The Government wrote to all ALMOs to ask if they would be interested in building homes, and, if so, to comment on how they would do so. The ODPM confirmed the letter was part of its programme of considering longer-term options for ALMOs.
Brent Housing Partnerships and Kensington & Chelsea TMO set up a joint venture company with the purpose of generating revenue and efficiency savings. Grand Union Homes, which is the first partnership of its kind between two ALMOs, will also offer housing management services to other housing landlords.
The Company failed in its first bid - a contract to manage housing for Westminster CC.
Ascham Homes' Decent Homes budget has a shortfall of £68 million after an offer of government funding from the 2nd round of ALMOs expired: the ALMO fell short of the required performance standard.
The ALMO was further advised by the ODPM that it would not be given a place on round five of the programme because the ALMO had failed to have its option appraisal approved. It was hoped that an Audit Commission inspection in September would provide the 2-star status needed by the ALMO, but the inspection was postponed to allow more time to prepare. An application for inclusion in round six is to be submitted.
The former Chief Executive of Westminster CC, Bill Roots, was commissioned by Lambeth LBC to scrutinise actions of staff during a period when a convicted fraudster siphoned off some £2.9 million from the Council's Decent Homes budget. Following the fraud, the Council introduced procedural changes and mandatory re-training for managers on financial procedures.
Kensington & Chelsea LBC were reported to be at odds with the London Mayor's guidance to build homes at high-density. The Council's latest draft planning rules recommend a low-density approach to new housing development, which runs counter to the London Plan, City Hall's planning rule book for the Capital.
The Council's new draft planning rules also propose a new allocations policy, which restricts access to new build homes to people who can demonstrate a local connection.
