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SUNDAY TIMES PRAISE FOR UK HOUSING ASSOCIATIONS
08 March 2010
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Housing associations have once again been highlighted as responsible employers and have demonstrated their commitment to staff development with 14 housing associations named yesterday in the Sunday Times 100 Best Companies To Work For list.
Community housing group, Luminus was named as the second best company to work for in the UK, just behind social inclusion charity, P3.
Huntingdon-based Luminus, led by chief executive, Chan Abraham, was also given the Best for Leadership special award for engaging employees “by making the time to talk, help and support them, resulting in an atmosphere of trust and loyalty.” In a staff survey, 91% believed that the group was run on strong principles, and that 85% of its senior managers truly lived its values.
Plus Dane Group, based in Liverpool, was 29th on the list, but also won an award for Best for Training and Development, with judges ruling that Plus Dane promised its staff professional and individual growth.
New Charter Housing Trust Group was named sixth on the list, up from last year’s position of 52nd, an escalation that saw it named as the Most Improved company.
The other housing associations named in the Top 100 were: Calico (15), Gentoo (32), L&Q (39), Chester & District Housing Trust (47), Look Ahead Housing & Care (49), Weaver Vale Housing Trust (53), Great Places Housing Group (58), Trafford Housing Trust (65), Hightown Praetorian & Churches (74), Cambridge Housing Society (75), and Pennaf Housing Group (92).
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PLANS TO INCREASE MOBILITY IN SOCIAL HOUSING TENANTS REVEALED
08 March 2010
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John Healey
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Social housing tenants offered a job in another area are to be offered extra help finding affordable accommodation, the Government has said.
Housing Minister, John Healey says the Government scheme will look to help the "squeezed middle" – working tenants in public housing on low wages. These low-paid workers have been among worst affected by the recession with over half seeing a fall in their income due to reduced hours, less overtime and wage cuts.
As the organisations who know these residents best, the Minister is looking to councils and housing associations to help households who are in low-paid work and need help to improve their career prospects, or to avoid getting into debt.
Under a new home-finding scheme, a resident with the offer of work outside their local area will be given help to find affordable accommodation nearer to their new job. Tenants will have a single contact point where they can access a new brokering service to register their interest and receive personal help and advice in finding the new home they need to take up their job offer.
The scheme will first run in the North East, North West and Yorkshire, and if successful it will then be extended across the country. But of the 1.3 million working households in social rented homes, over half a million earn less than £20,000 a year.
Healey has also outlined plans to give councils and housing associations a greater role in helping tenants in low-paid jobs, by holding financial health checks to help keep them out of debt and ensure they receive the tax breaks and other Government support they are entitled to, and by offering advice about training opportunities to help them into better paid work.
He will make £1.2m available next year for councils and housing associations to run test schemes in up to 15 areas across the country. This, and the new brokering service to help those with job offers into new homes, could help over 10,000 people.
Healey said: "Many residents in council and housing association homes are finding it difficult to make ends meet. They are more likely to be in low paid work and often have been more affected by the recession, with reduced hours, less overtime, and wage cuts.
"But they are determined to stand on their own feet and to work hard for themselves and their families. These people are the recession's real 'squeezed middle', and we should recognise their determination, offer help and advice and remove obstacles that might get in the way of taking up a better job.
"Social landlords know their areas and know their tenants. They are well placed to make good advice available – on managing finances, or finding the right training opportunities, or on support for carers. I expect landlords to do what they can to support their tenants and point them in the direction of the help that's available from local and national Government.
"Social tenants can often find it difficult to arrange a move to a new social home. So today I'm launching a new home-finding scheme, so tenants with job offers can feel better able to take them up without worrying about where they will live.
"This Government help can open the doors to new job opportunities for social housing tenants. I expect councils and housing associations to stand ready to provide much-needed, targeted support."
Conservative Shadow housing minister, Grant Shapps said: "At the moment it's far too difficult to be able to move around the country in order to accept work, but what the Minister has announced today is only a piecemeal answer to a much bigger problem.
"That's why if Conservatives win the election we will introduce a truly nationwide house swap scheme, meaning that people will be able to move around for work or even family reasons without the many limitations of the partial scheme announced."
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RECESSION PUTS PRESSURE ON SKILLS
08 March 2010
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New research commissioned by the CIH indicates the recession and economic downturn is placing increasing pressure on the learning and development activities of housing organisations in England.
The research, undertaken in November, indicated that the training activity of 52% of housing organisations, who took part in the survey, had already been affected by the recession. Nearly seventy per cent of housing organisations questioned expected the recession to have an impact on their training activity in 2010.
The survey, undertaken by an independent research company on behalf of CIH, involved in-depth surveys with 150 human resource professionals and senior executives working in ALMOS, housing associations and stock holding local authorities. Housing associations expect to be least affected by the recession (62%), followed by ALMOs (76%). Nearly all of local authorities (92%) expect to be affected.
