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Committee recommends council keeps under-threat ALMO
An under-threat ALMO looks set to be retained by its council following recommendations from the scrutiny committee examining proposals to bring housing services in-house.
Conservative-run Borough of Poole has been considering dissolving Poole Housing Partnership (PHP), which manages the council’s 5,000 homes.
A review carried out by housing consultancy Campbell Tickell into the future of the ALMO went before the authority’s People Overview and Scrutiny Committee in December.
The committee unanimously voted to recommend that the council “continues with the current arrangement, but resets its relationship” with PHP.
It noted that the review said savings could be made whether or not the ALMO is retained, but added that a “realigning of strategic priorities and vision” is needed.
Poole’s cabinet will make a decision on PHP’s future at a meeting on 9 January and could still ignore the recommendations.
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Communities secretary Sajid Javid is expected to formally approve a reorganisation of councils in Dorset the day before the meeting, having previously said he is “minded” to do so.
This would see Poole merge with Bournemouth Borough Council – which has retained housing stock – from April 2019, as well as Christchurch Borough Council, which does not have housing stock.
In its recommendations, the scrutiny committee added: “In addition it would seem appropriate to create the opportunity for any new council to undertake a review and make decisions earlier than the normal five-year period.
“Therefore it would be prudent to pursue legal advice on the possibilities of having an earlier break clause to the PHP/council agreement.”
A report to the cabinet by Jan Thurgood, strategic director of people at the council, noted that legal services have said it would be possible “to bring greater flexibility around the next break clause”.
