Open Decision Item

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One Corby Policy Committee 18th November 2014

CBC Housing & Homelessness Strategy 2014-19

A new strategy has been prepared to summarise housing and homelessness priorities in the Borough, drawing from a series of consultation events that have harnessed

contributions from a range of stakeholders across the housing sector.

1. Relevant Background Details Corby currently has an ‘Interim Homelessness Strategy’ that is a statement of purpose with a supporting ‘action plan’. It’s most recent ‘Housing Strategy’ covered the period 2008-11, but this is no longer valid. While there is no legal requirement to have a Housing Strategy it is considered good practice for local authorities to provide a clear statement and rationale of agreed priorities for local housing provisions, and the Borough Council has a practice of having a suitable strategy in place to indicate its local concerns and priorities for the housing sector. The proposed “Housing & Homelessness 2014-19 Strategy”, when ratified by committee, will be a new combined strategy and will replace the previous use of separate documents (including the ‘interim homelessness’ document) for the time span of 2014-19.

2. Report Due to work pressures internal to CBC, a decision was taken to employ the Collaborative Centre for the Built Environment at the University of Northampton to co-ordinate a series of consultation events with a range of stakeholders that could inform the proposed new combined Housing & Homelessness Strategy in the Borough area for the period 2014–19. These first events were held during the autumn; views and suggestions on current and future priorities were consistent that a strategic focus on the future should:

• support the overall ‘growth’ ambitions within the Borough, at a pace that can protect the individual character of the local communities and settings within it;

• promote the provision of a range of housing properties that meet a variety of needs, but that avoids duplicating problems from the past;

• promote a holistic identification of the services and housing opportunities needed by the growing population of the Borough, paying particular attention to a population that is living longer due to advances made in health and well being;

• address the far-reaching changes in the nature of housing options for young people stemming from the changes to entitlements under current welfare reforms.

Subsequent work by CCBE and CBC officers has been focused upon incorporating these views into a suitable strategy document - the key elements of the proposed 2014-19 Strategy have been structured around the following indicative themes:

Strategic background and CBC Corporate Plan Needs, options & advice Preventing homelessness New housing development – housing for the private market New housing development - affordable housing for rent and sale via local Authority and

partnering Registered Providers

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Regenerating Neighbourhoods Improving existing stock – Public Sector - Decent homes, energy efficiency,

remodelling to allow for current requirements Improving existing stock – Private Sector – bringing empty homes back into use,

promoting energy efficiency Vulnerable households Involving communities – urban and rural Resources & finances

A full draft of the proposed strategy is attached to this report as Appendix One. It will also been made available from August 2014 on CBC’s website in order to invite any last comments from stakeholders and members of the public on the priorities listed.

A summary of stakeholder comments and ideas gained from the consultation events held during September-November 2013, plus feedback from discussions held with other local housing and community interests, have been attached within Appendix Two of this report.

3. Options to be considered (if any) This report is brought to members of OCPC in order to bring closure to the agreed process to create and adopt a new Housing & Homelessness Strategy for the Borough. The key recommendation of this report is to sign-off the work as described and to adopt the new document as the formal housing-focused strategy for the Borough, going forward into the next years.

4. Issues to be taken into account:- Policy Priorities The policy priorities within the attached Strategy maintain and promote the proposed corporate themes and priorities within CBC’s initial draft structured Corporate Plan and associated regional documents. Endorsing this strategy will satisfy the statutory requirement to produce a homeless strategy. Financial There are no direct financial implications as a direct result of this report. Risk Currently we have no up to date Housing Strategy and an interim Homeless Strategy that covers 2014. Whilst there is no legal requirement to have a Housing Strategy, not having one leaves the council’s future housing plans and policies open to interpretation. The Government allow for a small period of time for Homeless Strategies to go through administrative processes for ratification but Corby has been in an interim position for some time now to mitigate against non-compliance but is required to produce a strategy for 2015 onwards. Legal It is a statutory requirement for local authorities to adopt a Homelessness Strategy. Corby currently has an ‘interim homelessness strategy’ that is a statement of purpose with a backing action plan. The proposed “CBC Housing & Homelessness 2014-19 Strategy”, when ratified by committee, will replace the interim document for the time span of 2014-19. There is no legal requirement to have a separate ‘Housing Strategy’ but it is considered good practice for local authorities to provide a clear statement and rationale of agreed priorities for local housing provisions.

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Performance Information The strategy will contain actions to be promoted and completed and through review these will be monitored. Additionally, three former national indicators that CBC still monitors are impacted by the Housing and Homeless Strategy. They are as follows:

• NI154 – the number of new build homes in the area. • NI155 – the number from those new build homes that are affordable. • NI156 – Prevention of homelessness

The strategy will prescribe how the routes to which we will achieve the targets set as part of our business and without a strategy we would be open to miss-interpretation. Best Value The combination of strategies will lessen the need for duplication in publication. Human Rights None as a direct result of this report. Equalities None as a direct result of this report. Sustainability None as a direct result of this report. Community Safety None as a direct result of this report.

5. Conclusion Members are asked to note the work now completed to produce a new “CBC Housing & Homelessness 2014-19 Strategy”, and for OCPC to consider its adoption as the Authority’s new summary of strategic housing priorities for that period.

6. Recommendation The Committee:- i) Review and endorse the consultation process; and ii) Review and endorse the resulting draft of the “CBC Housing & Homelessness Strategy

2014-19”. Background Papers There are a number of policy and strategy documents from CBC and other housing stakeholders that relate to the new “CBC Housing & Homelessness 2014-19 Strategy”, and a list of these has been summarised with the draft 2014-19 document. External Consultations The consultations undertaken on CBC’s behalf taken during September - November 2013 involved direct contact with external bodies and stakeholders across the local and sub-regional housing sector. These included bodies in the private sector, bodies in the public sector, and interests in the social and community sector. List of Appendices Appendix One: A full draft of the “CBC Housing & Homelessness Strategy 2014-19” Appendix Two: Summary of comments and feedback gained from the ‘CBC housing & homelessness strategy consultation events’ during September - November 2013 Officer to Contact Jacqui Page, Housing Strategy Manager, Ext.4294

