‘We are announcing your target’: Reflections on performative language in the making of English Housing Policy

Abstract

This article considers an aspect of the relationship between the British government and English (public sector) housing organisations. It argues that government policy makers and local housing authorities are using performative language to refine new policy ideas, even as they are being implemented. The article draws on a study of Housing Investment Programme submissions, and concludes that whilst there is little to distinguish those authorities receiving high and low levels of funding in terms of their reported performance indicators, there are considerable differences in their uses of language.

Acknowledgement

The author is pleased to acknowledge the work of Susanna Greenwood in researching this paper.

Notes

1 It is worth noting that this is changing – the Government is downgrading the HIP form and paying more attention to inspectors' reports.

2 The sample for the research was 40 local authorities out of a total of approximately 300. The sample was designed to reflect a balance of regions, size, performance tenant participation history and urbanisation. A further 40 housing associations were also sampled, from a similar total population.

3 The ‘above average’ authorities selected for analysis were a mixture of Metropolitan, Unitary, City, District and Borough councils: Bolton Metropolitan Council, Cambridge City Council, Chichester District Council, Derby Unitary Council, Eastbourne Borough Council, Manchester City Council, North Tyneside Metropolitan Council and Tamworth Borough Council. ‘Below average’ authorities were a combination of London, Unitary, Borough, and District Councils: Barnet London Borough Council, Berwick Upon Tweed Borough Council, Blackpool Unitary Council, Fylde Borough Council, Redbridge London Borough Council, Rugby Borough Council, West Lindsey District Council, Wandsworth London Borough Council.