Report Page 1
London Councils Housing Forum
Successes and Business Plan
Priorities 2007/08
Item no:
1
Report by:
Nick Day
Date:
5 December 2006
Contact Officer:
Eleanor Ward
Telephone:
020 7934
9943
Summary:
This report sets out some of the recent work and successes of the
Housing Division of London Councils and the Business Plan priorities
for 2007/08.
Recommendations
Members are asked to:
1.
Email:
Head of Housing Strategy & SubRegions
[email protected]
Note the work and successes of the housing division of
London Councils including:
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Job
title:
Obtaining additional funding for management and
maintenance allowances in 2006/07 (£61m) and
£500,000 for boroughs to tackle overcrowding
Raising the political profile of overcrowding and securing
ministerial support
Securing an offer worth approximately £20m from
Thames Water, of half the capital costs of improvements
to water supply facilities in Council properties, an interest
free loan for the remaining costs, plus additional support
from Thames Water
Boroughs taking the lead role in taking forward pan
London choice based lettings and mobility
Successfully lobbying in a number of areas including
excluding killer PIs in CPA assessments and unworkable
leasehold legislation
Housing Benefit Training Project extended with £167,000,
highly valued by boroughs and DWP, and has helped to
improve Housing Benefit performance
Comment on the proposed Business Plan priorities for
2007/08 which include:
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The strategic housing role
Housing in a dynamic economy
Investment
Community involvement
Report Page 2
1.
Introduction
1.1
This report sets out some of the key successes of the Housing Division of London
Councils in supporting boroughs in their work and helping them to achieve value for
money and efficiency savings.
1.2
The Housing Division works within the context of the London Councils Business Plan
which has four key priorities:
 Fair funding for London
 Governing a world city
 Improving our public services
 Promoting local communities
2.
Background
2.1
The Housing Division of London Councils has a strong track record of achievement
on behalf of London boroughs.
2.2
Funding successes include:
 Obtaining £61m additional Management and Maintenance funding for London
in 2006/07 compared to the previous year; and persuading Government to
increase the amount by £26m over original proposals
 Influencing the London Housing Board and Treasury to create a £30m funding
pot for initiatives to transform temporary accommodation to settled
accommodation
 Securing £500,000 additional DCLG funding for boroughs to tackle
overcrowding
 Securing an offer worth approximately £20m from Thames Water to cover half
the capital costs of improvements to water supply facilities in Council
properties, an interest free loan for the remaining costs, plus additional
support from Thames Water
 Identifying projected savings of £6m for 3 boroughs through the Office of
Government Commerce and the London Centre of Excellence pilot on social
housing efficiency
 Securing £167,000 from DWP for the London Councils Housing Benefit
Project which has played a major role in improving borough Housing Benefit
performance and delivery in London
 Preventing the loss of borough service charge income by successfully
lobbying DCLG to refrain from implementing unworkable leasehold legislation
2.3
Lobbying and Advocacy successes include:
 Securing sub regional and borough representation in the Mayor’s new
housing structures – Housing Forum, Housing Investment Panel and housing
Delivery Group
 Raising the political profile of overcrowding, obtaining ministerial support and
ensuring that overcrowding is recognised as a key investment priority in the
London Housing Strategy
 Successfully lobbying so that “killer” performance indicators were not
introduced for housing by the Audit Commission in Comprehensive
Performance Assessment
 Leading work with a wide range of stakeholders on pan London choice and
mobility and developing Future Social Housing initiatives
2.4
Housing contributes to a number of objectives in the Corporate Business Plan
(priorities noted in paragraph 1.2). There have been some notable successes
already and progress towards key objectives. These include:
Report Page 3
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Commissioning research from the London School of
Economics (LSE) on equity stakes and landlord savings plans. This will
contribute to a London Councils submission for the Spending Review 2007
Successfully lobbying GLA to secure a borough political role in the Mayor’s
new engagement structure
Submitting a housing specific response in August 2006 to the Lyons Enquiry
and also emphasising the importance of strengthening the local authority
strategic housing role
Facilitating a Community Engagement Taskforce, chaired by Karen Buck M.P.