By the end of last year, a quarter of respondents had reduced their externally provided training. Approaching one fifth of respondents (17%) had incurred a reduction in the value of their training budget and others reported they were training fewer people (17%). To compensate, nearly a third (31%) of respondents indicated that they had increased the amount of training they deliver themselves.
CIH Director of Professional Development, Martin Winn, said: "Our research indicates that housing organisations are already looking closely at their learning and development activities and some budgets are already being affected.
"Although the impact has been less than we might have expected, no one is sure when the economy will fully recover from the recession and what it means for public finances. We are urging housing organisations to think carefully about making short term cuts in training budgets, which may store up long-term problems for the housing sector.
"Investment in skills will be vital to meet demands for efficiency, effectiveness and innovation. It is also essential that housing professionals develop the skills they will need to provide the best possible service in future to ensure that we create places where residents want to live and work.
“There is a real danger that what may start out as temporary or short-term cuts in training and development, could turn into a major under-investment in skills spanning an entire generation of housing professionals. If this happens we will have failed the people that we seek to serve."
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GOVERNMENT HAS ‘RENEGED ON COMMITMENT’ TO UPDATE OVERCROWDING STANDARD
08 March 2010
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Campbell Robb
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The Government has reneged on its commitment to update the 1935 overcrowding standard, Shelter has claimed.
In a response to more than 2,000 signatories of a Shelter petition, the Government has said it will not update the overcrowding standard, as promised in 2004, until “the right processes are in place to support overcrowded households”.
The Government’s response comes as latest figures reveal the number of households in overcrowding has risen to more than 650,000, the highest level for over 14 years.
Campbell Robb, chief executive of Shelter, said: “Overcrowding is a huge blight on children’s lives, with devastating consequences for their health, education and future chances. It is simply unacceptable for this antiquated standard to remain in place, allowing kitchens and living rooms to be considered as acceptable places for children to sleep.
“After six years in which the Government has failed to keep its promise, we urgently need a uniform statutory standard for England which delivers a modern understanding of space and privacy, together with significant resources to end this hidden part of our housing crisis.
“Investment in health and education is a false economy if children are being brought up in cramped conditions, more vulnerable to health problems and unable to find space to do their homework.”
Part of the Government’s defence for failing to update the standard is that it has provided £15m over three years to support local authorities to tackle overcrowding. Yet this equates to only £32 a year for each overcrowded family in the social rented sector. The Government response also highlighted its commitment to ensure that a third of new affordable homes over the next year have three or more bedrooms.
But Shelter is warning that with house building at its lowest level since 1946 and less than a quarter (23%) of affordable homes built last year being family-sized, this target could take much longer to achieve.
Robb said: “Shelter is calling on all political parties to make tackling overcrowding a priority in the next parliament. This means urgently updating the standard, delivering significantly more family-sized homes, and increasing funding to stop the terrible impact overcrowding has on children’s lives.”
Conservative Shadow Housing Minister, Grant Shapps said: "These shocking overcrowding stats are indicative of this Government's utter failure to build the homes the country needs - for instance they've built fewer social homes every year than under the last two Conservative Governments while the social housing waiting list has soared to 1.8 million families.
"At the same time, the Government's misguided density targets have resulted in an explosion in the number of flats built compared to family homes, they need to follow our lead, scrap their headline-grabbing targets and give power back to local communities."
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NEW PLANNING REFORMS TO SPEED UP APPLICATIONS ANNOUNCED
08 March 2010
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A package of planning system reforms saving developers time and money to help them complete building projects during the recovery have now been approved by parliament, Housing and Planning Minister, John Healey has confirmed.
Businesses that need to extend existing planning permissions to allow more time to build new developments will now pay significantly lower fees which, along with other measures to improve the flexibility of planning permissions, will help save up to £69m a year, giving a valuable cash boost for developers so they can keep investing in new projects.
Healey said: "At a time when funding for new developments is difficult, I have changed the planning rules to give developers longer to build new projects that will help drive economic recovery.
"Now I am able to cut and cap the fee for extending existing planning permissions. As we work to secure a strong economic recovery, we need to do what we can to keep plans for new development on the table. The planning system has to adapt to current economic circumstances to help homeowners, industry and developers, and we have done just that."
New measures that enable businesses and homeowners to extend existing planning permissions without the expense and red tape of a new planning application were introduced in October 2009.
The fees for extending planning permissions are now being reduced so the fee for a major development that was previously as high as £250,000 will now be £500, the fee for smaller developments that was as high as £3,000 will now be £170, and for householder projects the previous fee of £150 will be reduced to £50.
Healey also confirmed a further boost for small businesses by ensuring those affected by disruption from new public building works and compulsory purchase orders are able to claim compensation.
The new rateable value of a business property below which the owners can claim certain types of compensation against compulsory purchase orders and disruption will increase from £29,200 to £34,800 from April 1 2010.
The rateable value is the rent a business could expect to pay to occupy the property and the change ensures no businesses will lose out because of the five-yearly review of rateable values.
