Homes and Communities Agency

On 17 January 2007, former Secretary of State Ruth Kelly announced proposals (external link) to create a new housing and regeneration agency for England, now known as the Homes and Communities Agency. Further details are available in News Release - Pioneering agency to drive forward housing and regeneration - 17 January 2007.

The Homes and Communities Agency will bring together housing and regeneration into one national agency. It will combine English Partnerships, the investment programme of the Housing Corporation, the Academy for Sustainable Communities and key housing and regeneration programmes, currently delivered by Communities and Local Government. See News Release - New agency will have key regeneration role - 10 January 2008.

The Agency will be local government's best delivery partner, providing practical support and professional expertise to local authorities; enabling them to deliver local outcomes, whilst achieving national targets. It will use its enhanced buying and negotiating power to push up environmental standards, add value and attract new private sector investment.

What has happened so far?

Considerable work has been undertaken towards establishing the Agency:

Sir Bob Kerslake has been appointed as Chief Executive Designate and took up his post at the end of March 2008 (See News Release - Kerslake, first Head for Homes and Communities Agency - 18 December 2007). His appointment will be formally confirmed once the Bill has received Royal Assent
a set-up team has been formed to work with Sir Bob through the period up to the establishment of the Agency
the post of Chair has been advertised and an appointment is expected to be made in June 2008, and formally confirmed once the Bill has received Royal Assent
following discussions with the Mayor of London, it is planned that the Agency, once established, will set up a dedicated sub-committee for London to focus on the Mayor's Housing Strategy and regeneration in London. See News Release - New partnerships to help deliver London homes - 7 February 2008

The consultation, Delivering Housing and Regeneration: Communities England and the future of social housing regulation was published in June 2007 and the Summary of Responses was published in January 2008.