16 November 2007
Plans to improve thousands of council homes in London and Southeast England could be further delayed by skills shortages ahead of the 2012 Olympics, ministers are being told.
Fifteen local authorities hoping to set up arm's-length management organisations to take over their housing should find out later this year whether they have gained places in the sixth and final Almo programme.
The latest Almos are unlikely to start work on their properties until 2009. But the National Federation of Almos said their task will be made harder by the high demand for construction and other workers before the Olympic Games. Seven of the 15 councils hoping to establish Almos are in or close to east London, where the Games will mainly be sited.
Gwyneth Taylor, policy officer at the NFA, warned that refurbishment programmes cannot be switched on overnight. 'The biggest problem is going to be cost inflation and access to skills,' she added. 'We're looking to spend over a period of time rather than spend to beat the Olympics, which we don't think you can do.'
Ministers have said that Almos will receive a further £2bn by 2011. While the NFA has asked for £3.2bn, Taylor said it was reasonably confident that extra money would be found if needed.
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