Policy Digest
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Oct - Dec 2008 Issue No. 17 |
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Further Information
The Policy Digest provides a review of Northern Housing Consortium policy activity and an update on recent national legislative, policy and regulation issues that have an impact on our members in the North. Visit our website or contact the NHC Policy section on 0191 566 1000 for further information on the work of the Consortium featured in the Digest or any other policy areas you would like to highlight.
Satty Rai Jacqui Grimes
Policy Services Manager Policy and Research Officer
Homes and Communities Agency
On 1st December 2008 the Homes & Communities Agency (HCA) finally went live at a time of unprecedented uncertainty. Government figures show that house building completions this year are expected to be the lowest since 1945, house prices have fallen on average 15% and 45000 repossessions are expected by the end of the year alongside a possible 3 million unemployed. As a result of the Sub National Review all regional structures are in a state of transition. The Regional Assemblies are preparing to hand over responsibility for housing and planning policy to the Regional Development Agencies and a forum of local leaders by the end of March 2009. Regional Housing & Regeneration Boards and statutory city regional structures will also emerge early in 2009.
Whilst we await clarity around how the housing investment decisions will fit with emerging regional and city-regional structures, the HCA is promising a different way of working to its predecessor with new models and better outcomes for the sector. These include:-
- A new culture - national agency with local ambitions
- A new business model - more holistic, fitting programmes to places, a new process (the 'single conversation') and new tools
- New partnerships with local authorities, registered providers, private sector and the regulators
- A long term objective to create opportunity, and regenerate places where people want, and can afford, to live.
In light of the credit crunch the HCA faces huge expectations from registered providers and the volume house builders to support local delivery. In the words of L&Q Group Chief Executive David Montague "Nothing is going to be built under the current model. The current model is broken". However, the government has made it very clear that it expects "something for something." At the Northern Housing Summit on 18th November 2008, Richard McCarthy, Director General of Housing and Planning at CLG said "the HCA stands ready to engage on flexibilities" but stressed that in exchange the sector must "demonstrate an ability to be flexible and ingenious on how we make the money go further..focus on mitigating short term impact of the credit crunch whilst preparing for greater stabilisation (of the economy)..and place an emphasis on outcomes, shared interests and mutual support."
The Northern Housing Consortium is preparing a discussion paper on the HCA to be published in January 2009. The discussion paper will explore what the new agency means for us and will consider whether the new culture, business model and tools will help deliver better outcomes for the North's communities. For more information please contact Sarah Taylor, Policy & Practice Development Manager, 0191 5661029.
Tenant Services Authority
National Conversation Purpose
TSA are seeking to engage with social housing tenants and shared owners to help shape the development of TSA regulatory standards and approach.
TSA state they will be putting the views of tenants/shared owners/prospective tenants at the heart of their approach to regulation. They seek to provide:
- Clarity for tenants about the standards of service they should receive
- Assurance that their views on standards and service quality are central to their landlord's business management
- Information available to TSA and tenants that allow clear assessment of performance
- Confidence for tenants that if performance is not good that the failure will be put right
TSA timeline to develop their standards framework is as follows:
- October-November 2008 set-up phase
Outline TSA mission
Operational Readiness - Day 1
Recruit 'top' posts and agree interim structures
- December 2008-March 2009 phase 1a
Official launch of TSA
Launch of national consultation with tenants through meetings, workshops, focus groups, vox pop, websites, written materials
Commence TSA Restructure
- April-July 2009 phase 1b
Wider consultation with sector on standards and our regulatory approach
Complete restructure and recruitment
- August-November 2009 phase 1c
Statutory consultation on standards throughout domain
New website and information sharing tools
Fees policy and funding for domain agreed
- December 2009 (or earlier) phase 2
New standard framework launched, 2008 Act regulatory powers 'switched on' for RSLs and Register of housing providers opened up
- April 2010 phase 3
Entry of local authorities into regulatory regime
Phase 1A - December 08 - March 09
There are three integrated elements to phase 1a:
i) Development, promotion and completion of a questionnaire (paper and web-based) and results analysed by March 2009
ii) Communications strategy including a National Conversation website, you tube channel, sms consultation, and the provision of a "resource pack" for landlords and tenants to use in their "local conversation" events
iii) A series of regional tenant events (attracting 3600 tenants between January and March 2009), promotion, mapping and analysis of feedback of landlord and tenant led "local conversations" and a series of landlord events.
