The Chartered Institute of Housing, which launched the venture with the Local Government Association and the Northern Consortium of Housing Authorities, said the move would enable all councils to benefit from free advice. C4H director Mike Owen is to join the task force.
Councils, which are already part-way through their annual subscription to C4H, will receive a refund.
Insiders say the merger became inevitable last December, when the government task force’s remit was extended to arm’s-length management as well as transfer.
Owen said councils have moved “massively ahead” in the last year in tackling option appraisal.
“We have a considerable amount of information on housing investment – from arm’s-length model documents to specifications for consultants – and it was a shame that only subscribing organisations benefited,” he explained.
“Information and good practice will now be freely available for councils, tenants and councillors. This will help more councils to make better informed decisions on how their decent homes target will be met.”
Institute policy director John Perry (pictured) added: “For commercial reasons the service was by subscription, although all the partners involved would have preferred the information to be freely available.”
The merger will enable the task force to begin working with individual councils at an earlier stage in the process.
“Good advice early on is critical,” said Gwyneth Taylor, LGA programme manager. “It makes for better decisions and more successful outcomes.”
She said the LGA was not concerned that politics might interfere with the DTLR-based advice agency.
“The task force has a different remit from government. It does not promote transfer, but it will ensure councils are aware of all the issues.”
Source
Housing Today
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