HCA set for £5bn annual spend

A new government agency will have more than £5bn to spend every year when it takes over powers from English Partnerships (EP), the Housing Corporation and Communities and Local Government, it was revealed last week.

Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) chief executive designate Sir Bob Kerslake told an audience at the Housing Forum conference that the new organisation will operate through nine different regions.

He said: "The regional model is absolutely key to the new way of working for the agency."

The HCA cannot take over from EP and the HC until the Housing and Regeneration Bill has gone through Parliament this summer.

It is scheduled to be up and running by April 2009, although Kerslake said he wanted to see it start its work by the end of this year.