Section: Yesterday's News
Five Years Ago
In July 2003 we were reporting:
- Milton Keynes Council was the only one of fourteen local authority applicants not to be successful in gaining a place on the third round of the Arm's-length Management Organisation (ALMO) programme........
- The Government published a new consultation paper, in which it proposes changes to the way that £3 billion of management and maintenance (M&M) allowances are calculated for housing authorities.......
- The Housing Corporation announced that its new Chairman will be Peter Dixon. He succeeds Baroness Dean of Thornton-le-Fylde, who will stand down on 1st October 2003 after six years in office.......
- Following evaluation of consultation responses, the Housing Corporation announced its decision to change the rules preventing housing associations from making payments to their board members. Under the new rules, associations will be free to make payments up to a maximum of £20,000, provided they can demonstrate that payment is in the interest of the association and will contribute to the highest standard of board performance........
- Seven housing associations that joined forces to enhance their buying power for construction and maintenance programmes reported an estimated saving of nearly £4 million for 2003/04 (on a combined expenditure of £20 million).......
- The 2001 English House Condition Survey was published, showing a marked improvement in the overall condition of the housing stock in England since 1996. The number of non-decent homes in the social sector fell from 2.3 million to 1.6 million over the same period, whilst in the private sector the proportion of vulnerable households in non-decent homes dropped from 58% to 42%.......
- Seventeen councils were given ministerial approval to proceed with plans to transfer more than 125,000 homes during the next two years. Four councils have been asked to develop their transfer proposals further before being offered a place on the programme.......
- Birmingham Council revealed plans to devolve its housing services to eleven neighbourhood administrations by April 2004. This is the first stage of a four-year process that could lead to control of the housing service being passed to as many as 35 community-based organisations.......
One Year Ago
In July 2007 we were reporting:
- The Audit Commission's new short notice inspection programme for housing associations is set to start this autumn, following overwhelming support for the proposals. The deadline for Associations volunteering to take part in the pilot was 27 July and the Commission is now preparing its first round of short notice inspections, which give Associations only a few days' notice to prepare for an inspection........
- For the first time, arms length management organisations have been accredited by the Housing Corporation under its Housing Management Accreditation Scheme.
Northwards Housing, Carrick Housing and Derby Homes received accreditation.......
- Fourteen innovative housing projects were given the green light to bid for investment, in the drive to deliver affordable homes and boost economic growth in the North of England. The Northern Housing Challenge was launched by the Housing Corporation last year to promote new housing-led projects that will help shrink the £30 billion difference in economic performance between the North and the South, while providing homes for over 10,500 people.......
- A new guide was published, providing a toolkit of practical advice and case studies to help improve wildlife among green spaces in and around social housing. Published by Notting Hill Housing Group and Peabody Trust, and commissioned by Natural England as part of the Neighbourhoods Green project, A Natural Estate provides simple techniques to encourage biodiversity on the spaces managed by social landlords and highlights examples of good practice........
- Housing associations, local authorities, government and private landlords must work together to reduce the use of temporary housing in London. This is the core message of a new report by the London Housing Federation and supported by the Housing Corporation. Coming Home: Reducing the Use of Temporary Housing and Tackling Homelessness considers how housing associations, councils, private landlords and government can contribute to meeting the Government's target of halving the use of temporary accommodation by 2010 and ensure the remaining temporary housing meets the need of tenants.......
- Almost two thirds of homeless people responding to a survey commissioned by the Food Standards Agency Northern Ireland into Food Poverty and Homelessness in Northern Ireland are eating less than three meals a day. This research also showed that half the participants who were parents had gone without food at some point in order to feed their children.......
- Communities Minister Iain Wright launched a network of 10 media training centres, which aim to give hundreds of young homeless people the skills to take up jobs in the media and music industries. The media centres, based in hostels for young homeless people run by the Foyer Federation, will give residents the opportunity to develop skills ranging from cinematography, radio and music production. New partnerships with media organisations will help young homeless people get into careers.......
- Proposed changes to shared ownership scheme rules will bar equity to staircase to 100% in areas of acute housing shortage.
The Communities and Local Government department consultation paper, attracted widespread criticism that the restriction could seriously damage take-up of shared ownership schemes. It proposes to restrict the ability to buy additional equity shares, known as staircase up, in areas where land is limited, preventing 100% ownership and, ultimately restricting the potential for selling effected properties on the open market.......
