COUNTY BOROUGH OF BLAENAU GWENT
REPORT TO: /chair and members of executive committee
REPORT SUBJECT: /social housing grant / investment report
REPORT AUTHOR: /angharad collins housing strategy and enabling officer
LEAD OFFICER/ DEPARTMENT /davID thompson head of housing and environmental health
Summary Report
1.0 /PURPOSE OF REPORT
To inform the Executive of Blaenau Gwent’s Social Housing Grant investment programme 2013/2014.2.0 /
LINK TO CORPORATE STRATEGIES
Enabling people and communities to help themselvesIncrease the supply of affordable housing and support homeless people into appropriate housing
The housing market assessment provides the evidence base to ensure that we will be delivering the right kinds of homes in the right places for the residents of Blaenau Gwent
3.0 / SUMMARY
Information on social housing grant spend for 2012 / 2013 and forward investment programme for 2013 / 2014.
This report will also provide information on additional funds that have recently been announced by Welsh Government and will show the programme priorities that have been submitted for consideration (£20million for the delivery of additional 1&2 bed homes)
4.0 /
RECOMMENDATIONS
That the programme outlined in the report is supported and that the Housing Strategy Team continues to seek to create affordable housing opportunities / schemes in readiness for 2014/2015 and to absorb any potential slippage that may become available.
Detailed Report
PURPOSE
1.1 / To inform the Executive of Blaenau Gwent’s Social Housing Grant spend (2012/2013) and the indicative investment programme for 2013/2014. This follows on from previous reports submitted July and November 2012 and February 2013.2. /
BACKGROUND
2.1 / Social Housing Grant (SHG) is a capital grant provided by the Welsh Assembly Government to Local Authorities (LA) to support them in meeting their housing need.SHG can be used to develop housing schemes:
· For social rent, tenure neutral and general needs accommodation
· Schemes for older people
· Supported housing schemes
· Empty properties
· Home-buy
· Mortgage rescue
· Physical adaptations
The table below highlights Blaenau Gwent’s allocation for 2012 through to 2014:
% of Budget / 2012/13
£ / 2013/2014
£
Blaenau Gwent / 2.4 / 947,925.41 / 839,933.91
SHG is only available in the year it is allocated. The monies cannot be carried forward into future years. Therefore, it is essential that the Development Programme is maximised to ensure that current and future allocation is fully spent.
It is also essential that the programme has a detailed reserve scheme to enable any slippage to be absorbed as and when it arises.
3. /
PRESENT POSITION
3.1 / Current commitments to existing schemes mean that all of our allocation for 2013 to 2015 is fully committed.The Development Programme for 2013 / 2014
Scheme / Total Units / Grant (£) / RCG
Mountain Rd (Melin) / 23 / 14
Waenheulog (Melin) / 5 / 140
Victoria (Melin) / 15 / 206
Pant-y-forest (FC) / 3 / 50
Blaenau-Gwent 1 (FC) / 3 / 20
Briery Hill (UW) / 33 / 330
Kings Head Flats (UW) / 6 / 20
Gwaun Helyg (Linc) / 13 / 60 / 60
Mortgage Rescue (Linc) / 5 / 0 / 150
TOTAL / 106 / 840 / 210
Mountain Rd – this will be the final payment toward Mountain Rd
Waenheulog – this is a small development which will include the needs of a large family in the area
Victoria – this is part funded through the revenue funding and SHG
Pant-y-forest – final payment for a supported housing scheme
BG 1 – a bespoke property for an individual with specific health needs
Briery Hill – part of the regeneration of Church Street
Gwaun Helyg – part funded through revenue funding, small top of SHG
Kings Head Flats – replacement of 1 bed supported flats
Mortgage rescue – funded through Linc Recycled capital grant to support families who are experiencing difficulties with their mortgage
3.2 / Should any additional grant monies or slippage become available mid-year, priority will be given to repaying existing commitments. Should this happen we will be able to re-evaluate our position in terms of available grant.
3.3 / Welsh Government has also recently announced an additional £20 million for the priority of one and two bedroom properties. This fund has been announced to tackle the issues of welfare reform and the Bedroom Tax. An application has been submitted to Welsh Government and the outcome is awaited. The application for Blaenau Gwent’s priority schemes are:
Scheme / Grant
Kings Head Flats / £345,000
Briery Hill / £1,559,052
Sirhowy School / £1,771,369
3.4 / Last year the authority accessed an additional £1,029,079.13 in funding for affordable housing across Blaenau Gwent. This enabled existing schemes to be paid in full which has released the Social Housing Grant for new schemes to be brought forward in 2013 / 2014. In total the funding for 2012 / 2013 was £1,869,013.04.
4. /
OPTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION
4.1 / Should additional grant funding become available, then the investment programme will need to be reconfigured to meet the delivery of any additional funds. Changes such as these are made with the full agreement of Welsh Government and Housing Association Partners.5. /
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
5.1 / As above.6. / STATEMENT CONFIRMING THAT CONSIDERATION
HAS BEEN GIVEN TO RELEVANT LEGISLATION
6.1 / Consideration has been given to all relevant legislation in the production of this report.
7. /
PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS
7.1 / This project will enable key elements to be met in the Corporate improvement plan; Single Integrated Plan, Local Housing Strategy, and also the Regeneration Strategy.8. /
STAFFING IMPLICATIONS
8.1 / There are no staffing implications.9. /
PROPOSALS
9.1 / That this report is noted and the Housing Strategy Team continues to allocate Social Housing Grant accordingly to increase the supply of affordable homes in Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council.10. /
SUPPORTING EVIDENCE
10.1 / Welsh Government requires a Local Housing Market Assessment to identify the housing need within the Local Authority area.11 / CONSULTATION UNDERTAKEN
11.1 / The following officers have been consulted in respect of the proposals and recommendations set out in this report.
HUMAN
RESOURCES / CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER/
MONITORING
OFFICER / DIRECTOR OF RESOURCES/
S.151 / OTHER
DMT
13. / RECOMMENDATIONS
13.1 / That the programme outlined in the report is supported and that the Housing Strategy Team continues to seek to create affordable housing opportunities / schemes in readiness for 2014/2015 and to absorb any potential slippage that may become available.
STAGES / DATE / COMMENTS
RECEIVED BY AR
CIRCULATED TO HEADS OF DMT
DMT/HR
CMT
SCRUTINY
EXECUTIVE
FULL COUNCIL