Draft text

for final

consultations

2014

HOUSING AND

HOMELESSNESS

STRATEGY 2014-19

Contents:

Strategic background 2

Priority 1: Growth

ambitions for the

Borough

3

Priority 2: Objectives

for housing needs,

advice and allocations

4-5

Priority 3:

Homelessness

6-7

Priority 4: New housing

development

8-9

Priority 5: Providing

Affordable Housing

10-11

Priority 6:

Regeneration

12-14

Priority 7: Support

services

16-17

Priority 8: Partnership

working

18-19

Resources 20-21

Appendices

Glossary 1

Action Plan 2

Principles of New

Housing Growth

3

There are 8 housing and homelessness priorities for 2014 -19 and they head the individual sections of this document (highlighted yellow). These will be reflected in the Borough Council’s corporate plan and represents what is known as the ‘Golden Thread’ that should ultimately connect all service priorities and performance with wider strategic values. This strategy contains terminology specific to local Government, therefore a glossary is provided at Appendix 1, for ease of understanding.

Corby Borough Council (CBC) considers housing and homelessness to be extremely important issues and has identified these as key priorities within its corporate agenda. We are proud of the pro-active work we do that is aimed at meeting housing needs and preventing homelessness within Corby and will continue to strive for improvement .

To achieve these aims, close working relationships with our partners and service users are imperative. We already have a robust foundation of partnership working from which to build on but the involvement of local communities is crucial to the success and improvement of local services both now and in the future.

This document is a statement of Corby Borough Council’s position and objectives on how it intends to deal with providing for housing and homelessness services, not only in its borough boundaries but also how they will fit in with regional and national agendas.

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Housing is more than merely ‘bricks and mortar’; it is fundamentally concerned with how communities can be satisfied with where they live. Fundamental to the production of this new Housing & Homelessness Strategy has been the enormous changes taking place within the housing and development sectors affecting so many ‘housing’ issues: housing growth, affordable housing, grant provisions, localism, the rise of the private rental market and wide ranging welfare reforms.

The shaping of this document has incorporated ongoing principles of the Borough Council’s Housing Strategy for 2008-2011, the emerging joint Core Strategy for 2011– 2031. and the 2014 Interim Homelessness Strategy. Their established priorities for local provision and support have been joined with new proposals for a set of strategic enhancements to encourage the development of a wide-ranging and effective set of local housing services.

Foreword from Corby Borough Council Lead Member for Housing

Strategic background to 2014—19 Strategy

This Strategy is for all housing sector elements: public, private, registered providers and community. A series of events were held during September – November 2013 to collect a range of stakeholder views on local services and priorities. Those who participated were asked to highlight their ideas for priorities and to point towards examples of good practice that CBC can emulate or repeat. A draft document was created and further consulted to ensure views were reflected, resulting in a final document taken to Overview and Scrutiny Committee in October 2014 for approval prior to publication. Therefore, the following pages highlight the proposals received and show them in a focused manner in order to produce a concise working document. Connections with other related housing policies and strategies in CBC’s area have been highlighted via a number of direct web-links to give the reader an express connection to those documents. A subsequent “Action Plan” will detail specific actions and target dates to meet the 2014-19 priorities and will be attached as Appendix 2.

The format of the 2014 -19 Housing and Homelessness Strategy

HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS STRATEGY 2014-19

Aerial picture of Oakley Vale over the rooftops of the Hazel

Leys and Exeter Estates

The Council remains committed to doubling the population of the borough. Despite tough economic conditions the delivery of housing has been sustained at relatively high levels as demonstrated by the population growth between the 2001 and 2011 censuses, which for Corby has been double the national average.

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Census data for Corby—key changes 2001 to 2011

Priority 1: Growth ambitions for the Borough

Kingswood—an example

of partnership

regeneration led by the

council

A look at some key comparisons between recent Census data shows how Corby is continuing to evolve: 2001 2011 Change over 10 years: Overall population 53,174 61,255 15.2% more people, 2011 No. of households 22,006 25,215 14.6% more households % Households owning outright 20.5 23.5 3% more by 2011 % Owning with mortgage / loan 41.8 38.7 3.1% less debtors, 2011 % In rental accommodation 35.1 37.8 2.7% more households (‘Rent-free’) (2.6) renting, mainly privately

Housing Stock: CBC / Registered 6012/654 4897/1100 18.5% fewer CBC units, Providers (RPs) 68.2% more units by RPs

% Economic active (all employment) 69.5 65.9 3.6% less than in 2001

% Economic inactive (incl. retired) 30.5 34.1 3.6% more inactive, 2011

% 16 & over: no formal qualifications 39.3 27.6 29.8% better qualified, 2011

[Source : Office for National Statistics 2013; ]

Year Delivery

2008/09 476

2009/10 372

2010/11 585

2011/12 482

2012/13 483

Total 2,398

Doubling the population of the Borough

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The objectives of CBC’s established housing allocation policy are: To give reasonable preference for housing to those in the greatest housing need and those with a local

connection to Corby Borough To encourage common practices of working between the three Borough Councils of Corby, Kettering

and Wellingborough and all of the Registered Provider (RP) partners of Keyways To enable applicants to make an informed choice about where they would like to live To reduce the number of difficult-to-let properties To allow applicants to look for a vacant property in the area of their choice To make best use of social housing including optimising the use of adapted properties and reducing

under-occupation To reduce the number of properties refused by applicants To ensure properties are let as quickly as possible. A separate policy that takes into consideration the needs of Gypsies and Travellers follows similar objectives to those above.

Meeting local needs

Priority 2: Objectives for housing needs, advice and allocations

CBC’s choice-based lettings scheme - Keyways - is run in partnership with the Borough Council’s of Wellingborough and Kettering as a single register for access to affordable rented, social housing and shared ownership properties in the boroughs.

In Corby 80% of the total proportion of affordable housing owned by the Borough Council and 20% by the ten Registered Providers (Housing Associations) that operate in Corby and participate in the allocation scheme (see list on page 4). This is reflected in the records of lettings below.

A variety of tenancies are advertised, including introductory / starter tenancies, non-secure / secure tenancies, affordable rent tenancies and fixed-term tenancies. Applicants can also access options for low-cost home ownership and, in the future, will be able to access vacancies in the private rented sector.

