Archives for June 2007
Sussex to discuss building capacity plans
The growth of housing in Sussex over the next 20 years has been discussed by Mid Sussex District Council’s better environmental advisory group today.
An emerging South East Plan, commissioned by central government, requires the local authority to provide an increased number of houses, numbering up to 15,000 by 2026.
Through the council core strategy document it is obligated to find sites for at least 7,000 new homes, to be built in addition to developments for East Grinstead already in process and other housing allocations and development opportunities.
Judith Hewitt, head of planning policy, said: “It will be vital to ensure that a wide range of sizes and types of homes are provided including homes for rent and shared ownership and that the needs of both new and existing residents are provided for.”
Such needs included employment opportunities, community and education facilities, transport and healthcare among others, she explained.
In other news, the council has invited the public to comment on the implementation of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act, using an online feedback form, in order to inform future policy in the area.
Brown ‘will bring in local authorities on housing’
Gordon Brown has asserted his commitment to closely involving local authorities in future housing policy planning.
Making his Labour Party leadership acceptance speech on Sunday, Mr Brown identified housing as one of the key priorities in the year ahead.
“Because we need to build new homes not just to own but to rent, we will bring together the private sector, housing associations and local authorities to renew the promise of social housing for our communities,” he asserted.
Furthermore, he stated that the housing minister will be attending Cabinet under his premiership and that they will be tasked with leading the debate on housing policy.
Finally, he touched on the relationship between new home building and environmental policy, stating that Labour would demonstrate that new housing could work in harmony with ecological concerns.
Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrat representative for education, Sarah Teather, has called on Mr Brown to act swiftly to tackle social mobility problems, better targeting help for the disadvantaged by focusing on investment in early years education.
New housing support strategy unveiled
A new strategy to enhance housing-related support has been unveiled by the minister for local government, Phil Woolas.
The Supporting People Strategy plans to improve the delivery of housing-related support services through further engagement with both the third sector and tenants.
The strategy outlines the role of the third sector and asks them to help in shaping how the programme will be delivered in the future.
It also suggests a series of new approaches to give service users greater say about the services they receive through the Individual Budget pilots and new ‘Charters for Independent Living’.
Mr Woolas said: “The government’s Supporting People programme has been a huge success story.
“But we have now reached a watershed in the programme and we need to refocus our approach to give the service users a greater say.
“Like all members of the community vulnerable people should have choice and control to ensure the services they use are tailored to their individual needs,” he added.
The Supporting People programme currently allocates around £1.7 billion to provide vulnerable people with life skills such as cooking and budgeting.
New housing rules boost rights for tenants
A new set of housing rules being introduced by the Department for Communities and Local Government is set to boost rights for social housing tenants.
An independent housing watchdog will be made available for complaints from tenants who consistently endure a poor service.
The watchdog will have the power to impose a wide range of penalties and sanctions on social landlords who are found to be failing.
This includes the ability to instigate a change of management or cap rent rises.
In addition, conscientious social landlords will be rewarded.
They will be freed from red-tape, giving them the chance to concentrate on improving housing management services as well as building more homes.
The communities secretary Ruth Kelly said: “This major review of regulation will ensure a better system to help protect the interests of the eight million people currently living in social housing.
“The changes mean landlords are more accountable while ensuring tenants have a real say about how their homes are managed for the first time,” she added.
The proposals follow an independent six-month review conducted by Professor Martin Cave of Warwick University.
New government body to deliver sustainable affordable housing
The new government department Communities England will deliver more affordable housing and regenerate the country’s most deprived areas, communities secretary Ruth Kelly has announced.
Combining the work of the Housing Corporation, English Partnerships and elements of Communities and Local Government, the new body will oversee the delivery of £1 billion in new infrastructure, community facilities and housing by 2014.
As well as boosting the supply of low-cost accommodation in England, the department will also gentrify dilapidated areas, facilitate the use of brownfield sites and promote the development of diverse communities with a mix of tenure, income and housing types.
Simultaneously, Communities England will be responsible for fostering more stringent environmental standards with which to develop more sustainable communities.
“The creation of Communities England presents us with a unique opportunity to build on ten years of progress and ensure that every individual and community has the opportunity to share in the country’s prosperity, growth and sustainability,” said Ms Kelly.
The communities secretary also published details today of a proposed new housing regulator, which is designed to deliver comprehensive rights to social tenants.
Professor Martin Cave, who is responsible for the social housing review on which the recommendations are based, described the appraisal as “timely”.
“The current system of regulation of social housing was established over 30 years ago,” he observed.
Livingstone uses London Plan to deliver more affordable housing
The London Borough of Southwark will be boosted by an additional £500,000 in affordable housing, it has been announced.