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ACHIEVEMENTS OF HOME IMPROVEMENT AGENCIES FOR OLDER PEOPLE CELEBRATED
08 March 2010
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Home improvement agencies - local organisations that help older, disabled and vulnerable people to make repairs and adaptations to their homes – have celebrated their success in a prestigious national awards scheme.
The Foundations Home Improvement Agency Awards ceremony, sponsored by Stannah Stairlifts, was held in the House of Commons. The ceremony was attended by several senior Members of Parliament and government ministers, including Baroness Andrews.
Baroness Andrews said: “Home improvement agencies remain a lifeline to thousands of older and vulnerable people, giving them the practical help they need to stay in their homes. At a time when we face considerable challenges in responding to an ageing population home improvement agencies can help to achieve creative and innovative solutions driven by the needs of their clients.”
The awards categories ‘Excellence in delivering major adaptations’, ‘Excellence in providing support and advice’ and ‘Excellence in delivering handyperson services’ are designed to recognise the key contribution that home improvement agencies make to improving the quality of life of older people and their carers.
Steve Malone, Director of Foundations, said: “Most people in our society own their own homes and want to live independently into old age. Ageing, however, often brings decreased mobility and increased care needs so that full use and enjoyment of the home becomes hazardous. Relatively simple housing interventions such as securing loose stair treads or fitting new light bulbs can reduce falls, and improving the quality of people’s homes can have a major impact on health outcomes.”
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JUST A MINUTE: PAULINE FOSTER, HYDE NORTHSIDE HOMES
09 March 2010
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Pauline Foster
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Pauline Foster, Managing Director, Hyde Northside Homes
How did you get started in the industry? Became a Housing Clerk in between leaving school and going to college.
Biggest professional achievement: Worked as a Housing Advisor to the Government of Montserrat in the Caribbean.
Biggest mistake: Staying too long in one particular job.
Best advice you received: Life is what you make it.
What do you like most about your job? Making a difference to local people.
And least? Travelling home after a late night meeting
What you would most like to change in housing? To give young people an opportunity to get on the housing ladder.
What future issues do you see arising in housing? The future of the TSA, the future of social housing after the general election and empowering local residents to challenge their landlord.
Do you read a daily newspaper? Have very little time to read a newspaper, but when I get a chance I read the Guardian newspaper. Radio 4’s Today programme is a great alternative.
How are you making use of the internet? I use it for research, keeping in contact with friends and relatives around the world and to do a bit of shopping now and again.
Hobbies and interests: Reading, Travelling – recently went to Israel, fascinating country.
Favourite holiday destination: The Caribbean islands – Antigua, Anguilla, St Kitts, St Martin, Jamaica ………
Favourite Music / Bands: Depends on my mood – old Talma Motown, Blues, Jazz, Latin American, old style reggae, some classical. My current favourite artist is Alicia Keys.
hnh.hyde-housing.co.uk
If you would like to feature in Just A Minute, please email: news@housingnews.co.uk or Click Here.
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HEALEY ANNOUNCES FURTHER £83M OF KICKSTART FUNDING
09 March 2010
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John Healey
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Housing Minister, John Healey has announced £83m to get building over 5,700 new and affordable homes stalled by the recession back on track.
Low cost homes for sale on sites across every region of the country are getting support today so more families can take their first step onto the housing ladder through the Government's HomeBuy scheme - which has already helped over 130,000 families buy their first home.
Crucially this cash will also get struggling housebuilders building homes again safeguarding over 1,700 jobs. Because Mr Healey has made it a requirement that those receiving funding must provide apprenticeships and opportunities for local workers, today's cash will give 99 additional young people the chance to learn the building trade.
The Minister has already given 141 projects mothballed by the recession cash to get back on track and workers are back on site on many of these. Today's extra funding means nearly 5,700 homes are now going ahead and 1,700 jobs in the construction have been safeguarded - at a time when the industry needs all the help it can get.
Developers receiving cash today have committed to get workers back on site by this time next year, with almost a quarter saying they'll have workers back on site by the end of the month. This support is not a handout though and comes on tough terms, with much of the money expected to be repaid within five years. Developers have also had to pass stringent value for money assessments carried out by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) to prove that each taxpayer pound is well spent.
As part of the Government's drive to make new homes cleaner and greener, priority has been given to those schemes which are set to meet high environmental standards, with the overwhelming majority of successful schemes meeting at least Level 3 of the Code for Sustainable Homes.
Healey said: "We're putting the weight of Government investment into building much-needed affordable homes, keeping people in work and giving young people a chance of apprenticeships.
"That's why today I'm allocating £83 million to get 87 stalled developments across the country up and running again, creating 1,700 jobs and giving more than 2,200 first-time buyers the chance to take an affordable step onto the property ladder. In this recession, the Government has not stepped back and left the homes and jobs we need to the market. We're using public funding to keep Britain building through the downturn."
