Stephen Greenhalgh appointed Government 'housing champion'

Published by Jon Land for 24dash.com in Housing and also in Central Government, Local Government

Stephen Greenhalgh, the leader of Hammersmith & Fulham Council, has been appointed by the Government as a 'Housing and Construction' champion.

Mr Greenhalgh, who is stepping down as council leader later this year, has been asked to carry out a review of housing regulations in support of the Government's Housing Strategy published in November last year alongside Simon Randall, a solicitor specialising in social housing.

Key areas highlighted in the strategy included improving environmental standards, building more affordable housing, security of tenure, legal protection for tenants and leaseholders, and support for the elderly, vulnerable households and those on low incomes.

According to the Department for Communities and Local Government, Mr Greenhalgh's review will help inform the scope for further reductions of "unnecessary and disproportionate red tape."

Stephen Greenhalgh is considered an influential figure in Conservative ranks. He co-authored the much-debated report from right-wing think tank Localis, which argued for wholesale reform of the national housing system.

The report called for a move to market rents and the end of lifetime tenancies; reforms broadly adopted by the Coalition.

The report concluded: "Social rented housing which was intended to provide low cost housing for working households has become a destination for life for many who are or become dependent on the welfare state."

Since taking charge of the Tories' flagship borough in 2006, he has overseen a council that is on track to reduce council tax five times out of six while cutting its historic debt burden in half.

Recently H&F - alongside Westminster City Council and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea - also announced plans to combine services and management costs to save £33.4 million-a-year across the three areas by 2014/15.

However, Mr Greenhalgh has also come in for recent criticism over the handling of the two council estates in Hammersmith and Fulham threatened with demolition as part of the redevelopment of Earls Court.

The council is understood to have written to the Government to try and quash a bid by tenants to takeover the estates.

Following his decision to step down as council leader, leading Conservative Party figures stepped forward to thank him for his work, including Communities Secretary Eric Pickles, London Mayor Boris Johnson and Prime Minister David Cameron.