Social Houses Taken Back Under Full Council Control

Council properties in Kirklees are to return to in-house management following a vote by the council’s decision-making Cabinet. More than 21,000 properties will come back under the authority’s direct control before the end of March 2021. The move spells the end of Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing (KNH), the arms-length management organisation (ALMO) that has run the borough’s council homes since 2002. The final decision came after an 11-week consultation with tenants and lease-holders, which resulted in more than 2,500 responses. Read more on the Yorkshire Live website.

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/thousands-social-houses-taken-back-19137353 

Two More Councils Set To Close ALMOs

Kirklees and Manchester councils have declared intentions to scrap their housing management companies and return the service in house. The former currently relies on Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing (KNH) to run the vast majority of its 22,000 homes. But its Labour cabinet has agreed to start consulting with residents and staff about closing KNH, claiming that the move will aid “better understanding and [address] challenges individuals and communities face”. Manchester Council’s Labour cabinet has completed a review of its ALMO, Northwards Housing, and stated its preference to take back direct control of managing its 13,000 homes. Read more on Inside Housing.

https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/two-more-councils-set-to-close-almos-66684

Setting Up Tenant Panels to Resolve Complaints

How should housing organisations go about setting up a tenant panel to help resolve complaints? Graham Sykes of Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing (KNH) shares the lessons learned by KNH so far on the CIH website.