The Audit Commission and Housing Corporation will make presentations on the issue to deputy prime minister John Prescott and officials from his department. The decision on who gets the role could prove crucial to the long-term survival of either organisation.
The corporation is already facing the threat that its investment role could be hived off to regional bodies, while the commission is to lose some of its health and social services functions to other organisations.
Housing professionals think the job should be done by a completely new organisation (HT 1 August, page 7). But that could be costly and disrupt services during the handover.
The corporation hopes reports that ministers value its work highly will work in its favour. One senior inside source said: "We are starting from a position of strength."
It has yet to convince local government leaders of its merits, but believes councils are equally wary of the commission.
Councils are demanding a strong say in the new body. They want a separate governing board, containing councillors, for the inspectorate.
Its strategy would be formulated with help from senior council officers.
In its submission, the Housing Corporation is believed to have outlined a future in which it would inspect all housing-related council services. It has already begun moves to bring its inspections into line with those for councils by publishing grades for housing associations.
But it could report to the commission on non-landlord functions like homelessness and advice. That work would then feed into the commission's corporate governance reports which cover all services.
The Audit Commission is understood to have argued that its inspection service has been established longer and has a proven methodology.
Source
Housing Today
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