The role of performance indicators in housing management: a critique

In this paper an evaluation of the housing management performance indicators regime in the UK is provided. First, the context in which performance measurement in the housing service has developed is set and lessons are drawn from the use of statutory indicators following the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. By examining the performance indicator regime in Wales it is suggested that the regime is flawed because it provides information which points towards the economic efficiency of service provision rather than explaining the effectiveness of services. This is compounded by the multiple audience that the performance indicator regime is targeted at: tenants, local government, and central government. To conclude the paper, some alternatives are suggested, and the need for performance indicators to be seen as tools for evaluating the relative efficiency and effectiveness of local authority housing management over time is highlighted. -Authors