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NEW REPORT LOOKS AT TENANT INVOLVEMENT
09 March 2010
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Abigail Davies
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A report published today, commissioned by the Tenant Services Authority (TSA) and written by the CIH, takes a detailed look at the use of a new approach to tenant involvement and performance management, which gives tenants the power to challenge their housing organisation and drive up performance.
It claims that this new approach, entitled resident-led self-regulation, has the potential to change social housing for the better and give real power to a group of customers who have little consumer choice. It could also cut down on the need for external intervention.
It draws on existing practice to help tenants, staff and governors in the social housing sector to develop and make effective use of resident-led scrutiny, and suggests ideas to inform the way the Tenant Services Authority (TSA) carries out regulation.
Resident-led self-regulation is already allowing tenants of a number of pioneer housing organisations to call their landlords to account and have a lead role in improving front-line services, scrutinising performance and ensuring that the organisation is well governed.
The report, Mu, was funded by the TSA through its Tenant Excellence Fund and is the culmination of three years of work by CIH on a model that will help organisations to involve residents in the running of their business and to influence decisions.
Phil Morgan, Executive Director of Tenant Services at TSA, said: "This is important and timely work on tenant scrutiny. Our new empowerment and involvement standard stresses the importance of how tenants can effectively scrutinise and help shape the services of their landlord and this report gives lots of practical examples for providers and tenants to learn from."
Abigail Davies, CIH Head of Policy, who co-authored the report, said: "The early adopters of resident-led self-regulation have done some great work and have paved the way for others to follow. If it becomes widespread in the housing sector it will bring clear benefits to tenants, housing providers and the regulator.
"This approach can improve services, and it also has the potential to link with the new regulatory framework to assure the quality of landlord performance and to reduce external intervention."
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TSA REPORT SHOWS IMPROVEMENTS IN DEALING WITH PEOPLE BEHIND ON RENTS
09 March 2010
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New research commissioned by the Tenant Services Authority (TSA) has shown an improving picture on how housing associations, who are responsible for 2.4 million homes across England, deal with social housing tenants who have fallen behind on their rent.
The findings show that at the end of 2007-08, 5.3% of all rent due to landlords was unpaid, down slightly from 5.6% in 2005. It also shows that eviction rates have fallen in social housing. In 2004-05, housing associations carried out 9,114 evictions. Last year (2008-09), there were 7,703 evictions – about 95% of these were because of unpaid rent.
The report also finds that while most housing associations have moved towards a more preventative and supportive approach to handling rent collection, there have been instances where some have started legal action without considering all of the possible reasons for non payment of rent, such as a delay from the local authority in providing Housing Benefit to the tenant. This means that some associations may not always be following all of the procedures set out in Government protocol before starting the process to evict tenants.
Richard Moriarty, Director Policy and Market Intelligence, said, “Overall, housing associations are doing better at tackling rent arrears. The incidence of rent arrears has fallen slightly over the past few years and many housing associations show good proactive support to tenants. Associations have changed the way in which they approach rent collection – almost half now employ specialist welfare benefits advisers and 56% have in place arrangements with independent debt advisers.
“There is still room for improvement so that landlords effectively combine collecting the rent with helping people stay in their homes. That’s why our new standards for landlords, which will come into force on 1 April, require landlords to develop and provide services that will support tenants to maintain their tenancy and prevent unnecessary evictions.”
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CLG FACES ‘SIGNIFICANT HOLE’ IN SPENDING PLANS
09 March 2010
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The Department for Communities and Local Government faces a ‘significant hole’ in its spending plans unless it speeds up efficiency efforts, a committee of MPs has warned.
It said it would be ‘extremely challenging’ for the CLG to find the £887m of savings demanded by 2011 by the Treasury. The Commons select committee, which monitors its performance, said: "Failure to do so will leave a very significant hole in CLG's plans.”
The MPs accused the department of lacking the ‘full range of skills’ required to do its job properly and failing to come up with figures needed to judge its work. A policy of moving staff on after nine months was "not a sensible way to run an organisation", their report warned mandarins - but also blamed ministerial reshuffles for poor performance.
In the second such warning to Gordon Brown in as many days, the committee said: "We urge the Prime Minister to take greater account of the prerequisites for effective government."
Phyllis Starkey, the Labour MP who chairs the committee, said: "Our report acknowledges improvements in CLG's performance and influence over the past year.
"However, the department has yet to become the kind of 'big hitter' it needs to be within Whitehall and we have yet to see consistent and sustained evidence that (it) possesses the full range of skills required for the effective formulation and delivery of the policies for which it is responsible.
"It cannot help that officials serve an average tenure of just nine months and that, over the lifetime of the department so far, senior Ministers have remained in post for barely a year."
Efficiency efforts have been seriously hit by the recession as officials had hoped to find the vast bulk - £734m - from savings in affordable housing development, the report said.
"Achievement of the Department's overall target of £887 million in efficiency savings by March 2011 will be extremely challenging," it said, calling for evidence of alternative sources of savings or details of where the axe will have to fall to make up any shortfall.
