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The green paper shows ministers are in listening mode
Despite some glaring omissions, the government appears to be in listening mode and it is important the sector takes advantage, argues Emma Maier
The long-awaited Social Housing Green Paper is unconventional in several ways.
Bucking the normal traditions, it was published during recess, when MPs have left parliament for their constituencies. Or for the South of France.
The very existence of a Conservative green paper is unusual, let alone one that looks at stigmatisation of social tenants.
The timing is in many ways pragmatic.
Progress towards publication had been slow after ministers reached an impasse. Yet pressure mounted, as the year anniversary of the Grenfell fire passed. The reshuffle brought new opportunities to find a solution but left little time for the new minister to get to grips with the brief.
Publication during recess offered an opportunity to make a lot of noise about the prime minister’s stated number one domestic policy priority, but required some creative thinking. A hastily put together Housing Week was duly launched, at one day’s notice in a national newspaper interview.
Then followed a raft of announcements, which in effect unpicked the legacy of David Cameron, George Osborne and their housing advisor Alex Morton – and some of the policies of the coalition government before them.
The importance of the announcements can’t be underestimated. Some green papers are more consultative than others. Government is in listening mode on this one.
On issues such as balancing the need to increase supply as well as improve quality and safety standards, it appears particularly keen to understand the challenges the sector faces. The questions it poses indicate a more mature approach and greater understanding of the issues facing the sector and tenants.
It is telling that of the government’s five core themes, three relate directly to tenant empowerment. This must be welcomed and reflects what many in the sector have been calling for. The potential introduction of league tables indicate how serious government is – but must be explored with great care to ensure that perverse disincentives are not created, as some commentators have warned. Government touted giving the regulator “sharper teeth”. In reality, it is in fact proposing to give it more to chew on. The paper’s offering on tackling the stigma faced by social tenants is rather less developed and underwhelming. Here, government will need to look at how it speaks with and about tenants and lead by example.
The paper’s offering on tackling the stigma faced by social tenants is rather less developed and underwhelming
On supply, lack of funds for social homes is a glaring omission. Reducing the constraints on councils’ use of Right to Buy receipts will help. But government needs to go further. Scrapping Right to Buy altogether, allowing councils to keep all receipts and lifting the borrowing cap would have more impact.
Meanwhile, dropping the Right to Buy one-for-one replacement target and instead including homes built by housing associations would be regressive. Government must hold itself to the same standards of transparency that it is demanding of the sector.
Consultations are open until November. The sector must take advantage of government’s listening mood.
Emma Maier, editor, Inside Housing
Social Housing Green Paper: full coverage
All our Social Housing Green Paper coverage in one place:
Green paper measures are not enough to create May’s ‘new generation’ of council homes Green paper proposals are welcome but much more is needed to support councils to build, writes John Bibby
Green paper shows ministers now see associations as trusted partners Focusing on the failure of the green paper to address supply misses the point, writes Boris Worrall
Government should focus on building on what is already strong Philippa Jones considers the Social Housing Green Paper through a slightly different lens
We need more than a week of delayed announcements bundled together Jules Birch reflects on the government’s ‘Housing Week’ announcements
The regulator should monitor how associations assist homeless people Government announcements this week are positive, but any enhanced role for the English regulator should include looking at homelessness prevention work, argues David Bogle
The regulator’s role should be limited to dealing with systemic failures Julian Ashby suggests the Housing Ombudsman Service should deal with all complaints
The green paper shows ministers are in listening mode Despite some glaring omissions, the government appears to be in listening mode and it is important the sector takes advantage, argues Emma Maier
A short history of social housing league tables Attempts to create league tables for housing associations are nothing new. Mervyn Jones looks at how they have worked in the past
League tables could prove blunt and counter-productive, sector warns Housing figures criticise government proposals to measure social landlords against performance indicators
Government ‘must decide how proactive regulator should be’ on consumer standards Ministers now face a dilemma over the regulator’s focus, sector figures say
The Green Paper: a golden opportunity missed? Melanie Rees assesses the Social Housing Green Paper against recommendations drawn up by the Chartered Institute of Housing and finds the government comes up short
Longer strategic partnerships and guranteed debt to boost social housebuilding The Social Housing Green Paper outlines key ways of boosting supply
The green paper is remarkable progress but it is still not enough The green paper suggests the government appears to be re-writing much of its policy since 2010, but more needs to be done, writes Jules Birch
Green paper marks a ‘milestone’ on resident involvement The government’s recognition residents need clear information is to be welcomed, now it up to the sector to embrace tenant involvement, writes Paul Hackett
Ministers consider stock transfer programme to community-led associations The stock transfer programme could be revived under proposals in the housing green paper
Access to housing grant could be tied to new league tables Grant could be awarded according to how well landlords meet performance indicators, the paper suggests
Ofsted-style regulation of tenant services proposed The government is considering expanding the Regulator for Social Housing’s remit to intervene over tenant services and give it a more “proactive approach to enforcement”
Government proposes dropping one-for-one Right to Buy replacement commitment A consultation paper published alongside the green paper proposes a broader measurement to replace the one-for-one pledge
A list of recent housing policy U-turns The green paper confirms yet more housing policy U-turns from the government, which has spent the past two years dropping policy ideas developed under the David Cameron government. Here is a rundown of the major changes in policy direction
Sector welcomes green paper but calls for more ‘ambitious investment’ Reaction to the proposals, from the National Housing Federation, Chartered Institute of Housing and more
Morning Briefing: reaction to green paper announcements how the media reported the proposals trailed by the government overnight
Government drops plans to force councils to sell higher-value stock The government drops plans to force councils to sell higher value homes
League tables and ‘sharper teeth’ for regulator in social housing green paper Ministers reveal some of the things in the paper ahead of its publication
Grenfell survivors: green paper does not go far enough survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire have said the measures published in the Social Housing Green Paper do not do enough to rectify issues in the social housing sector
KEY PROPOSALS IN THE SOCIAL HOUSING GREEN PAPER
- New 'league tables' of housing providers based on key performance indicators, surrounding services such as repairs and neighbourhood management. This could be linked to housing grant.
- Consideration to scrapping of the current 'serious detriment' test, to allow 'Ofsted-style' tougher consumer regulation
- New home ownership options such as allowing tenants to buy as little as 1% of their property each year through shared ownership. This would only apply to new shared ownership purchases.
- Ditching of plans to force social landlords to offer fixed term tenancies rather than lifetime tenancies in social housing
- Ditching of plans to force councils to sell off their most valuable social housing when it becomes vacant
- The potential introduction a new stock transfer programme from councils to 'community-led' housing associations
- The return of guaranteed debt funding to help the development of affordable homes, and longer term 'strategic partnerships' for developing housing associations
