In early April there was a meeting with the external project manager about putting together a business case. The advice was much appreciated.
Next, there were another couple of good meetings. One with Birmingham Social Housing Partnership, about finding a Registered Provider (of social housing) to help us fulfill the social rent part of our plan. The other with Birmingham Community Homes, also partly about that, but largely them “getting to know us” exercise, so they can find out how they can give us further help – e.g. directing us on to other useful contacts.
We created a “dating profile” to put before prospective Registered Provider partners, and sent it off to Birmingham Social Housing Partnership for their first perusal.
The financial documentation side of the project was completed, and a (mostly empty!) set of financial accounts for 2019 was created and distributed to the group. In terms of our financial systems, we’re now fully up and running.
Work continues on the business plan. Volunteering work with other projects is helpful in these regards.
One of the members attended a series of taster training sessions, put on by the National Self-Build and Renovation Centre:
Cohousing West Midlands 