Freedom of Information
1. What is Freedom of Information?
Under the Freedom of Information Act (2002) you have the right to request information from any public authority, including Port of Leith Housing Association.
This is different from requesting personal information we hold about you. If you would like to access information we hold about you, please see our Privacy Policy.
2. Make a request
The information you are looking for may already be listed in our Publication Scheme (known as our Guide to Information) below. If it is not, you can make a Freedom of Information request by clicking the button below or visiting our ‘Contact us’ page. Please remember to include your full name and correspondence address when making the request.
Will I be charged for an information request?
There is no charge to make an FOI request to Port of Leith Housing Association where processing costs are below £100. We may charge 10% for FOI requests exceeding £100. We are not obliged to process information requests costing over £600.
Exemptions
Exemptions exist which may prevent us being able to provide information. These include:
- information that is covered by the Data Protection Act 1998
- information that is commercially sensitive
- requests which are repeated or vexatious
- requests exceeding the £600 cost limit
To see a full list of exemptions see the Scottish Information Commissioner.
3. Guide to Information
We publish all the information that we hold within the following classes:
Information about PoLHA, who we are, where to find us, how to contact us, how we are managed and our external relations.
| Information | How to access it |
| Descriptions of who we are | |
| Mission Statement | Our Strategic Plan – Port of Leith Housing Association (polha.co.uk) |
| Vision | Our Strategic Plan – Port of Leith Housing Association (polha.co.uk) |
| Values | Our Strategic Plan – Port of Leith Housing Association (polha.co.uk) |
| Corporate objectives | Our Strategic Plan – Port of Leith Housing Association (polha.co.uk) |
| Area(s) of operation | Our Strategic Plan – Port of Leith Housing Association (polha.co.uk) |
| Key activities, strategic / corporate plan(s) | Our Strategic Plan – Port of Leith Housing Association (polha.co.uk) |
| Business Plan | Our Strategic Plan – Port of Leith Housing Association (polha.co.uk) |
| Customer Code / Charter | Customer Charter 2016 (52kb pdf) |
| Location and opening arrangements | |
| Address | Online – Contact Us |
| Phone number and email address for general enquiries | Online – Contact Us |
| Opening times | Online – Contact Us |
| General contact arrangements | Online – Contact Us |
| Local / area office contact details | Online – Contact Us |
| Contact details for making a complaint | Online – Contact Us |
| Information relating to Freedom of Information (FOI) | |
| Publication Scheme and Guide to Information | Guide to Information |
| Charging Schedule for Published Information | Guide to Information |
| Contact details and advice on making an FOI request | Guide to Information |
| Freedom of Information policies and procedures | Guide to Information
Freedom of Information and Environmental Information Policy 2020 |
| Charging Schedule for environmental information provided in response to requests made under EIRs | Guide to Information |
| About our Governing Body | |
List of Governing Body Members
|
Online – About us (for names, when they became a member and professional biographical details).
Board Members and rota for election at AGM 2019 (Excel doc) (for office-bearing responsibilities and when they became an office-bearer)
|
Description of the role of the Governing Body
|
Port of Leith Housing Association does not have a structure chart for the Governing Body.
For remits see: Rules (pdf) and Standing Orders (pdf) |
| How to become part of the governing body | Online – About us |
| About our staff | |
| List of senior management team, including professional biography and contact details | Online – About us |
| Organisational structure | Staff Structure 2019 (pdf) |
| Governance documents and corporate policies | |
| Rules / Articles | Rules (pdf) |
| Standing Orders | Standing Orders (pdf) |
| Membership Policy | Membership Policy (pdf) |
| Code of Conduct for staff | See page 13 of Staff Handbook (pdf) |
| Code of Conduct for Governing Body Members | Code of Conduct for Governing Body Members and Involved Customers (pdf) |
| Entitlements Payments and Benefits Policy | Entitlements, Benefits and Payments Management Policy 2019 (pdf) |
| Register of Interests | Staff Declaration of Interests (Excel doc) |
| Equalities Policy | Equality and Diversity Management Policy (pdf) |
| Health & Safety Policy | Health & Safety Policy 2019 (pdf) |
| Sustainability Policy | Sustainability Policy (pdf) |
| Relationship with Regulators | |
| Engagement plan with Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) | Online – SHR website |
| Assurance Statement | Online – SHR website |
| Annual Return on Charter Submission to SHR | Online – SHR website |
| Financial returns to SHR | Online – SHR website |
| Charter report to tenants | Online – SHR website |
| Internal and External Audit arrangements | Online – SHR website |
| Group Details | |
| Details of our subsidiaries / parent organisation | Online – About us |
| Key partnerships | |
| Strategic agreements with other organisations | None |
Information about our work, our strategy and policies for delivering services and information for our service users.
