1 / 10

Government Agenda: Localism

Effective Tenant Scrutiny Conference Tuesday 7 June 2011 Department for Communities and Local Government. Government Agenda: Localism. “Today is the start of a deep and serious reform agenda to take power away from politicians and give it to people.“ David Cameron

anila
Download Presentation

Government Agenda: Localism

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Effective Tenant Scrutiny ConferenceTuesday 7 June 2011Department for Communities and Local Government

  2. Government Agenda: Localism “Today is the start of a deep and serious reform agenda to take power away from politicians and give it to people.“ David Cameron “We need to give people the platform to get things done ….. a system which properly puts tenants and their representatives firmly in the driving seat.” Grant Shapps

  3. Review of Social Housing Regulation • In October 2010 Grant Shapps published the Review of Social Housing: • transfers functions from the TSA to the HCA; • consumer regulation focused on local mechanisms; • localist approach for resolving complaints; • shift to local challenge and scrutiny including a new standard on Tenant Involvement

  4. Expect the new Direction to include recommendations from the Review: tenants should be given a wide range of opportunities to influence scrutiny of landlord’s performance; landlords must provide timely, useful performance information including an annual report to tenants Subsequent policy announcements increasing opportunities to manage own homes; tenant cashback scheme Consultation on Directions (including Tenure, Mutual Exchange, Rent, Accommodation) expected shortly Direction on Tenant Involvement

  5. Tenant Cashback • Draft direction expected to reflect the Tenant Cashback announcement: • opportunities for tenants to be involved in the management of repair services for their homes; • tenants take control by undertaking or commissioning routine repair tasks themselves; • share in any savings made; • gain practical and transferable skills • Model will be flexible to suit local circumstances • Pilots will examine how the scheme will work in practice

  6. Tenant Panels – Draft Direction • Draft direction expected to require landlords to accept scrutiny via a tenant panel • Landlords must support the formation and activities of panels • Landlords respond in a constructive and timely manner

  7. Tenant Panels – Localism Bill • Provisions in the Localism Bill to support tenant panels • Proposing to give panels a formal role in the “democratic filter” for complaints handling • Means that panels (alongside local councillors and local MPs) will refer unresolved complaints to the HO • Up to panels to decide whether to fulfil this dual function

  8. Tenant Panels – work by NTOs • NTOs invited by Grant Shapps to identify a framework for the development of tenant panels • High level principles on how an effective panel might operate in different local circumstances • Supported by case studies / good practice from existing models • Expecting to publish early next year - will consult widely during the process

  9. Role of the Regulator • Limited to setting clear standards – moving away from current system of monitoring and inspections • Only investigating and addressing the most serious failures against those regulatory standards • The regulator will consult in Autumn on how it intends to apply a “serious detriment” threshold

  10. Conclusion • Major refocusing of the regulatory framework for consumer protection • Greater emphasis on local accountability and local dispute resolution • A stronger role for tenants (and locally elected people) in scrutinising landlord performance • Opportunities for tenant panels e.g. scrutiny and “democratic filter”

More Related