C

Capacity Building
Definition: "Activities, resources and support that strengthen the skills and abilities of people and community groups to take effective action and leading roles in the development of their communities." (Home Office Definition)

External Link : http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/comrace/active/civil/

Capital Expenditure
Definition: The money that landlords spend on buying land, or building and improving housing.

Capital Programme
Definition: A plan, usually over at least one year, for building and improving housing.

Capital Receipts
Definition: Money received by councils when they sell homes or land either voluntarily or under the Right to Buy.

Charter Mark
Definition: A Government award scheme which "recognises and encourages excellence in public services" (Cabinet Office definition). Under review

External Link : http://www.chartermark.gov.uk

Choice Based Lettings
Definition: Choice-based lettings are based on the Dutch style of advertising and letting homes and aims to give a more customer focused approach to the letting of social housing.

Citizens' Jury
Definition: A method of consultation which uses a small representative cross section of the community to look in depth at an issue, come to a conclusion and make recommendations for change.

Code of Conduct
Definition: a set of rules according to which people in a particular group or situation are supposed to behave

Committee
Definition: A Committee is a group of people elected by an organisation's members to carry out the work of the organisation. The Committee organises group meetings, and the group's Annual General Meeting and is responsible for carrying forward any decisions made at these meetings. Committees should usually have a Chair, Secretary and a Treasurer.

Community Development
Definition: Generic term covering the process of building active and sustainable communities by giving residents access to information and training to enable them to take control of their communal life.

Community Plan / Community Strategy
Definition: Under the Local Government Act 2000 all local authorities are required to work in partnership with the community, businesses, the voluntary sector and other partners to develop a long-term strategy to promote the social, economic and environmental well being of their local communities.

Concierge
Definition: A French word used to describe someone who looks after a block of flats. Their job may include some of the work of a caretaker and a receptionist.

Constitution
Definition: A constitution is a document, produced by a group,that states its aims, objectives, membership, rules etc. It is essential that a group has a good constitution, as it is the document that should be referred to if any questions arise about the way the group is run, how and when meetings occur, who looks after the money and what to do if a dispute occurs. Some Landlords may ask a group to adopt a standard Constitution in order to receive funding.

Contribution
Definition: ideas time and effort that people give to an organisation to help achieve its objectives

C.O.R.G.I.
Definition: Confederation Of Registered Gas Installers. Recognised regulator of gas operatives and contractors, for which anybody who works on gas appliances must be registered and approved.

Corporate Management Team
Definition: The group made up of senior managers and leaders from across all divisions of the company who work on cross cutting issues and share ideas and innovations.

Council Housing Transfer / Large Scale Voluntary Transfer / Stock Transfer
Definition: The process by which a local authority (Council) transfers the ownership and management of its Housing stock to a not-for-profit Registered Social Landlord. (Before the transfer can take place, a vote is usually conducted to see if tenants are in favour of it. If they are not, the local authority cannot go ahead with the transfer). The new landlord takes over responsibility for managing properties, rents, repairs, maintenance etc. The local authority continues to manage all non-housing related services (such as refuse collection, street lighting etc).

CP12
Definition: Landlord's gas safety record, issued annually to customers on completion of a gas safety inspection which should be retained by the customer.

Credit Union
Definition: Credit unions are locally based savings schemes that provide low cost loans to people on a low income.

External Link :http://www.abcul.org/

Crime & Disorder Act 1998
Definition: Gave Local Authorities extra powers to deal with people who commit acts of Anti Social Behaviour.