Housing review: councils must address financial skills shortage
Author: Pete Apps in Inside Housing |
Town halls must bring in better-skilled staff if they are to begin building homes on a large scale, a government review has said.
An interim report by housing finance lawyer Natalie Elphicke and Liberal Democrat politician Keith House also said councils should look to the private sector to help stretch the finance available to build new homes.
Commenting on the challenges facing councils as they try to scale up building programmes, the report said: ‘Some local authority respondents pointed to the challenges of internally upskilling – for example, in financing, risk assessment, land disposal and estate management.’
The review, announced in the Autumn Statement last year, is looking into the role of local authorities in house building.
Ms Elphicke said: ‘In the next stage of the review, we will focus on how councils can access and harness private finance.
‘In particular, strengthening the relationship between councils, industry experts, business and private finance could help councils to realise their housing ambitions and support their communities.’
Brandon Lewis, the new housing and planning minister, said: ‘This report shows there’s untapped potential out there for councils to secure private investment in their plans and deliver the homes their communities want.’
The review will also examine how best to boost skills, capacity and the pace of house building by councils, and how smaller sites can be made available for more homes.