Chichester District Council
Agenda item

Agenda item

Private Sector Housing Renewal Strategy 2016-2021

To approve the Private Sector Housing Renewal Strategy 2016-2021 and adjust financial provision for it.

Decision:

RESOLVED

 

(1)  That the Private Sector Housing Renewal Strategy 2016-2021 be approved, together with accompanying financial assistance options for implementation commencing on 1 April 2016.

 

(2)  That the repurposing of the Care and Repair Home Improvement Agency grant funding of £24,200 be approved to be used for the provision of heating and insulation for vulnerable members of the community as part of the Chichester Warm Homes Initiative.

 

Minutes:

Further to minute 91 of 3 October 2006, the Cabinet considered the report and appendix circulated with the agenda (copy attached to the official minutes).

 

Mrs Taylor introduced the report, commenting that private sector stock, both rented and owner occupied, was becoming more and more important, especially in view of the challenges facing the social rented sector. However, it was essential to ensure that the private sector provided warm and safe accommodation. There was a strong link between poor housing and health, which in turn created additional costs for the NHS and other social services.

 

Chichester District was an affluent area, and yet at 14% it had double the national category 1 hazard for excess cold compared to the rest of England (7%). The highest concentrations were found in the central and northern part of the District.

 

The Council was working in co-operation with a number of partners (e.g. the CAB, health professionals) to identify vulnerable residents and target resources.

 

There were four strands to the Strategy:-

·         Improving the standard of accommodation in the private rented sector.

·         Reducing the level of hazards in the private sector stock.

·         Deceasing the high level of fuel poverty and excess cold.

·         Providing adaptations to meet the needs of residents with disabilities.

 

Two key changes were proposed in the Strategy: The first was the introduction of a Chichester Warm Homes initiative to assist vulnerable home owners and landlords to improve the heating provision and energy efficiency of their homes; the second was to dispense with the home loans provided to owner occupiers due to lack of uptake and to provide Home Repair assistance to owner occupiers in the form of interest free loans, repayable on the sale of the property.

 

Most of the funding was already available. However, allocation of funding was sought as follows:-

·         Approximately £325,000 over a five year period from the Warm Homes Initiative.

·         £24,200 from the ceased Care & Repair Home Improvement Agency.

·         £95,221 funding from the Low Carbon Chichester Fund referred to previously in minute 160.

·         £208,000 was approved by the Council in March 2016 as part of the Housing Strategy.

 

It is important that a good working partnership was built up with landlords, in particular the rural estate landlords. A number of constructive meetings had taken place between officers from both the Housing and Environmental Teams with the rural estate landlords, resulting in the formation of a working partnership to improve the accommodation in the District.

 

Mr Finch asked how ‘excess cold’ was defined. Mr Dunmall (Housing Operations Manager) explained that this derived from a risk rating in a hazard points system introduced by the Housing Act 2004.

 

Mr Finch also asked how the provision of Home Repair assistance to owner occupiers in the form of interest free loans would be more likely to succeed than the previous home loans to owner occupiers. Ms Reed (Environmental Housing Manager) explained that the new loans would be interest free and payable on sale of the property. Previously owner occupiers had been reluctant to take credit.

 

Cabinet Members discussed whether there would be legal issues and costs associated with making loans, and the Chief Executive agreed that assurance from legal and financial officers would be sought before proceeding with the scheme.

 

RESOLVED

 

(1)  That the Private Sector Housing Renewal Strategy 2016-2021 be approved, together with accompanying financial assistance options for implementation commencing on 1 April 2016.

 

(2)  That the repurposing of the Care and Repair Home Improvement Agency grant funding of £24,200 be approved to be used for the provision of heating and insulation for vulnerable members of the community as part of the Chichester Warm Homes Initiative.

 

Supporting documents:

 

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