A TOWN councillor from Launceston presented at a national conference discussing the changes needed to improve conditions for social housing tenants. 

Launceston town councillor John Harris attended the 2024 National Federation of ALMOs (Arms Length Management Organisation) held in Birmingham last week.

The event offers the opportunity for companies to share concerns, draw on mutual support and showcase successes and innovations. As well as this, delegates have the space to share good practice and explore practical ways of building community resilience and genuine tenant engagement. 

Cllr Harris was asked to give a presentation on the new laws and regulations which came into effect as of April 1 this year. The regulations are mostly concerned with tenant rights and hazards in the home such as damp and mould.  

After the tragedy of Grenfell and the death of a child caused by the exposure to mould spores in his home, many of the regulations surrounding social housing have been overhauled.

Speaking to the Post, Cllr Harris explained: “As part of my work with Cornwall Council’s housing provider, I have been part of a wide review process, taking part in a number of consultations and sitting on a nationwide quality panel looking into how government can improve conditions for social housing tenants. 

“Cornwall housing has over 10,000 properties and when combined with housing associations there are well over 20,000 which adds up to around 40,000 people living in social housing in Cornwall.”  

During the convention Cllr Harris presented to the many attendees how the new regulations will support those currently living in social housing.

He continued: “In my presentation I spoke about how the new regulations will help people living in social housing to influence decisions taken by their landlords. I also referred to the major problems we have in Cornwall with damp and mould which given Cornwall’s climate is an ever-growing problem.”  

It was recently found that, of the 10,300 Cornwall Council owned homes, 30 per cent do not meet the current decent homes standard. With Cllr Pat Rogerson revealing that one example in her area saw a child’s bed riddled with damp, fungus and mould.