The Cabinet Member for Housing response to question seven on 19 September 2016
It states that in the last two years (period ending 30 June 2016) the Council acquired ten homes; this response is being questioned by Northampton DCH
We are bringing to attention Table 693 (starts on site or acquisitions) published by the government, which show that in the period in question only two acquisitions have been recorded (i.e. 2014-15 Q3)
New homes at Althorp Street the Boroughs
Adams: As Northampton Partnership Homes (NPH) is the applicant I assume that you are the people to ask:
This planning application for demolition of 14 garages and the erection of two dwellings?
Will the two dwellings be council dwellings?
Will the dwellings be social rent?
NPH response … Yes the houses will be council houses
Adams … And the rent question?
NPH response… I am checking with colleagues as I have not seen the financial model – it will be either target social rent or affordable rent as per NBC policy
To be continued
The planning application n20160766-demolition-of-14-garages-erection-of-two-dwellings-with-associated-gardens-and-parkin
NBC agree to make more housing subject to RTB
Review of Older Persons’ Housing
Decision:
1) Cabinet noted the findings of Northampton Partnership Homes’ review of the Council’s older persons’ housing (as set out in its Older Persons’ Housing Strategy in appendices 1 and 2 of the report);
2) Cabinet approved the rebranding of the Council’s sheltered housing as ‘older persons’ housing’ and authorised changes to the housing allocations policy (as set out in paragraphs 3.2.5 – 3.2.7 of the report) in order to define these properties as being suitable for people aged 55 or over and determine the circumstances in which they may be let to people with disabilities who are under the age of 55 years;
3) Cabinet approved the reclassification of its ‘general needs’ bungalows to ‘older persons’ housing’ when they become vacant and are assessed as suitable for older people, in order that all future lettings are made to people who are either aged 55 years or over or have a disability, required accessible housing and are under the age of 55 years;
4) Cabinet approved, in principle, the reclassification (to ‘general needs housing’) or up to 600 flats and bungalows that are currently designated as ‘sheltered housing’ but are assessed as being unsuitable for older people, and authorised Northampton Partnership Homes to consult with the affected residents, in three phases, in order to establish their housing preferences and their current and future needs, and to recommend to the Council which schemes should be reclassified and when;
5) Cabinet delegated to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the cabinet Member for Housing & Wellbeing and the Section 151 Officer, the authority to approve the reclassification of the older persons’ housing schemes to ‘general needs housing’ after Northampton Partnership Homes has consulted with the affected residents and following consideration of Northampton Partnership Homes’ recommendations; and
6) Cabinet noted that it would receive further reports on the implementation of Northampton Partnership Homes’ Older Persons’ Strategy and the Council’s development of a Multi-Agency Older Persons’ Housing Strategy that takes into account the views of a wider range of stakeholders, including registered providers, private sector developers and housing providers, health and social care and the voluntary and community sector.
Northampton Defend Council Housing welcomes the news that the refurbished homes are being tenanted and notes the FACT that new tenants in Dover Court will be paying more for the same.
Why:
The “new” weekly rent, for new tenancies is wholly in accordance with NBC rent policy. The explanation here is that following the end of “rent restructuring” Dover Court rents were not at target rent. As everyone is aware all dwellings that are not at target rent are moved to target rent on re-let and that is what is happening here. Any new tenants will be paying the higher target rent. Those who were decanted and are moving back will keep their lower rent.
Northampton Partnership Homes (NPH) published an article about residents returning to newly refurbished homes at Dover Court, As well as existing tenants returning, this week NPH started to welcome new tenants
The full article can be read at
http://www.northamptonpartnershiphomes.org.uk/dover-court-refurbishments
Norman Adams reporting on today’s meeting of the tenant’s panel of Northampton 
Partnership Homes said “White smoke emerged signalling that the TENANTS have elected a new board member to Northampton Partnership Homes, the new board member apparently as been a tenant of Northampton Borough Council for 24 or 34 years depending on what page of his address you read…. When asked for his comment Mr Norman Adams of Northampton Defend Council Housing said “the address to the tenants panel was full of management speak and waffle I feel sure the new member will be a perfect fit for the rest of the board”
NBC payments to bed and breakfast establishments go from under £89k to close to £293k
Defend Council Housing BRING you the FACTS
Northampton Borough Council payments:
Homeless Accommodation Charges (basically payments to bed and breakfast establishments)
We have done the comparisons of payments made from April to August in the last four years, and the amounts show the following:
2013/14 the amount from April to August was £88,247
2016/17 the amount from April to August was £292,934
We need to stop flogging the housing stock and build more council housing to get people out of the bed & breakfast establishments … it would even save the tax payer some money
Pay to Stay – the policy where households in social housing earning over £30,000 (or £40,000 in London) will be charged around the market rent for their home – will act ‘as a spur’ to encourage those tenants to exercise their ‘Right to Buy’
Housing campaigner Norman Adams said “Northampton as seen a rise in ‘Right to Buy’ since 2012 when the carrot of larger discounts was introduced, I expect to see the reaction to ‘Pay to Stay’ as still more ‘Right to Buy’ sales.
