The Local Government Association has announced the 14 successful applicants for its Housing Advisers Programme 2019/20 (HAP), an innovative scheme to help councils overcome housing challenges in their local areas and meet the housing needs of communities.
The HAP is a key part of the LGA’s sector-led improvement offer, which delivers robust peer challenges and support to help councils improve performance, become more efficient and effective and share good practice.
The programme is designed to support councils by funding the provision of independent expertise for councils undertaking specific projects to tackle the effects of the housing crisis in their local communities.
In the previous two years of the programme, the LGA has funded more than 100 councils across a diverse range of projects, including, home-building, reducing homelessness, planning for ageing populations, increasing supply of modular housing and many more.
This year’s successful applicants are:
Essex County Council (in partnership with all district councils); Broadland District Council with South Norfolk Council; London Borough of Islington (partnership with London Housing Director’s Group); London Borough of Enfield; Greater Manchester Combined Authority; Oxford City Council with West Oxfordshire District Council; Wokingham Borough Council; West of England Combined Authority (Bath & North East Somerset Council, Bristol City Council, North Somerset Council and South Gloucestershire Council); Cotswold District Council (in partnership with Forest of Dean District Council & West Oxfordshire DC); Somerset West & Taunton (in partnership with all Somerset District councils); Stoke-On-Trent City Council; Shropshire Council; Kirklees Council; Harrogate Council.
The LGA, which represents councils in England and Wales, has awarded up to £50,000 to each project for the purpose of securing expert advice to drive forward locally-led solutions to housing challenges.
The projects include developing carbon-neutral homes, redesigning homelessness services, delivering custom & self-build housing, and addressing the housing skills gap.
Following the programme, knowledge and expertise learnt and developed will be shared with other councils and become part of the LGA’s sector-led improvement offer.
Cllr Darren Rodwell, LGA housing spokesperson, said:
“We are delighted to announce the successful applicants of the latest round of the Housing Advisers Programme.
“The Housing Advisers Programme is an important part of the LGA’s sector-led improvement offer, and has delivered huge benefits to councils since it was first launched, helping local areas address the challenges of the housing crisis.
“It has proven an excellent source of knowledge and expertise for councils, sharing innovative ideas and ways to improve whether it’s building new homes, tackling homelessness or planning thriving and flourishing places and economies.”