ALMOs take legal action over decent homes cut
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Arm’s-length management organisations have applied for a judicial review of the government’s raid on their decent homes funding.
Councils whose ALMOs were in the sixth round of funding bids have announced they are seeking legal action over the decision to defer £150 million for refurbishments until 2011/12.
The government shifted the decent homes funding, which had been earmarked for ALMOs achieving a two-star rating from the Audit Commission, to pay for new homes.
Supported by the Local Government Association, the councils include Sutton, Sedgemoor, Redbridge and Havering. They will argue that withdrawing funding at short notice and with almost immediate effect significantly damages their ability to plan and deliver services which affect tens of thousands of tenants across the country.
Councillor Gary Porter, chairman of the LGA environmental board, said: ‘The decision to seek a judicial review over the decision to withhold funding has not been taken lightly but there are serious concerns that jobs will be lost in the fragile building sector and thousands of people will be left in below-par housing.
‘The decision to withdraw the funding that was allocated to these ALMOs will have a serious impact on tens of thousands of tenants who are some of the poorest in our communities, living in housing that is most in need of repair.’
Councillor Paul Herbert, cabinet member for housing at Sedgemoor Council, said: ‘We take this step very reluctantly, however the impact of this decision on our most deprived communities is so significant we must try every avenue to retain funding for meeting minimum housing standards.
‘Sedgemoor created an ALMO with widespread tenant support specifically because it could not afford to bring council homes up to the minimum standard required without the promised government funding. This legal route is now the only option open to us.’
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Readers' comments (2)
michael read | 19/10/2009 11:27 am
I'd like to see the barrister's opinion which supported this initiative. "There's absolutely no chance of success. But there's not much work around at the moment, so if you're willing to bung me £10,000 for a couple of days on my feet then I'm happy to argue any damn thing you want me to. I suggest you wait until after May of next year when you really will be screaming. Hopefully, there will be still some of you around to scream at all."
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john citizen | 19/10/2009 3:53 pm
If councils had sold their council houses to housing associations or better still fully democratic housing cooperatives, some years ago they would never be in this mess now.
It is only because they wanted to cling to power and didn't trust their tenants, so they have no one to blame. but they love wasting tax payers money. so lets get a lot of high paid lawers in to fight it.
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