Committee Recommends Council Keeps Under-Threat ALMO

Plans to dissolve Poole Housing Partnership (PHP) have been ruled out following fears of a social housing shake-up. Hundreds of tenants had signed a petition against the proposals, which were considered at a meeting of Borough of Poole’s overview and scrutiny committee. However, after debating the findings of a strategic review of housing management, carried out by consultant firm Campbell Tickell, members voted unanimously that PHP retains the management of the council’s housing stock. Cabinet members will now consider the report and the committee’s recommendation at a meeting on January 9, 2018. Read more on the Bournemouth Echo website.

Council Extends Contract With ALMO For Further Five Years

Barnsley Council's Cabinet has decided to renew the contract for a further five years. As part of the negotiations process, the 2012 services agreement included a clause allowing the council to extend the term of the contract up to 31st March 2021, subject to a number of pre-agreed conditions. The conditions covered four key aspects of Berneslai Homes' performance that must be maintained for the contract to be extended:

·         Service Delivery

·         Governance Arrangements

·         Management; and

·         Organisational Efficiencies

The report proposed that as Berneslai Homes has maintained strong performance against the four pre-agreed conditions, Barnsley Council should implement the automatic contract renewal mechanism. Read more on the Berneslai Homes website.

New Ten-Year Deal For ALMO

Haringey Council is set to renew its arm’s-length management organisation’s contract for a further 10 years. The Labour-led council is expected to rubber-stamp a proposal to extend the contract of Homes for Haringey for 10 years after the current deal expires on 31 March next year. It also agreed to set up a development vehicle to refurbish stock and build new homes. The decisions follow recommendations from a review by a cross-party panel of councillors and tenants.  The review said Homes for Haringey, which manages more than 20,000 council homes, had shown strong tenant satisfaction ratings, strong tenant involvement and the ability to “move quickly to deliver and can make decisions without the constraints of the lengthy local authority process”. It also said the ALMO has a “significant record of financial savings and efficiencies”. The report said the ALMO had made savings of £3.2m in 2014/15. Read more on the Haringey Council website.

Council Signs 10-Year Agreement with ALMO

Brent Council has signed a 10-year management deal with its arms' length management organisation (ALMO), Brent Housing Partnership (BHP). The deal will see BHP and the council develop a closer working relationship for the benefit of Brent residents and to address the future of housing in the borough. Read more on 24dash.

Council to Keep ALMO

A board made up mainly of tenants has voted unanimously for Homes in Sedgemoor to continue to manage the local council’s 4,200 properties.

Sedgemoor Council’s executive have confirmed the ALMO will remain as managing agent for the homes in Somerset after a review was initiated in late 2012.  ‘Homes in Sedgemoor have gone from strength to strength in recent years and it comes as no surprise to me that tenants have chosen to stay with the organisation,’ said Duncan McGinty, leader of the council.  Read more on Inside Housing.