Report is 'a missed opportunity

A report by one of the government teams charged with leading the "crusade to tackle Britain's worst neighbourhoods" has been condemned as bland, conservative and a missed opportunity.

The report by the Social Exclusion Unit's policy action team on housing management has caused bitter disappointment among several team members.

The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions insists that the report was "strongly endorsed" by every member of the team, but five members have privately expressed their disquiet to Housing Today.

A draft copy of the report, seen by Housing Today, lists a series of recommendations. But it is understood most have been qualified by the civil servants on the team who wrote the report.

Several members were particularly angered by officials' refusal to criticise government plans for funding supported housing.

One source said: "The report is very selective in pushing curtain things that are acceptable to the DETR, whereas it says other things that are more radical require evaluation."

It is understood that some team members are pushing for the report to be issued as a consultation in the hope it can be made more radical. This would also allow the conclusions to be linked to findings of the other policy teams which are expected to be more contentious.

Many in the housing lobby were hoping for radical solutions after government promised that the work of the teams would send a "shock wave through Whitehall."

Another source said: "The DETR are part of the problem, they want the status quo. The report is extremely conservative."

A government adviser said the report could be describing "the process of canning peas." He added: "There are social conflicts in housing management which are deeper than a bit of Best Value here and a bit of good practice there. It's very bland." Another source on the team said the report was a "missed opportunity."

Michael Beverley, a tenant representative on the team admitted that the final report had been "watered down" and "lost a lot of the enthusiasm." But he said he was "happy to stand by the report."

Team member and National Housing Federation head of housing manager and support Liz Potter said: "It was difficult for this action team to debate the issue in isolation from the other teams. We were conscious of the need for a wider debate that included tenants."

The team's SEU representative Atul Patel said he could not discuss the report until it was cleared by the Prime Minister.