THE LAST WORD
he government’s economy drive must take into account the most vulnerable in society, promote local- ism, and deliver long-term benefits, says Alison Inman Alison Inman
A Public sector spending cuts must be
fair and responsible
s the coalition government starts the final countdown
to the most radical public sector spending cuts in a generation, now is the time to consider the likely impact any ‘savings’ will have, both now and in the future, on vital areas of our society.
Earlier this month, in response to an invitation from Eric Pickles, the secretary of state for communities and local government, the National Federation of ALMOs submitted a range of proven ideas for savings that are fair and responsible. This should be the bottom line of any efforts the government makes to reduce funding for public sector services.
The impact of spending cuts
There are straightforward tests that should be applied before decisions are taken. For example, how will vulnerable people, such as the elderly or disabled, be affected? Will local decision-making be boosted? Will the future value of billions of pounds worth of housing stock be compromised? Will safety issues such as gas, asbestos, legionella and fire still be a top priority?
While we understand the government’s need to make savings, they must not be to the detriment of essential services. This is why, as one of the country’s foremost social housing organisations representing the interests of over a million council tenants, the NFA will help in any way we can to ensure that this is the case.
64 pse
sector bodies to work effectively to deliver long-term benefits.
Aligning the boundaries of councils and other local organisations will streamline coordination and facilitate the sharing of costs.
Long-term benefits of good housing
In our submission to government, we argued that continued investment in housing can lead to significant savings across other essential services. It is our contention that investing £1.6 billion annually in housing-related support services generates savings of £3.41 billion, in such areas as health, crime and criminal justice, homelessness, and so on.
Continuing to fund council house improvements will deliver employment on both a national and local scale, with costs largely offset by reductions in unemployment benefits. Refurbishing 500,000 homes can create up to 200,000 jobs a year. ALMOs have seen this sort of outcome first-hand; for example, Sandwell Homes’ Decent Homes programme led to 1,000 local jobs and 150 apprenticeships.
Importance of localism
The government’s ‘localism’ policies should be real and meaningful, in order to create savings and encourage public
This is where the case for a self-financing housing revenue account (HRA) comes in. A sustainable HRA deal would enable long-term planning with works planned on a ‘just in time’ basis rather than when funds happen to be available.
Strong action is required to make the government’s localism agenda a reality. Encouraging localism could be the key to making the fairest and most responsible cost savings. The abolition of all non-essential State guidance, together with rationalising local housing management so that landlords work together and not in isolation would be a positive start.
Where a local authority wishes to change the way in which their properties are managed, it is essential that tenants and leaseholders are given access to independently verified financial information on which to base their decision. True localism means allowing residents to make truly informed decisions about their own homes.
In addition, localism means looking again at the cumbersome and expensive procurement rules that often preclude local firms from bidding for local contracts.
The durability of the ALMO model in times of austerity
None of these measures are new for ALMOs, which have real and practical experience in these areas and strive to be locally accountable social enterprises.
The ALMO model has proved itself to be highly effective in delivering enhanced services to tenants and residents together with excellent value-for-money.
The forthcoming spending cuts may make our job more of a challenge, but we hope the government listens to our recommendations on localism and ensures that priority services are protected, and investment in quality housing continues. If that is the case, we will certainly keep our side of the bargain.
Alison Inman is chair of the National Federation of ALMOs (NFA) and chair of Colchester Borough Homes
The National Federation of ALMOs is the trade body which represents the interests of 69 ALMOs (arms length management organisations) that are responsible for managing more than one million council houses in England.
Sep/Oct 10
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68