Plan could make ALMO first to operate outside its home town
Gateshead aims to branch out
Gateshead’s arm’s-length management organisation is examining plans that would see it become the first ALMO to manage homes outside its home town or city.
Gateshead Housing Company is looking at taking on homes from other landlords in neighbouring areas. The town shares borders with both Newcastle and Sunderland in the north east.
The 21,000-home ALMO is one of many planning for the future once they have completed their original purpose of bringing their parent council’s stock up to decent homes standards. But any move to manage out-of-area housing could prove controversial because a major selling point of the ALMO movement has always been their local focus on driving up standards.
Bill Fullen, chief executive of GHC, confirmed it was looking at the move, alongside a number of other options.
‘It is part of looking at the options post-decent homes,’ he said. ‘Where do we go from there as an ALMO? We would only consider doing anything out of Gateshead if it was consistent with our objectives.’
Mr Fullen said that it would only take on the management of other homes if it did not detract from the service to Gateshead residents. It will not be looking to take on large numbers of homes. ‘The local focus would remain key,’ he added.
Gwyneth Taylor, policy director at the National Federation of ALMOs, confirmed that if Gateshead managed out-of-area properties it would be a first. ‘I’m not aware of anyone else thinking about that,’ she said.
Ms Taylor pointed out that other ALMOs are looking at innovative ways to safeguard their future.
In March, Inside Housing revealed that Barnet Homes is in talks with Barnet Council over managing part of its ‘building schools for the future’ programme for the borough’s secondary schools.
She added: ‘Generally speaking ALMOs are looking at working primarily in their local area.’
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