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Ten housing associations set up partnership to work with new West Yorkshire mayor
A group of 10 housing associations has formed the West Yorkshire Housing Partnership (WYHP) as the region prepares to elects its first metro mayor.
Today the partnership has published a prospectus that outlines proposals on how to deliver more homes and improve lives across the region.
It comes as the combined authority prepares to elect its first metro mayor in May 2021, following the announcement of the West Yorkshire devolution deal in the March 2020 Budget.
Together the associations that make up the WYHP provide more than 90,000 homes across the region’s five districts, built 2,100 new affordable homes over the past three years, and employ more than 3,500 people who live in West Yorkshire.
The members of the partnership are: Accent Housing, Connect Housing, Incommunities, Leeds Federated Housing Association, Leeds & Yorkshire Housing Association, Manningham Housing Association, Together Housing, Unity Homes & Enterprise, Wakefield District Housing, and Yorkshire Housing.
In the prospectus, the partnership said the announcement of a new metro mayor created a “unique opportunity”.
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It continued: “To develop and embed a future relationship and to drive and oversee subsequent delivery, we propose a new ‘compact’ between our group of independent housing associations, working together with a single voice, and the Combined Authority and its local partners.
“Strategically this will allow straightforward and strategic conversations between decision-makers that set the direction and priorities and frame the resources that support them.”
The partnership has agreed five ambitions: building new homes, tackling the climate emergency and fuel poverty, regenerating local areas, connecting people to economic opportunity and supporting healthcare, and homelessness.
Steve Close, chief executive at Together Housing, said: “Devolution offers an exceptional opportunity for the region’s housing organisations to work closely with the metro mayor, West Yorkshire Combined Authority and other partnership organisations to deliver real results.
“These are best achieved by uniting around a set of shared goals.
“The five ambitions we have set for West Yorkshire represent our considered view on what is attainable if we all pull in the same direction.
“WYHP representatives look forward to discussing our proposals with mayoral candidates and political parties on a strictly non-partisan basis over the coming months.”
Nick Atkin, chief executive at Yorkshire Housing, said: “Providing more high-quality homes will always be the key driver for housing associations here in West Yorkshire, where we need to build 5,000 additional properties each year to simply meet regional requirements.
“However, our array of services and in-house expertise have a much wider focus.
“Stimulating local regeneration, helping people into work and training, improving health outcomes and tackling inequalities are among the many activities we engage in every day.
“This work makes a huge difference, but by partnering with other major players, including the new metro mayor, we can achieve so much more.”
Helen Lennon, chief executive at Connect Housing, said: “Housing associations are uniquely close to the communities we serve. Our staff listen, learn and act to address local needs.
“Having the opportunity to work in tandem with the devolved administration led by a directly elected mayor presents a host of exciting possibilities.
“Our partnership of independent housing associations is motivated by a desire to create imaginative and workable policy solutions to benefit people in need.
“West Yorkshire can make real progress under the new governance arrangements and we want to play a full part in delivering the bright future that lies ahead.”
