Merger with Aster Group

C&C has partnered with Aster Group, a housing association.

Following previous communications, we are delighted to confirm that C&C and Aster Group have now merged. The merger completed in January 2022.

We would like to thank all C&C residents who took part in the consultation period regarding the merger. A report detailing the outcomes of the consultation and sharing resident views was shared with both boards as part of the business case, and we are pleased to be able to share this report with you.

Over the coming years, this merger will enable C&C to provide even better services and support to our current and future housing and care residents. It will support our continued investment in our housing properties, care homes and services, and will enable us to better respond to current/future challenges and opportunities.

C&C has become a subsidiary company of the Aster Group. C&C has retained its name, homes, services and local service teams.

You can find out more about Aster Group in this presentation.

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Among the key benefits for C&C housing and care residents include:

  • Acceleration of planned investment in our properties.
  • New digital services that will enable greater independence and connect residents to family, friends, the wider community and our C&C services.
  • Hundreds of new affordable homes for the over-55s in London.
  • A broader programme of community activities and volunteering.
  • The provision of more care services to support the over 55s.
  • Acceleration of our existing ‘Out Not In’ Care Strategy.

Why Aster?

Aster (www.aster.co.uk) is a registered housing association like C&C. They have a similar approach and ethos and are just as passionate about C&C’s work as we are. Aster is based in Hampshire, Wiltshire, Dorset, Devon, Cornwall, and other areas in between. They are a top 10 housing association and have over 32,000 homes. They have a strong track record of investing in existing and new homes and growing resident services. Aster is engaging with C&C’s work in London, supporting people aged over 55 in London to live in their communities.

Frequently asked questions

During our resident consultation process, we developed a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) related to the merger. We are retaining the key FAQs for the benefits of C&C residents, friends and relatives of our care residents, and other stakeholders such as our suppliers. You can skip to the dedicated information and FAQs most relevant to you by clicking on one of the below links:

Information for C&C sheltered scheme/general needs (housing) residents

Information for C&C care home residents / next-of-kin

Information for key stakeholders (incl. partners, suppliers, local services, councils, GPs etc)

C&C
C&C

Merger FAQs: C&C housing residents

C&C believes that there are a number of benefits to current and future C&C residents from this merger. The most obvious advantage is that Aster brings scale and resources that C&C needs to deliver on our new agenda. By coming together, our ability to borrow and invest grows significantly. Funds can be released so that C&C is able to accelerate its investment programme in buildings, technology, services and our staff.

These are the main benefits that the merger will provide our residents over the coming years:

Accelerate planned investment into our properties: By joining the Aster Group, we will be able to more quickly deliver planned investment in our properties.

Create more connected communities: Like us, Aster are investing in digital services for residents. Online services will allow residents to connect better with us, with each other and in the future with their wider communities, By aligning, we will be able speed up our plans and deliver services to our residents more quickly and cost-effectively.

Invest in more community activities, involvement and volunteering: Through the combined work of C&C’s arts, events and fitness programmes, and the Aster Foundation our approach will support residents to sustain their tenancies, to feel proud and safe in the communities in which they live, and achieve better health and wellbeing outcomes. We will have an even stronger offer to engage residents, partners and stakeholders on initiatives including volunteering, skills-based training and mentoring, community-based involvement initiatives and intergenerational activity that will support great customer lives.

Build more affordable homes for over 55s in London: Greater investment also means being able to build more properties between us. The Aster Group’s vision is that ‘everyone has a home.’ This coming together will enable hundreds more homes to be built over the next seven years than otherwise could be had C&C and Aster both operated alone.

Grow much needed care services in London: There is a growing need to provide both more care services to our residents and more residential care homes. Through this merger, we will be supported in growing our care service provision across London – both through our homes and potentially through our schemes.

The following FAQs provide all current residents in C&C's sheltered accommodation and general needs schemes with information about the merger, and the benefits to you.

Your tenancy agreement with C&C remains the same. The services you currently receive are not affected by the merger.

C&C residents have one of three types of tenancy: Assured tenancy, Secure tenancy or Assured Short-Hold tenancy.

Assured and Secure tenancy agreements

Most of our residents are Assured or Secure tenants. Under these tenancy agreements, you have a lifetime legal right to stay in your home – providing you continue to meet the conditions of your tenancy. Some exemptions will continue to apply as they do now i.e. if a landlord needs to carry out refurbishments and these refurbishments cannot proceed with the resident in place. In such instances, the landlord must pay reasonable costs and ensure security of tenancy on return to settled accommodation.

Assured Short-Hold tenancy agreements e.g. 55 London residents

Some tenancy agreements – such as our 55 London tenancies - are usually for a fixed period of time e.g. 12 months, or other periods stated on the Tenancy Agreement. Changes to fixed-term tenancies cannot legally be made as a result of the merger.

Your rent / service charge is charged in line with your Tenancy agreement. Service charges are calculated based on the cost of services provided to residents.

Your benefits and entitlements and terms of your tenancy agreement remain the same as they were before the merger.

