Assemblies: Well need extra cash after merger

The government’s flagging regional agenda was dealt a further blow this week when it emerged that eight of the nine unelected regional assemblies are worried they cannot afford to write regional housing strategies.

In a consultation that closed on Tuesday, the government outlined its hope that the unelected assemblies would take on responsibility for writing the strategies from regional housing boards next year.

The consultation also proposed merging regional housing and planning boards into the regional assemblies – this was recommended by Kate Barker in her March housing supply review.

When contacted by Housing Today, eight of the nine assemblies voiced concern about the level of extra resources they will receive from the ODPM to allow them to produce the strategies, which are key to housing provision across England.

The West Midlands assembly said that, in the worst-case scenario, it may have to “decline the opportunities offered by the merger [of regional housing and planning boards]” if additional funding is not forthcoming.

The assemblies are worried because the government has said it does not “envisage providing any additional funding to support RHBs” as the merger does not involve the creation of any new tasks or burdens.

Colin Robertshaw, head of policy at the East of England assembly, said: “If we are going to fulfil this new role, including taking on the responsibilities of the regional housing board, it is inevitable we will have to take on new staff. It will be impossible to achieve without new resources.”

Estimates of merger costs vary from Yorkshire and Humber assembly’s “conservative” £150,000 to £170,000 a year, to East Midlands’ suggestion of an extra £250,000 being needed.

Andrew Pritchard, head of spatial planning at the East Midlands assembly, said: “We agree there needs to be additional resources. The government can’t expect us to take on new duties without new resources. We hope the money would come from central government. It’s up to them to consider our proposed figure now.”

The ODPM’s response to the consultation is expected early next year. A spokesperson said it was too early to comment at this stage.

David Tretheway, director of strategy and local government at the South West assembly, said: “There is an issue around resources. It’s a bit extreme to say we won’t go ahead if we don’t get additional resources, and we don’t take that position, but we recognise that we need to talk about it and resolve it.”

Sarah Webb, director of policy at the Chartered Institute of Housing, said the problem facing the assemblies was “enormous”. She said: “Producing the regional housing strategy is very difficult and requires skilled people. We are seriously undermining the ability of the regional assemblies to deliver on this by not funding them properly."