Housing campaigner is left ‘spitting feathers’ again…

Norman Adams was to put it mildly ‘angry, and agitated’ that Northampton Borough Council  makes a mockery of its own (published) rent setting protocol that ‘Affordable rents’ would not exceed the 2019/20 LHA rate +1.7%

Northampton Council makes a mockery of the rent setting protocol

Despite the claims that ‘Affordable rents’ would not exceed the 2019/20 LHA rate +1.7%

2019/20 LHA Rate + 1.7%
	52 weeks	48 weeks
1 Bedroom	£107.94	£116.94
2 Bedroom	£136.28	£147.64
3 Bedroom	£146.49	£158.70
4 Bedroom	£196.03	£212.37

I now find that the expected rent of £116.94 will be £140.00

£23.06 in excess of the rent setting protocol

https://www.nph.org.uk/nbcnph-rent-setting-protocol

Marshleys Court, Goldings, Northampton

1 Bed Older person Bungalow

£140.00 per week

Advert: 112

Landlord: Northampton Borough Council

A growing problem

 

A growing problem

50years of doing next to fuck all is beginning to show

Northampton’s growth was limited until it was designated as a New Town in 1968, accelerating development in the town.

That’s over 50years ago

Northampton Development Corporation left us a legacy that still needs addressing

Northampton Development Corporation tree nursery

A tree nursery was set up at Round Spinney for the many thousands of trees and shrubs of various varieties for use in the landscaping of the new housing estates

It as come back to bite us, it will cause even more trouble for us in the future if we do not solve it now

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

We will take your money even if your skint

Happy To Help is a social enterprise subsidiary of Northampton Partnership Homes.

It states:  Our aim is to improve the health, wellbeing, economy, environment and availability of opportunity for the benefit of NPH residents and their communities

They (Happy to Help) have a number on donors

One of which was Robin Hood Energy

Robin Hood Energy was skint but still giving to the Northampton Partnership Homes subsidiary

What STRANGE times we live in?

A report from external auditor Grant Thornton said in July that Robin Hood Energy’s losses had risen to £23.1m last year, following a £1.6m loss the year before.

Financial Statement for Happy to Help show in that period (two years) donations of close to £34k

Signed Accounts Happy To Help 2020 (1)

 

 

 

 

 

Executive Management Team remuneration £793,000

I don’t think ANY of them will need a foodbank

Northampton Partnership Homes is the arms-length management organisation (ALMO) that manages Northampton Borough Council’s housing services.

Executive Management Team = eight people

Executive Management Team remuneration

2019/20 £793,000.00

Signed NPH Financial Statement 2019.20_compressed

You can keep the bung NBC tells home owners

 

You can keep the bung NBC policy tells home owners NBC Regeneration Policy February 2019 3.7 If the home owner has purchased the property (as a council tenant) under the Right To Buy Scheme, they will have received a discount on the purchase price when they bought it and, if they sell it within five years, they will normally be required to repay all of part of the discount they have received. 3.8 Where a home owner sells their property to the Council (either voluntarily or as a result of its compulsory purchase) after the Cabinet has formally approved the regeneration scheme, the Council will not seek to recover any of the money that the home owner received as a discount when they bought the property. Housing Regeneration Policy ReplyReply allForward

Better late than never

Better late than never

New council homes at Toms Close, Collingtree, Northampton

New council homes that were expected to be completed by the end of March are finally being advertised for people on the housing register (waiting list) to bid for

ADAMS says; The first batch advertised generated a lot of interested particularly for the two bed roomed ones

Average applicants interested for the 2 beds = 241

Average applicants interested for the 3 beds =75.5

The rents are 48 weekly payments

2 beds = £147.64 per week

3 beds = £158.70 per week

The development is for 21 new build houses comprising 17 two bedroom and 4 three-bedroom houses

 

 

The Board is’Too old, too white, too male’

‘Too old, too white, too male’?

Adams says “The Board of Northampton Partnership Homes is ‘Too old, too white, too male’

Today, in politically correct 21st-century Britain, you might think things would have changed but somehow mainly over 50 year old White Males and Board Rooms limp on

 

	Over 50 years				10		83%
	Under 50 years				2		17%
	70’s		2
	60’s		2
	50’s		6
	40’s		1
	30’s		1
Northampton Partnership Homes Board									MONTH	YEAR
David Latham Chair of the Board									April	1946
Andrew Woods Board Member – Independent									March	1948
Alan Bottwood Board Member – Council nominee									Oct	1950
Mary Markham Board Member – Council nominee									Dec	1956
Chris Deery Board Member – Independent									June	1961
Andrew Kilbride Board Member – Council nominee									April	1964
Andrew Weatherill Board Member – Independent									March	1965
Chris Webb Board Member – Tenant									May	1965
Godfrey Kanengoni Board Member – Tenant									May	1967
John Connolly Board Member – Tenant									Aug	1967
Clare Whitehead Board Member – Tenant									March	1973
Zoe Smith Board Member – Council nominee									June	1985
	racial disparity audit
	BAME	8%
	White	92%
	male or female
	Male	75%
	Female	25%

 

Norman Adams – Northampton – June 2020

 

 

The 16.16% that are on Universal Credit are carrying 47% of the councils rent arrears

ADAMS says:

Contrary to urban myth not ALL council tenants are on housing benefit

In January 37% of Northampton council tenants were receiving no benefit related to housing (so far as the council is aware)

Universal Credit seems to be a problem

The 16.16% that are on Universal Credit are carrying 47% of the councils rent arrears

https://www.nph.org.uk/universal-credit-and-arrears-1

They are shameless!

They are shameless!

Housing Associations (also known as ‘registered providers’) push rents over maximum housing benefit level leaving tenants to pay rent shortfalls.

Milking the so called [i] “affordable rent”

Most rents charged by councils or housing associations are called social rents. Social rents are lower than rents for similar private rented properties.

At least Northampton Partnership Homes (Northampton Borough Council) seems to be only taking it to the max LHA rate….

DEMAND that the government build more social housing at social rent

In the example below £17.30 shortfall

	Landlord:	Charge Adjusted	Max LHA rate
Social Rent Average three bed	Northampton Borough Council	£89.59	£144.04	-£54.45
3 bed new build	Northampton Borough Council	£144.04	£144.04	£0.00
3 bed new build	EMH Homes	£161.34	£144.04	£17.30

 

[i] Council and housing association landlords can also charge up to 80% of market rents on some of their homes, usually new-build properties. This is called affordable rent.

 

 

So called “Affordable rent” add to the welfare bill

ADAMS Says…
If the government is serious about managing the Welfare Bill, why is the only growth area in so called “Affordable rent” homes, we have seen this grow to now having 118 in NBC stock which have the potential to add over £207k a year to it?
		The affordable	if they were social
number in the housing stock		rent take per WK	rent take per WK
57	1 bedroom	£6,260.31	£4,353.66
20	2 bedroom	£2,726.00	£1,817.80
35	3 bedroom	£4,674.60	£3,397.10
5	4 bedroom	£663.90	£522.10
1	5 bedroom	£208.81	£113.44
		Total rent per week	Total rent per week
		£14,533.62	£10,204.10
		Rent *48 weeks	Rent *48 weeks
		£697,613.76	£489,796.80
Added cost = £207,816.96