A new report was released, which highlights the success of Housing Corporation supervision. With the Best of Intentions is the third volume of the Housing Corporation's Learning from Problem Cases series and has been written by James Tickell and Nigel Phethean.
Primarily aimed at housing associations, the report is based on careful analysis of files held by the Housing Corporation and illustrates supervision success stories - where Housing Corporation intervention has helped housing associations work more effectively. The publication sets out 19 examples of how things went awry within each association, setting out a timeline and highlighting lessons learnt.
The report stresses:
The report is available on the Housing Corporation website - www.housingcorp.gov.uk.
The Housing Corporation Delegation Bill received Royal Assent. The Bill corrects a flaw in the Corporation's founding legislation, which had prevented the agency delegating decisions from Board committees and to officers. It brings the Corporation into line with practice of other Non Departmental Public Bodies.
In December 2005, the Corporation received advice that, since its governing legislation contained no express power to delegate its function to committees and officers, it was not possible to imply such a power. New interim procedures had to be introduced by the Corporation to ensure that, where a matter required a Board decision, it was put before a Board meeting. Since then, the Board has been meeting weekly to ensure that, so far as possible, decisions were made in a timely fashion and met housing association financial deadlines.
Passage of the Bill will put an end to the weekly cycle of Board meetings, which have been in place since January, and provide certainty to housing associations and lenders on the exercise of Corporation powers.
Housing Corporation Chief Executive, Jon Rouse, said: "I am delighted that we can now draw a line under this. I am very aware of the uncertainty this caused for the sector and the heavy extra burden this issue has placed on the Corporation."
It is estimated that 10% savings will result from a new procurement partnership, involving 13 social housing organisations in the Midlands. The Central England Procurement Partnership is made up of landlords with a total portfolio of nearly 100,000 homes. Member organisations are:
Arena Housing Association agreed a repairs and maintenance contract with OP Building maintenance Services. The £1.4 million contract will run for five years, with an option for a further similar period. The contract covers 5,000 homes across Merseyside.
Family First, which manages 400 homes, joined the LHA-ASRA Group. The Association will retain its name and the merger brings the total number of properties under the Group's umbrella to about 12,000.
St Vincent's Housing Association and New Fylde Housing embarked on merger talks, with the possibility of forming a new group structure. If the discussions progress, a new group organisation could be registered next year, managing nearly 5,000 homes in North West England.
Tor Homes was reported to be in separate merger talks with three group associations - Aster Group, Devon & Cornwall and Westcountry. Tor is due to leave William Sutton Group, following pulling out of merger plans with Affinity Group.