A merger happens when two or more organisations join together to create one new organisation, or when one smaller organisation joins a larger one as a subsidiary company within a Group. If an organisation joins as a subsidiary (as is the case for C&C), it continues to operate as a company, and can also access resources provided by the group (e.g. finance, people, technology etc).

Since 1926, C&C’s single purpose has been to provide safe, affordable homes and quality services to our residents.

We have in recent years set up our own in-house repairs services, provided a dedicated contact centre, invested significantly in the safety of our existing homes, developed new systems and technologies to help us better support our residents and started to develop new specialist homes for those who are over 55, including our new flagship ‘Dora House’ (now Grace House) redevelopment that is due to complete later this year.

A number of recent changes in wider society along with new Government targets are challenging us to develop and invest even more in our future. Brexit and the Coronavirus pandemic have changed the way that we need to plan this future; our ageing population needs more and better homes; and our climate crisis needs us to take action now.

As a result of these changes, we believe that we are stronger by joining with a larger organisation to be more able to meet these new challenges.

Significant changes in society

The Grenfell disaster (2017) has brought much needed focus for reform in building safety and a new code of governance for housing associations. A new Government framework and Tenancy Standard will set out and reinforce how landlords must listen and action resident feedback.

The population is ageing rapidly, and by 2038 1 in 4 people in the UK will be over 65. It is vital that housing associations such as C&C are ready to respond with homes, services and technology to support a wide range of resident needs.

While we remain financially stable, we face financial challenges both from Brexit and the Coronavirus pandemic. We’re also living in the middle of a global climate crisis where all homes need to be net carbon neutral by 2050. Meeting these challenges will have considerable financial impacts on housing associations such as C&C.

  • We continue to provide our current housing services and repairs services to current and new residents.
  • We continue to invest in the safety, warmth and security of our buildings.
  • We continue to invest in engaging residents with a rich activity and fitness programme, as well as opportunities to volunteer.
  • We continue to invest in helping residents to connect to and use online services and technologies that support an independent life.
  • We continue to provide a range of C&C resident forums and meetings to listen to residents and take action on day-to-day issues.

No. You have legal rights and protection as a social housing tenant, as set out by the Social Housing Regulator. These rights remain unaffected by this merger, so please be assured that you will not lose your home.

Aster is a registered housing association like C&C. They have a similar approach and ethos and are just as passionate about C&C’s work as we are.

Aster is based in Hampshire, Wiltshire, Dorset, Devon, Cornwall, and other areas in between. They are a top 10 housing association and have over 32,000 homes.

They have a strong track record of investing in existing and new homes and growing resident services.

You can find out more about Aster Group, how they are funded and their governance framework by reading the below document:

https://www.ccht.org.uk/media/z35piwas/ccht-about-aster.pdf

Aster was established in 1990.

The latest available figures for Aster are as follows:

General needs (social and affordable rent) – 23,538 (76%)

Shared ownership – 3,197 (10%)

Housing for older people – 2,726 (9%)

Extra care – 786 (3%)

Care home – 23 (0%)

Other - 535 (2%)

To deliver the housing that our society needs, Aster operates a mixed delivery method, engaging a variety of partners from national housebuilders to local communities through their Community Land Trust programme. This enables Aster to cater for choice and tailor the homes they build to the people that need them – whether it’s affordable or social rent or alternatives to traditional ownership like shared ownership.

It won’t. We continue our commitment to residents of Dora House (since renamed Grace House) and to help them to move back to their new homes when they have finished being built.

Aster does not have an internal transfer list. All lettings are conducted through the Local Authority Choice Based Lettings scheme. Transfers to an Aster property will only take place under exceptional circumstances through a Management Transfer.

C&C has been looking to conduct a review as to the status of its Central Office. It is likely that C&C would share a space with Aster in London, but this may not be the current Central Office in Waterloo. This has not been agreed at this time.

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C&C
C&C

Merger FAQs: C&C care home residents / next-of-kin

The following FAQs provide all current residents in C&C's four care homes, along with their next-of-kin, with information about the merger, and the benefits to you/your loved one.

The most obvious advantage to residents is that Aster brings scale and resources that C&C will need to deliver on our new agenda.

By coming together, our ability to borrow and invest grows significantly. Funds can be released so that C&C is able to accelerate its investment programme in buildings, technology, services and our staff.

These are the main benefits that the merger will provide our residents:

  • Greater investment in our care provision

There is a growing need to provide both more care services to our residents and more residential care homes. Through this merger, we will be supported in growing our care service provision across London – both through our care homes and potentially through our housing schemes.

  • A commitment to our ‘Out Not In’ Care Strategy and in improving the quality of our care

Through, for example, greater investment in technologies and in improving the quality of our current care provision, we can deliver even better services that will help care home residents to lead their very best lives.