A spokesman for CLG said: "Throughout the year we have worked hard to deliver a comprehensive package of support to homeowners under threat of repossession and to deliver the housing pledge in Building Britain's Future, creating new homes and jobs at this challenging time.
"A year ago none of this was available through the Department and a completely new set of interventions of support has been put into place. The speed at which we responded to these new priorities demonstrates just how adaptable the Department is and the measures we have taken have made a real difference.
"At the same time, we have continued to drive important reforms in our key areas of responsibility, such as local government reform, modernisation of the planning system and working with local authorities to enhance community cohesion."
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NEW GUIDELINES ASSESS REGIONAL RENEWABLE POTENTIAL
09 March 2010
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New guidelines will help regional authorities assess the potential for renewable and low-carbon energy in their area.
The guidelines, published by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), will help English regions set themselves ambitious renewable targets in their new Regional Strategies, in line with the UK's overall target for 15% renewable energy by 2020.
The document provides regional authorities with guidance on how to calculate the potential their areas have for renewables . This might include what the wind speeds are in different areas, how many houses there are with roof space - and what constraints they should then apply. The guidance provides detail on how to assess potential for large and small scale onshore wind, biomass, hydro power and solar energy.
Energy Minister, Lord Hunt said: "Our target for renewables is ambitious and we want to see that ambition reflected at regional and local levels. We must make the move to low carbon energy supplies and everyone needs to be involved in that. Nationally we’ve nearly tripled renewable electricity since 2002 but more needs to be done.
"Each region in England already has its own renewable energy target. These new guidelines will help to ensure that in reviewing these targets, each is setting a target based on similar methods and assumptions and that the targets are in line with the UK's overall renewable ambition."
Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) together with new local leader’s boards will be responsible for delivering ambitious renewable energy targets outlined in their regional strategies.
The methodology will ensure a more strategic approach to identifying, in general terms and at an early stage, which are likely to be the most appropriate areas for renewable energy projects. Developers will be able use this information when working up project proposals.
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FOUNDATION FOR LIFETIME HOMES LAUNCHED
10 March 2010
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Baroness Rosalie Wilkins, in association with Age Concern, Help the Aged, Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation (RADAR), TCPA and Habinteg Housing Association, has today launched The Foundation for Lifetime Homes and Neighbourhoods.
The Foundation is a partnership formed to promote the Lifetime Homes Standard (LHS) and campaign for well-designed, thoughtful and fit for purpose housing development. Housing that is desperately needed to meet the demands of the UK’s ageing population and affordable housing shortage.
The Foundation will challenge the Government’s delay in their commitments to the Lifetime Homes Standard as well as the ongoing lassitude in dealing with the longterm effects of our housing crisis and ageing population.
Speakers at the Parliamentary Launch included Baroness Kay Andrews (Former Minister for Housing and Planning), Ellen Lebethe (London Older People’s Strategy Group) and Richard Blakeway (Mayor of London Housing Advisor), who all agreed that housing was the key to future challenges for health and social care provision and should be at the top of the current political agenda.
In addition, private sector developers Chris Chapman (Managing Director, Cloud Nine) and Gary Akers (Technical Manager, Crest Nicholson), gave both the business case and design case in favour of Lifetime Homes which they argued were desirable, marketable, easy to implement and resulted in better quality homes.
The Lifetime Homes Standard is currently under review and the Consultation. The Foundation has launched a Pledge demanding action from the Government in ensuring accessible, inclusive, adaptable, well designed and fit for purpose homes and neighbourhoods.
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LANDLORDS MASS LOBBY TO SAVE THE PRIVATE RENTED SECTOR
10 March 2010
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Private sector landlords are urging support from MPs in a last stand to save the future of renting to students and young professionals.
Nurses, teachers and a generation of young workers could be hit by a government plan to prohibit areas of shared housing for groups of unrelated tenants.
The legislation comes into force on 6 April when new powers will allow planning legislation to be used to control the renting of shared properties to people who are not families or related tenants.
Alan Ward, chairman of the Residential Landlords Association, said: “Landlords throughout the UK need to make their voices heard – urgently.”
It will be the biggest mass landlord lobby of local MPs ever organised – with some 40,000 landlords receiving an email to contact their MPs, as well as the government, and make their protest heard.
Ward added: “The government’s change to planning Use Classes Orders is bad not only for landlords but for the whole private rented sector not to mention the local economies that have traditionally grown around existing areas of shared housing.
“After 6 April planning permission will be needed if a landlord wants to rent what has been a family house or flat to three or more unrelated people such as nurses, students, young professionals, immigrant workers, a family with a lodger and even the elderly. It could wreck the private rented sector.
“And all because the Secretary of State, John Denham, will not listen to the combined voices of landlords, tenants, students, letting agents, local retailer organisations and bodies like the RLA, British Property Federation and National Union of Students - who are all against this.
