Pioneering Scheme to Improve Council Homes
Following consultation with tenants, Brighton & Hove City Council opened talks with investors to provide up to £45 million to refurbish 499 empty council homes.
The Council has developed an innovative approach, that will enable a newly created not-for-profit company, called Brighton & Hove Seaside Community Homes Limited (BHSCH), to raise the funding needed.
The initiative, which has cross-party support and means the council retains nomination rights to the homes, will see the leased homes house residents with special needs, including disabled tenants or victims of domestic violence.
Councillor Maria Caulfield, Cabinet Member for Housing, said:
"In the absence of Government consent to raise the money needed to improve our homes, the Council is determined to press ahead and has identified an alternative route.
"Leasing these homes to the new not-for-profit company means the council remains as the landlord but now has access to the money needed to modernise all of its homes."
Brighton & Hove City Council Cabinet will consult the Housing Management Consultative Committee and the BHSCH Company Board over the plans before taking a final decision.
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New Scheme to Help Teenage Mothers into Independence
The London Borough of Hounslow will renovate a site in Chiswick to provide accommodation specifically for young mothers.
Currently used as a temporary accommodation hostel for young women, Elm Court will provide accommodation to young mothers aged under 25 with one child under the age of two.
The existing arrangements are difficult, with homeless young mothers accommodated at St Margaret's House, which is also used as a general hostel. The premises are in very poor physical condition with shared bathroom and kitchen facilities.
The existing layout at Elm Court currently comprises 12 bedrooms with shared bathroom and toilet facilities and is in need of renovation and redecoration. The £324,000 development proposals will provide 11 good sized self-contained units, each with its own cooking and bathroom facilities. There will also be a large communal room which, can be used for workshops and social activities by residents.
Elm Court will provide young mothers with continuous support for a period of between six months and two years, until they are ready to move on to independent living.
There will be on-site staff to provide professional counselling, and other support services.
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Facebook Used to Communicate with Rural Tenants
St Leger Homes of Doncaster - the ALMO that manages approximately 21,000 properties for Doncaster Council - has already successfully launched a Facebook site to communicate with younger tenants. It is now using Facebook to communicate with tenants living in the Borough's rural areas.
It means that tenants - either at home, work or in the library - can easily tap into the site to find out about meetings. There will be discussion boards for tenants to have their say and they will be able to ask questions and receive answers.
St Leger Homes is also working on a Residents' Association Corner, so that members can tap into information about forthcoming meetings and events.
