BOROUGH OF POOLE

REPORT TO COMMUNITY SUPPORT POLICY OVERVIEW GROUP

30 SEPTEMBER 2003
PRIVATE SECTOR HOUSING RENEWAL BID

PART OF PUBLISHED FORWARD PLAN: YES

STATUS- STRATEGIC AND OPERATIONAL POLICY/ SERVICE DECISION

1. PURPOSE OF REPORT

1.1The purpose of this report is to inform members of the detail of the Joint Borough of Poole and Bournemouth Borough Council Private Sector Housing Renewal Bid to Office of Deputy Prime Minister .

1.2 A further purpose is to inform members of the expected outcomes from a successful joint bid.

2. RECOMMENDATIONS

2.1 Members of the Community Support Policy Overview Group to approve, in general, the Private Sector Housing Renewal Bid for submission to Cabinet and onward submission of the full bid to the South West Housing Body (SWHB)

3. TIMETABLE

3.1 Initial indicators from SWHB show that the Poole and Bournemouth Consortium outline bid is regarded as “fair” . The business case and the bid in full, has to be with SWHB by the 10 October. A formal decision will be given to all local authorities by the end of that month.

4. OVERVIEW OF JOINT BID

4.1 The primary partners to this bid are the Borough of Poole and Bournemouth Borough Council, who wish to develop a conurbation wide private sector housing renewal bid. The local authority partners will be assisted by Help and Care, a home improvement agency who will provide advocacy advice and assistance to vulnerable groups in both Poole and Bournemouth and market the products proposed under this bid.

4.2 The total SHIP resources bid for is £3,000,000 split £1,500,000 in 2004/05 and £1,500,000 in 2005/06

4.3 At the moment it is proposed that the annual resource is to be split equally between each local authority , giving £750,000 per authority per year .

4.4 The bid enhances the services and assistance illustrated under the adopted Private Sector housing Policy

4.5 The scheme will target three areas of private sector renewal activity:-

  • Firstly the bid is intended to support an innovative model of equity sharing in the private sector for vulnerable households.
  • Secondly, the bid will support improving the private rented sector accommodation across Poole and Bournemouth via the use of increased grant funding to landlords attached to nomination referrals which in turn is linked to the homelessness list.
  • Thirdly, the bid will support an equity loan scheme for over 55 year old households.

4.6 A successful bid will require the authority to maintain its annual level of matched funding to Private Sector Renewal.

4.7 The increase of selective landlord grants will underpin the empty property strategy and in partnership with Housing Associations will be used as an incentive for investment in making empties fit for occupation and linked to long termnomination rights from the housing waiting lists, thereby reducing future on costs to the Council from bed and breakfast. This action also contributes to the unfitness programme as well as endeavouring to meeting empty property targets within the performance plan.

5. BID FOCUS

5.1 Detailed discussions are currently underway with SWHB on targets, and levels of assistance. However, the bid focus is as follows:-

  • Equity sharing will be client targeted. However, it will be promoted within identified areas of high deprivation.
  • Landlord Incentive Grants will be targeted at properties. This may be existing properties or those where a landlord wants to invest in a new property. In the latter case the grant will follow the opportunity. As an incentive to join the local accreditation scheme these grants will be made available to accredited landlords to create good investment opportunities for decent managers and will allow for nomination rights for vulnerable households who need private rented properties
  • Equity Release loans, aimed at households over the age of 60 years with high equity .
  • To achieve decent home standards in areas of deprivation.

6. CONCLUSIONS

6.1 The provision of financial investment in private sector housing is continually needed not only to meet the Councils Performance Plan, but to support people and this work forms an integral part of the Public Health Improvement Plan.

6.2 The energy efficiency of the homes in Poole will have an obvious bearing on the incidence of fuel poverty and peoples health and well being. It is estimated that 2.6% (approx 1300 properties) of the private stock in the borough have a SAP rating of below 50. An increased range of measures, advice and other assistance through this bid will dramatically allow for improvements to these ratings and furthermore assist more households to move out of fuel poverty.

6.3 A successful bid will allow for doubling the existing programme and allow for a number of opportunities to be seized to achieve a decent home in the private rented sector and improve access to funding schemes for vulnerable owner occupiers.

6.4 The authority is currently in partnership with Npower , British Gas and SWEB on healthy living schemes that link improvements to housing to improved health. This bid will allow the authority to enhance and build on such assistance to these vulnerable groups like the private rented sector and the elderly and create “decent home” living in the private sector.

Simon Hendey

Head of Housing and Community Services

Key Contact

Trevor George, Private Sector Housing Manager

633427

Background Papers

Pooles Future Strategy For Housing 2003-05

Private Sector Housing Renewal Policy - 2003

Affordable Warmth Strategy – 2003

Landlord Accreditation Scheme 1998(as amended 2003)