“Everyone against this sorry attempt to use planning laws for social engineering purposes – to dictate who is allowed to live where – should make their voice heard by asking their local MP to oppose this very damaging and impractical proposal.
“The whole issue – often referred to as ‘studentification’ was stated in the government’s own commissioned ‘Rugg Report’, 17 months ago, to be a minor issued not requiring legislation. But, for some reason, the government has over-ruled this independent report and thinks it knows better.”
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SALVATION ARMY RE-BRANDS HOSTELS
10 March 2010
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The Salvation Army is to rebrand its hostels for the homeless as "LifeHouses", the organisation has confirmed.
The charity, which performs social and charitable work, said the change would emphasise its homelessness services. Around 3,500 people stay at the organisation's 83 UK and Ireland centres each night.
Maff Potts, the Salvation Army's director of homelessness services, said: "This is not a pointless rebranding exercise but a defining moment for the Salvation Army. The word 'hostel' was linked with old-style warehousing of people and didn't convey that there's more to our support services than simply housing.
"LifeHouse clearly demonstrates that we are about providing purpose and relationships - two words which are at the heart of our delivery of support services. We believe that everyone is valuable and no-one should be stigmatised because of their past or where they live. The Salvation Army hopes that, as a culture, we will start viewing people who are 'homeless' as people who have a contribution to play in our society."
The charity will also expand activities run in the centres, and the training offered to improve the self-esteem, mental health and employment prospects of the people using the centres.
The charity said homeless people typically lack confidence. To tackle this, the organisation is creating 900 roles to be filled by the long-term unemployed whose job will be to set up fun activities and community projects.
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LANDLORDS WELCOME REGULATION BUT SAY IT MUST BE PROPORTIONATE
10 March 2010
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The majority of landlords support stronger regulation of buy-to-let mortgages and advice, according to a survey conducted by LSL Property Services plc.
But not all landlords are the same, so the Treasury and FSA must resist the temptation to impose ‘one size fits all’ regulation, warns David Brown, Commercial Director of LSL.
Nearly 60% of landlords favour proposals to regulate buy-to-let mortgage lending, believing it will provide additional protection for landlords raising finance. Landlords are also in favour of regulating advice provided by intermediaries and introducers in respect of buy-to-let loans, with 59% saying it will help root out unscrupulous introducers and intermediaries.
David Brown said: “It may be surprising that many landlords advocate further regulation - but this does reflect a general desire for additional investor protection, and if it leads to a greater professionalisation of the sector, it should be applauded.”
But while they support regulation to protect the inexperienced, 55% of landlords with seven or more years’ experience are opposed to the regulation of mortgage products, arguing that they don’t need the additional administrative burden.
Brown added: “The majority of experienced property investors do not necessarily need nor want the added protection or burden of increased regulation. Most are able to secure their own finance and are skilful at managing brokers and lenders to obtain the products they need. Long established portfolio landlords are less likely to benefit from tighter regulation.
“Indeed, they see a real risk that disproportionate regulation may make force more lenders and brokers from the sector, exacerbating the current shortage of buy-to-let mortgage finance.
“Increased regulation would potentially help less experienced landlords, but it needs to be simple and proportionate. The FSA and the Treasury should avoid using a sledge-hammer to crack a nut. Landlords have different levels of experience, and different requirements.
“With a one size fits all approach to regulation, any benefit for inexperienced investors could potentially be outweighed by the damage to the sector if it ended up making it less attractive for larger scale landlords to invest.”
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ROK PROFITS HOLD STEADY DESPITE DROP IN REVENUE
10 March 2010
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The Rok Group has seen a fall in revenue to £715m but the level of its pre-tax profits remains the same as for the previous year at £20.4m.
The board is proposing a dividend per share of 2.4p which is the same as in 2008.
Chairman, Stephen Pettit, said the company had maintained profit levels despite reducing revenues. This was as a result of the business’s continued cost reduction as it shifted emphasis away from larger construction projects and onto repair, maintenance and improvement markets.
Among the year’s highlights was the impact Rok was making on the property insurance repairs market and the high visibility of its future revenues under framework agreements with a range of customers which stood at £2bn.
Stephen said his board remained cautious about the outlook for the sector but believed that the changes made in Rok to reposition itself demonstrated its strength and flexibility which boded well for the resumption of its growth when the wider economy began a sustainable recovery.
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MEARS BOOSTED BY SOCIAL HOUSING WORK
10 March 2010
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Mears has raised its full-year dividend 20% after reporting a 26% increase in revenue from its Social Housing division.
The group said there were 'unprecedented levels of opportunity in the public sector'. Its order book was worth a record £2bn against £1.6bn a year ago.
It had 88% visibility of consensus forecast revenue for 2010 and 69% for 2011. The Social Housing bid pipeline stood at £3.9bn, compared with £2.8bn in 2008, with a significant proportion of contract opportunities at an advanced stage of bidding.
Chairman, Bob Holt said there were a number of exciting opportunities where the group was at an advanced stage of bidding.