Lettings

HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS STRATEGY 2014-19

Landlord Lettings 2011-2012

Landlord Lettings 2012-2013

CBC 500

CBC 329

Other Registered Provid-ers

95

Other Registered Pro-viders

151

Totals 595

Totals 480

Help for households to understand what housing options are available to meet their needs can be obtained from CBC staff in the ‘One Stop Shop’ and in the Housing Options Team. ‘Financial inclusion’ Officers are also employed by local Registered Providers within their housing management teams - these include housing associations.

Applications for social and affordable housing are made to the ‘Keyways’ Housing Register on-line (see page 5). They can also be made in person at CBC’s ‘One Stop Shop’. Due to the high demand for local social and affordable housing, applicants who wish to join the Register and who are without a local connection to the Keyways Partnership area, will only be considered on a case-by-case basis . [See definitions of ‘local connection’ in “Keyways Housing Allocation Policy, June 2013”] by clicking on the link.

Corby Borough Council The Corby Cube George Street

Corby Northants NN17 1QG

One Stop Shop opening times

Monday – Friday 8:30am – 5pm

Housing Allocations Policy

We have a good base of information that informs future plans and policies, enabling both need and demand to be met. However, working collaboratively with partners to build upon this information and data will assist in developing it to be inclusive of all tenure types as well as gaining and maintaining a greater understanding of the population of Corby and their diversity of needs and desires.

The action plan of this strategy will detail how we intend to achieve these and all of the objectives throughout this document. See Appendix 2.

Applications to Keyways are categorised and assessed within a 4 band system: these were revised in 2013 to the 5 bands detailed opposite.

The number of lettings made against each of these bands prior to revision is listed below.

[Source : CBC Housing Options Team]:

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Further development

Keyways lettings between April 2011 - March 2013

Revised Band Categories from June 2013

Band A Emergency

Band B Urgent

Band C Non-urgent

Band D Moderate

Band E Adequately Housed

Category

Lettings 2011-2012

Category

Lettings 2012-2013

Band A 80

Band A 47

Band B 321 Band B 266

Band C 77

Band C 53

Band D 117 Band D 114

Grand Total 595 Grand Total 480

Keyways The Action Plan at Appendix 2 describes in

more detail how all objectives

within this strategy are

intended to be delivered.

Understand the housing backgrounds of households at risk of becoming homeless and use this understanding to prevent homelessness where possible through pro-active prevention case work and partnership working with all types of Landlord.

In partnership with housing landlords, monitor the impact of the proposed changes to benefit systems, such as Universal Credit system when introduced, and implement methods of addressing those impacts in order to prevent homelessness.

Statistics collated by the Department of Communities and Local Government (Live Table 792) show that 2.06% of Corby’s population (currently 63,100) approached the Authority over a two year period (2011 to 2013) seeking assistance which ‘prevented and relieved’ potential homelessness, a figure only exceeded numerically in the county by Northampton Borough Council.

Face-to-face interviews with CBC’s Housing Advice officers are open to all households at risk of, or threatened with, homelessness. Applications placed on the Housing Register are managed proactively, and given categorisations via the ‘Keyway ‘bands’ that can maximise prevention of becoming homeless.

During 2013/14, the background to the majority of those presenting as at risk of becoming homeless was due to Parental/Relationship breakdown and this pattern has repeated year on year. However, the next major reason has been due to losing accommodation within the private sector although only half of those were due to rent arrears. It is uncertain how the Government’s introduction of the proposed ‘Universal Credit’ scheme will impact on benefit-recipient households being able to retain tenancies. This will require significant monitoring to ensure prevention actions are tailored to need.

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Prevention

Improving knowledge

HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS STRATEGY 2014-19

Population Homeless decisions

As % of population

Homeless Prevention

As % of population

Total of people seen

As % of population

Census 2011 Apr 2011-Mar 2013

Apr 2011- Mar 2013

Apr 2011- Mar 2013

Corby 61,255 147 0.240 1,301 2.12 1,448 2.4

Daventry 77,843 141 0.181 61 0.08 202 0.3

East North-ants 86,765

318 0.367 266

0.31 584 0.7

Kettering 93,475 242 0.259 874 0.94 1,116 1.2

Northampton 212,069 1705 0.804 3,521 1.66 5,226 2.5

South North-ants 85,189

136 0.160 569

0.67 705 0.8

Welling-borough 75,356

545 0.723 508

0.67 1,053 1.4

[Source : North Northants Strategic Housing statistics 2013, ONS Census March 2011, Housing Coordinator 2013]

Corby's position in County: 3rd 1st 6th

Performances on ‘prevention ’

Contact details for CBC’s Housing

Options Team: Email:

housing.options @corby.gov.uk

Telephone: 01536 464631

Address: One Stop Shop

The Cube, Parkland Gateway, George

Street, Corby, Northants, NN17 1QG

Priority 3: Homelessness

Whilst Corby has seen more people presenting as potentially homeless by percentage than neighbouring towns, our prevention casework is seeing the best results, thereby minimising the impact of homelessness.

Detail of CBC’s varied responses to those households actually presenting as homeless as compared to Northamptonshire Authorities (April 2011—March 2013:

In order to respond to vulnerable households who are homeless it is important to ensure strong links are made between housing and support needs. Enabling, maintaining and reviewing those links is a key priority.

Supporting vulnerable households who have issues that cause them to become homeless is important. Securing and enabling through partner organisations help and support with debt, health and other personal issues that cause a household to become homeless is an key priority.

Building sufficient accommodation in a variety of tenures to address housing need.

Local Authorities carry out their formal duty to households accepted as homeless and in priority need under Part VII of the Housing Act 1996, by making an offer of a suitable property through social landlords. The implementation of the Localism Act 2011 has extended the scope for how this duty can be met by allowing the Council to provide offers of suitable accommodation via private sector landlords.

Applicants assessed as being ‘in priority need’ but who refuse an offer of accommodation made through the Keyways service, will be asked to attend a Housing Options appointment to discuss their requirements again.