The Consortium and HQN have been commissioned to deliver the consultation events - the 18 regional events, to promote, map and analyse the local conversations and to provide landlord focused events.
To book tenants onto the regional events please visit our website and call our booking line 0191 566 1026.
You will shortly receive from TSA a resource pack giving you details on setting up your local conversations - if you have any queries about this please do contact us.
We will also be working with members on understanding the forthcoming regulatory regime and will be issuing key briefing papers in the coming months.
For more information please contact Charlotte Howse, Director of Policy and Practice - charlotte.howse@northern-consortium.org.uk
Housing Policy Explained 2009
The world of housing is going through perhaps its biggest evolution in a generation. The Government is announcing a raft of new policies and bringing on stream legislation that will impact everyone working in the affordable housing sector. The establishment of the new regulator and the Homes and Community agency highlights the turning point in both social and market housing.
This brand new event covers wide range of prominent topics, to assist members in preparing and understanding the operating environment that will exist in the year ahead. Within the wide ranging policy areas that are due to be covered, we will aim to give delegates a practical insight into how to turn an element of that policy into practice.
This day-long event, which is supported by CLG, will be held 22nd January, York Racecourse. To ensure that you reserve a place on this exciting new event please click on the link below for booking form and further details of speakers.
Housing Policy Explained: Flyer & Programme
Queen's Speech
On 3rd December 2008, Her Majesty the Queen opened Parliament for the 2008/09 session. In her speech Her Majesty outlined the Gordon Brown Government's programme for the coming Parliament.
A number of Bills were announced in the speech, two of which will be of particular interest to Northern Housing Consortium (NHC) members and other organisations working in housing in the north. NHC has produced a briefing paper outlining the provisions set out in the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill and the Welfare Reform Bill as well as the possible implications to NHC members. The briefing paper can be accessed here.
For more information please contact Barry Turnbull, Policy & Research Officer, 0191 5661030.
Northern Housing Summit 2008
The Northern Housing Consortium is celebrating after another successful yearof the Northern Housing Summit. The wide variety of speakers at the 5th annual event made for a very successful programme which included Peter Dixon, Chair, Housing Corporation, Peter Marsh, Chief Executive, Tenant Services Authority and Steve Douglas, Chief Executive, Housing Corporation.
With the creation of the Homes and Communities Agency and the Tenant Services Authorities this timely conference was designed to inform Consortium Members of the changes in industry governance and regulation particularly the impact it will have upon their individual organisations.
The wide range of topics also included; Housing in the North - The Government's Vision; Community Empowerment & Wellbeing; Banks - v - Bonds: solving the liquidity crunch; Worklessness; Environment and Design; The future for cross sector regulation and inspection and Housing and the credit crunch - global issues - local impact.
The Consortium also showcased a range of short films designed to demonstrate current examples of excellent housing and community initiatives covering a wide variety of topics from a scheme for young mothers to a green travel policy. The concept behind the Northern Silver Screen was to use film as a succinct & engaging media for sharing information within the Consortiums membership presentedunder the Consortium's four work themes. To view the series of short films please visit the Consortiums website; http://www.northern-consortium.org.uk/
To view the presentations from our speakers pleasevisit our mediasite at: http://savilleav.mediasite.com/savilleav/Catalog/?cid=83265ac985b842328522807fe2a36423
To let us know your views on the Northern Housing Summit or to register your interest in next year's conference please contact louise.ratcliffe@northern-consortium.org.uk
- Next Issue: March 2009 -
© Northern Housing Consortium, December 2008