West Northamptonshire Council is about to make a very big decision on the future of social housing in Northampton. The social housing management, which the council has kept at arm’s length from the main council, could be returned in-house. This amendment would hugely impact Northamptonshire Partnership Homes (NPH), the existing arms-length management organization (ALMO) that runs homes in the area.
Created by Northampton Borough Council in 2015, NPH now manages nearly 11,500 homes throughout the region. The organisation’s remit far exceeds development of new housing as responsibility for the repairs and maintenance of existing housing, mitigating anti-social behaviour and other community safety issues. Beyond this, NPH offers tenancy sustainment support and runs the Ecton Lane Park traveller site.
In a letter sent last year, West Northamptonshire Council had pledged to take “immediate steps” to deliver on the LGA organisation’s own previously admitted “performance failings”. This announcement has further sparked the debate on whether to return social housing control to the council. A special cabinet meeting is scheduled to consider three big affordable housing projects. These exemplary projects, now being successfully delivered by NPH, are bound to be a major focus of the discussions.
Charlie Hastie, cabinet member for housing at West Northamptonshire Council, called the announcement “ground-breaking”.
“This is a significant decision that would allow us to simplify governance, deliver better value for money and, most importantly, ensure our residents continue to receive a safe, responsive and accountable housing service.” – Charlie Hastie
If the council agree for NPH to come back in-house they will start a full consultation during the summer. This consultation will provide an opportunity for tenants and leaseholders to voice their opinions on the potential changes to housing management.
This is a hugely important decision that will change the face of social housing provision in Northampton. It’s going to completely change how we deliver services, how we manage services. Regardless of how these discussions unfold, advocates and stakeholders will be watching these developments extremely closely and waiting to hear the outcome of the cabinet’s deliberations.