There are a number of options available to people seeking to resolve their housing situations; including examples which follow but contact with the Housing Options Team will mean that a bespoke resolution tailored to a person’s/household’s need/circumstance may be identified: mediation with your landlord/relative to stay put, room rent, private rent, council/RP rent, home ownership, etc.

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Strengthening links and partnerships

Accommodation ‘offers ’ for homeless households

Responding to homelessness

Population Homeless

Acceptances As % of

population Use of B&B As % of

population Use of Temp

Accommodation As % of

population

Census 2011

Apr 2011- Mar 2013

Apr 2011-Mar 2013

Apr 2011- Mar 2013

Corby 61,255 63 0.103 3 0.005 50 0.082

Daventry 77,843 70 0.090 14 0.018 32 0.041

East North-ants 86,765

116 0.134 4 0.005 89 0.103

Kettering 93,475 89 0.095 48 0.051 174 0.186

Northamp-ton 212,069

1332 0.628 228 0.108 304 0.143

South Northants 85,189

117 0.137 5 0.006 232 0.272

Welling-borough 75,356

302 0.401 50 0.066 307 0.407

[Source : North Northants Strategic Housing statistics 2013, ONS Census March 2011, Housing Coordinator 2013]

Corby's position in County: 4th 2nd 2nd

New build programme increasing affordable housing in the area to meet need from the

Housing Register

Picture is of the Finland Way regeneration programme on the

Danesholme estate

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Priority 4: New Housing Development

Corby’s population in 2011 has increased by almost 15% from the 2001 Census and now totals 63,100 [Source NOMIS 2012]. Projections for the Borough’s continued growth are that this will rise to at least 71,000 by 2021. The overall population of the North Northamptonshire area is seen as likely to increase by 24% between 2011 and 2031, driven by dramatic growth in those aged 65+.

Projected trends to 2031 are that there will be a growth of almost 25% in single person households, many of older people, with a small growth in couples and a small increase in the number of family households, made up of a 15% decline in two parent households but a 25% growth in lone parent households.

The implications for future housing provision is an increased requirement for smaller properties (mainly 2 beds) for single people and couples, and a small increased requirement for family-size housing. There will be a clear justification for incentivising the provision of more flats and bungalows and similar property types to cater for the needs of small family and older person households. Corby’s ‘Gregory flats’, specifically designed for older households, remain very popular. For further guidance the principles for new housing growth in Corby are attached at Appendix B of this strategy.

The 2012 Strategic Housing Market Assessment Update suggested that tenures of new housing should be approximately 37% ‘affordable’, 7% ‘intermediate’ and 56% ‘market’ tenures (for sale or rent). The formal Core Spatial Strategy requirement is for 30% of new housing to be ‘affordable’.

There will be a clear emphasis for the affordable properties to be 1-bed / 2-bed in size, primarily due to welfare reform’s ‘spare room subsidy’ however, the provision of ‘market’ properties is likely to remain to be that of larger sizes because of demand and affordability will shape this provision.

[Sources : North Northants Strategic Housing Market Assessment Updates 2012 / ONS statistics 2013].

Corby’s housing market remains competitively priced, and there are signs that average prices are now almost back to their 2007 pre-recession levels.

Average prices (March 2014) continue to demonstrate a twelve-month increase of approx 7.95%: average for the Borough as a whole is now £141,781. [Values are distinctly higher in the more rural areas like Great Oakley (£192,638), and Weldon (£187,813)].

Detached properties are now averaging a sold price of £219,626; semi-detached properties averaging at £126,350; terraced properties £110,306, and flats £82,210.

[Sources : Rightmove, December 2013 / Zoopla March 2014]

The growth of new residential development will be assessed against achieving future target trajectories as laid out in the revised North Northamptonshire Core Spatial Strategy. The recession has had a serious impact on recent levels of completed new development. However, new development activity is increasing once again (as at mid 2014).

Trajectories for new -build housing development

Local housing sales and prices

£141,781

What new housing is needed for sale or rent?

Encouraging housing developers and providers to address need and demand across tenure is a key action to continue. Appendix 3 “The Principles of New Housing Growth” details the council’s policy on the delivery of new housing in Corby.

Identify deficits of any particular type of housing and promote its provision through new development. For example there are currently shortages of 2 bed family housing and accommodation suitable for a growing older population both of which need to be addressed through new development. Additionally since changes to welfare reform there has been an increase in demand for single persons accommodation.

It is important to promote public sector benchmarks that encourage the constructing of housing that is a good build quality, comfortable, sizeable and secure. This needs to be within all aspects of public and private sector provision.

It is also important to promote the raising of standards and performance in all sectors of housing, including the area of private sector landlords. A method of doing this is a Landlord Accreditation Scheme for private sector landlords that encourages good standards with performance monitoring built in.

Exploration of all options for the delivery of housing to meet need, such as but not exclusive to managing lettings for other landlords, is important.

Encouraging developers to limit private sales of ‘buy-to-let stock’ and where they are in place to explore a method of accrediting those landlords, is also important.

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Forward thinking

CBC planners are

viewed as amongst

‘the best in the region’

by the local housing

development sector

Building land within the Borough

The Council has an excellent track record of ensuring that there is significant supply of building land available across the Borough to accommodate housing growth. Currently there is planning permission for over 6,000 dwellings which is more than required to meet the full, objectively assessed housing needs of the Borough for the next 5 years.

The Council is required to maintain a rolling five year supply of deliverable housing land. A copy of the up to date position on five year housing land supply will be available at www.corby.gov.uk

Oakley Vale Sustainable

Urban Extension (SUE) 3200 new homes planned.

Started delivery of housing in 2001

As at January 2014

the final phases for housing are in the design stage

The housing stock owned by the Borough Council’s as at 2013 contains:

4815 units for social rent (i.e. traditional ‘council housing’) 82 units of ‘Affordable Rent’ (built recently through Government grant) with 58 to follow during 2014-15 560 leaseholder units (generally flats bought under ‘right-to-buy’) Gypsy and Traveler site with 10 Plots There are fewer properties being classified as ‘hard to let’, not least due to regenerating areas of old stock, although it is felt that current welfare reforms to limit benefit entitlement on ’under occupied’ properties has slowed the letting of 3-bed size units. All CBC data bases have been updated to check on future lettings times against their bedroom sizes - i.e. if larger properties might take longer to let due to welfare reform’s spare room subsidy and affordability.

