Minister promotes bigger role for mutuals in housing

Tessa Jowell, Minister for the Cabinet Office, has suggested that mutual organisations should be given a bigger role in the provision of social housing.

Speaking at a visit to the New Cut Housing Co-operative in Lambeth yesterday, the minister said that housing co-operatives offered the advantages of giving tenants more say in the running of their homes and estates whilst helping to foster a stronger spirit.

She said: “It is easy to see the value and benefits of housing co-operatives. They support individual ownership and tenants making the decisions about their own homes.  I am visiting New Cut today to meet with tenants to hear first hand about their experiences of living and participating in co-operative housing. I also hope to see how the benefits of mutual housing – such as co-operatives and tenant-owned estates – can be more widely shared across the UK.”

Last month, the Tessa Jowell said that mutuals – such as staff and user-owned co-operatives – should have a major role in public service delivery and reform. She announced plans to create an independent Commission on Ownership, chaired by Will Hutton, to investigate the issue. She also announced she was to meet ministers responsible for housing, social care and Sure Start, to investigate a larger role for mutualism.