Ken Livingstone, the capital’s mayor, had specifically written to Southwark council urging it to refuse planning permission for a principally commercial development in the borough earlier this year.
He claimed the proposed new construction contravened policies laid down in his London Plan, since it failed to deliver sufficient affordable accommodation.
Developers behind the project submitted revised proposals, committing £500,000 to the construction of affordable housing, which compares to its original offer of £170,000.
“As people in Southwark and all over London know only too well, the cost of buying a home in London is so high that affordable homes are more in demand than ever,” said the mayor, who was delighted to allow Southwark council to approve the updated bid.
“Thanks to this intervention, we’ve increased the scheme’s contribution to affordable housing by almost 200 per cent.
“It is crucial that we use the planning system in this way, to maximise the benefits that can be delivered for the community – and in particular to meet the most simple need experienced by Londoners – to have an affordable roof over their heads.”
The development will be situated on the corner of Blackfriars Road and Southwark Street.
Defra explores funding for affordable rural housing
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is to launch a feasibility study evaluating a funding increase for affordable rural housing in England.
Led by the Housing Corporation and funded by Defra, the research will weigh up the pros and cons of a new time-limited funding programme to aid local organisations in the provision of more affordable homes in the countryside.
Barry Gardiner, the minister for rural affairs, announced the latest study at a conference entitled Affordable Rural Housing Commission – One Year On, which marked the anniversary of the Affordable Rural Housing Commission’s final report.
He emphasised the need to focus on “outcomes rather than in processes” in the study and explained that the aim of the fund would be to empower rural residents.
“I have asked the Housing Corporation to look into how a new fund could improve provision of affordable housing in rural areas,” he said.
“I want to know exactly how such a fund could achieve increased provision of affordable rural homes where they are needed, promote best practice and overcome local barriers.”
Should the report conclude that a new rural programme is necessary, then specific funding will be subject to the Comprehensive Spending Review, due out later in 2007.
Earlier this year, the Housing Corporation established the Rural Housing Advisory Group, which is responsible for exploring innovative means of increasing affordable housing supply in rural areas, based on recommendations from the Affordable Rural Housing Commission.
£500,000 awarded to homelessness schemes
A fund of £500,000 was awarded yesterday to innovative schemes that deal with youth homelessness.
Crash pads for teenagers, supported lodgings and a text message service offering housing options were among some of the schemes to win support.
Partnerships in 27 local authorities are receiving a share of the money.
Housing minister Yvette Cooper said: “Children and young people can face the most severe consequences if they experience homelessness, which can haunt them for the rest of their lives.
That is why we need to do more to help teenagers and young people who find themselves homeless alone.
This funding will help local authorities implement plans to tackle and reduce youth homelessness,” she added.
National Statistics released yesterday show that there has been a 17 per cent decline in new cases of homelessness reported by local authorities since the same period last year.
The figure has not been so low since the 1980s.
However a third of new cases of homelessness involve young people under 25.
Lancaster consults on gender equality scheme
Lancaster city council is seeking the views of the public on its new gender equality scheme.
The scheme, which can be viewed in full on the Lancaster city council website, has been developed to ensure the council promotes gender equality in its work.
Gender equality should be considered in planning, policy making, service delivery, regulation, enforcement and employment, the council said.
The scheme includes details on existing council successes and how the council aims to achieve its targets within a three year action plan.
The consultation aims to ensure that the scheme is in accord with the views of the public in the area.
The government brought in new requirements for councils regarding gender equality in April 2007.
Comments submitted about the scheme will be considered and feedback posted on ‘consultation finder’.
The closing date for the consultation is Friday, June 29th.
The scheme can be read in full at www.lancaster.gov.uk.
Unitary bids to undergo prioritisation plan
Sixteen areas across England that are currently being considered for unitary status will be ranked in order of priority should too many bids emerge as eligible, it was announced yesterday.
Local government minister Phil Woolas said that the move would be made to ensure that any local government restructuring that does go ahead will benefit the taxpayer.
The prioritisation plan will safeguard against an outcome in which more unitary bids emerge than can be afforded by the taxpayer.
Phil Woolas said: “Re-structuring has the potential to make a real difference to local communities and cut council tax.
“But if there are more proposals that meet the criteria … than can be afforded under sound fiscal rules, then we must ensure that the proposals that go forward are the most cost-effective and deliver the greatest improvement in services.
“That is why we are publishing a consultation on the means for prioritising proposals today and asking stakeholders for their views,” he added.
The initial assessment for unitary proposals focuses on whether a plan is affordable, whether it will provide stronger leadership, whether it will improve public services and whether it will empower local communities and have a broad cross section of support.
The consultation on prioritisation will be completed by July 18th 2007.