The taskforce will make recommendations to the Mayor’s Housing Forum on
improving engagement with London’s tenants and residents in the regional
housing agenda
A research project for the West London sub region on making use of homes in
the private sector to prevent homelessness
Work with the London Housing Federation to produce ‘Thinking Big’ looking at
good practice by London Councils and housing associations in developing
and building larger units in London
Submitting written and oral evidence to the GLA Examination in public (EIP)
on draft alterations to the London Plan on housing
Business Plan Priorities for 2007 / 08
Priorities for the Business Plan 2007 /2008 have yet to be finalised but are likely to
focus on the following:
Key Work Priority
Strategic Housing
Role
Detail
 GLA Powers: continue to ensure that borough priorities are well
represented on all new housing structures i.e. the Mayor’s Housing
Investment Panel, Mayor’s Housing Forum, sub groups and
GLA/London Councils engagement for members
 RSL Accountability: Establish and lead a group on RSL
accountability to include London Councils, borough representatives,
RSL representatives, the Housing Corporation and the London
Housing Federation.
 Toward the Mayor’s Housing Strategy: consult with boroughs
and feed in to the Mayor’s statutory London Housing Strategy.
 Strengthening the strategic Housing role: carry on lobbying
government to strengthen the local authority strategic housing role
 Beyond CPA: Work with boroughs and the Audit Commission on
what inspection regime should follow CPA after 2008.
 Work beyond the John Hills Review: take forward relevant work
on the future of social housing following the results of the John Hills
review.
Report Page 4
Key Work Priority
Housing in a
Dynamic Economy
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Investment
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Community
Involvement
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Project Work
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Detail
Housing Conference 2007: The second London Councils housing
conference will take place on 19 April 2007
Housing Benefit and Local Housing Allowance: to work with
boroughs to prepare for the introduction of Local Housing
Allowance in the private sector
Equity stakes and Savings Plan: Work with boroughs in
developing a London wide model for equity stakes
Leaseholders: Continue to lobby and work with government on
ways to help leaseholders pay high major works bills
Housing Benefit: Work with and assist boroughs manage the
impact of the proposed rent cap and subsidy reduction
Homelessness: to carry on lobbying and working to reduce
homelessness and overcrowding in London
Temporary Accommodation : assist boroughs in meeting the
target for reducing use of temporary accommodation by 50%
Welfare to Work and the Welfare Bill: take forward any work
coming out of the results of the Welfare Reform Bill
Child Poverty: to work with SPG on addressing child poverty.
Worklessness: initiatives to ensure return to work is incentivised.
Supporting People: to carry on working with SPG on Supporting
People
Private sector housing: raise the priority of private sector housing
so that it is seen as a viable option for addressing the high
homelessness levels in London
Carbon Zero agenda
Intermediate housing options
CSR: Contribute to the London Councils work on the CSR 2007
Investment Panel – lobby partners on the investment panel to
agree the 2008-2011 funding will be used to address all borough
priorities and not just new supply. Seek to double funding for new
supply in London
Decent Homes – ensure there are adequate resources to invest in
existing properties and achieve the 2010 target.
Sub Regional Private Sector Working: Need to lobby for funding
for period 2008-2011 particularly funding after the Decent Homes
target has been met
M&M and Rents: to work with and support the self-financing pilots
TA funding: Lobby for additional funding to assist boroughs in
reducing their TA targets.
HB: to lobby DWP and work with boroughs on the HB subsidy
grant
Community Engagement Taskforce: To implement the action
plan of the Community Engagement Taskforce.
Mayor’s Forum Sub Group: Lead the Mayor’s Forum sub group
on Tenant Engagement
London Tenants’ Federation: promote cross tenure and sub
regional participation
NOTIFY: Administering NOTIFY following the handover from GLA.
Relaunch NOTIFY and ensure full borough and PCT usage
delivering the system in light of the evaluation findings.
CBL&M: Undertaking Phase II and going live with the pan London
wide CBL&M scheme
HB Training
Report Page 5
4.
Financial Implications
None
5.
Legal Implications
None
6.
Equalities Implications
Promoting equality and valuing diversity is integral to the London Councils Corporate
Business Plan with specific activities designed to secure better services for
disadvantaged groups.