The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister published its Autumn Performance Report for 2004, showing progress against public service performance targets.
Source: Autumn Performance Report 2004, Cm 6421, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2004-Dec
A think-tank report called for greater clarity in the roles of regional and local bodies to ensure success of the housing and sustainable communities agenda.
Source: Ian Parker and Natalie Tarry (eds.), New Localism in Action: Housing and Sustainable Communities, New Local Government Network (020 7357 0051)
Links: Report (pdf) | NLGN press release
Date: 2004-Dec
A series of studies explored the relationship between the housing market and fundamental inequalities of incomes, lifestyles and life chances. Children from poorer families were being priced out of the best schools by wealthier parents, who were willing to spend up to a 30 per cent premium on houses in their catchment areas.
Source: Paul Cheshire and Steven Sheppard (eds.), 'The Price of Access to Better Neighbourhoods', Economic Journal, November 2004, Royal Economic Society (0117 983 9770)
Links: RES press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Dec
The Housing Act 2004 received Royal assent. The Act provided for a range of health and safety hazards that were not included in the previous fitness standard to be taken into account when assessing the safety of homes - such as air quality, noise, entry by intruders, pests, danger from falls, and hot surfaces. It also provided for the first mandatory national licensing scheme for houses in multiple occupation. There was a target for a 20 per cent improvement in energy efficiency from 2000 levels by 2010: but proposed amendments on tougher energy efficiency requirements were rejected. The Act required local authorities to take account of the accommodation needs of travelling people and to create strategies for meeting those needs.
Source: Housing Act 2004, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Act | ODPM press release (1) | ODPM press release (2) | CIEH press release | NEA press release | Greenpeace press release | EST press release | Help the Aged press release
Date: 2004-Nov
A report said that rapidly rising house prices were creating an unprecedented wealth gap - trapping millions of people in poorer areas, while rewarding those on the property ladder in the south.
Source: Bethan Thomas and Danny Dorling, Know Your Place: Housing wealth and inequality in Great Britain 1980-2003 and beyond, Shelter (020 7505 4699)
Links: Report (pdf) | Shelter press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Nov
The opposition Conservative Party proposed to extend the right to buy to over a million housing association tenants. Housing associations expressed 'major concerns'.
Source: John Hayes MP and Scott Kelly, Right to Own: Action on Housing, Conservative Party (020 7222 9000) | Press release 27 October 2004, National Housing Federation (020 7278 6571)
Links: Report (pdf) | NHF press release
Date: 2004-Oct
The Spending Review 2004 pledged a 4.1 per cent average annual increase in spending on housing for the three years from 2005-06. By 2007-08, total spending on social housing would reach 7.2 billion, up from 5.9 billion. An extra 10,000 homes for social renting would be provided each year by 2008. Funding for nine housing market renewal areas would be nearly trebled, from 160 million in 2004-05 to 450 million by 2008.
Source: Stability, Security and Opportunity for All: Investing for Britain s long-term future - 2004 Spending Review/New public spending plans 2005-2008, Cm 6237, HM Treasury, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 13 July 2004, columns 1257-1277, TSO
Links: Spending Review report (pdf links) | Hansard | ODPM press release | Shelter press release | CIH press release | Guardian report (1) | Guardian report (2)
Date: 2004-Jul
The Labour Party published a consultative policy document on local government, housing and transport issues.
Source: Sustainable Communities, Better Transport, Labour Party (08705 900200)
Links: Consultation document (pdf)
Date: 2004-Jul
The Housing Bill was given a third reading. The government said it would table amendments allowing local councils to apply to make 'empty homes management orders' on long-term empty properties, where there was a strong case for doing so; and to include a protection scheme for tenants' deposits.
Source: Housing Bill, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 11 May 2004, columns 169-287, TSO | House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 19 May 2004, columns 51-52WS, TSO
Links: Text of Bill | Third reading debate | Ministerial statement | ODPM press release | Shelter press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-May
A think-tank report called on the government to radically increase direct public investment in council housing, and described arm's-length management organisations as a pathway to privatisation.