He added: “We continue to place great emphasis on winning good quality contracts that can provide clear and sustainable margins. There are tremendous opportunities with existing customers to unlock significant additional revenue.”
Revenue in the year to December increased by 11.8% to £470.1m and operating profit before amortisation was up 17.7% to £24.8m.
Revenues in Social Housing grew to £355.3m from £282.0m. The Domiciliary Care division contributed £60.1m, up from £54.6m. Mechanical & Electrical reported a 29.7% fall in revenue to £54.8m. Acquisition of Supporta for £27m was completed in February this year.
Operating profit before amortisation of acquisition intangibles increased by 17.7% to £24.8m, resulting in the operating margin rising from 5.0% to 5.3%. The group said this increase was due to a change in the sales mix, with its higher-margin Social Housing division contributing 76% of revenues, up from 67%.
Normalised diluted earnings per share were up 13.8% to 21.61p. A final dividend of 4.10p per share was proposed, giving a total of 5.70p against the previous 4.75p.
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ACTION DESPERATELY NEEDED AS HOMES SHORTFALL APPROACHES A MILLION
11 March 2010
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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.
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SUB-LETTING SOCIAL HOUSING TENANTS ‘SHOULD BE PROSECUTED’
11 March 2010
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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
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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.”
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HEALEY TO HELP WORKING TENANTS TO STAY OUT OF DEBT
11 March 2010
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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.
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VISION TO HELP THIRD SECTOR TACKLE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT RELEASED
11 March 2010
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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
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Jane Ashcroft
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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.
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HOUSING NEWS: INNOVATION ROUND-UP
12 March 2010
Click the picture to see what is happening here
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MINISTERS CLASH OVER HOUSING PLANS
12 March 2010
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Housing Minister, John Healey and his Conservative Shadow, Grant Shapps have clashed at HBF’s Housing Question Time over housing delivery and public spending.
Both agreed it was vital a way was found to increase housing delivery, but by very different routes. The debate marked the launch of the HBF’s election manifesto that warned MPs to wake up to a housing shortage that is fast approaching one million homes, at a time when less are being built than at any point since the Second World War.
Healey said that Tory proposals threatened any recovery, and would ‘blow a hole in George Osborne’s promise to freeze council tax”. Shapps retorted that the country’s housing crisis was a direct result of current policy and that “there was more going wrong than just the recession”.
The Conservatives are proposing to scrap the current Government’s target led planning system and introduce a ‘localism‘based approach that will see districts incentivised for building homes. It will involve some diversion of public funds from County Councils to Local Authorities who build more.
Shapps said: “We are building less homes than anyone can remember and it is ludicrous we are hanging on to a system that fails to deliver. Our proposals will make residents’ lives better as they will benefit from development. It is a simple and fair equation for Local Authorities - if you build more you will be better off.”
But Healey hit back pointing out that County Councils were responsible for education and health spending adding that the proposals were “naive” and “a recipe for chaos that would blow out of the water the promise of a council tax freeze.”
Healey defended the Government’s record saying that the steps taken to support the industry were unprecedented. He widened the debate to the wider economy saying ‘stopping public investment too soon will damage any recovery’. He said that the fact that £900m had been diverted to housing from other areas such as health and transport clearly demonstrated the Government’s commitment to build more homes.
But Shapps criticised the measures the Government has introduced as being ineffective, saying last year’s partial Stamp Duty holiday was a ‘gimmick’. He said the Conservatives would scrap Stamp Duty completely for first time buyers up to £250,000.
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CML PRODUCES BUDGET SUBMISSION
12 March 2010
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With the date of the Budget now confirmed as March 24, the Council of Mortgage Lenders has produced a Budget submission urging the government to commit to the ongoing funding of measures to help borrowers in financial difficulty.
CML's submission also urges the government to use the Budget to announce how it will work with the industry to address the market implications of lenders repaying the £300bn support given under the Special Liquidity Scheme and the Credit Guarantee Scheme.
Finally, CML urges the government to clarify how it will address growing demand for affordable housing in both home-ownership and rental tenures, against the backdrop of fiscal cutbacks.
CML director general, Michael Coogan said: "At the moment we cannot see how to square the circle between increasing demand for housing, constraints on the necessary finance to deliver it, the repayment of £300 billion of lending support between 2011 and 2014, and reductions in public spending as the fiscal deficit is addressed. And all of these features apply at a time when more people are going to need housing help.
"Lenders have been active in supporting lending to all tenures, and are committed to delivering an ongoing flow of finance for housing in all its forms, but at the moment there is too little clarity about how the competing policy pressures can be reconciled. The Chancellor should take the opportunity in the Budget to address this.
"We call on the leaders of all political parties to commit to prioritise spending on housing in the coming years, at a time when we recognise difficult investment choices will have to be made in the next comprehensive spending review. Housing can be a driver of economic recovery, but the lack of it contributes to a wide range of social problems."
