Just Another Brick in the Wall First published in Inside Housing, 22 September 2000 ©Inside Communications 2000

©Inside Communications

Housing is set to have a greater role in the final strategy for neighbourhood renewal. But just how important is it, and can neighbourhood management really work? asks KATRINA FOX

Many in the social housing sector are quite likely to be giving themselves a big pat on the back. New deal for communities chief Jon Bright, a former director of the Social Exclusion Unit, revealed that the housing lobby's concern that it was not given a high enough profile in the national strategy for neighbourhood renewal had been taken on board. 'I am fairly confident that it will be there in the final document,he stated boldly last week.

But despite the demands for a seat at the high table, there is some doubt as to how important housing really is. National Housing Federation policy officer Aaron Cahill believes this should not be a given. 'Housing has to be seen in context; he says. 'It's not about just expecting it to be in there. In London I'd expect it to be, but access to housing for deprived neighbourhoods in the north is not an issue.'

Islington Council housing chief Andy Jennings agrees. 'ln a survey we did, tenants rated crime and health above everything else, he explains. 'Then came transport and education, and housing was fifth - it was no big deal. 'The role of housing and registered social landlords may not be as big as we think, because for these things to work they have to be different. They must be run by community-led bodies. This will be difficult for local bureaucrats like myself to cope with, but it has to happen.'

Not even the tenants are convinced of housing's role. Christine Searle is one of seven resident directors at Poplar Harca, a transfer landlord in cast London that is involved in regeneration. She says: 'The Harca was bricks and mortar, but to sustain it you need much more than that.'

One thing everyone is agreed on, including the government, is that all agencies must pool their knowledge and resources to make neighbourhood management work. But just how feasible is this?

Sutton Council resident Ken Kennedy is somewhat sceptical of inter-departmental sharing: 'We have all different agencies and if we have a meeting with them about safety or health, they always come back with the magic words "we can't talk to you about it because it's private". The information that comes to communities is very bitty as the different agencies are doing their own thing. As long as there is mistrust, neighbourhood management won't work.'

With responsibilities for finance, strategy and liaison with other partners, the neighbourhood manager will need more than just housing management skills, and, as Mr Jennings explains, they could be in short supply. 'There is a small number of people who will be available to do the kind of successful project management that neighbourhood management needs,he says. 'These people won't exist on £30,000 to £40,000, they'll exist on £50,000 to £60,000. If we were talking about three or four people, fine, but 50? No way.

'One of my fears about neighbourhood management is that it attracts bright people when it's new, then after three or so years the budgets fall, real life sets in and they leave.'

Mr Bright insists these issues will be resolved - more training, accountability to local strategic partnerships and, ultimately, the government, are key factors to make the strategy work. Then there is the clout to deliver what the community wants. 'Some people say they are already doing neighbourhood management, but the key difference between the current approach and the new one will be that neighbourhood managers will have the tools and the authority to ensure things get done. 'If they don't get these, or if funding is only short term, the strategy won't work, 'he admits candidly.

The government is determined that neighbourhood management will reduce crime, unemployment, ill health and educational underachievement, and turn deprived estates into places where people want to live and work. From next year a series of pathfinder programmes will test out the principles of neighbourhood management.

The housing world will do well to get involved early on, otherwise it could find itself sidelined.

Inside Housing is the weekly magazine for social housing professionals. This article is the copyright of the publisher, Inside Communications, a division of the Mirror Group and appears here with their permission. For more information on the magazine, visit their website at www.insidehousing.co.uk