  • Invest in more community activities, involvement and volunteering

Through the combined work of C&C’s arts, events and fitness programmes, and the Aster Foundation our approach will support residents, to help them feel engaged in their care homes and communities in which they live, and achieve better health and wellbeing outcomes. We will have an even stronger offer to engage residents, partners and stakeholders on initiatives including volunteering, skills-based training and mentoring, community-based involvement initiatives and intergenerational activity that will support great customer lives.

  • Build more affordable homes for over 55s in London

Greater investment also means being able to build more properties between us. The Aster Group’s vision is that ‘everyone has a home.’

This coming together will enable hundreds more homes to be built over the next seven years than otherwise could be if C&C and Aster had operated alone.

You/your loved one’s placement in our care homes remains the same. The services you/your loved one receives and any fees that you/your loved one pays are not affected. C&C remains registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

All relevant fees are charged in line with agreed placement contracts and remain the same.

A merger happens when two or more organisations join together to create one new organisation, or when one smaller organisation joins a larger one as a subsidiary company within a Group. If an organisation joins as a subsidiary (as will be the case for C&C), it continues to operate as a company, and can also access resources provided by the group (e.g. finance, people, technology etc).

Since 1926, C&C’s single purpose has been to provide safe, affordable homes and care homes, along with quality services to our residents.

We have in recent years developed a new ‘Out Not In’ Care Strategy and invested in new technologies to improve the provision of care. More widely, we have set up our own in-house repairs services, and invested significantly in the safety of our existing homes and care homes.

A number of recent changes in wider society along with new Government targets are challenging us to develop and invest even more in our future. Our ageing population needs more and better homes, care homes and services; Brexit and the Coronavirus pandemic have changed the way that we need to plan this future; and our climate crisis needs us to take action now.

As a result of these changes, we believe that we are stronger and more resilient by joining with a larger organisation to be more able to meet these new challenges.

A brighter future together

Together, C&C and Aster, have one simple, shared objective: to deliver more and better homes/care homes and services to residents.

Together, we can do more:

  • Better realise our ‘Out Not In’ Care Strategy more rapidly to continually help improve the quality of life for you/your loved ones.
  • Invest more in our current homes and meet the wider challenges facing society e.g. ageing population.
  • Invest more in specialist technology to better support care provision and help residents lead their very best lives.
  • Build hundreds more homes than we could alone, and help tackle the national housing shortage for over 55s in housing and care.
  • We continue to provide our current care services and associated services to current and new residents.
  • We continue to invest in technologies to improve the quality of care and to maximise independence.
  • We continue to invest in engaging residents with a rich activity and fitness programme, as well as opportunities to volunteer.
  • We continue to invest in the safety, warmth and security of our buildings.
  • We continue to provide a range of C&C forums and meetings to listen to residents/their loved ones and take action on day-to-day issues.

Aster is a registered housing association like C&C. They have a similar approach and ethos and are just as passionate about C&C’s work as we are.

Aster is based in Hampshire, Wiltshire, Dorset, Devon, Cornwall, and other areas in between. They are a top 10 housing association and have over 32,000 homes.

They have a strong track record of investing in existing and new homes and growing resident services.

You can find out more about Aster Group, how they are funded and their governance framework by reading the below document:

https://www.ccht.org.uk/media/z35piwas/ccht-about-aster.pdf

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C&C
C&C

Merger FAQs: Suppliers, partners and other key C&C stakeholders

The following FAQs provide all our trusted suppliers as well as those we work closely with to deliver our varied housing and care services (including councils, medical professionals and arts/event partners), with information about the merger, and the benefits to C&C.

C&C remains as the contracting authority for relevant products and services in support of our residents and staff. Services that we provide to our residents are continuing. Relevant contracts continue to remain in place and will be reviewed as standard practice. Re-procurement exercises will be carried out at the appropriate time.

Over the coming years, this merger with Aster will help us to achieve:

  • Faster planned investment in all our properties
  • New digital services that would enable greater independence, and connect residents to family, friends, the wider community and our C&C services
  • A broader programme of community activities and volunteering
  • Hundreds more new affordable homes than would otherwise be possible
  • The provision of more care services to support the over 55s.

Over the coming years, this merger with Aster will help us to achieve:

  • A commitment to our existing four care homes and to the provision of more care services to support the over 55s across London and beyond
  • Greater investment in our care services to improve delivery of care
  • Acceleration of our existing ‘Out Not In’ Care Strategy
  • More investment in technologies to better support independent living
  • A broader programme of community activities and volunteering
  • Faster planned investment in our properties.

Aster is a registered housing association like C&C. They have a similar approach and ethos and are just as passionate about C&C’s work as we are.

Aster is based in Hampshire, Wiltshire, Dorset, Devon, Cornwall, and other areas in between. They are a top 10 housing association and have over 32,000 homes.

They have a strong track record of investing in existing and new homes and growing resident services.

You can find out more about Aster Group, how they are funded and their governance framework by reading the below document:

https://www.ccht.org.uk/media/z35piwas/ccht-about-aster.pdf

Through this merger, C&C becomes a subsidiary company of Aster Group and retains its name, homes, services and local service teams.

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