Grant Shapps’ Speech to CIH Conference, Harrogate

In a speech to the CIH’s conference in Harrogate, Grant Shapps confirmed he plans to abolish the Tenant Services Authority. Other key points of the speech were;
Decentralisation - The old assumption that Whitehall knows best... and that Ministers knew even better was wrong.
*Targets haven't worked,
*restrictive regulations haven't worked,
*simply spending money on too many initiatives hasn't worked.
So I see my job as setting the framework for you to achieve the changes you want to see. Whether that's providing more homes or helping tenants have a stronger voice.
Tenants' power - here are some thoughts
*There could be Tenants' Panels that genuinely help tenants have a stronger voice in their local community.
*How about if tenants could complain to their panel? And what if those panels had real teeth to intervene?
*Then, along with elected Councillors and MPs, tenants' panels could act as a new gateway to the Ombudsman.
*Elected representatives would know which landlords provide the best service to their tenants.
*Landlords would become more responsive and locally accountable.
*When councillors consider new planning applications for affordable housing in their area, they could easily take the landlord's record into account when selecting their Social Landlord partner.
*So producing better and more responsible landlords wouldn't be the product of some large national quango... Nor targets... Nor additional standards... but a natural response to a system which puts tenants and their representatives firmly in the driving seat for the very first time.
TSA and the HCA - I have been concerned for some time about whether the TSA offers value for money.
*this quango spent close to £100,000 on lobbyists to lobby - amongst others... the Government. And that seems frankly ill-judged. I can confirm that Government is reviewing the role and purpose of the TSA and the best framework for regulating social housing.
*I believe that we can cut out unnecessary inspection - decentralise power... reduce bureaucracy... and save money.
*I can also confirm that the HCA will stay. It will be smaller, more strategic - with the HCA's functions being delivered under local leadership. It will be much leaner. I see it as an enabling and investment body.
Devolving power – Conclusion - the Coalition believes in a smaller state and a bigger society. So we must do things differently.
*Stop setting up quangos.
*Stop burning cash on consultants.
*Stop putting our faith in expensive IT systems that don't actually work.
*Stop using public money to pay people in the public, charitable and voluntary sector more than the Prime Minister earns.
Read the full speech on the CLG website by clicking on the logo below.