An experiment that deserves more time

Published on Friday 26 June 2009 22:04

THE Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) is a not-for-profit landlord responsible for 63,000 tenants. It was created in 2003 when Glasgow's housing stock was transferred from council ownership. The council supported the move because, in return, the Treasury wrote off Glasgow's substantial housing debt. But Glasgow's politicians (of all hues) don't like to give up power that readily.

So it is hardly surprising that the GHA board has found itself under a lot of outside pressure. This has included a heavy-handed investigation by Karen Watt, chief executive of the Scottish Housing Regulator. It was strongly believed that Ms Watt was about to orderstautory intervention, effectively taking over the management which would have put the board in an untenable position might have put the association back under the thumb of the local politicians.

Ms Watt has now reported, but despite the earlier bluster this is a rather woolly document. Essentially the GHA has been given a smack on the wrist for not consulting more with "stakeholders", shorthand for not keeping Glasgow politicians sweet. This is a humiliating climb-down on the part of the regulator and the way in which the GHA management was undermined by her handling of the investigation must call her judgment into question.

The GHA is an important development in devolved housing management which deserves to succeed.