Topic
/ Announcement / Date/ SourceGreen Issues/ Energy Efficiency / Energy Bill to create 'low carbon economy', says Davey
Energy minister Ed Davey has unveiled the government's much-trailed Energy Bill, setting out the roadmap for the UK's switch to "a low-carbon economy". Household energy bills could rise by at least £100 by 2020 to help pay for the switch to "clean" energy. Energy companies will be allowed to increase the amount they levy consumers from £3bn a year to £7.6bn. Mr Davey said that energy efficiency would be "front and centre" of government policy. He added that the proposals would amount to the "biggest transformation of Britain's electricity market". / 29 November
BBC
Regulation / New code will keep high street shoppers safe from 'chuggers'
So-called "chuggers" or "street fundraisers" are seen by many as the scourge of the high street, but a new code of conduct may see shoppers across Britain breathe a sigh of relief as it sets out to curb aggressive money collecting which has plagued the practice. A code, drawn up with the support of the Local Government Association, is designed protect the public from over-zealous fundraisers, with curbs on where they can set up, for how long and how many charities can walk the high street at any one time. / 29 November
The Independent
Enterprise & Growth / Birmingham chosen as pilot for local government scheme - and could scoop £1bn
David Cameron has chosen Birmingham to pilot radical proposals to change the way local government works – and potentially handing the city a £1 billion jackpot. The city will act as a test bed for plans drawn up by Michael Heseltine, the former Deputy Prime Minister, after he recommended that the “Greater Birmingham” region should be the first to put them into action. Lord Heseltine will lead a team of civil servants seconded from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, working in Birmingham itself. They will come up with detailed proposals telling the Prime Minister exactly how the “Greater Birmingham” region would benefit if it received more funding, potentially coming to more than £1 billion, and the power to make decisions locally. / 29 November
Birmingham Post
Financial Inclusion – Payday loans / Regulator to limit payday lending costs
The government has agreed to amend legislation going through parliament to allow limits to be set on the amount payday loan companies can charge. Labour peer Lord Mitchell yesterday called for a clause to be added to the Financial Services Bill to allow the new financial regulator – the Financial Conduct Authority – to set a maximum cost of a product for consumers. ‘The fact is that legalised loan-sharking, or payday lending - call it what you will - has gone viral. It is out of control, dangerous and is causing great distress to many vulnerable people,’ he said. / 29 November
Inside Housing
Empty Homes / Empty homes tsar calls for limits on demolition
A celebrity architect appointed to act as an independent advisor to the government on empty homes has urged ministers to ensure demolition of homes is always the last resort. George Clarke, who was appointed as an independent advisor to the government in April, unveiled his 12 recommendations for the empty homes task force at a conference to mark Empty Homes Week on Monday (26 November). He suggested that refurbishing and upgrading existing homes should always be the first and preferred option rather than demolition. / 28 November
Inside Housing
Housing Market, Development & Planning / Financial planning remains vital as market volatility continues
The social housing sector remains financially strong and continues to access the funding it requires despite continued volatility, according to the latest Quarterly Survey (2012/13 Quarter 2) published by the HCA today. However providers will need to maintain a focus on robust financial planning and management if they are to continue meeting the regulator’s standards. As the regulator of social housing providers, the HCA undertakes a quarterly survey of housing providers to establish the levels of exposure to the risks faced by the sector. The report published today covers the period 1 July to 30 September 2012 and is based on a survey of all Private Registered Providers owning and/or managing more than 1,000 homes. / 28 November
HCA
Housing Market, Development & Planning / Open land can solve housing shortage, says minister
Increasing the amount of developed land by a third would address the housing shortage, according to Planning Minister Nick Boles. He told BBC Newsnight building on another 2-3% of the land in England - bringing the total to about 12% - would "solve the housing problem." Mr Boles said open land would be built on in exchange for commitments to defend greenbelt spaces. (Newsnight broadcasted the report on Wednesday, 28 November 2012 on BBC Two. This can now be watched on BBC iPlayer). / 28 November
BBC
Housing Market, Development & Planning / Chancellor to accelerate land release scheme
The chancellor is expected to announce a greater role for the Homes and Communities Agency in selling off land from Whitehall departments when he makes his autumn statement next week.
George Osborne is likely to build on announcements made earlier this year which suggested that the HCA would mastermind the public land sell off, which the government hopes will result in the building of 100,000 new homes. / 27 November
Inside Housing
Community Safety/ Community Cohesion / Tackling gang and youth violence
More action on gang and youth violence has been announced a year after riots devastated the UK.