Levels of ‘Right-to-Buy’ sales - there were 51 in 2013/14, which is above the 9 estimated in the Housing Revenue Account ‘self-financing’ projections. [Source : CBC Neighbourhood Pride Service]

Page 10 HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS STRATEGY 2014-19

Activities to bring all back-log properties up to the required Decent Homes standard were completed June 2014. The 2004 Savills report on CBC’s housing remains the baseline to update stock condition assessments by:

a) each property’s age b) the condition of each dwelling c) age + condition combined

A 30-year investment plan is being prepared to use approx £6m each year for maintenance and improvement works. It has been calculated that this will be covered from rents paid so long as rent income can be appropriately increased each year. It remains to be seen if the impact of reductions in benefit entitlement, right-to-buy sales, and other proposed changes to the Government’s Rent Convergence criteria will seriously deplete rent receipts. There has been an increase in CBC rent arrears of £46,000 (April-August 2013) which followed a £76,000 increase the previous financial year (2012/13). This close monitoring of rent arrears continues, particularly as a result of Welfare Reform and the spare room subsidy.

Priority 5: Providing Affordable housing

CBC Neighbourhood Pride Business Plan

There are ten other Registered Provider (RP) landlords apart from CBC that let local affordable housing via Keyways. These have almost 1200 properties in total - just over 20% of the Borough’s total affordable stock. Additionally Hanover Housing, a specialist provider for older persons accommodation work on a referral basis.

Registered providers are more commonly known by the term

‘Housing Association’. Housing Associations and Co-ops

Housing from Registered Providers

Registered Provider stock: [Source CBC / RSL stock records : * are not ‘affordable units’]

General Rent 85% Intermediate Rent 1% Shared Ownership 1%

Supported Housing 10% Market Rent 1%* Other 2%

Housing from Corby Borough Council

Continue maintaining, modernising and improving CBC stock in line with Decent Homes Standards, whilst exploring options for enhancing standards.

Monitor the impact of rent increases year on year, reporting their effects on the ability to deliver stock investment and maintenance and from this.

Ensure value for money by monitoring and shaping service delivery in line with income, taking into consideration the impact of depletion of stock through ‘Right to Buy’ sales.

Continue to maximise delivery on CBC’s new build programme by exploring options to obtain support funding.

Explore blockages to development, both physically and financially, seeking ways to remedy those blockages.

Continue to support housing providers with bids for funding to sustain their new build programmes in Corby.

Explore how the increase of new urban and rural development can happen whilst preserving the unique characteristics of communities and their surroundings.

Encourage all housing providers to share information and good practice.

Explore with Registered Providers, scope for new ’affordable ownership’

products to help meet local housing need and aspirations.

Explore the availability of local ‘Brownfield’ sites as a priority for future

development.

Each of the Registered Providers on page 10 have ‘developer’ status with the Homes & Communities

Agency (HCA), except Rockingham Forest HA, which operates agreements with other providers to acquire

newly-developed units on its behalf.

HCA figures show that the grant confirmed in Corby (April 2011 to Dec 2013) in the 2011-15 period is already £1.9m, which will provide 105 units for Affordable Rent, and 11 units for Affordable Home Ownership.

There is a natural ‘time-difference’ between the award of different funding or planning approvals for new properties and their actual delivery on-site. CBC Planning Services estimate that there will be around 110 –120 units of new affordable housing completed in 2014-15.

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Monitor and improve

Funding and delivery of new affordable rental and ownership stock

Canada Square site demolished in readiness for

redevelopment (as at June 2014)

Snatchill Close, Oakley Vale Hooke Close, off Rockingham Road Finland Way, Danesholme

Page 12 HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS STRATEGY 2014-19

Priority 6: Regeneration

The aim of regeneration changes

Map of CBC’ regeneration areas: The localities in Corby that were the first focus of renewal are

Kingswood, Lodge Park and Danesholme

The heart of Corby’s regeneration work has been to demolish the failing parts of neighbourhood areas and

rebuild them with modern housing to suit the needs of families and smaller households. In addition some

small sites previously under-used for garages or parking, are being redeveloped or considered for

redevelopment for further residential provision or other community use. A fundamental aim is to create

new neighbourhoods that offer a range of housing tenures and new house

types as the basis of being sustainable and attractive places to live.

Picture is of the Finland Way regeneration programme on the

Danesholme estate

Canada Square site demolished in readiness for

redevelopment

Boston Close site being prepared for

redevelopment

These are some

current CBC new

build projects on

Kingswood and

Danesholme, there

are others on the

Lodge Park and

Hazel Leys estates

Map of CBC neighbourhoods under regeneration

Priority Housing Regeneration Areas:

1 ) Much of the former Arran Way was demolished in 2007 to make way for

regeneration. Building Started early in 2010 and completed spring 2011 with 30

new council houses and bungalows. Following on from that the remaining 55

homes for sale were started in 2012 with completion expected winter 2014.

2 ) A small redundant garage site on the Willow Brook Road junction to Grendon

Avenue. Building started autumn 2014 of 5 council bungalows, due to complete in

spring 2015.

3 ) Leighton Road is a small site in the Kingswood ward situated in the Hazel Leys

estate. Building started autumn 2015 of 4 council bungalows, due to complete in

spring 2015.

4 ) Boston Close is the last phase in the regeneration of the former Lincoln Way site

on the Kingswood Estate. Building of 26 council homes started in Summer 2014

and is due to complete in spring 2015.

5 ) Colyers Gardens is the marketing name for the first two phases of the Lincoln

Way regeneration site. Building started in Spring 2010 and completed spring/

summer 2011. Delivering another 38 new council homes and 138 homes for sale.

6 ) Canada Square, another key regeneration site on Kingswood, was demolished in

summer 2014. Building commenced of 36 homes for rent in autumn 2014, 10 of

which are council homes and 18 ASRA Housing homes. The first phase is due to

complete in spring 2015 with the remaining following on by winter 2015.

