HCA Promises Transparency

The new social housing regulator has pledged to be transparent, despite not holding meetings in public.  A Homes and Communities Agency regulatory committee took over economic regulation of housing providers, monitoring governance and viability, following the abolition of the Tenant Services Authority on 1 April.  Unlike TSA board meetings, which were held partially in public, the HCA committee’s monthly meetings will not be open to the public or the press. Julian Ashby, chair of the committee, said most discussions will be commercially sensitive - covering matters previously discussed in the closed part of TSA board meetings.  Mr Ashby said: ‘We are committed to transparency and will improve openness in other ways, such as publishing redacted minutes.’  Read more on Inside Housing.

Social Landlords 'Running Out Of Time' To Improve Transparency – Shapps

Housing Minister Grant Shapps has criticised housing associations that “have failed to publish” details of how they are spending public money for their tenants to see. In a letter to the National Housing Federation, Mr Shapps has attacked “stubborn landlords" who keep their books closed. He argued that since coming to office, he has repeatedly called on HAs to come up with plans to offer greater transparency. He claimed that HAs should “follow the Government's lead” and come up with their own plans for opening up the sector to more public scrutiny but that little progress has been made. The Minister called on landlords to "throw open their books to the public" and let taxpayers and tenants see how much is being spent to manage their homes. Read more on the CLG website.

DCLG Structural Reform Plan

This new action plan marks a radical shift of power from Whitehall to local councils and communities that will make the Big Society part of every day life. The plan sets out a new 18 month programme for the department that will deliver radical decentralising and transparency reforms that put citizens and councils in control of their communities. It is one of the first fundamental Structural Reform Plans for making departments accountable for the implementation of the reforms set out in the Coalition agreement. Download a copy of the Plan from the CLG website.

‘Transparency’ Plans Spark Debt Warning

Ministers’ plans to make housing associations publish details of all spending over £500 risks pushing their £40 billion private debt portfolio onto the public sector balance sheet. The warning came from housing association chiefs after it was revealed last month how access to the £1.9 billion affordable housing grant pot could become conditional on bidders’ ‘transparency’.
Associations are worried the move would threaten their classification as private sector organisations. This would see associations’ debt transferred to the public sector balance sheet - a figure of £40 billion according to TSA figures for 2009. Association heads are also concerned that revealing their expenditure could hamper their ability to compete with private house builders. The government plans to restrict its transparency demand to charities, Inside Housing has learned. This would catch most associations, but not private developers. Read more on Inside Housing.

Pickles Plots Probe Into Spending

Ministers are looking to force housing associations to publish details of expenditure over £500 if they want to access development grant. The government said in a statement that allocation of the £1.9 billion left in the affordable housing pot will be conditional on the ‘transparency’ of bidders. One option being considered by officials would make associations list all spending over £500. The government has made matching publication demands of local government and its own Whitehall departments. The government’s publication proposal has met with a hostile reaction from the sector. Read more on Inside Housing.

Armchair Auditors Pore over Council Spending Data

Large numbers are hunting through council data as their local spending information goes online. The CLG’s Local Government Expenditure web page, which links to all transparent councils has had well over 100 hits a day since it was launched in September. This is growing evidence that there is an 'army of armchair auditors' out there called into action by Communities Secretary Eric Pickles. Ninety councils across the country have now made their spending information over £500 available to the public. The rest have until January to act. The Transparency map and timeline show which parts of the country have opened their books and which are lagging behind. Access the information by clicking on the CLG logo below.