P. Somerville et A. Steele, HOUSING POLICY IMPLEMENTATION - THE ROLE OF MEDIATION, Scandinavian housing and planning research, 13(3), 1996, pp. 147-162
This paper outlines a new way of approaching issues of policy implemen
tation, concerned mainly with the mediation of power and influence thr
ough networks of social relations. The paper focuses in particular on
housing policy dealing with the relationship between social housing la
ndlords and their tenants in England and Wales, and the implementation
of that policy by housing officers. National and local governments ar
e identified as the key initiators of such policy, involving attempts
to regulate and reform the landlord-tenant relationship.The paper argu
es that the closeness required to ensure effective mediation can perha
ps be achieved only at the level of a housing estate or small locality
, and that those representing the roles defined by regulation (for exa
mple, 'landlord' and 'tenant') are in the best position to mediate the
regulated interaction. This argument is supported by evidence from re
search carried out into estate agreements.