More resources are needed if the recommendations of a key government report into housing management are to be carried out, councils and associations have urged
Housing providers are being asked to respond to the Social Exclusion Unit's policy action team report on neighbourhood management which was published this week.

The report's recommendations, which call on the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions to "actively advocate" on-the-spot housing management for large, difficult estates, were criticised earlier this year as disappointing by team members (Housing Today, issue 137).

This week Local Government Association said it was encouraged that more work is to be done into assessing the cost of on-the-spot housing management, in the wake of the report.

Head of housing group and action team member Paul Lautman admitted many of the recommendations were "not whizz, bang, wow sort of things" but said much good practice was taking place already.

But he warned: "It is an important point we agreed on in the group in terms of getting DETR and Treasury officials to realise that getting more intensive housing management will and does cost more. There may be savings but to the extent that they will accrue to other budgets like health or the police, not housing."

Much existing intensive housing management received additional funding, he said.

The report says the cost of on-the-spot housing management, such as "supercaretakers" "may mean that it will not always be feasible or appropriate".

In the report's foreword, Armstrong writes: "More work is needed on a number of issues raised in the report, including establishing a better baseline of local management of local management on which to set targets, and assessing the cost effectiveness of on-the-spot housing management."

National Housing Federation director of policy Liz Potter said: "Housing management is not just about collecting the rent and repairs, its has to step in when other services are found wanting. The big problem is who should pay for it."

"A lot more needs to be done on the issue of costs and benefits - to look at a more proactive housing management that makes savings not only for housing but for the wider community."

National strategy for neighbourhood renewal report of policy action team 5 housing management, is available, priced £9.50, from DETR publication sales department. Tel: 01709 891318

Source

Housing Today