Councils across two "mini-pathfinder" areas in the West Midlands have been given £2m to come up with plans to stem housing market failure.
The bulk of the money has gone to Birmingham and Wolverhampton councils. Birmingham will concentrate on its so-called "east corridor", which crosses into Solihull. Wolverhampton is working with a number of other councils on an area that includes part of the Black Country and south Telford.

The two projects will draw up strategic action plans similar to those put in place by the nine market renewal pathfinders. The funding comes from the regional housing board's housing investment programme allocation for 2004/5.

Sue Griffin, head of the housing team at the Government Office of the West Midlands, said: "The council will be collecting evidence of market failure, which can be used to shape strategy and investment".

n Selly Oak and Sutton Coldfield in Birmingham are set to be the next areas to set up community-based housing organisations.

Two CBHOs have operated in the city's Hodge Hill and Northfield areas for a year, in accordance with the recommendations of an inquiry into the city's failed transfer.

Source

Housing Today