7 ) Most of the former Finland Way was demolished in 2007 to make way for

regeneration. In its place were built 47 new mixed tenure homes, 18 for the

council which are due to complete in full by Winter 2014, 8 ASRA housing

Association homes and 21 homes for sale.

8 ) A small site off Copenhagen Road was delivered in Spring 2011, consisting of

mixed tenure housing of 14 council homes and 31 homes for sale.

Review of traffic management in residential areas where schools are located and in areas affected by ‘overflow’ parking from the town centre requires new solutions to minimise traffic congestion.

Make pilot projects for local and estate ’retrofit’ improvements to link with the existing focus on ’affordable warmth’ priorities.

Placement of refuse bins at residential properties, and bin-lorry access to them, requires new solutions to avoid traffic constraints.

If and when community based services are removed, consider potential alternatives for wider community assistance.

Page 13

Exploring new ideas

Making Corby ’s neighbourhoods ‘carbon neutral ’

Supporting Corby ’s neighbourhoods

The consistent improvement in local peoples’ satisfaction with Corby’s changing neighbourhoods and estates is reflected in the regular and positive feedback given to the multi-agency Joint Action Group (JAG), which has a central role in connecting stakeholders’ views on local action with dynamic neighbourhood management services.

A great deal of public use has been made locally of the Probation Services ‘community pay-back’ scheme, but national changes are threatening to remove this with no replacement service being discussed.

Traffic management is regularly reported through the JAG as an existing and ongoing problem in Corby, and will be magnified through subsequent town growth, until it is addressed. Other areas that are periodically affected by large volumes of traffic are around schools and the centre of the town.

Substantial work under the banner of “Electric Corby” will enable CBC to enhance its overall environmental impact and performance, and to help secure a more sustainable environment in general.

A new Energy Company Obligation (ECO) has been introduced as part of the Government’s Green Deal to improve energy efficiency in homes. CBC officers are considering how local ‘hard-to-heat’ properties could be treated to reduce local carbon emissions and have access to ECO funds to assist with such improvements.

A £200,000 loan has been secured from the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP) to help fund the build of 10 Zero Energy Bill (ZEB) Homes at Priors Hall by end of 2014.

Pilot projects to install solar electricity and external insulation in some social housing properties are in the delivery stage.

Green Corby is here to help you

reduce your environmental

impact. Our tips and advice can help you save money, reduce waste, and get

involved in your local community.

There are also problems reported in some new-build areas where larger refuse vehicles struggle to have access to residential properties, and there is an increasing difficulty in finding suitable places to stand and store the rising number of different refuse bins. All issues need to be addressed locally as well as strategically.

Page 14 HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS STRATEGY 2014-19

CBC’s established mechanism to deal with local empty properties has been set out within its ongoing Empty Homes Strategy, revised in 2011. This has highlighted three separate but combined elements of action:

Identify - having clear and up-to-date information on the number and location of empty and unused properties in the Borough;

Enable - providing advice, assistance and, when grant funding is available, a financial resource to help bring empty properties up to the Decent Homes standard and back onto the rental market.

Enforce - to implement compulsory purchase or leases to bring local neglected property into suitable use where such measures are justified to overcome inactivity.

95 long-term

empty

properties

have been

brought back

into use in

CBC’s area

since

2011/12

Benchmarks for empty properties in Corby and the County

Regeneration Continued: Making better use of existing housing

The majority of housing in the Borough performing inefficiently in terms of warmth and comfort is to be found within the private sector, as investment from private owners has historically not matched investment in social and affordable housing improvements.

Significant numbers of properties have been identified as having ‘low thermal efficiency’ against a 2010 baseline. A significant programme to implement energy efficiency measures is required when funds can be made available or generated by Government-sponsored schemes, like the Green Deal, to subsidise insulation measures, new boilers, and solar / PV panels. Corby is not unusual in that there are substantial numbers of households in the Borough with high or even unaffordable heating costs (i.e. in ‘fuel poverty’). However, the Council is committed to reducing the fuel poor homes in the Borough and driving the number of home energy efficiency measures through their Affordable Warmth Strategy 2013-2016 action plan. This includes increasing access to funds through the Government incentive schemes, helping customers understand low carbon technologies that can benefit household energy bills.

Local Authority Total

Dwellings Total Empty

% of total stock Empty Councils

RPs / oth-er public

Private sector

Empty Short Term

(under 6 months)

Empty Long Term

(over 6 months)

Corby 26,912 529 1.97% 105 56 368 353 176

Daventry 33,025 658 1.99% - 37 621 456 202

East Northants 37,562 1,016 2.70% - 21 995 659 357

Kettering 41,905 1,230 2.94% 65 46 1119 882 348

Northampton 92,489 2,442 2.64% 116 37 2,289 1,784 658

South North-ants 36,563 752 2.06% 1 35 716 524 228

Wellingbor-ough 33,447 851 2.54% - 78 773 478 373

[Source : www.emptyhomes.com 2012]

Levels of empty homes across Northamptonshire are given below, plus details of property ownership by provider type.

The Council are active members of the national Carbon Action Network, the National Energy Action a national fuel poverty charity, and work closely with Electric Corby Community Interest Company and the Northants

Warm Homes Partnership.

Making existing housing more efficient

Empty Homes in the private sector

Determine the extent of empty homes in the borough and create a strategy for bringing homes back into use through seeking and implementing the use of available funding support resources/grant.

Within the asset plan, map out properties that are below the Decent Homes standard so that this may be factored into ways of raising standards.

Reduce the number of vulnerable households in non-decent housing and monitor performance.

Use energy efficiency measures to be piloted on CBC and other RP affordable stock as a basis for action to private sector stock.

Page 15

Improving housing

Comparing Corby housing (2010) with ‘2007 English House Condition Survey’

Headline Result EHCS 2007 CBC

Numbers of overall properties n/a 17870

% failing 'Fitness’ standard 4.0 n/a

% failing Health & Home Safety Rating standard 23.5 12.5

% failing Decent Homes standard 35.8 21.9

Average cost to meet Decent Homes n/a 3687.0

% Vulnerable households in non-decent housing 39.0 29.1

BME communities within general population 8.9 5.4

Average SAP (energy efficiency) ratings 50 49

[Source : English House Condition Survey 2007, & CBC Stock Survey 2010]

Adaptations

With Corby’s growing population there could be an increasing demand for adaptations to assist with meeting the changing needs of resident households. The Council provides mandatory Disabled Facilities Grants to eligible residents in the private sector.

