ACTION DESPERATELY NEEDED AS HOMES SHORTFALL APPROACHES A MILLION
11 March 2010

The country's housing shortage is fast approaching one million homes, yet we are building less now than at any point since the Second World War, according to statistics revealed in HBF's election manifesto. It is a warning to MPs that they desperately need to wake up to the mounting housing crisis. Housing issues are now affecting every UK constituency and the social and economic impacts of an acute housing shortage become ever more apparent. Nearly 5m people on housing waiting lists and 1.6m children living in overcrowded, temporary or run down housing. Young people are unable to buy a home and delaying starting a family, while hundreds of thousands made redundant by the slow down. On average, a home built today would have to last for over 1,100 years because we are not building enough to replace it sooner. The manifesto, launched at the pre-election 'Question Time' style HBF conference featuring Housing Minister, John Healey and his Conservative shadow, Grant Shapps, outlines the steps that urgently need taking to increase supply. It wants the Government to make more land available for development, address the chronic lack of mortgage availability, reduce the crippling costs of central/local Government regulation that prevent many sites being built, and maintain public funding to support housing delivery and the jobs it creates. HBF Executive Chairman, Stewart Baseley said; "We have a desperate and growing housing crisis that just has to be addressed. But despite the shortfall of homes fast approaching a million, we are building less than at any time since the Second World War. The social and economic implications dictate that the new Parliament's MPs must address the barriers to delivery as a matter of urgency.” Increasing housing delivery will benefit every area of the country and create hundreds of thousands of jobs, provide enough homes for our population, remove millions from poor quality living conditions, and stimulate the economy. £1 spent generates nearly £3 in economic activity. Further Links

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SUB-LETTING SOCIAL HOUSING TENANTS ‘SHOULD BE PROSECUTED’
11 March 2010

Social housing tenants who sub-let their properties should be prosecuted for fraud, according to a new report. Under current rules, sub-letting social housing is a civil offence but the New Local Government Network (NLGN) is calling for it to be treated the same as benefit fraud in the eyes of the law. The think-tank’s report claims that at least 50,000 people are fraudulently living in social housing costing councils thousands of pounds and depriving those in real need of housing. Unlawful subletting refers to situations in which a tenant in social housing violates the conditions of their tenancy by renting their property out to individuals not permitted to live there by the conditions of tenancy. It is estimated that 80% of people living in fraudulently rented social housing would not themselves qualify for council help. In November 2009 the Government announced a ‘National Crackdown’ on fraudulent sub-letting, offering £500 rewards to members of the public who provide information that helps to catch cheating landlords. However, NLGN argues that the problem won’t be sufficiently tackled unless it is treated as seriously as other kinds of fraud, such as benefit fraud. It is calling for an addition to be made to the Housing Act so that the 2006 Fraud Act can be used to prosecute individuals subletting social housing. The call has been backed by the CIH. According to estimates from the Audit Commission, each unlawfully sub-let property costs local councils an average of £75,000 over three years. It also restricts the ability of local authorities to accommodate the 1.76million households on the social housing waiting list. According to the NLGN research, there is strong support from housing professionals to make the offence illegal with 92% of those surveyed agreeing that the measure would help to tackle unlawful sub-letting. Report author, Tom Symons said: “The costs associated with unlawful subletting demand action that goes beyond a quick one-off crackdown and instead seeks to effect legal change as well as a major shift in societal attitudes towards tenancy fraud. “It is imperative that central government now makes the changes that will enable local authorities to galvanise their anti-tenancy fraud efforts and minimise the high social and financial costs of unlawful subletting.” Joanne Kent-Smith, Senior Policy and Practice Officer, CIH, said “At a time when demand for existing social housing significantly outstrips supply, tackling unauthorised subletting and occupancy is an important challenge for social landlords, and one which can be both complex and resource intensive. “The government has recently provided funding to support the sector increase activity in this area and improve working practices. The CIH welcomes this report which reviews the surrounding policy and legislative framework, and argues for changes that would assist social landlords overcome obstacles.”

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PLANNING IS AT THE HEART OF SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES, SAYS UK-GBC
11 March 2010

The UK Green Building Council has welcomed the ‘green planning’ package from Government, including the Planning Policy Statement consultation – Planning for a Low Carbon Future in a Changing Climate. Paul King, Chief Executive of the UK Green Building Council said: “This announcement recognises the critical role that planning plays in tackling climate change and adapting to its impacts. Planning really is at the heart of creating sustainable communities. “We recently recommended that local authorities take a lead role in identifying opportunities to deliver joined-up sustainable community infrastructure, particularly heat networks, working in partnership with the private sector. We are pleased that the draft PPS supports this view and emphasises a strong role for local leadership. “The draft PPS also recognises that local authorities are ideally placed to help deliver on the zero carbon targets. Investment in so-called ‘allowable solutions’, requires a strategic overview that can only come from planners with local knowledge of the best sustainable energy options available.” Further Links

