CIH seeks 'urgent information' from Pickles on Audit Commission closure

Published by Jon Land for 24dash.com in Housing

The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) is seeking urgent information from Communities Secretary Eric Pickles following the announcement that the Audit Commission will close in due course.

The Commission currently carries out a variety of housing functions and the CIH has asked for clarification on the practical implications of the closure and what the future arrangements will be.

This includes asking how the current planned inspections commissioned by the Tenant Services Authority (TSA) will be conducted and in particular seeking clarification about the arrangements that will be put in place for Arms Length Management Organisations (ALMOs) who are looking to secure capital funding.

Sarah Webb, CIH chief executive, said: "While the timing of the announcement to close the Audit Commission has come as a surprise to many people, it has been clear for some time that the Government is embarking on fundamental changes in its approach to public service provision, including how performance is monitored at all levels. 

“The housing sector is the first to acknowledge the important role that the Audit Commission has played in driving up standards in housing, notably through its inspection regime and the KLOE model.

"Both landlords and tenants have benefited from real improvements driven on the back of Audit Commission work over the past decade.  

“It is important that as a sector we maintain momentum for improvement, in particular at this time of real financial pressure which is affecting both businesses and tenants.

"In recent years we have begun important moves towards a co-regulatory environment that places greater emphasis on the relationship between providers and their customers.

"Just as the role of regulation has needed to and looks set to continue to change, so too have the sector's expectations of inspection.  In light of this announcement we should actively look at how we can best embrace a stronger approach to accountability and transparency to the residents we serve and our wider communities. 

“We are going to need to look to each other for the best in service delivery and measures to compare and drive up performance. CIH is committed to playing an increasingly key role in this and supporting the housing sector to learn, improve and influence."