Nine arm’s-length management organisations (ALMOs) have been scrapped, converted to housing associations or earmarked for closure in the last few months.
The closures will bring the reduction of ALMOs since 2010 to 31, leaving the National Federation of ALMOs with 39 members, down from 70 at the ALMO programme’s height in 2010.
The localism agenda means councils have more freedom so they’re reclaiming control and going back to a smaller, in-house way of operating.
Despite the overall reduction in ALMOs, in recent years the housing sector has also seen a number of ALMO contracts renewed for up to 30 years. A number of new ALMOs have also formed, including Northampton Partnership Homes, Shropshire Towns and Rural Housing (STAR Housing), Welwyn Hatfield Community Housing Trust, East Kent Housing and Cornwall Housing.
The original ALMOs were set up by councils as a condition of receiving funding under the Labour government’s Decent Homes Programme in the late 2000s. Councils had the option of setting up an ALMO, stock transfer or private finance initiative (PFI) in order to access funding to bring stock up to a standard of decency.
MANAGEMENT IN-HOUSE
Waltham Forest (Ascham Homes) – in-house decision to be made on 23 June
Hackney (Hackney Homes) – going in-house March 2016
Lambeth (Lambeth Living) – going in-house June 2015
Hounslow (Hounslow Homes) – went in-house January 2015
Leeds (Aire Valley Homes, East North East Homes, West North West Homes) – went in-house October 2013
Islington – went in-house 2012
Sheffield – went in-house 2012
Rotherham (2010 Rotherham) – went in-house July 2011
Ealing Council – went in-house May 2011
NEW ALMOs
Northampton – Northampton Partnership Homes (2015)
Shropshire – Shropshire Towns and Rural Housing (2013)
Cornwall Housing (2013)
East Kent Housing (2011)
Welwyn Hatfield Community Housing Trust (2010)
EXTENDED CONTRACT
Cheltenham Borough Council – 2015 extended to 2045
Sedgemoor – 2014 extended to 2044
North Nottinghamshire – 2015 extended to 2030
A1 (Bassetlaw) – 2014 extended to 2029
Berneslai (Barnsley) – 2013 extended to 2021
STOCK TRANSFER
Salix Homes – Salford (March 2015)
Gloucester City (March 2015)
East Durham Homes (March 2015)
Dale & Valley Homes (March 2015)
Durham City Homes (March 2015)