Comparisons between stock conditions at national and local levels show that a significant level of Cor-by’s stock is still in need of improvement, and that the priority should be to help the most vulnerable households.

An Energy efficiency method piloted

by CBC is installing photovoltaic

panels on a trial selection of

bungalows for testing, then rolling

out further.

Bringing empty properties back into use

Contact the Customer First Team on 01536 464242 or email customer.first@corby.gov.uk

The definition of vulnerable households is that of a household with a person or persons in need of specialist care, support or protection because of age, disability or at risk of abuse or neglect. It is for these households that Money Advice and tenancy management services are provided. For tenants, social landlords provide such assistance by officers within their organisations, April 2014 saw the two new CBC posts of ‘financial inclusion officers’ focusing on those households most affected by financial problems but for private residents there are other organisations, such as Citizens Advice Bureaux or Corby Volunteer Services, who can also assist.

Additionally CBC Housing Options Advisors are regularly updated on ‘mental health’ issues, laws, services, and on accessing help by using the Mental Health Act. However, there are other complex issues where specific organisations are called upon to support and advise in order to ensure households in need of care are able to get the assistance they need to stay in their home. CBC work with those organisations to continually provide, improve and strengthen support in order to ensure appropriate support is identified and given.

Page 16 HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS STRATEGY 2014-19

Issues do arise when changes occur to support services whether it is as a reaction to changing customer requirements, of funding and/or structural changes. A significant review of funding used to provide ‘accommodation-based’ housing-related support is being conducted by Northamptonshire County Council, during 2014 in order to decommission current service contracts and replace these with an increased focus on wider ‘floating support’ provision. The first ‘re-commissioned’ contractual changes have started, and will be focused on support to vulnerable ‘Children & Families’. Other consultation is under way to help shape a new contract for services to support vulnerable ‘Adults’ who previously accessed support from a specific NCC-contracted residential base.

CBC and other housing partners will need to monitor the emerging impact of this significant change, and its relation to future use of the county-based Common Assessment Framework. A new ‘risk register’ will be devised and existing service ‘protocols’ amended as appropriate.

There will also be a usefulness here to review the role and housing connections of the Clinical Commissioning Group helping plan for households with health needs, live-in carers and complex backgrounds.

Priority 7: Support services

Strategic changes to housing -related support services

The North Northamptonshire Strategic Housing Market Assessment in 2012 has provided a quantified picture of Older Peoples’ needs in Corby and neighbouring areas for the period up to 2031. One record of this is that while there were at least 750 Older People resident in ‘sheltered housing’ and ’Extra Care’ accommodation at 2011, this is estimated to rise by 50% by 2031 - see figures given below.

Vulnerability and Older People

Dates for calculations of 65+ Households 65+ totals

Households un-der-occupying

Housing 'designated' for

older people Numbers in Shel-

tered Housing Numbers in Extra

Care Housing

2011 5,827 3,308 367 175 320

2031 8,899 5,052 560 267 489

Totals of additional house-holds projected 3,072 1,744 193 92 169

Chatellerault Court one of CBC’s 10

complexes designed specifically for older

people requiring support

NCC link to Equality Im-pact Assess-

ment (EIA) for accom-modation based ser-

vices.

Vulnerable households

Assess overall housing requirements of households with complex needs because of age, mental health, physical health, substance dependency, etc and explore with partners, ways of filling any gaps in provision that exist or are created as a result of re-structuring or re-commissioning of existing support services.

Use service assessment benchmarking available from the voluntary sector to monitor access to housing and homelessness provisions.

Create a clear picture of the outstanding numbers and needs of Older People across all tenures of housing in the Borough and explore ways of meeting any increased or unmet needs.

Encourage research into creative local options to satisfy older and vulnerable People’s housing aspirations.

Review the promotion of housing options within County-wide ‘Health & Well-being’ work including housing providers’ roles and services.

Explore opportunities to enable ‘down-sizing’ within all tenures.

Little local detail has been gathered on the aspirations of Older People to obtain the kind of housing options they might wish to access in later life. The emerging ‘Heath & Well-being’ agenda is a natural context for evaluating how ‘housing’ provisions can support both independent and social lives, and help steer ‘options’ for Older People away from being unnecessarily focused just upon ’care’-based provisions.

For example, some other authorities are giving an increasing attention to setting housing within a co-supportive neighbourhood environment, managed by local residents, combining independent lives within self-contained dwellings with a very local sharing of other neighbourhood facilities.

Providing the means for Older People to move out of larger homes -‘downsizing’ - is a key part of the wider picture, and the social sector’s help to local tenants needs equivalent options within the private sector.

Page 17

Encourage service development towards meeting needs

New homes for

older residents

Health & Well -being

There will remain the need to develop appropriate new provision for ’frail’ elderly people and to consider amending existing stock to meet the needs of some singles and couples aged 50+. However, no wider data was available on the number of Older People resident across different tenures in the general housing stock.

St Kilda Walk Bungalows on the Lodge

Park Estate

Chatellerault Court and Sykes Court, two of CBC’s 10 complexes designed specifically for older people requiring

support

Chaterllerault Court off Borrowdale Road

Sykes Court off Rockingham Road Re-modernisation completed 2011

Community involvement remains high in the Borough’s priorities, with particular input being sought at regular stages throughout the neighbourhood regeneration schemes, such as seeking feedback on the potential for new designs and estate layouts. The Council’s and other local housing services are routinely discussed at meetings of CBC’s cross-tenure Neighbourhood Associations; by Parish Councils and by the rural umbrella-group CBC Rural Area Forum.

A revised ‘CBC stakeholder involvement strategy’ was prepared for consideration by One Corby Policy Committee at the start of 2014 and a report prepared for Neighbourhood Pride on the current picture of overall tenant and resident participation across CBC’s neighbourhoods.

