North-east is further than ever from decent homes standard

Councils in the North-east are further away from reaching the decent homes standard than was estimated in 2001, the government has admitted.

Of 20 councils, 12 now say they may not be able to bring all their stock up to scratch by 2010. Last year the number was only eight.

Denise Caudle, director of communities at the Government Office for the North-east, released the figures on Thursday at a Chartered Institute of Housing conference in Durham.

She said 20,000 council homes might fail to reach the standard in time, despite transfer plans by three councils. She blamed poor information last year for the sudden change. Councils have now completed surveys and produced more accurate forecasts, she said.

The news will be a further blow to the government's attempts to get councils to reach the standard. Housing minister Lord Rooker has already said last year's plans showed 150,000 homes nationally could fail to meet the standard (HT 7 November, page 8) – a figure based on 50% of council homes being below the standard today.

Rooker's department said updated business plans from councils could show a more promising picture. But such hopes fly in the face of evidence in the North-east.

Housing Quality Network associate Steve Partridge said councils have been working to firm up their estimates this year and the information is therefore likely to be more accurate than before.

Consultant Graham Moody said: "Councils need to ensure they have the right information, and that they have interpreted the standard correctly," he said. "But if the figures are accurate, the government will have a bigger job to do in its options review than it thought."