Source: The Case for the 4th Option for Council Housing and A Critique of Arms Length Management Organisations, Centre for Public Services (0114 272 6683)
Links: Summary (pdf) | CPS press release
Date: 2004-May
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister published its annual report for 2003-04, showing progress against its public service performance targets.
Source: Annual Report 2004, Cm 6206, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report (pdf) | Report
Date: 2004-Apr
A study examined the action being taken by housing agencies to improve community cohesion. Based on extensive discussions with housing staff, it pointed to weak links between housing and other agencies, and suggested ways to strengthen them.
Source: David Robinson, et al., How Housing Management Can Contribute to Community Cohesion, Chartered Institute of Housing (024 7685 1700)
Links: Summary
Date: 2004-Apr
A report brought together a series of papers by leading academics, built environment and construction industry professionals on future trends in housing.
Source: Housing Futures 2024: A provocative look at future trends in housing, Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (020 7960 2400)
Links: Report (pdf) | CABE press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Mar
A private member's Bill was introduced to enable local planning authorities (rather than central government) to determine the number of houses built in their area.
Source: House Building (Targets) Bill, Bob Spink MP, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 3 March 2004, columns 912-914, TSO
Links: Hansard
Date: 2004-Mar
A research report presented the findings of two projects commissioned by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to explore how it might improve the production and dissemination of guidance. Many practitioners were not using the guidance produced by ODPM and other key suppliers because of problems with access, or because it was seen as inadequate and too general for implementation in a local context.
Source: Improving Guidance and Research: Compendium of two research projects, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (0870 1226 236)
Links: Report | Summary (pdf)
Date: 2004-Mar
A new book reviewed developments in housing policy in Scotland since devolution.
Source: Duncan Sim (ed.), Housing and Public Policy in Post-Devolution Scotland, Chartered Institute of Housing (024 7685 1700)
Links: Summary
Date: 2004-Feb
The government published a second progress report on its 22 billion sustainable communities plan for England. The statement reported on the action being taken to regenerate urban and rural communities in the north and the midlands.
Source: Making it Happen: The Northern Way, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (020 7944 3000) | House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 2 February 2004, columns 26-28WS, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | Hansard | ODPM press release
Date: 2004-Feb
The government responded to a report by a committee of MPs on the annual report of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. It denied suggestions that the department's aims and targets were not clear or consistent, but said that it would endeavour to make clear in future annual and autumn performance reports which targets were outstanding from previous spending reviews and which targets were set as part of the current Spending Review.
Source: Government Response to ODPM Select Committee Report: Departmental Annual Report 2003, Cm 6141, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Response | MPs report
Date: 2004-Feb
The government published a summary of responses received to a consultation exercise on the draft Housing Bill.
Source: Housing Bill: Responses to consultation on draft legislation, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (0870 1226 236)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2004-Jan
The Housing Bill was given a second reading. Housing associations said they would oppose measures in the Bill that would allow the Housing Corporation to make public grants to private housing developers. Local authorities said that vulnerable tenants were still at risk of death or serious injury from fire despite new safety measures in the Bill, and called for the fitting of sprinklers to be made compulsory in high-risk bedsits and other houses in multiple occupation.
Source: Housing Bill, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 12 January 2004, columns 531-638, TSO (0870 600 5522) | Press release 11 January 2004, National Housing Federation (020 7278 6571) | Press release 9 January 2004, Local Government Association (020 7664 3000)
Links: Text of Bill | Hansard | HOC research briefing (pdf) | NHF press release (pdf) | LGA press release | Guardian report (1) | Guardian report (2)
Date: 2004-Jan
The government published a technical note outlining its aims for each of the headline indicators associated with public service agreement 'target 5' - its commitment to improve the balance of housing markets in England.
Source: PSA5 Headline Indicators, Targets and Trajectories - Technical note, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (0870 1226 236)
Links: Link removed by ODPM
Date: 2004-Jan