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HEALEY TO HELP WORKING TENANTS TO STAY OUT OF DEBT
11 March 2010

Housing Minister, John Healey is looking at measure to help working tenants to stay out of debt, a group that he acknowledged is often “overlooked”. He was speaking at the TAROE Annual Conference. Further announcements included £1.3m in 15 pilot areas to assist many thousands of working tenants claim benefits and tax credits as well as access training and financial advice. Healey also outlined proposals for a pilot project as part of his Party’s commitments to increasing housing mobility. The Homefinder scheme will assist tenants to move in order to take up employment in other areas, and will be trialled in the North East, North West, and Yorkshire and Humber areas in the North of England. Finally, Mr Healey announced that there will be a fundamental review of the current CLG Tenant Empowerment Grant programme in order to ensure that grants are spent on the right projects in the right places. Further Links

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VISION TO HELP THIRD SECTOR TACKLE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT RELEASED
11 March 2010

A vision of how Government and third sector organisations will work together over the next five years to tackle key environmental issues including climate change and sustainable development has been set out in Shaping our future. The report is the work of the joint ministerial and Third Sector Task Force, involving ministers and officials from Defra, Office of the Third Sector, Department for Energy and Climate Change, Department for Communities and Local Government and 16 third sector organisations. The task force’s secretariat was provided by the third sector through Green Alliance and NCVO in order to secure broad participation in the group’s work. The task force’s role was to find new ways to secure further commitment and action on climate change and sustainability by the four Government departments involved and the third sector, which has a vital role to play in encouraging action and securing a transition to a low carbon society. Leadership on climate change and environmental issues is needed across the third sector, from community level volunteers through to chief executives. The report highlights the opportunities for the third sector that will come from action on this agenda and their significant potential to contribute to a low carbon Britain by creating green jobs, providing sustainable public services, encouraging and supporting people in making pro-environmental choices and their central role in building resilient communities. Developing actions and commitments on this agenda has been a key focus of the Task Force’s work. They jointly agreed a vision for 2015, which is: “The third sector shapes the future by mobilising and inspiring others to tackle climate change and maximising the social, economic and environmental opportunities of action.” Key actions and commitments that have come out of the Task Force process include a shared commitment by the four Government departments on the Task Force and all third sector members to that vision; a DECC commitment to developing a third sector strategy; and new principles for leadership on climate change by third sector infrastructure bodies, which NCVO and all infrastructure bodies on the Task Force have committed to. Environment Minister, Huw Irranca-Davies said: “This report breaks new ground. It is a genuine effort to join things up better across the third sector and government with four departments, the Charity Commission and 16 third sector representatives all committing to actions. "However, we recognise that we have not been able to do full justice to all the aspects of climate change, the environment and sustainable development in this report but the important thing is that we’ve made a start.”

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NEW HEAD OF ANCHOR TRUST ANNOUNCED
11 March 2010

Jane Ashcroft Jane Ashcroft has been named as Anchor Trust’s new Chief Executive. The Board’s decision was unanimous and Jane, who has been Acting Chief Executive, takes on the new role with immediate effect. Jane joined Anchor in 1999 from BUPA and, most recently, has headed Anchor’s care homes and home care as Managing Director for Care Services. She has also been HR Manager and Company Secretary with Bromford Housing Group and, prior to that, Assistant Secretary with Midlands Electricity plc through the privatisation of the electricity industry. Jane is a Non-Executive Director of the Stroud and Swindon Building Society and Chair of the English Community Care Association – the largest representative body for providers of adult social care. Anchor Chairman, Aman Dalvi said: “Jane is an inspirational leader who has invaluable experience in both the housing and care sectors and I am confident that she will deliver on the objectives agreed by Anchor’s Board. This includes significant growth as a result of giving older people a choice of great places and ways to live.” Jane said: “It’s a privilege to have the opportunity to lead this exceptional organisation at a time when the sectors in which we operate are going through unprecedented change. Demographics and the government’s personalisation agenda give us a fantastic opportunity to grow. “We want to develop new market rent and mixed-tenure properties, such as The Laureates, our recently-opened development near Leeds, as well as maintaining and improving our affordable housing. We also have ambitious plans to expand and develop our care services. “For more than 40 years, Anchor has been at the fore of providing services which make older people happy. I’m looking forward to the next stage of the journey.” The role attracted almost 50 high-calibre applicants. The recruitment process was managed by Odgers Berndtson, who are specialists in senior appointments in this sector. Anchor is England’s largest not-for-profit provider of housing and care to older people. Further Links

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