Government Consultation and LTF Responses

LTF responses to regional government consultation are contained in the 'Regional Decision Making / Mayors Housing Strategy' and 'The London Plan' pages of this website. Links are listed on the left hand side of this page (green background)

The John Hills Review of Social Housing - 'Ends and Means: The Future Roles of Social Housing in England' which was launched in February '07 There was no formal consultation tenants relating to the John Hills Review although the LTF submitted our 2006 conference recommendations to him as well as a covering letter. We said we were concerned about the current levels prejudice leveled at council tenants in the media and elsewhere, as well as noting the London's growing levels of poverty, property values and rents and Governments failures to address housing need in London. We said we wanted to see government investing positively in council housing - in new and existing homes and we said we felt that tenants should be part of defining problems relating to their homes and solutions to those problems.

• Recommendations agreed at LTF September '06 Conference 'Tenants Vision for Housing in London
• Ends and Means: The Future Roles of Social Housing in England - John Hills (LSE)

  Martin Cave's 'Every Tenant Matters: A Review of Social Housing Regulation' was published in June '07. There was consultation on this review. Over a hundred organisations responded to Martin Cave's 'Call for Evidence'. Most of these though came from service providers (councils and housing associations) and professional organisations, as well as the Council for Mortgage Lenders (who were also part of an ‘External Advisory Group’ to Cave), a few trade unions, an MP, DCH and TPAS (also part of the ‘External Advisory Group). Only 5 tenants’ organisations (including the LTF) responded . No tenant organisations were part of the ‘External Advisory Group’.

Cave held two meetings with tenants, one in London and one in Manchester. The shows government moving towards a greater role for the private sector; notably for private developers in both building and managing social housing. Tenants are considered as consumers apparently with 'an appetite' for more market choice. The LTF does not concur with this view, but instead feels giving a greater role to the private sector will necessarily result in less democratic and accountable structures and the erosion of tenants’ rights.

• LTF response to Martin Cave's 'Call for Evidence'
• Every Tenant Matters: A Review of Social Housing Regulation - Martin Cave

  Tenants Empowerment Consultation Cave suggested there be further consultation on his proposal for a National Tenants Voice, which led to the publication of the Government department Communities and Local Government (CLG) 'Tenant Empowerment' consultation paper in summer '07. Its main focus was on involving more tenants in managing their own homes and the proposed 'National Tenants Voice'.

• LTF response to CLG's 'Tenant Empowerment' consultation.

  Housing Green Paper. The Government's 'Homes for the future: more affordable, more sustainable - Housing Green Paper', was published in July '07. The closing date for responses to consultation is 15th October 07. The publication of the Green Paper hit media headlines, with many in the press suggesting the Green Paper showed Government had moved housing significantly up the political agenda. Some have proposed that it heralds a new dawn for councils to build new homes. The LTF is far from convinced. We have produced 2 briefings on the Green Paper, the first being an analysis of existing need and an assessment of whether the Green Paper offers sufficient to address those problems.

  National Tenants Voice

• LTF response to consultation regarding the proposed National Tenants Voice

  Housing Revenue Account Review.

• LTF comment / submission on the HRA Reveiw

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