Commission to Shape Future of Council Housing

Eminent housing lawyer Jan Luba QC is to lead a commission into the future of council housing in Southwark which is likely to have a major influence on local authority thinking across the country. The commission, which will also include former Tenant Services Authority chief executive Peter Marsh and Kate Henderson, chief executive of the Town and Country Planning Association, will be the first of its kind to examine the current council housing system's medium and long-term prospects. It will also explore options for the financing, ownership and operation of Southwark’s council housing stock, which is the largest in London, comprising 39,000 council rented homes and 16,700 council leasehold properties. The commission is expected to attract attention from other councils facing long term funding concerns over investment in council housing. Read more on 24dash.

Social Landlords Urged To Sign Up To Code of Practice

Senior housing figures are questioning how targets to safeguard and improve services delivered to vulnerable people can be adequately met, following decisions to cut public spending and axe regulators. The announcement following the Comprehensive Spending Review that Supporting People budgets are to be cut by 11% coupled with the confirmation that the TSA and Audit Commission will be abolished has left the housing sector in somewhat of a black hole, according to the Centre for Housing and Support (CHS) and ERoSH. Peter Marsh, outgoing Chief Executive of the TSA, has written to key senior officials within the CIH, NHF, TPAS and the Local Government Association to urge them to act to fill the gap that a reactive form of regulation, as proposed by Government will leave, saying that “a rump of so-so landlords will just drift along doing the bare minimum.” Mr Marsh joins Sarah Webb, Chief Executive of the CIH, in calling on the sector to take responsibility for its own regulation and “to shine a light when required”. Read more on 24dash.

New TSA Boss Starts Efficiency Drive

The new interim head of the Tenant Services Authority has said regulation faces an ‘exciting time’, as she pitched to land the role on a full-time basis. Claer Lloyd-Jones took over from Peter Marsh after he quit his post just days after the government confirmed the regulator is to be scrapped. Ms Lloyd-Jones admitted the organisation had not been ‘dealt a great hand of cards’, with comments such as ‘the TSA is toast’ from housing minister Grant Shapps. But she said: ‘It’s quite an exciting time, taking regulation to somewhere bigger than it was before. We are not being closed down, we are having our functions moved elsewhere. We will be given more interesting and exciting jobs.’ A regulatory committee is expected to be created within the Homes and Communities Agency for April 2012, with members of the committee likely to receive modest salaries. Read more on Inside Housing.

TSA Chief Stands Down

Peter Marsh has announced today that he will be standing down as Chief Executive Officer of the Tenant Services Authority (TSA).  The TSA is due to be abolished with its regulatory function being taken over by the Homes and Communities Agency by 2012.  Read the full story on the TSA website.