The Local Government Association (LGA) has launched a "Building
Council Homes Programme" and is inviting bids from councils for
grants of up to £50,000 to develop skills and capacity to deliver
new council homes.
The removal of the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) borrowing cap
will deliver a game changing opportunity for many councils to
deliver much needed homes but some councils may not have the
immediate skills and capacity to scale up delivery of new council
housing.
The Chair of the LGA, Lord Porter, has recently written to the
Leaders and Chief Executives of local housing authorities to
announce the launch of a LGA Building Council Homes Programme,
offering the opportunity to bid for grants up to the value of
£50,000 to access and develop additional skills to help deliver
their ambitions for the HRA. The LGA is able to support a minimum
of six projects at this value and potentially more depending on the
demand.
The LGA says it wants this process to be as light touch and
responsive as possible and is inviting bids to be received by the
LGA before the Friday 11 January 2019.
Lord Porter's letter includes a copy of the prospectus for the
LGA's Building Council Homes Programme and details of how to
apply.
Lord Porter's letter also invites councils to complete a simple
questionnaire to inform thinking for a future LGA support offer for
2019/20 and beyond and the LGA is seeking responses by 18 December
2018.