Section: Local Authorities

LA News

The first stage of a new scheme to help owner-occupiers facing repair bills was about to be piloted in Glasgow. The Financial Gateway scheme is being operated by Glasgow City Council with support from Communities Scotland. It is piloting new powers, which offer home owners across Scotland a broader range of assistance than is currently available, helping them meet their responsibilities. It will do this by helping to make sure people get the right advice and information, and, in some circumstances, financial assistance.

The pilot scheme will initially focus on expanding access to lending over a period suitable to owners if they are finding it difficult to meet the cost of work to their homes and can't access loans elsewhere. It will then identify the difficulties people face and will devise new financial products to help.

Glasgow Credit Union (GCU), with financial support from Communities Scotland, will initially provide loans. GCU will review each owner's requirements and what they can afford, and provide financial advice. In addition, owners eligible for repair and improvement grants will have their applications checked to ensure maximum grant has been awarded. They will also have the option of a free council tax and benefits review to ensure they receive their maximum entitlements.

Owners wishing to take part in the pilot scheme will be advised to check their eligibility for high street financial products first, which may offer better rates. The aim is to help the owner make realistic decisions about borrowing that they will be able to cope with. The pilot will help expand the range of options for people not able to access normal lending and who would otherwise face living in a house in disrepair, borrowing from a loan shark, or in some cases, court action for unpaid bills.
The Government's plans to set up regional lettings schemes suffered a setback when one of the councils programmed to run a pilot decided it was not viable to do so.

Portsmouth Council had received £100,000 from the Communities and Local Government department towards launching a sub-regional choice-based lettings scheme. Following consultation with its tenants about what they wanted from its lettings service, the Council voted to abandon choice-based lettings and let another authority take its place in the pilot programme.

The Government hopes all councils will adopt choice-based lettings, which gives tenants the chance to choose where they move by bidding for social homes as they become available, by 2010.
To help combat fly-tipping, a mobile Community Waste Station collected unwanted items from Wirral Partnership Homes (WPH) residents' doorsteps.

Over a three-day period, staff from WPH and West Cheshire Cleaning Services collected unwanted items from residents. They managed to remove 7.4 tonnes of unwanted items, such as vinyl LPs, broken toys, broken fencing, bags of shoes, microwaves, trampolines, ovens and mattresses. In addition, they collected 16 fridges and freezers, and 10 televisions.

The waste station was a success. Dave Shirley, WPH Neighbourhood Warden, said: "WPH is committed to tackling fly-tipping and by providing a service for the community to dispose of unwanted items straight from their front door we not only provide a good service for residents but it helps create a cleaner and safer environment."
The Planning Inspectorate issued Ashford Council with a memo that pinpoints shortfalls in its 'core strategy' for the town. The Authority's planning and infrastructure plan sets out where it wants 20,350 homes built over the next 14 years.

A key concern expressed by the Inspectorate was the Council's proposal to centre housing growth in two areas, arguing that a third would allow better consideration of development options.

The Council's decision to restrict the number of development areas to two followed advice on the viable number of extra bus routes. The Planning Inspectorate concluded that the Council had failed to justify its argument.

The Government's 2003 sustainable communities plan recommends the creation of 31,000 homes in Ashford by 2031. The core strategy determines how 20,350 dwellings will be developed between 2001 and 2021, being a significant target in meeting the sustainable communities plan.

Section: Local Authorities

LA News

Housing Monthly Diary

Reporting on July 2007

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