Cabinet to discuss future model for housing in West Northants
17 June 2025
West Northamptonshire Council’s (WNC) Cabinet will next week consider whether to bring management of social housing in Northampton back in-house.
It is one of three options being presented for the future operation of the Council’s 11,500 homes currently managed by Northamptonshire Partnership Homes (NPH).
At its meeting next week (Tuesday 24 June), Cabinet will review a recommendation to begin consultation with tenants, leaseholders, and other stakeholders on the potential options for the future management of social housing. The proposal follows a comprehensive options appraisal and seeks to strengthen accountability, transparency, compliance, integration and service quality for tenants in line with new responsibilities under the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023.
NPH is an arms-length management organisation (ALMO) that manages WNC’s social housing stock of approximately 11,500 homes. It was first set up in 2015 by the former Northampton Borough Council for an initial period of 15 years and is responsible for repairs and maintenance, housing development, housing management - including dealing with anti-social behaviour, tenancy support and tenant involvement, and Ecton Lane Park traveller site.
Many councils across the country are opting to bring ALMO services back in-house to achieve greater accountability and direct control of housing delivery and quality. The Council is now also exploring whether taking direct control of its housing stock would enhance service delivery, ensure consistently high-quality housing across all areas and tenures, and better support residents in accessing homes that meet their needs at every stage of life.
In 2023, a number of issues emerged relating to property compliance, alongside the findings of a review into large development sites. These became clear both as a result of the new regulations and responsibilities given to the Council under legislation and as a full stock condition survey progressed. The review of the developments highlighted concerns around deliverability and associated risks, which ultimately led the Council to bring development delivery back in-house to ensure greater control and oversight. But the stock condition survey also highlighted significant concerns about health and safety standards.
The Council referred itself to the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) in September 2024 after identifying an issue within its housing service in relation to data quality and landlord health and safety compliance, provided by NPH. An investigation by the regulator resulted in WNC being issued with a C3 judgement for compliance, meaning serious failings were identified with significant improvement required. WNC has established a Housing Safety and Compliance working group to oversee issues and improvements relating to compliance with safety regulations and continues to meet regularly with the RSH.
“This is a significant decision that would allow us to simplify governance, deliver better value for money, and most importantly, ensure our residents continue to receive a safe, responsive and accountable housing service. Should Cabinet agree, we will begin a full consultation to hear directly from tenants and leaseholders about what matters most to them.”Cllr Charlie Hastie, Cabinet Member for Housing
The report proposes a phased transfer approach, providing time to develop a clear implementation plan and consult with residents before any final decision is made. If approved, the Council will begin a wide-ranging engagement process this summer, with further updates provided throughout the transition period.
The full Cabinet report can be viewed on the Council’s website. WNC’s Cabinet will meet next Tuesday (24 June) at 6pm in The Forum, Moat Lane, Towcester and can also be watched live on the Council’s Youtube channel.