Tenants Should Decide Future of ALMOs

A new wave of council housing privatisation is threatened in a new Open Public Services White Paper.It says ministers will explore: whether semi-autonomous public sector bodies should now be made fully autonomous, for example, by moving ALMOs in social housing into the housing association sector. The 60 ALMOs will face a drive to full privatisation. DCH warned of this two-stage privatisation threat when we campaigned against ALMOs. The White Paper ignores the principle of Tenant Choice, and the right to a ballot on any stock transfer.

White Paper Reveals Proposals to Make ALMOs Independent

ALMOs could become fully independent under government plans to give more choice to tenants. The government has published the Open Public Services White Paper, dubbed the Big Society Bill, which draws together plans to give control of local services to communities. It said that ministers will explore ‘whether semi-autonomous public sector bodies should now be made fully autonomous, for example, by moving arm’s-length management organisations in social housing into the housing association sector.’ ALMOs currently operate on behalf of and are owned by councils. The paper also reiterated the government’s plan to promote tenant management models for social housing, and giving more profile and choice to the housing ombudsman. Download a copy of the White Paper from the Cabinet Office website.