Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council became the latest authority to sign a housing protocol agreement with the Housing Corporation. The official signing marked a partnership that will bring together the resources and skills of both organisations, to deliver affordable housing across the borough.
Based on a national protocol agreed between the Local Government Association and the Corporation, the housing protocol sets out how the Corporation and the Council will work together to deliver the common vision of affordable homes within strong communities, reflecting local priorities.
Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council has been working closely with a range of key local stakeholders including developers, planners, housing associations and supported housing providers, to develop an action plan.
Action points include:
East Lothian Council decided to cease its policy of buying back former council homes to meet the shortage of homes in its area. Between 2004 and autumn last year, the Scottish council spent £13 million buying back over 110 properties.
The Council had resisted embarking on a new development programme, being wary of the impact on new homes of the Right to Buy. Unlike other Scottish local authorities - like Fife, Perth and Kinross and South Ayrshire - East Lothian did not suspend the Right to Buy and instead bought back properties on the open market.
The need to increase housing stock is particularly acute in many areas of Scotland, following pressure from the Scottish Executive to end homelessness by 2012.
However, a change in borrowing rules in 2004 has allowed some local authorities the freedom to decide what they can prudently borrow. This, with the drop off in Right to Buy sales in the area, has led to a decision by East Lothian Council to embark on a new £250 million development programme.
Sheffield Council's Cabinet approved proposals to build 2,000 new properties over the next three years on derelict sites scarring Sheffield housing estates - but the proposals have been slammed because only 15% of them will be affordable housing.
Over the last ten years, areas across the city have been left empty following the demolition of council properties deemed too run-down to repair or surplus to requirements. Now plans to develop new homes that are a mixture of owner-occupied and rented properties have been attacked as not including sufficient affordable housing.
Features of the new homes will include: