 |
|
HOUSING NEWS: INNOVATION ROUND UP
03 September 2010
|
.jpg)
Click the picture to see what is special about this van
|
|
|
| |
|
ALL PARTY PARLIAMENTARY GROUP RE-FORMED TO PROMOTE FUTURE OF SOCIAL HOUSING
03 September 2010
|
Clive Betts
|
Clive Betts MP has been elected as chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for ALMOs as the Group re-forms following the General Election.
Established in 2006, the Group will continue to promote the benefits of ALMOs to a political audience and campaign for a secure future and continuing role for England’s 69 ALMOs. It will provide MPs and Peers with a forum to discuss key issues in council housing including the future of ALMOs and the importance of tenant empowerment. Already, it has secured 26 members from all the main parties.
In line with the ALMO ethos of tenant participation, one of the key features of the Group is that it invites tenants to come to meetings to participate in discussions and make their views known directly to MPs, Peers and Ministers.
Clive Betts said: “I am very happy to re-form the APPG for ALMOs and proud to be Chair again. The APPG plays an integral role in enabling MPs and Peers to meet ALMO tenants and vice versa. In the last Parliament, the Group took up several issues on behalf of tenants with Ministers and was influential in helping to shape the Government’s housing policy.”
One example of the Group’s activities in the last Parliament was its support for the campaign to re-instate Decent Homes funding for Round 6 ALMOs which had been deferred by the Government. The end result was that the Government released some funding for eligible Round 6 ALMOs.
Clive Betts is joined by Heidi Alexander MP (Labour), Tom Brake MP (Lib Dem) and Sarah Newton (Con) who become the Group’s officers. Membership of the Group is made up of MPs and Peers from across all parties and every member so far has an ALMO in their constituency including Sheffield Homes in Clive Betts’ constituency of Sheffield South East.
The APPG will be serviced and supported by the National Federation of ALMOs (NFA), the body that represents 69 arms length management organisations across England, managing more than 1 million council houses.
|
|
| |
|
NEW RESEARCH PROJECT CREATED FOR INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL HOUSING SUMMIT
03 September 2010
|
|
More than 200 CEOs and heads of housing of global social housing organisations are being asked to take part in bespoke research created for the International Social Housing (ISH.SUM) conference.
The aim of the research is to explore the chief challenges and concerns now facing affordable housing providers and to see where the key commonalities and differences lie.
Tying in with the Summit’s aim of providing a platform where these issues can be shared by practitioners who, while they may operate in very different regulatory, economic and social environments, share many concerns, the expectation is that this research will provide some very interesting insights into the state of social housing globally.
The findings of the research will be launched at ISH.SUM and presented by keynote speaker, Professor Duncan Maclennan, of St. Andrews University, an international expert on the development of cities and the economics of housing, consultant to the World Bank, European Commission and advisor on housing to a number of international governments
Attendees from more than 20 countries are already registered for ISH.SUM, and will join the 50 plus expert speakers presenting on the areas of sustainability, funding and demographic challenges. Study Tours to some of the most innovative examples of social housing and urban regeneration in The Netherlands are also attracting high numbers of attendees.
|
Relevant Links:
|
| |
|
LANDLORDS SUGGEST THEIR TOP PRIORITY LAW REFORMS
03 September 2010
|
|
Residential landlords have listed the top law reforms that would “help revitalise the private rented sector and secure a better future for the UK’s stock of more affordable housing”.
Their submission to Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg comes in response to the government’s invitation to identify laws that should be removed or changed to streamline the running of a business.
Alan Ward, chairman of the Residential Landlords Association, said: “And, in the private rented sector, that amounts to quite a few.
“The new government has shown a very welcome willingness to cut back on the amount of legislation that has crippled our business sector over the last few years.
“We believe that more effective answers can be found in local accreditation schemes to encourage a new generation of professional landlords who are better trained, better informed and better able to regulate our business, themselves, without the excessive burden of increasing legislation.
“Like many other businesses a huge raft of legislation has built up surrounding the private rented sector. Landlords are normally small business people, often part time, and they can easily be tripped up and penalised by complex regulations.
“At the end of the day, these do little or nothing to protect tenants anyway. The RLA believes that, if its proposals are adopted, the weight of burdensome and unnecessary regulation on landlords would be significantly reduced.”
|
Relevant Links:
|
| |
|
HOUSE PRICES FALL FOR SECOND MONTH IN A ROW
03 September 2010
|
|
House prices fell for the second month in a row in August, according to the Nationwide building society.
Prices fell 0.9% last month, following a 0.5% decline in July, Nationwide said, adding that it was the first time that prices had fallen for two consecutive months since February 2009. The average house price now stands at just over £166,500.
Nationwide said house prices had "essentially stagnated over the summer". The quarter-on-quarter rate of change - generally seen as a smoother indicator of recent price trends - fell from 1.2% in July to 0% in August.
"As more sellers have returned to the market, buyers have a greater selection of properties to choose from and more bargaining power with which to bid down asking prices," said Martin Gahbauer, Nationwide's chief economist.
But he added: "Given that the price increases of the last year had gotten ahead of the recovery in the wider economy, the current correction is not an unhealthy development."
The annual rate of house price inflation fell sharply from 6.6% in July to 3.9% in August.
|
Relevant Links:
|
| |
|
OFFICIAL STATISTICS FUEL FIRE CONCERNS OVER TIMBER-FRAMED BUILDINGS
03 September 2010
|
For the first time official statistics covering all the fires that occurred in England include a section concerned with fires in timber-framed buildings.
The figures make uncomfortable reading for those living in and those insuring timber-frame, believes Graham Mackenzie, chairman of the British Association of Reinforcement.
The Department of Communities and Local Government Fire Statistics Monitor covers all the fires in England from April 2009 to March 2010. The figures show that if there is a fire in a timber-frame building, whether complete or under-construction, a larger area will be damaged compared to non-timber construction, such as reinforced concrete.
The statistics are startling. 28% of timber-frame dwellings under construction where a fire occurred suffered from 200m2 of damage compared with only 4% of non-timber frame structures. For completed homes, 47% of completed timber-frame dwellings that catch fire suffered damage to an area greater than 50m2 compared to 32% of those built using other forms of construction.
The publication of the statistics will add fuel to the fire of concern over the growing use of timber-frame. Timber-frame construction has grown in popularity because it is relative cheap and fast. Once the preserve of the self-build sector, it is estimated that some 60% of all new social homes are now built using timber-frame.
Both the London Fire Authority and the Fire Protection Association have criticised the use of timber-frame construction. Following the investigation into last year’s major fire in Peckham that destroyed a half-completed 5 storey timber-frame building and badly damaged adjacent blocks of flats.
Brian Coleman, chairman of the London Fire Authority, questioned the use of timber-frame for multi-storey buildings saying: “I have always been a stern critic of high rise timber-frame buildings having seen in my own area the results of a blaze. I personally wouldn’t allow any high rise timber buildings – there needs to be a review of regulations.”
Coleman also poured cold water over the timber industry’s assurances that the main risk is during construction.
He said: “Supporters of timber frame buildings say once they’re built they’re completely safe. But we know people drill holes in walls which damages the building fabric and allows the timber to become exposed.”
|
Relevant Links:
|
| |
| |
|
|
NEWS 
