Associations that have been left off the Housing Corporation's elite list of 71 long-term development partners are worried about a trend for poaching of employees.
They say the loss of experienced development staff may stop them making the list in later rounds.

Associations such as Contour Housing Group, based in Manchester, recently formed through a merger of Collingwood and Portico housing associations, have had to fight to keep staff who've been tempted by offers from corporation partners.

Contour has already lost two members of its six-strong development team.

The chief executive of another Northern association that has recently lost two members of its development team said: "People who are on the pilot programme and are not geared up for it are definitely in the market for development staff."

Arena Housing Association, a pilot partner that has a £4.5m allocation to build 450 homes over the next two years, plans to expand its development department from eight to 11 members of staff.

Arena's chief executive Graham Eades said: "Salaries will be pushed up. And, if the pilot partnering programme is made permanent, a large number of staff are likely to migrate to partner associations from those not on the programme."

Source

Housing Today