CABINET MEMBER REPORT TO THE COUNCIL

Posted By: Doreen Brophy-Lee
Date Posted: 01/05/2009

ROCHDALE METROPOLITAN BOROUGH COUNCIL

CABINET MEMBER REPORT TO THE COUNCIL

REPORT OF THE CABINET MEMBER FOR HOUSING TO THE MEETING OF THE COUNCIL ON 29 APRIL 2009

Thank you Mr Mayor for the opportunity to report to the Council the latest developments on various matters relating to the Housing Portfolio.

STRATEGIC HOUSING SERVICES ACHIEVEMENTS 2008/09

HIA Award

The HIA won the award for “Excellence in Delivering Major Adaptations”, from Foundations, (National Co-ordinating Body for HIA’s). The Home Improvement Agency is responsible for delivering major adaptations in the public and private sectors and won the award due to the many innovative ways of dealing with major adaptations.

Overcrowding Pathfinder

The HIA made a bid to CLG to become a pathfinder in terms of overcrowding and under-occupation and was successful in being awarded £90,000 for 2009/10, to establish a baseline position of overcrowding within the Borough by working closely with RBH and RSL’s. Also, to develop additional partnership links with RSL’s, align the grants policy to the allocations policy, develop a pilot scheme to identify under-occupied properties and develop better solutions for dealing with overcrowding.

Mortgage Rescue Scheme

The Government recently announced a £200m national mortgage rescue scheme, which Private Sector Housing are delivering within the Borough. The scheme is designed to help families with dependent children, the elderly or other vulnerable households who would be eligible for statutory assistance if they were to lose their home. Since the scheme began in February, we have taken over 40 enquiries. Not all of these have been qualifying enquiries, but they have all been given information, advice and support. We are one of the LA’s who are a fast track Authority and we are dealing with all cases by responding quickly and sensitively to the needs of those households presenting themselves as having mortgage difficulties and in fear of losing their home.

LAA stretch targets progress

Strategic Housing Services have 3 LAA stretch targets, all of which are performing well, with one of them being the best performing of all the LAA stretch targets (Firestop project). The targets are:

Decent Homes in the Private Sector

The target of increasing the number of Decent Homes occupied by vulnerable households in the Private Sector was 205 in 07/08 and 175 in 08/09 and have been achieved in both years.

Firestop project

Reducing the number of accidental dwelling fires in the Borough by carrying out Home Fire Risk Assessments and fitting of 10 year life smoke alarms. This is a joint project in partnership with Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, where there is a target of almost 4,000 Home Fire Risk Assessments to be carried out by the HIA every year for the 3 year period. The target has been achieved in both years.

Preventing Homelessness

This target has been well exceeded, at a time when the Service is under increasing pressure due to high demand. The Safer Homes Scheme has been beneficial to achieving the target.

Additional Handyperson monies

The HIA has been successfully awarded £50,000 in 2009/10 and £70,000 for 2010/11 following a bid to CLG. This money is to increase the coverage of the Handyperson Scheme in the Borough and to enable us to complete more jobs.

Housing CAA rating change from 2 to 4

The Housing rating within the CPA assessment has increased from 2 to 4 star, which has helped to improve the overall rating of the Council. This is a recognition of some of the excellent work SH are doing along with it’s partner RBH in improving housing conditions and property management standards throughout the Borough.

Revised rent increase

A rent increase of 6.28% was agreed by March budget Cabinet, in line with a national formula linked to rent restructuring. Following lobbying to the government by Rochdale and other Councils, on March 6th Margaret Beckett announced that, because of the economic climate, the expected increase would be halved to 3.1% (nationally) and that the government would compensate Councils if they passed on this reduction to tenants. The final determination on this matter will be issued in May after which we will be able to reduce the rents of our Council tenants to bring them in line with the new lower increase. I am sure that this will be a great relief to our tenants during these difficult times.

Housing Revenue Account review

The Housing Revenue Account is forecast to go into deficit in around 4 years time if nothing changes from its current operation. In order to address this a review of the HRA has been launched which will involve tenants, Councillors and staff from RBH and RMBC. The aim is to find a way of securing the future of Council housing in the borough, ensuring that stock is in good condition, in the right place, of the right type and well managed. It is expected that the first stage of the project will conclude in December 2009 and I will keep Council informed of progress.


HMR Funding Award

The recent announcement of an allocation of £27m for the Oldham and Rochdale HMR pathfinder for 2009-10 is good news and will allow the continuation of the good work praised by the Audit Commission in their recent report.

The overall announcement is less than was hoped for following the Audit Commission comments, but is in line with the allocations granted to the other HMR Pathfinders. The allocation will allow the continuation of long-term planned intervention in the housing markets in East Central Rochdale, Inner Rochdale, Kirkholt and Langley, which are some of the Borough’s most deprived areas. Programmes will include property improvements that are jointly funded by the Council’s capital budget, acquisition of sites to allow new homes to be built and extensive community engagement to ensure that the plans meet the needs of both existing and newly emerging communities.

The actual split of the allocation between the two Boroughs has yet to be finalised and is subject to discussion between the Boroughs’ Chief Executives. Rochdale’s eventual share will certainly be more than £10m for the year.

Langley Flats

With a National Campaign gathering pace to bring empty homes back into use, and this being recognised as priority in the Regional Housing Strategy, it gives me great pleasure to announce that a scheme to bring back 26 two bedroom flats on Langley was signed on 23rd March 2009 between developers ID4, Bowlee Park HA and RMBC.

These properties have been empty on average for 8 years each and are to be renovated to decent homes standard for affordable rent to local people.

The scheme has been organised and brokered by Rochdale Housing Initiative, and involved them helping Bowlee Park HA secure over £580,000 in Temporary social housing grant from the HCA, and due to credit crunch, facilitated the Council to use its prudential borrowing powers to create a loan of £447,000 enabling the project to be taken forward. This has resulted in over an additional £1 million pounds investment in Langley.

Not only will this scheme result in more affordable homes, but the removal on many eyesore buildings on the estate.


Councillor Doreen Brophy-Lee
17.4.09

Thank you Mr Mayor, I will be pleased to answer any questions from Members of the Council about these or any other matters relating to the Housing Portfolio.