All Party Parliamentary Group for ALMOs reforms

Clive Betts MP has been elected as chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Arms Length Management Organisations (ALMOs) as the Group re-forms following the General Election.

Established in 2006, the Group will continue to promote the benefits of ALMOs to a political audience and campaign for a secure future and continuing role for England’s 69 ALMOs.

The Group will provide MPs and Peers with a forum to discuss key issues in council housing including the future of ALMOs and the importance of tenant empowerment. Already the Group has secured 26 members from all the main parties, an indication that the topics on its agenda are still as important as when it was first formed.

In line with the ALMO ethos of tenant participation, one of the key features of the Group is that it invites tenants to come to meetings to participate in discussions and make their views known directly to MPs, Peers and Ministers.

Clive Betts MP said: “I am very happy to re-form the APPG for ALMOs and proud to be Chair again. The APPG plays an integral role in enabling MPs and Peers to meet ALMO tenants and vice versa. In the last Parliament, the Group took up several issues on behalf of tenants with Ministers and was influential in helping to shape the Government’s housing policy”.

•One example of the Group’s activities in the last Parliament was its support for the campaign to re-instate Decent Homes funding for Round 6 ALMOs which had been deferred by the Government. The end result was that the Government released some funding for eligible Round 6 ALMOs.

Clive Betts (Labour) is joined by Heidi Alexander MP (Labour), Tom Brake MP (Lib Dem) and Sarah Newton (Con) who become the Group’s officers. Membership of the Group is made up of MPs and Peers from across all parties and every member so far has an ALMO in their constituency including Sheffield Homes in Clive Betts’ constituency of Sheffield South East.

On 16 November, the APPG for ALMOs will be hosting an event in the House of Commons sponsored by Keepmoat which tenants and MPs will be invited to attend. Held in the member’s dining room, the APPG for ALMOs’ parliamentary reception will provide a valuable forum for tenants and MPs to meet, interact and discuss the key issues in council housing management.

The APPG will be serviced and supported by the National Federation of ALMOs (NFA).

The officers of the All Party Parliamentary Group for ALMOs are:

Clive Betts MP Sheffield South East Lab Chair
Heidi Alexander MP Lewisham East Lab Vice Chair
Tom Brake MP Carshalton and Wallington LD Vice Chair
Sarah Newton MP Truro and Falmouth Con Secretary