Council creates new ALMO to manage more than 10,000 homes in Cornwall

Published by Ross Macmillan for 24dash.com in Housing

Council housing in Cornwall will be managed by a new Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) from April next year.

Councilllors in Cornwall approved plans that will see a council-owned company manage all the stock and provide a single service and point of contact.

Up until now, council housing in the former district of Carrick has been managed by ALMO Carrick Housing, with homes in the east of Cornwall being managed separately with different operating models.

The council has 10,700 homes in the former districts of North Cornwall, Caradon and Carrick. 

The new ALMO will incorporate the services from Carrick Housing and from the different arms of the council that have been delivering housing services separately.

A Shadow Board made up of six Cornwall councillors, six tenant representatives and six independent (lay) members will now be recruited to ensure that the new company is ready to begin operations from 01 April 2012.

Mark Kaczmarek, Cornwall Council cabinet member for housing and planning, said: “We will be working to set up the new company which will create a strong regional housing voice for Cornwall.  Our housing team and staff at Carrick Housing Limited have been working with residents and partner agencies for their input in developing the proposals.

“We have looked at the benefits this method of service delivery will have, what it will cost and the potential for savings in the longer term which we can reinvest to improve housing services. By providing a one stop shop approach to those people in housing need as well as to our existing tenants, we will be able to improve services and make better use of resources.”

Cornwall Council’s head of housing Jane Barlow said: “The proposals aim to identify the best way to create a single service that will provide an equal standard of service across Cornwall and maximise the benefits of the new national council housing funding system from April 2012. This is an exciting opportunity to improve our services and make the best of the funding available.”