Strategic Housing Role of Local Authorities in the Big Society
Local authority role - what I will cover
Localism Bill Supported Housing Pieces of the Jigsaw LIP s New Homes Bonus LEP s Affordable Rents HCA Funding RP s Strategic Fit Other resources eg. Land, S106 s, Councils funding Private Rented Sector
Timescales n Flexible tenancies on affordable rents can be offered as early as July 2011, on completion of agreements with the HCA n Need to act NOW even though authorities are not required to have strategies in place until 12 months after Localism Bill enacted.
What do Local Authorities need to do now? n Get together with partners n Provide info to RP s and partners on: rent levels / income levels housing demand housing markets how welfare reforms will impact at a local level consider tenure and tenancy management provide guidance and info that will help RP s develop their tenancy policies
What should tenancy strategies include? n Provide guidance that RP s should have regard to in developing their policies n Broad high level objectives n Better use of social and affordable housing to reduce housing needs, reduce costs, and bring local accountability for the use of n Social and affordable housing n A view of how the wider market will be used to fill any gaps
n Local authorities need to be mindful of the fact that the introduction of flexible tenancies is in part to enable public accountability for the use of a scarce resource n Who will be held to account if things don t add up!
n Overall, the strategy needs to be a framework that is FLEXIBLE n Regular close monitoring required n Help reduce risks for partners
The St Edmundsbury model Working group set up December 2010 includes RP s HCA Supporting people Housing benefit EELGA n Undertook research/modelling/data n Interim statement for RP s
Political involvement n Members Group established n Cabinet decisions re affordable rents and conversions and developing a strategy n Parish Conference and workshop n Members bulletins n Members awareness session in July n Scrutiny committee in autumn
Framework for strategy n Thematic through workshops with partners n Establish priorities n Who gets what? n For how long? n When is tenancy renewed/ended/sold? n When do we offer a tenancy in the private sector? n Housing pathway
Challenges n Initial assessments n Who gets what/for how long? n How do we market affordable rents alongside social rents? n CBL systems - shortlisting n Who does reviews? n Criteria for ending tenancy risk of JR n allocate on income levels?? n Do we let market decide? n Will homelessness increase?
Opportunities n n n n n n Better use of stock More options to meet differing needs Local lettings plans Help with planning for the future for those with fixed term tenancies Better use of whole housing market Reduce under occupation
What have we still to do? n EIA n More analysis of housing market n Develop housing pathway n Continue working with partners to develop detail of strategy some major decisions to consider e.g. allocate by income? n Continue members group n Draft strategy n Scrutiny phase n Formal Consultation n Approval through cabinet n Implement n Monitoring
Temporary Private sector Social lifetime tenancy ART Fixed term 2, 5 10 years? PSL Shared ownership Sale Supply? Benefits