EUKN - United Kingdom - Learning from Arms Length Management Organisations: the experience of the first three rounds

Learning from Arms Length Management Organisations: the experience of the first three rounds

Introduction

This research aimed to gain an insight into the organisational development and operational processes in a variety of Arms Length Management Organisations within the Decent Homes programme as they emerged and developed as new housing organisations.

Description

Findings from the data about Arms Length Management Organisations’ (ALMO) development and operational processes are organised under five key ‘process themes’. Each theme identifies the main processes at work and how they impact on the ALMOs’ development and operations as an organisation.

The five key themes are concerned with:

the contexts for ALMOs, both nationally and locally;
the relationships between the ALMO and a range of stakeholders;
the development of the ALMO and the implementation of the Decent Homes programme;
the impact of ALMOs and their prospects for the future;
and the ALMO organisation itself.

Background information

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (now Communities and Local Government) commissioned the Housing and Regeneration Research Group (HARRG) at London South Bank University to evaluate the first three ALMO bidding rounds.

ALMOs are one of the three main options open to local authorities wishing to obtain investment in their housing stock, along with Large Scale Voluntary Transfer and the Private Finance Initiative.

Methodology

The main lines of enquiry were:

a series of scoping discussions with ALMOs;
pro-forma based data collection;
and a process review based on case studies.

The primary concern of the research was the ALMO process.

Conclusions

The main findings of the research were:

ALMOs are highly motivated to improve housing quality;
the future of ALMOs is, however, uncertain;
ALMOs want to be free to compete alongside other housing organisations;
tenants have seen real improvements to their homes;
and the relationship between ALMOs and local authorities needs to be strengthened to allow ALMOs to operate more fully in the community.

Contact info

Department for Communities and Local Government
Phone: +44 20 7944 4400
Contactus@communities.gsi.gov.uk

Publication date

Project finished

01/02/2007

Researcher

Barbara Reid, Lynn Vickery, Anton Bradburn and Beverley Verster at the Housing and Regeneration Research Group, London South Bank University.

Links

Visit the Department for Communities and Local Government website

Download the "Learing from arms length management" Report (PDF, Eng 181KB)

Document type

research

Themes

Urban Policy > Housing > Housing policy

Keywords

Social housing