| Information | How to access it |
| How to use our services | |
| List of services provided | Online – About us |
| How to report a repair | Online – Repairs |
| Right to repair information | Online – Repairs |
| How to apply for a house | Online – Apply for housing |
| How to get information about tenancy support | Online – Help & support |
| How to make a complaint | Online – contact us |
| How to speak to a housing officer | Online – contact us |
| How we consult with tenants and other customers to inform and improve service delivery and develop new services | Online – Getting involved |
| Policies and procedures | |
| Allocations Policy | Allocation Policy 2017 (pdf) |
| Adaptations Policy | Adaptations Policy (pdf) |
| Agency Services Policy | Agency Services Policy 2021 (pdf) |
| Antisocial Behaviour Policy | Antisocial behaviour management policy (pdf) |
| Asbestos Management Policy | Management of Asbestos Containing Materials Policy (pdf) |
| Arrears Management Policy | Social housing rent collection and arrears credits management policy (pdf) |
| Asset Management Policy (including stock condition information) | Asset management policy statement (pdf) |
| Customer Care Policy | Customer Engagement Policy (pdf) and Customer Contact Management Policy (pdf) |
| Data Protection Policy | Data Management Policy (pdf) |
| Development Policy | Development Policy 2018 (pdf) |
| Equality and Diversity Policy | Equality and Diversity Management Policy (pdf) |
| Estate Management Policy | Estate management policy 2017 (pdf) |
| Health & Safety Policy and Procedures | Health & Safety Policy 2019 (pdf)
and Health & Safety On Site and CDM (Client) Procedures 2021 (pdf) |
| Legionnaires Inspection / Prevention Policy | Legionella Management Policy and procedures (pdf) |
| New Development Project and Risk Policy | New Development and Project Risk Policy (pdf) |
| Procurement Policy | Procurement Policy (pdf) |
| Risk Management Policy | Risk Control Policy and Procedure 2015 (pdf) |
| Rent Setting Policy | Scottish Secure Tenancy Rent Setting Policy 2016 (pdf) |
| Repairs Policy | Chargeable Repairs Policy 2017 (pdf) |
| Sustainability Policy | Sustainability Policy 2015 (pdf) |
| Tenant Engagement Policy | Customer Engagement Policy 2019 (pdf) |
| Tenant Sustainment Policy | Tenancy Sustainment Policy (pdf) |
| Difficult Customer Management Policy | Difficult Customer Management Group Policy 2019 (pdf) |
| Internal procedures relating to above (where available) | This information is contained within the individual policies listed above. |
Information about the decisions we take, how we make decisions and how we involve others.
| Information | How to access it |
| Governing Body Meetings | |
| Governing body meeting minutes | Online – Board minutes |
| Governing body meeting reports / papers | Online – Governing Bodies
We publish information from 2019 onwards. For earlier versions please contact us. |
| Governing body agendas | Online – Governing Bodies
We publish information from 2019 onwards. For earlier versions please contact us. |
| Consultation and Participation | |
| Tenant Participation Strategy | Online – Getting involved |
| Consultation reports noting the outcome of any recent consultations with tenants / others | Port of Leith Housing Association does not hold or publish this kind of information. |
| Tenant Scrutiny Panel composition | Online – Customer Connect Group |
| Registered Tenant Organisations | Online – Registered Tenant Organisations |
Information about our strategy for, and management of, financial resources (in sufficient detail to explain how we plan to spend public money and what has actually been spent).
