Variations between boards trouble sector as membership roster is revealed
The debate about who should sit at the top tables of the English regional housing boards intensified this week as large variations emerged between the membership of the nine bodies.

The Communities Plan stated that the core membership of the boards, which will steer housing strategy and allocate funds, should be the Housing Corporation, English Partnerships, the relevant government office, the regional development agency and the regional assembly where appropriate.

However, these bodies have been supplemented by a broad spectrum of groups including tenants' associations, housebuilders and local government associations.

The stage now seems set for rivalries to surface, as registered social landlords and arms of local government fight to get their voices heard.

One source at a Northern council said some regions could "end up as a real dog's dinner" if so many bodies were given licence to air their views.

A housing association chief executive said: "This is completely pathetic. There needs to be an external evaluation of how productive these things are after their first year of operation. I would imagine that it wouldn't make for very pretty reading."

Richard McCarthy, chair of the National Housing Federation, said: "We are nervous about the danger of conflicts of interest but, at the same time, we want to make sure we are engaged in regional housing forums. It seems there is a bit of a clamour for people to get on the regional housing board.

"If we are not careful, this will get in the way of their role of formulating high-level strategy."

McCarthy added that he thought a situation where everyone was pushing to get onto the boards would "not be the best way of maintaining the distance between people who create strategy and people who turn strategy into reality".

McCarthy was backed by housing consultant Jim Battle. He said he favoured smaller boards with advisory groups of stakeholders, including the regional housing forum.

Battle also criticised the inclusion of the House Builders Federation on a number of the boards, saying it was not "an appropriate body" to represent the interests of the private sector because it was a provider, not a lender.

A spokeswoman for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister said: "The whole point of the regional housing boards is to deal with the needs of local communities. So it is right they should have the power to vary the membership."

  • The Chartered Institute of Housing's policy team is to be restructured to reflect what Sarah Webb, director of policy at the institute, described as "the importance of the regional agenda". As Housing Today went to press, Webb said the CIH was to establish a team of policy officers for each of the nine regions.

    How many members do they have?

    North-east: 9
    North-west: 6
    Yorkshire and Humberside: 11
    East Midlands: 7
    East of England: 6
    West Midlands: 7
    London: 6
    South-east: 5
    South-west: 5

    Each board has a representative from English Partnerships, the regional development agency, the government office, the Housing Corporation and the regional assembly. Other members so far are:

    • North-east North-east Housing Forum, the Association of North-east Councils, the North-east Council of Tenants and Residents, the House Builders Federation
    • North-west North-west Housing Forum
    • Yorkshire and Humberside Representatives from two local pathfinders, the HBF, regional housing forum, one member each from social and private sectors
    • East Midlands Countryside Agency, Housing Task Group (observer status)
    • West Midlands regional housing forum, West Midlands Local Government Association
    • East of England regional housing forum
    • London Association of London Government
    • South-east and South-west have no other members

    • Source

    Housing Today