Our Chair Sue Roberts was on particularly fine form in Harrogate. Spotting the Housing Minister, Grant Shapps, out of the corner of her eye, she managed to collar him ahead of some 200 other housing delegates at a reception put on by the Chartered Institute of Housing.
After the introductions, Mr Shapps said he was a strong supporter of ALMOs and believed that ALMOs should be given the ability to build new homes (but was still fighting with the Treasury on that one).
He also stated loud and clear that ALMO tenants should be given a vote should their local authority want to bring the ALMO back in house or make some – not that this is an issue in any way in Wolverhampton. It was great to hear him continue to back tenant involvement so robustly – such a key element of the ALMO movement.
As vice chair of the National Federation of ALMOs, Sue now has lots of experience of meeting Ministers and other decision makers. She left Mr Shapps in no doubt as to her views on how ALMOs have improved services with tenant involvement.
I’d like to extend an open invitation to Mr Shapps to visit us at Wolverhampton Homes and hear about how tenant involvement has been critical in our success. My door is open, Minister!
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