HCA guidance published to help partners with Single Conversation
12 May 2009
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The HCA has published guidance to help its partners deliver the aims of the agency’s new business process – the Single Conversation - to create affordable, well served, enjoyable and attractive places where people want to live.
The Single Conversation is a place-based approach that will take the vision and ambitions of local authorities and help them achieve their plans through a shared investment agreement. Delivery will be achieved through a more streamlined use of investment and resources, including using expertise from the HCA to address specific challenges. Through this process, the HCA as the national housing and regeneration agency, will act as the bridge between local ambition and national targets.
Published on-line, the guidance, explains the benefits of the Single Conversation process, the issues to consider before starting on the route, how the Single Conversation will be rolled out regionally along with details about Local Investment Plans and Agreements and how they will be developed.
Sir Bob Kerslake, chief executive of the Homes and Communities Agency, said: “We hope that our partners will find this guidance useful in clarifying how the Single Conversation will work in practice. The HCA and our partners can achieve a lot through this process, but the impact we can make is much greater by working together with local places, to create homes that people can afford within thriving communities.
“This is about making the investment fit the place rather than the place fit the programme. We want to ensure that everybody involved in a particular place is included in the Conversation right from the start, ensuring a rounded approach to sustainable housing and regeneration, and delivering the best results for local people, communities and places. ”
In broad terms the Single Conversation will cover strategy, investment, capacity and delivery. The agreed outcomes for an area will be formalised in a Local Investment Agreement, which sets out the HCA’s proposed investment for an area. The guidance document can be downloaded at the Single Conversation page.
ENDS
For further information please contact Gemma Thompson at the HCA press office on 020 7881 1054 or email gemma.thompson@hca.gsx.gov.uk
Note to editors
The HCA is the single, national housing and regeneration agency for England. We bring together the development and regeneration expertise of English Partnerships, investment functions of the Housing Corporation, and the Academy for Sustainable Communities, with major delivery programmes of Communities and Local Government.
Our role is to create opportunity for people to live in high quality, sustainable places. We provide funding for affordable housing, bring land back into productive use and improve quality of life by raising standards for the physical and social environment.
Over the current three financial years the HCA controls a budget of £17.3bn.