Housing Corporation
Introduction
The mission of The Housing Corporation is:
'Working to improve people's quality of life through social housing.'
The Housing Corporation is a public body corporate, established in 1964, whose principal functions, since the passing of the Housing Act 1974, have been to fund and regulate registered housing associations. The Housing Act 1996 built on these functions to add non-profit making companies to the range of organisations able to be registered and regulated by the Corporation. There are 2,232 registered social landlords (RSLs) on the Corporation's register.
The Corporation is sponsored by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions. The Board is appointed by the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions and comprises individuals with a range of experience and skills relevant to the financing, provision, regulation and management of social housing. The organisational structure involves seven regional offices in addition to a headquarters staff and each Board member has direct involvement in one of the regions.
| | Number of Staff | | | Expenditure (£m)¹ |
| 1995/96 | 658 | | 1995/96 | 1383.6 |
| 1996/97 | 646.5 | | 1996/97 | 1300.6 |
| 1997/98 | 611² | | 1997/98 | 917.2² |
¹The Corporation is also responsible for the administration and expenditure of the Local Authority Housing Association Grant Programme. In 1995/96, this totalled £295m and in 1996/97, £349.3m
²Forecast |
The Annual Report and Accounts are laid before Parliament in July each year. Both are available from the Publicati ons Department at the above address. The Register of Board Members' interests is available for inspection by contacting the Corporate Affairs Team. The Register of Social Landlords is available for inspection either through the Registry at the above address or via the Regional Offices.
Achievements in 1996/97
- Each year Ministers set targets for the Corporation in the allocation of grant funding to registered social landlords for the provision of social housing. The Corporation's task of meeting the priorities of local housing strategies whilst fulfilling those Ministerial targets was fulfilled in 1996/97.
- Regulation of RSLs is central to the Corporation's business and targets in this area are set within the organisation. Major changes to the ways in which the Corporation regulates RSLs have been made over the last three years. During 1996/97 the Performance Review system entered the last phase of implementation with 100% coverage of all RSLs.
- Openness initiatives have included an increase in the Performance Indicators published to give insight into the performance of RSLs and the publication of a Guide to the Corporation's regulatory process. The information given in the Annual Report was amplified by the publication of a Regulation Report and an Investment Databook.
Plans for 1997/98
The Corporation will be guided by the targets set by Ministers in the expenditure programmes for 1997/98.
In addition, the Corporation will:
- evolve new approaches to its regulatory responsibilities. The aim will be to continue a system of scrutiny of registered social landlords in a way which is effective in matching the level of regulation to levels of actual and perceived risk and which is efficient in terms of the resources available.
- increase the role of the regions. Developments will recognise the increasing role and importance of the investment and regulatory work of our regional offices in bringing together local and national priorities.
- develop the benefits of the collocation of investment and regulation. The outcome of the recent Finance, Management and Policy Review confirmed the benefits of collocation of these responsibilities in securing the best use of resources. Operational links between regulation and investment will be strengthened to ensure that investment is made in the most effective registered social landlords.
A Strategy Statement for a three year period is published in February or March each year to give information on targets and priorities which will guide the Corporation's work.
Key Performance Targets
|
| 1994/95*
| 1995/96*
| 1996/97+
| 1997/98
|
Key Measure
|
Set
|
Achieved
|
Set
|
Achieved
|
Set
|
Achieved
|
Set
|
Approved Development Programme : Total Lettings
|
58,300
|
58,262
|
52,500
|
57,511
|
43,000
41,776)
|
45,014
(43,871)
|
41,500
|
Balance between Housing for Rent and Sale in the Programme
|
70 : 30
|
72 : 27
|
70 : 30
|
71 : 29
|
75 : 25
|
79 : 21
|
77 : 23
|
No. of House provided in Rural Areas
|
1,850
|
2,,222
|
1,160
|
1,363
|
1,500
|
2,2078
|
1,000-1,500
|
% of Housing provided as part of Regeneration Initiatives (%)
|
18
|
22
|
>=40
|
51
|
50
|
66
|
60
|
* Target excludes output from the Rough Sleepers Initiative and City Challenge
+ Target excludes outputs from the Rough Sleepers Initiative. The figures in brackets exclude City Challenge to provide a direct comparison with previous years.
|
|
