This helps to ensure that experience can be passed on over the years. Co-opted members retire at the AGM following their co-option.
Once a Board members period of office is finished, they are eligible for re-election or co-option.
Officers
The following officers are appointed by the Board:
* Chairperson * Secretary * Treasurer * Assistant Treasurer
To reflect the role the Company has in managing the Dovecotes TMO area, the Chairperson must be a Tenant Member and is responsible for facilitating all types of general meeting. If he or she cannot make a meeting, a nominated officer or board member will deputise.
In the case of an equality of votes the Chairperson shall have a casting vote.
Annual General Meeting Documents 2023
Annual General Meeting Documents 2022
Annual General Meeting Documents 2021
Annual General Meeting Documents 2019
Dovecotes TMO Full Board Meeting Minutes
Full Board Meeting 2019/2020
Full Board Meeting Minutes 2020/2021
This winter Dovecotes TMO applied to the National Federation of Tenant Management Organisations (NFTMO) to be assessed for a Kitemark Award. The NFTMO facilitate networking and support TMOs in England as well as promoting community control as an option. The NFTMO, as part of their operation assess organisations for a Kitemark, a quality standard issued to TMO’s in recognition of good governance. This Kitemark certification confirms that the product or service’s claim to be provided by Dovecotes TMO has been independently and repeatedly tested by experts. Meaning that you can have trust and confidence in products and services that are Kitemark certified. As Dovecotes TMO meet the British Institutes Standards (BSI) for/ in terms of product and
service quality trade mark.
Much work has been done to achieve this accolade. Much more work will be required to maintain and surpass the standards that have been set. With your support we can only go from strength to strength. Congratulations Dovecotes ‘family’, Dovecotes TMO staff and board members without you none of this would have been possible.