The recent Audit Commission report claiming local authorities are neglecting housing maintenance in favour of new build ignores its own evidence says Cllr Gary Porter
It is great news that 47 local authorities are to share £127m of government funding to build 2,000 new council homes.
The money, which comes from the first phase of the £1.5bn housing pledge in Building Britain’s Future, will lead to the biggest house-building programme for almost two decades.
However, new-build is only part of the solution to providing affordable homes.
Recent reports suggest that councils have taken their eyes off the ball when it comes to improving and adapting existing housing stock (The MJ, 10 Sept).
In fact, there are numerous examples of councils working to renovate housing stock, bring empty homes back into use, tackle under-occupation and work with private and social landlords to increase the amount of high-quality housing available to local communities.
One only needs to look through the Audit Commission’s housing inspection reports over the past two years to see councils being commended for excellent and imaginative practice in improving existing housing stock. Undoubtedly, new-build projects have a high profile.
They get noticed, even before the ceremonial ribbon-cutting and hand-over of keys.
Meanwhile, various teams within the council will be running a range of improvement initiatives. These can be highly effective in making the best use of existing housing and lessening the need for new development. However, these initiatives often go unnoticed – except by the tenants and homeowners who benefit from them.
We might assume that pressure on housing budgets has led to reduced activity over the past year or two.
In fact, the recession has placed a higher priority on housing services. Increased demand, coupled with councils’ work to help people cope with financial worries, means strategic housing teams are busier than ever.
There are numerous ongoing initiatives around improving housing stock. For example, social landlords are obliged to ensure that all social rented housing meets the Decent Homes Standard by 2010.
Most of these now meet this standard. Councils await the reform of the Housing Revenue Account and re-allocation of funding to a number of arm’s length management organisations, in order to access the resources to tackle those still awaiting improvement.
Together with housing associations, councils provide aids, adaptations services and grants to help tenants – such as older people or people with disabilities – to continue to live safely in their own homes.
Grants and low-cost loans to help homeowners improve conditions are another way of increasing the stock of decent housing available to low-income tenants. A further range of initiatives aims to bring more privately-owned housing into use. Some councils are providing incentives for under-occupied social rented households to ‘downsize’ into smaller properties – often older couples whose families have left home.
Havering LBC has developed a tailored service which includes a dedicated officer providing support and practical assistance throughout the process, alongside cash incentives of up to £2,000 and £2,500 towards improving the new home.
One positive effect of the recession is improved links between councils and private landlords. In Sevenoaks, the district council is helping low-income households find private rented accommodation. The council can issue a deposit bond, instead of a cash deposit, together with one month’s rent in advance.
Landlords like the scheme because tenants can be sourced quickly, without costly advertising. Many other councils are introducing similar schemes.
Empty homes is another key issue, and authorities such as Birmingham City Council are using targeted intervention to bring more privately-owned empty homes back into use.
The council’s achievements were acknowledged by the Audit Commission in its housing inspection report, published in January, which noted that Birmingham’s wide range of intervention tools included the use of reduced council tax discounts, voluntary acquisition, compulsory purchase and enforced sales. Overall, the housing sector is experiencing a period of significant change.
There is a whole new public policy context, with councils expected to engage more closely with local communities and assess how housing can contribute to beneficial outcomes across an area.
Housing is high on the agenda at both a national and local level. There is much to celebrate and much to anticipate.
We need to acknowledge the excellent work going on across the country and help strategic housing teams adjust to this new era of housing management and provision.
Cllr Gary Porter is chair of the LGA environment board
The money, which comes from the first phase of the £1.5bn housing pledge in Building Britain’s Future, will lead to the biggest house-building programme for almost two decades.
However, new-build is only part of the solution to providing affordable homes.
Recent reports suggest that councils have taken their eyes off the ball when it comes to improving and adapting existing housing stock (The MJ, 10 Sept).
In fact, there are numerous examples of councils working to renovate housing stock, bring empty homes back into use, tackle under-occupation and work with private and social landlords to increase the amount of high-quality housing available to local communities.
One only needs to look through the Audit Commission’s housing inspection reports over the past two years to see councils being commended for excellent and imaginative practice in improving existing housing stock. Undoubtedly, new-build projects have a high profile.
They get noticed, even before the ceremonial ribbon-cutting and hand-over of keys.
Meanwhile, various teams within the council will be running a range of improvement initiatives. These can be highly effective in making the best use of existing housing and lessening the need for new development. However, these initiatives often go unnoticed – except by the tenants and homeowners who benefit from them.
We might assume that pressure on housing budgets has led to reduced activity over the past year or two.
In fact, the recession has placed a higher priority on housing services. Increased demand, coupled with councils’ work to help people cope with financial worries, means strategic housing teams are busier than ever.
There are numerous ongoing initiatives around improving housing stock. For example, social landlords are obliged to ensure that all social rented housing meets the Decent Homes Standard by 2010.
Most of these now meet this standard. Councils await the reform of the Housing Revenue Account and re-allocation of funding to a number of arm’s length management organisations, in order to access the resources to tackle those still awaiting improvement.
Together with housing associations, councils provide aids, adaptations services and grants to help tenants – such as older people or people with disabilities – to continue to live safely in their own homes.
Grants and low-cost loans to help homeowners improve conditions are another way of increasing the stock of decent housing available to low-income tenants. A further range of initiatives aims to bring more privately-owned housing into use. Some councils are providing incentives for under-occupied social rented households to ‘downsize’ into smaller properties – often older couples whose families have left home.
Havering LBC has developed a tailored service which includes a dedicated officer providing support and practical assistance throughout the process, alongside cash incentives of up to £2,000 and £2,500 towards improving the new home.
One positive effect of the recession is improved links between councils and private landlords. In Sevenoaks, the district council is helping low-income households find private rented accommodation. The council can issue a deposit bond, instead of a cash deposit, together with one month’s rent in advance.
Landlords like the scheme because tenants can be sourced quickly, without costly advertising. Many other councils are introducing similar schemes.
Empty homes is another key issue, and authorities such as Birmingham City Council are using targeted intervention to bring more privately-owned empty homes back into use.
The council’s achievements were acknowledged by the Audit Commission in its housing inspection report, published in January, which noted that Birmingham’s wide range of intervention tools included the use of reduced council tax discounts, voluntary acquisition, compulsory purchase and enforced sales. Overall, the housing sector is experiencing a period of significant change.
There is a whole new public policy context, with councils expected to engage more closely with local communities and assess how housing can contribute to beneficial outcomes across an area.
Housing is high on the agenda at both a national and local level. There is much to celebrate and much to anticipate.
We need to acknowledge the excellent work going on across the country and help strategic housing teams adjust to this new era of housing management and provision.
Cllr Gary Porter is chair of the LGA environment board