| Information | How to access it |
| Information about our accounts and budgets | |
| Description of funding sources | Online – Annual Report |
| Audited accounts | Online – Annual Report |
| Budget policies and procedures | Online – Annual Report |
| Budget allocation to key service areas | Online – Annual Report |
| Our programme of work and projects | |
| Brief details of any project funding and how it’s being spent | Port of Leith Housing Association does not hold or publish this kind of information. |
| Capital works programme / plans information (annual programme figure) | Asset Management Strategy (pdf) |
| Spending relating to staff and Governing Body | |
| Expenses policies and procedures | Entitlements Benefits and Payments Management Policy (pdf) |
| Senior staff / governing body member expenses at category level eg travel, subsistence and accommodation | Available on request |
| Board member remuneration other than expenses | Port of Leith Housing Association does not hold or publish this kind of information. |
| Pay and grading structure (levels of pay rather than individual salaries) | 2019/20 Salary Grade Structure (Excel doc) |
| General information about staff pension scheme | SHAPS Membership Benefits (pdf) |
Information about how we manage our human, physical and information resources.
| Information | How to access it |
| Human resources | |
| Strategy and management of human resources | People Strategy (pdf) |
| Staffing structure | Staff structure 2019 (pdf) |
Human resources policies covering:
|
1. Recruitment & Selection Management Policy 2019 (pdf)
2. Performance & Recognition Management Policy (pdf) 3. Grading structure 2019 (pdf) 4. Performance & Recognition Management Policy (pdf) 5. Pensions extract from staff handbook (pdf) 6. Disciplinary Policy 2018 (pdf) 7. Grievance Management Policy & Procedures |
| Internal procedures relating to the above (where available) | The procedures are contained in the policies above with the exceptions of policies listed as No.3 and No.5 where none are available. |
| Trade Union information | Port of Leith Housing Association does not hold or publish this kind of information. |
| Summary of professional organisations / trade bodies of which we are a member | Affiliations (Excel doc) |
| Physical resources | |
| Management of our land and property assets, including environmental / sustainability reports | Asset Management Strategy (pdf) |
| General description of our land and property holdings | Port of Leith Housing Association does not hold or publish this kind of information. |
| Estate development plans | Port of Leith Housing Association does not hold or publish this kind of information. |
| Information resources | |
| Records management policy and records management plan, including records retention schedule | Data Protection Policy 2020 (pdf) |
| Data protection or privacy policy | Data Protection Policy 2020 (pdf) |
Information about how we procure works, goods and services, and our contracts with external providers.
| Information | How to access it |
Information about our key service delivery contractors who carry out:
|
Online – Contracts Register – Public Contracts Scotland |
| List of suppliers and contractors used by organisation (provided to staff under our Entitlements Payments and Benefits Policy) | Online – Contracts Register – Public Contracts Scotland |
| Information about regulated procurement contracts awarded (value, scope, duration) | Online – Contracts Register – Public Contracts Scotland |
| Our procurement | |
| Procurement Policy and procedures | Procurement Policy (pdf) |
| Information on how to tender for work and invitations to tender | Online – Procurement Opportunities |
| Register of contracts awarded which have gone through formal tendering, including name of supplier, period of contract and value | Online – Public Contracts Scotland |
| Links to procurement information we publish on Public Contracts Scotland website | Online – Public Contracts Scotland |
| Framework agreements | Online – Procurement |
Information about how we perform as an organisation, and how well we deliver our functions and services.
| Information | How to access it |
| Annual report | Online – Annual Report |
| ARC report to tenants | Online – Scottish Housing Regulator website |
| Performance standards / indicators | Online – Landlord Details – Scottish Housing Regulator website |
| Benchmarking information | Online – Scottish Housing Regulator website |
| Complaints policy, guidance and forms | Complaints Policy |
| Complaints reports or equivalent to show how complaints are handled and influence service delivery (aggregate reports rather than individual outcomes) | Online – Our performance |
| Tenant scrutiny reports | Online – Get Involved |
Information packaged and made available for sale on a commercial basis and sold at market value through a retail outlet eg bookshop, museum or research journal.
| Information | How to access it |
| Port of Leith Housing Association does not hold or publish any information under this class. | N/A |
Open data made available by us under the Scottish Government’s Open Data Resource Pack and available under open licence.
| Information | How to access it |
| Port of Leith Housing Association does not hold or publish any information under this class. | N/A |
Copyright and re-use
Where we hold the copyright on our published information, the information may be copied or reproduced without formal permission, provided that:
- It is copied accurately
- It is not used in a misleading context
- The source of the material is identified
