Ad hoc answer to an anomaly

Having announced at the Labour party conference that he “would look at an inquiry into it [fourth option]”, John Prescott has now rejected not only an additional funding mechanism, but also the review itself. What could have brought about this change of heart over the past five weeks? And, where does this leave councils such as Camden, which was hoping for another method to meet the 2010 target?

The deputy prime minister had agreed to the review the evening before his Brighton speech. Details of the political machinations preceding his decision remain shrouded, but whatever he had in mind about negotiated compromise or securing extra funding seems now to have disappeared.

So what are the options now on offer to Camden? Despite an ALMO proposal rejected and Defending Council Housing active in the borough, the authority’s leadership need to fund improvements to tenants’ homes. An ad hoc method for the north London borough could be the answer. Naturally, it would be for the two sides to thrash out the detail of such a compromise. This may involve going back to tenants with a new proposal more acceptable to the residents and local political activists.

Such an option may not be open to all authorities; perhaps it may be available only to top-performing councils.

Having made decent homes a manifesto commitment, the ODPM may be forced to prevent some local authorities from achieving it

As well as solving the Camden anomaly, such an agreement could help the ODPM which, having made decent homes a manifesto commitment, may now be forced to prevent some local authorities from achieving it. Finally, an accommodation between Camden and the ODPM may ensure local tenants are removed from the sorry position of essentially having voted not to have their homes brought to a decent standard.

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