The government has published an update on the Ending Gang and Youth Violence report detailing progress and setting out the next steps. Home Secretary Theresa May said: 'The riots of 2011 saw some of the worst violence on our streets in decades. In response, the Government launched its Ending Gang and Youth Violence report. 'One year on, this document reflects on our achievements, and sets out our commitments for the next year and beyond.' / 27 November
Home Office
HCA / HCA boss quits to be council chief executive
The interim chief executive of the Homes and Communities Agency is stepping down to become chief executive of Newcastle Council. Pat Ritchie has announced today that she will be leaving the agency at the end of January. Ms Ritchie has been interim chief executive of the HCA for the last two years. The agency announced in September that it is recruiting a permanent chief executive because the organisation appeared to have a more secure future. A spokesperson for the HCA said the agency was keen to get a replacement chief executive in place before Ms Ritchie departs, but will make an interim appointment if necessary. / 27 November
Inside Housing
Empty Homes / Funding boost will help "stop the rot" of empty homes
Communities Minister Don Foster has announced the opening of bidding for a share of £300 million. The funding will bring thousands of additional empty homes back into use across England. The communities minister pledged to “stop the rot” that empty homes can bring to blighted neighbourhoods and said that he “wants to go much further” in tackling the problem. Under the scheme 5,000 empty, and in many cases derelict, properties will be refurbished and put back onto the market over the next 3 years. Bidding guidance will shortly be published on the Homes and Communities Agency’s website for registered providers and at Grants admin for community and voluntary groups. / 26 November
CLG
Financial Inclusion - Poverty / Increasing numbers of working people live in poverty, report finds
Increasing numbers of people in work are finding themselves in poverty, according to a report published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. The report highlights the growing incidence of well-educated people on the breadline because of a failure to find a job. The report charts the changes in recent decades in levels of poverty in Britain – and seeks to explain why, despite higher levels of employment and a more qualified workforce, there has not been more success in combating poverty. The Monitoring Poverty report calls for the government to "give up the belief that welfare reform" is the solution and focus instead on the phenomenon of in-work poverty. / 26 November
Guardian/ JRF
Homelessness / Employment scheme is ‘failing homeless people’
The government’s work programme is failing many of the homeless people it was designed to help get back into work. A new report from leading homeless charities, published today, has called for urgent reform of the flagship scheme. Charities Crisis, St Mungo’s and Homeless Link found that more than half of those people surveyed were not asked what barriers they faced to getting back into work. They also found that Jobcentre Plus has failed to identify homeless people eligible for additional support through the programme. Of those surveyed, 58 per cent said they were not asked appropriate questions to help them find employment, with the same percentage claiming they were not treated with dignity or respect. / 26 November
Inside Housing
Regulation - Trading / Councils warn against government plans to create a street and cold callers free-for-all Consultation
Responding to government plans to scrap the Pedlars Act and remove council powers to refuse applications from street traders based on the number of existing shops and traders in a particular area, Cllr Mehboob Khan, Chairman of the Local Government Association's Safer and Stronger Communities Board, said: "Councils are working hard to boost growth and support local businesses and will always consider applications from street traders based on their merits. Removing the ability of residents, businesses and local authorities to have a say on where street traders can set up would be both unnecessary and counterproductive. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills’ consultation on Street Trading and Pedlary Laws is open until 15th February 2013. / 23 November
LGA/BIS
Governance – Freedom of Information / Cabinet Office launches open consultation on FOI data-release guidelines – Consultation
As part of its drive to enhance the right to data, the Cabinet Office has launched an open consultation on new guidance for public authorities on how to handle Freedom of Information (FOI) requests for the release of datasets. The guidance will complement new provisions governing the release of data in the FOI Act, which are planned to come into force in April 2013, giving public authorities time to prepare for their new duties. Members of the public can already request datasets under the FOI Act. However, the amended act brings together all provisions for the disclosure, use and re-use of data, and the new guidance will clarify what is expected of public authorities undertaking their new duties. The closing date for this consultation is 10th January 2013. / 23 November
Cabinet Office
Benefits – Universal Credit / 400,000 low income working families will be worse off with Universal Credit
The findings of a CIH report estimate that 400,000 working families will have less income with Universal Credit in 2015 than they did in 2010, demonstrating that the government's aim for households to be better off in work than out of work under Universal Credit is not the case for all families. The 400,000 families who could be hardest hit include some of the lowest earning in the UK - households that earn £247 or under per week will all see a fall in real income in 2015 and lone parents with one, two or three children will always be worse off if Universal Credit continues in its current format. / 23 November
CIH
Homelessness / Social impact bond launched to help teenagers in care and the homeless
In a potentially major step in public service reform, social investors are to fund two radical schemes covering teenagers in care and homelessness from which they should get a return of 10% a year if the project works. Social impact bonds are based on the idea that investors are taking a risk with their cash since if the outcomes do not match expectations they will lose their investment. In a bond developed between the mayor of London and leading charities St Mungo's and ThamesReach, support will be given to about 800 rough sleepers who are neither long-term nor new to the streets. Its aims are to reduce rough sleeping, help people get into stable accommodation, get them jobs and manage their health better. / 23 November
The Guardian
Health & Wellbeing / NHS to strike housing deal
The NHS is drawing up a national charter that will call on local health bosses to work with housing providers to improve services. Representatives from the new NHS commissioning board have approached the CIH, the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services and Care and Repair England, among other groups, to devise a strategy to involve housing organisations in healthcare. The non-departmental NHS board was set up by the Department of Health last month to improve the health of people in England. It is drawing up a ‘compact’, or agreement, with the housing organisations, which it hopes will be used as a national model to persuade local clinical commissioning groups, including GPs, hospital boards and mental health services, to work with councils and housing associations more closely. / 23 November
Inside Housing
Housing Development & Planning / Government urged to take 'golden opportunity' and let councils build 60,000 new homes
Five housing organisations are urging the Government to allow councils and ALMOs to finance 60,000 new homes over the next five years. The National Federation of ALMOs' (NFA) report - 'Let's Get Building' - says the Government has a "golden opportunity" to add 0.6% to Britain's GDP, create jobs and increase the tax take for the Exchequer by allowing the move. The report asks the Government to recognise that extra investment in council housing does not count as government borrowing because it is paid back through future rent income. The NFA produced the report in association with the CIH, the LGA, the Association of Retained Council Housing (ARCH) and was supported by the Councils with ALMOs Group (CWAG). / 23 November
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Produced by Policy & Commissioning 29/11/12