Section: Local Authorities

LA News

Norfolk County Services (NCS) was reported to have won a new five-year contract worth £7.5million to maintain 3,500 homes owned and managed by Peddars Way Housing Association.

NCS is a company wholly owned by Norfolk County Council. It agreed to take over the provision of building maintenance services for Peddars Way Housing Association in 2004 after a previous provider ran into financial difficulties. The Company has since forged a positive working relationship with the Association, which took into account, when awarding the contract, the high tenant satisfaction rating NCS received.

The new contract safeguards the future of about twenty NCS staff based near Dereham, who work on the maintenance contract - mostly involving homes that are the former housing stock of Breckland Council. The contract covers homes located across Dereham, Swaffham, King's Lynn and Downham Market.

NCS hopes the contract - won in competition against other national building maintenance service providers - will pave the way for other similar successes in the future.
Salford City Council signalled its intention to make an application to the Government to operate a legally enforceable Landlord Licensing scheme for the whole of its Langworthy district. This will in effect mean that landlords of privately rented accommodation will have to obtain a licence from the Council. It will be a criminal offence for a landlord to operate without a licence.

In order to make a strong case to Government for a Landlord Licensing scheme, the Council conducted a survey of residents in the area affected, to ascertain their views and add weight to the application.

If the application is successful, then Langworthy will be the first area of Salford - and possibly the whole country - to have such a scheme in place.

ALMO Update

Leeds City Council asked its residents to vote for their preferred method of streamlining the social housing management operation in the city. They were invited to vote on the number of Arms Length Management Organisations (ALMOs) in Leeds, which needs to be reduced from the current six. Tenants and leaseholders are being asked to choose either one city-wide ALMO or three smaller ones.

The Council believes that three ALMOs is the best option for Leeds as it will not only cut costs, but will also allow the authority to maintain close links with local areas, giving residents more say in how housing in their area is run. However, the city's tenants and leaseholders are being encouraged to vote for whichever is their preferred option, as both will bring great benefits for council housing. Under both options, ALMOs would be able to continue after 2010 and take advantage of any changes the Government introduces to ALMO finances.

The reason for the change is that since Leeds' ALMOs were set up in 2003, the number of council homes in the city has fallen from 67,000 to 61,000. This means that income has fallen and at the current running costs, if the current arrangements remain in place, a potential £12 million deficit.

Limits on the size of ALMOs meant that when the Council set them up in 2003, there had to be six to cover the whole city. Since then, the Government has relaxed its rules on how big they could be.
The three main opposition parties at Tower Hamlets Council joined forces to challenge the ruling Labour Party's plans to submit a bid to Government to set up an ALMO. A report to the Council argued that stock transfer was still the best option but that, in view of tenant opposition in some areas, alternatives should be actively explored. Opposition parties claim the proposal has been pushed through without proper time afforded to evaluate it.

A subsequent tenant survey established a 70% support for an ALMO covering five estates - where it is possible that stock transfer may not be favoured.
Nottingham Council brought in consultants Pricewaterhouse Coopers to advise on options for resolving the financial crisis in its a arm's-length management organisation. Nottingham City Homes has been required to submit proposals to the Government on how it intends to raise £73 million, after it became clear that the cost of bringing the ALMO's homes up to a decent standard had been seriously underestimated.
The ALMO 2010 Rotherham awarded an £8 million contract to Anglian Building Products to install 36,000 doors and windows in some 4,000 homes over a 4-year programme. The ALMO has plans to invest £300 million over the next five years in improving its housing stock.

Section: Local Authorities

LA News

ALMO Update

Housing Monthly Diary

Reporting on August 2006

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