Andrew Bennett MP, chair of the ODPM select committee and outspoken critic of the Housing Corporation, is to retire at the next general election

A spokeswoman for the Labour MP for Denton & Reddish said he was standing down to 鈥渟pend more time with his family鈥�.

Bennett, 66, has chaired the ODPM committee for three years. He first voiced his concerns about the corporation in July 2002, when he said it had 鈥渘ot been an effective regulator鈥�.

鈥淚t [the corporation] has allowed housing associations to build up substantial assets and it has failed to inspect the stock transfer companies with enough vigour,鈥� he said at the time.

Although the corporation said Bennett鈥檚 comments had 鈥渘o foundation in fact鈥�, it became the subject of an investigation by the committee in February 2004.

Its report, published in June last year, concluded that the corporation should reconsider its decision to pay social housing grant to developers, and said there was no evidence that the corporation鈥檚 plans to channel 80% of funding through elite development partners would be more cost-effective. The report also raised doubts about the cost-effectiveness of modern methods of construction.

Despite upsetting the Housing Corporation, Bennett is credited with playing a key role in housing market renewal.

Mike Gahagan, chair of pathfinder Transform South Yorkshire, said: 鈥淗e鈥檚 been pretty antagonistic towards the Housing Corporation but I鈥檝e always found his chairing very fair. The committee鈥檚 first report into empty homes led indirectly to the creation of the housing market renewal fund.鈥�

A Shelter spokesman said: 鈥淗e鈥檚 been one of very few MPs who have consistently stood up for the rights of Gypsies and Travellers and his willingness to do this will be sorely missed.鈥�

Source

Housing Today