Tenants to be consulted on future social housing provision in West Northants

25 June 2025

West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) has taken an important step towards improving its social housing provision with Cabinet’s approval to begin consultation on bringing services currently provided by Northamptonshire Partnership Homes (NPH) back under direct Council management.

The decision, made at yesterday’s Cabinet meeting (Tuesday 24 June), follows an options appraisal review and is also in light of new regulatory requirements under the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, which place greater accountability on local authorities for the management of their housing stock, even where this is delivered by an external organisation. The review and decision to consult, reflects the Council’s ongoing commitment to delivering high-quality housing services for residents.

NPH, an Arm’s Length Management Organisation (ALMO), has been managing around 11,500 council-owned homes since its formation in 2015. While the ALMO model was once widely used across the country to drive housing development and improvement, many local authorities have since moved to bring housing management back in-house in order to improve accountability, transparency, compliance, integration and resident engagement.

WNC’s Cabinet has approved a ‘minded-to’ decision which seeks to follow a phased approach to the transfer, with a robust implementation plan to be developed and implemented over the next two years. This would allow for a structured and collaborative transition, giving the Council time to embed improvements and ensure services continue to meet the needs of residents throughout. Consultation with tenants, leaseholders, and other stakeholders will be a vital part of this process and will help shape the final decision on the future of the service.

“This decision is about ensuring that our residents receive the best possible housing service – one that is safe, responsive, and accountable. By bringing this provision back in-house, we can simplify governance, strengthen compliance, and have greater control over quality while also providing tenants with the best value for money.

“There are significant opportunities to join-up services across West Northants to ensure the coordinated delivery of strategic objectives and to optimise outcomes for residents. Most importantly, we will be working closely with tenants and leaseholders to make sure their voices help shape the future of housing in West Northants.”Cllr Charlie Hastie, Cabinet Member for Housing

The proposed changes also aim to deliver better value for money by reducing duplication between WNC and NPH, allowing for improved integration across Council services, and ultimately leading to improved outcomes for residents.

A full independent consultation with tenants and stakeholders will be launched next month. Updates will be shared on the Council’s website and communications channels.