Out of Whitehall

How the Government funds regeneration is becoming a pressing issue as the debates about priorities for Comprehensive Spending Review 07 gather pace. A top priority for review is the Decent Homes standard.

The government set the target that all social housing should be brought up to a decent standard, with improvements such as new kitchens and bathrooms and central heating, by 2010. Now, four years away from the target date, the standard has come under question, as homes in some boroughs remain un-improved because of local politics (see Is This The End of Decency? page 14), lack of money or a need for more radical solutions.

Under David Miliband, the ODPM is now considering ditching the basic Decent Homes standard in favour of a broader approach that would bring about the improvement of an estate or area and create mixed communities.

For now though, the fifth bidding round for housing PFI is under way with nine new build schemes and five decent homes and local regeneration schemes across the country in the running. The successful bidders will be announced in the summer.

Next month, a new bidding round will be launched for arm's length management organisations for local authorities not yet on a decent homes programme, as the slow process of trying to meet the existing target continues.

The potential ditching of the Decent Homes standard is not the only radical change under consideration as CSR 07 prompts a rethink. Not surprisingly, the government is wondering whether it really needs all of the housing and regeneration quangos that have been established, and whether it can save money and produce efficiencies by cutting their numbers. Its review of the institutional delivery of housing and regeneration will look beyond the potential merger of the Housing Corporation and English Partnerships.

At a local level, the proliferation of delivery vehicles continues to cause concern. A report published by the Town and Country Planning Association and written by former special adviser to the ODPM Paul Hackett points out that more than 40 local delivery vehicles have been established over the past six years, and that some overlap, are toothless and rely on English Partnerships or regional development agencies for support. The British Urban Regeneration Agency has also published a report calling for rationalisation of local delivery vehicles.

The debate over what are, and are not, the public funding priorities for housing and regeneration is set to continue over the summer months until the government announces the results of its quango review. It is clear that nothing will be exempt from scrutiny.