Council moves forward with bid to manage social housing

The council is progressing with efforts to bring its 11,500 social homes back under local authority management. A report published last year highlighted significant shortcomings in how the private operator, Northamptonshire Partnership Homes (NPH), maintained safety and quality standards in the housing it managed.

Last month, the West Northamptonshire Council cabinet, controlled by Reform UK, voted unanimously to shut down NPH. This decision was reviewed during a meeting on Monday following a call-in by Conservative, Labour, and Liberal Democrat councillors. The Children, Education and Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee decided no changes would be made to the cabinet's initial decision.

NPH currently oversees property management in Northampton, including repairs, maintenance, and support for vulnerable residents. The council's plan, pending approval from the secretary of state, aims to take direct control of the housing stock by April 2027.

Employing roughly 350 staff and operating on a 67 million annual budget, NPHs transition is projected to cost 1.6 million. The council anticipates that from 2027, direct management could reduce expenses and improve efficiency, with potential yearly savings of around 85,000.

Charlie Hastie, cabinet member for housing and communities, stated: "With the cabinets decision now fully reviewed, we can advance with bringing the councils housing stock under direct management while continuing to enhance services for our residents. Tenants will still access services as usual, and we will coordinate with NPH to ensure consistent service delivery."

The council plans to continue evaluating the business case for taking direct control and aims to improve housing services across the region.

Author: Sophia Brooks