Housing (Economies of Scale)

HC Deb 28 March 1985 vol 76 cc326-7W

Mr. Rooker

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any evidence about the economies of scale in housing management.

Mr. Gow

The success of locally-based housing management teams in improving run-down local authority estates has been demonstated by the Department's priority estates project (PEP).

The Department's report "Local Housing Management" (1984), based on a PEP survey of 20 estates projects, suggest that local management is a cost-effective answer to the drain on resources resulting from void properties, vandalism, rent arrears and inefficient repair services which often characterise run-down estates.

In its new phase, PEP is developing local management and maintenance budgets which will provide detailed information on comparative costs. The expenditure of the Cloverhall tenants' management co-operative in Rochdale will also be monitored.