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CIEH LAUNCHES ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH MANIFESTO
12 March 2010
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The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) has called on the next government to urgently help millions of people living in excessively cold private homes and to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 40 per cent.
Launching A Manifesto for Environmental Health 2010, the CIEH stated that there are 2.1 million private sector dwellings with excess cold hazards in England.
CIEH Executive Director, Tim Everett said: “Improving thermal insulation¬ particularly for the elderly and vulnerable¬ hits all the right buttons by improving health and acting on CO2 emissions from the domestic sector. Acting on this will keep people in their own homes and out of hospital.”
The manifesto calls for ‘immediate action’ to mitigate and adapt to climate change that poses a threat to public health. The UK, it says, must slash CO2 emissions by 40% by 2020. Mr Everett said the evidence on climate change was mounting and could not be safely ignored.
Everett added: “Climate change is occurring. While there have been recent stories questioning the authenticity of some climate change models – the underlying evidence is clear. Further delays in tackling CO2 emissions will fundamentally affect the health and wellbeing of our population.”
The manifesto aims to influence the next government and the new intake of MPs. There will be a larger than usual intake of new MPs, because of the number of those standing down, many in the wake of the expenses scandal. Prime Minister Gordon Brown must hold a general election before 6 June.
Everett said: “We must ensure that preventative environmental health practice remains a key priority for government, both nationally and locally. The result of this election will define the next decade for all of us. Whoever wins, the debt mountain will have a considerable effect on the landscape in which environmental health operates.”
The CIEH wants to promote policies that would bring about a step change in environmental and public health provision. The manifesto makes the case for an enhanced role for environmental health professionals in tackling the environmental conditions in which ill-health and health inequalities thrive.
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RESULTS OF ‘RURAL INSIGHTS SURVEY 2009’ PUBLISHED
12 March 2010
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The Commission for Rural Communities (CRC) has publishing the results of a comprehensive survey, which took place during late 2009, on the perceptions and priorities of rural people.
The survey provides detailed information on the views of residents across rural England, and comparisons with the views of people who live in urban areas.
Nicola Lloyd, Executive Director at the CRC said: “The CRC has a responsibility to act as an advocate on behalf of rural communities – ensuring that the rural voice is heard by decision-makers. To act effectively as an advocate we need to find out what rural people think and one of the ways we do this is through our Rural Insights programme.
“The survey we are publishing enables us to make a direct comparison with the results of our 2006 survey. It will help us to better understand people’s views on how things are in their communities, on the changes they have experienced recently and the hopes, concerns and aspirations of rural residents.
“The survey involved interviews, during November and December 2009, with more than 2,500 residents aged 16 or more living in rural and urban areas across England. Around 500 people were interviewed in urban areas (outside London) and in each of the different types of rural settlements − in the towns, villages, hamlets and across the sparse and the less sparse areas of rural England.
“I hope that the findings of the survey will provide an essential source of evidence for policy makers across government, and others working nationally, regionally and locally, to help ensure that their policies take into account the needs of the one-in-five of England’s population living in the countryside.
"I also look forward to seeing this Rural Insights survey taking its place as an important element of our strong, relevant evidence base, alongside our established and well-respected ‘State of the countryside’ suite of reporting.”
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HOUSE PRICES RISE BY 4.7 PER CENT
12 March 2010
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The latest figures from Assetz House Price Watch show that house prices were 4.7% higher in January than at the same time in 2009.
Assetz House Price Watch compiles monthly average figures taken from all of the major house price indices to offer a more accurate picture of house price trends.
The average price, ascertained from the five major UK indices, was £194,168 in January. This is a £8,669 increase on figures for January 2009 and represents 4.7% growth year-on-year. Average house prices are currently at the highest level since October 2008 (£194,735).
The latest figures also eliminate the slight fall in the average house price in December and suggest continued growth in 2010.House prices are now less than 10 per cent (9.73%) below the peak house price of £215,089 recorded in October 2007.
Figures reveal that while the UK continues to see positive growth, the rate of growth continues to slow. The three month rolling average data shows a current annualised growth rate of 2.28% compared to 4.29% last month. The six month rolling average data shows 5.94% annualised growth rate in January, down from 7.79% in December and a high of 11.93% in October 2009.
Stuart Law, Chief Executive of Assetz, said: “The latest Price Watch shows that the monthly rate of house price growth slowed over Christmas but is now rising again. However, the six month average is a more reliable indication of trends and suggests that while growth continues, it has slowed from its historic high of almost 12% in October to a more sustainable level.
“I would expect the annual rise in February to be around 5%, up on January’s figure of 4.7% and predict overall modest growth of 5% by the end of the year. Rightmove, a leading indicator of asking prices, witnessed monthly house price growth of 3.2% in February as sellers increased asking prices due to the reduced levels of stock on the market.
“This rate of growth - which translates as 46% annualised growth – is wholly unsustainable. However, as a result of increased asking prices, we would expect an increase in the agreed price that appears in the Nationwide and Halifax indices next month.”
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NEWS 
