This week's issue is devoted to the biggest sensation to hit social housing in decades: arm's-length management organisations.
Like any exciting phenomenon, this new style of council housing management is surrounded by concerns, unknowns and sceptics. Are ALMOs purely a scam to dig the government out of a political hole? Are they transfer by the back door? Or can they evolve into genuinely competitive private or semi-private organisations that will have a long shelf life? There are all kinds of unanswered questions over their future.

But that stands to reason. Many of the 21 councils that have ALMO status, and many of those that are bidding for it, have yet to bed down their core business: improving the level of service to the tenants who are putting so much faith in this new solution. Debates on whether they should be able to borrow money or develop homes are understandable, but perhaps secondary to whether the government is putting enough money councils' way to meet demand for ALMO status.

The government certainly seems to be pleased with its experiment, apparently seeing ALMOS as a relatively painless way of modernising council services. Tenants appear to like the end result too, even if there is trouble along the way.

For ALMO staff, there's the chance to use more flair and initiative. A real "can-do" attitude is at large: more than anything else, ALMOs have given council housing organisations back some self-respect. They could also re-energise council homes as places to live and bring back pride – where it has been lost – to being a council tenant.

ALMOs have given council housing organisations back some self-respect

The Corporation's mystery man
Who? It's the most obvious response to the news that Peter Dixon is to be the next chairman of the Housing Corporation (page 7). By selecting Dixon, the government has gone for a technocrat with a reputation for getting things done, rather than a high-profile political figure. Given the uncertainty the corporation is facing, the final selection of a chair has been keenly awaited as an indication of the government's longer-term plan for the organisation.

The obvious reading of the choice of a less high-profile figure than predecessor Baroness Brenda Dean is that the government does indeed intend to demote the corporation's role. But that would be jumping the gun. After all, Margaret Ford was hardly a household name when she took over as chair of English Partnerships.

Besides, Dixon's job will be very different from the one Dean inherited. She helped take housing up the political agenda; the onus now is on delivery and how the corporation fits into the jigsaw.

Source

Housing Today