About CWAG
Welcome to the Councils with ALMOs website.
CWAG is grouping of local authorities that have set up ALMOs (Arms Length Management Organisations) to manage their council housing stock. The group brings together local authority housing practitioners and it achieved Special Interest Group status with the LGA in 2007.
CWAG is managed by an Executive Group which is elected at the Annual General Meeting. Current Executive Group members are:
Chair -John Statham (Leeds CC)
Vice Chair - Maria Jennings (LB Enfield)
Vice Chair - Barbara Perry (LB Hounslow)
Secretary - Nick Laws (Sandwell MBC)
Treasurer - Maqsood Sheikh ( LB Hillingdon)
Our key objectives are:
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to be the representative body on behalf of stock owning authorities where housing stock is managed by ALMOs and to act as a forum to provide mutual support to those authorities
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to have an active role in influencing the national policy agenda, particularly in respect of ALMOs
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to facilitate the exchange and introduction of best practice and to develop initiatives for local authorities whose stock is managed by ALMOs
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to provide a platform for the true comparison of performance, costs, processes and outcomes.
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as a Special Interest Group of the LGA to inform and influence Local Government Association (LGA) policy and activity on housing so it reflects the needs and concerns of Councils with ALMOs
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to promote the ALMO model and develop positive partnerships with ALMOs and the National Federation of ALMOs to ensure best outcome for tenants/leaseholders
Benefits of Membership
Membership is open to all local authorities with ALMOs
As a Special Interest Group, CWAG is engaged in regular dialogue with the LGA, CLG and the Audit Commission on key areas of policy development, current examples include the review of housing finance, cross domain regulation and proposed changes to the inspection regime. The Audit Commission views local Authority membership of CWAG positively.
As a group of authorities with ALMOs we feel it is important to work together to influence the wider policy agenda on issues of joint interest to the long-term benefit of tenants and their wider communities.
CWAG provides members with a supportive network for sharing and developing good practice. Through our regular meetings and working groups we provide opportunity for more intensive debate, sharing and development of good practice as well as providing support to authorities with ALMOs at different stages in the ALMO life cycle.