EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - Evaluation of English housing policy 1975

Evaluation of English housing policy 1975–2000: management effectiveness

Introduction

Focuses on the emerging policy agenda for improving housing and management effectiveness.

Description

This report:

considers the impacts of compulsory competition, best value, tenant participation, and organisational change;
covers housing management costs, service efficiency and service effectiveness and includes housing management performance analysis;
concludes that, while the evaluation of management effectiveness is difficult for a number of reasons, it is clear that government policy has stimulated a widespread response from landlords.

Background information

The evaluation was undertaken to examine the degree to which English housing policy during 1975–2000 has improved the effectiveness of management of the social rented sector. It is the fifth of five reports which evaluate housing policy within this period.

Methodology

The research involved an examination of the developing policy agenda for improving housing management effectiveness across three policy strands:

performance and regulation;
governance and participation; and
organisational management and staff development.

It considered evidence for the impacts of:

compulsory competition;
progress under best value;
tenant participation;
the effectiveness of tenant management; and
organisational change.

Conclusions

This report:

notes that the evaluation of management effectiveness is difficult for reasons including the sequential introduction of policies with comparable objectives making it difficult to ascribe performance changes to a single policy;
concludes that government policy has resulted in a wide response from landlords and that there is now a well established performance culture and a better appreciation of the need to monitor income and expenditure;
states that many changes have taken place to organisational structures, systems and processes to achieve performance improvement and to engage tenants in decision making;
notes that there is still a lack of information about the factors that drive performance.

Contact info

Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
Phone: +44 207 7944 4400
enquiryodpm@odpm.gsi.gov.uk

Publication date

01/01/2005

Researcher

Alison More, Hal Pawson, Hal and Suzie Scott

Links

Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (now Department for Communities and Local Government)

Evaluation of English housing policy 1975–2000: management effectiveness (PDF, Eng, 553KB)

Document type

research

Themes

Urban Policy > Housing

Keywords

Housing management