Feedback on the impact of the 2014-29 Strategy will need to be given in appropriate Briefings that are targeted at community meetings and events, plus a yearly session to bring stakeholders together for broader discussion.

Page 18 HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS STRATEGY 2014-19

There are a range of sub-regional partners and stakeholder interests who will be keen to track the progress of local housing strategies, and to whom regular updates will be provided:

North Northamptonshire Joint Planning Committee & Joint Planning Unit

Northamptonshire Social Landlords Management Forum

Northamptonshire Social Landlords Development Forum

Regional Tenant Participation Forum

East Midlands Environmental Health & Empty Homes Officers Forum

South-East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP)

Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership (NEP)

North Northants Stock Viability Group

Priority 8: Partnership working

Engaging regional and sub -regional stakeholders

It is clear that stimulating the conditions for local ‘sustainability’ will include providing sufficient sites and opportunities to meet employment needs. The Borough Council’s role to promote local facilities in new areas of residential development is a crucial one, and an early allocation of sites and ‘start-up’ offers (such as potential Business Rate discounts) will greatly assist these areas to develop an identity for being more than just a place that provides ‘homes’. There is also a clear role for seeking some partnership assistance from the South-East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP) and the Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership (NEP) in promoting new economic development alongside substantial new housing development.

One opportunity could be the Borough Council partnering with local construction firms to build new housing units on council sites under a ’license’ agreement where the final sales receipts could be shared. Another opportunity could be stimulating local business engagement with housing ‘retrofit’ and improvement works. Other innovative forms of building provision and work could also be reviewed, such as (a) ‘self build’ housing initiatives and (b) a collaborative inter-agency approach to operating a new dedicated ‘off-site’ housing manufacturing facility.

Promoting Skills and Economic Development

Involving local communities—urban and rural

Deliver appropriate updates on strategic plans, legislative changes, relevant news, good practice ideas, funding availability or any other relevant information to multi-stakeholder sessions and other partnership networks to ensure timely knowledge and allow for change to working practice as or if required.

Encourage aspiration and acknowledgement of good practice and innovation through existing award opportunities.

Explore community initiatives to engage with future change.

Explore new approaches to promote delivery of local ‘off-site’ housing manufacturing facilities that will meet a complexity of housing development purposes, including but not exclusive to accelerated build and design methods that reduce fuel poverty.

Examine the potential for housing-based community enterprise schemes within local ‘social innovation’ research projects.

Consider plots for new individual or collective ‘self build’ projects within briefs for large-scale housing development areas.

Participate in ‘retrofit’ research to look at scope for local business.

Encourage apprenticeship schemes within all aspects of construction and development.

Corby has strong roots in its local communities and their engagement with local services and initiatives, which could fittingly be harnessed to a modern role for community-focused business approach of ‘social and community enterprise’ in the housing sector. Typical examples of this elsewhere are co-operative-based businesses organising housing management, new housing development, and / or local neighbourhood services (like estate and landscape maintenance).

Evaluating the local appetite for any such ‘community enterprise’ ideas would be a suitable subject to research, alongside consideration of what community development and other support services might exist or be fostered to help up-skill people into new business and economic development roles.

Page 19

Explore and encourage new skills and employment

Social Innovation and Community Enterprise

Page 20 HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS STRATEGY 2014-19

In terms of the housing capital programme, revenue

contributions of approximately £5.3m a year are made to support

approximately £160m of investment that is required in the

stock over the next 30 years.

Resources

The key projections of finances to cover all CBC expenses over the strategic period are laid out in the Council’s “Medium Term Financial Strategy 2015 –20” which was approved in November 2014.

Extracts from this document on CBC’s estimated housing revenue and capital costs and income have been summarised below. However, the annual updates are available on the CBC website using the link above.

Capital Programme - Five Year Financial Projections

2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 Total

£000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000

Council Housing Programme

MRA-funded Improvements 3,183 3,183 3,183 3,183 3,183 15,915

Revenue-funded Improvements 2,115 2,115 2,115 2,115 2,115 10,575

New Social Housing 3,250 3,250 6,500

Total programme 5,298 8,548 8,548 5,298 5,298 32,990

Funded by

Major Repairs Allowance 3,183 3,183 3,183 3,183 3,183 15,915

Revenue Contribution 2,115 2,115 2,115 2,115 2,115 10,575

HCA Grant Funding 500 1,000 1,500

External Borrowing 2,750 2,250 5,000

Total projected income 5,298 8,548 8,548 5,298 5,298 32,990

Housing Revenue Account - Five Year Financial Projections

2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20

£000 £000 £000 £000 £000

Estimated Total Gross Expenditure 22,983 23,491 24,008 24,442 24,824

Estimated Gross Income 23,087 23,442 23,918 24,337 24,690

Surplus/(Deficit) for Year 105 (49) (90) (105) (134)

CBC Finances

Page 21

Format for future

Resources from other housing providers

Priority Topics / Actions :

What is to be achieved under each strategic priority?

How is it to be achieved?

Who is to lead the ac-tions planned?

What and who is required to make a contribution?

What years are the priority : 1 – 5?

Status update?

To what other CBC strategies, etc., does this action relate?

What has been the impact of this action?

Reporting of how this Strategy is being progressed will be against the elements of its Executive Summary and the subsequent ‘2014 -19 Action Plan’. CBC’s use of the ‘Golden Thread’ to connect all service performance with wider strategic values will be reflected in the use of the following format:

Apart from CBC investment, substantial resources will also continue to be invested into other housing provision in the Borough from:

New-build construction by the private development sector

Private sector property investment for new rental supplies

Social and affordable housing from Registered Providers

Compilations of the net worth and amount of such investments are not routinely assembled, however a conservative estimate on the projected worth of the next five years supply of new houses would be at least 3000 x minimum average sale price, i.e. at least £315,000,000.

If 20% of new housing is ‘affordable’, management and maintenance via Registered Provider rent streams could be estimated at £4m a year.

[Source : CCBE, University of Northampton / Registered Providers reports]

Reporting on progress of the 2014-19 priorities will be through:

Annual updates to CBC’s One Corby Policy Committee

Annual updates and presentations to housing sector stakeholders

CBC’s corporate monitoring indicators (RPs to consider theirs):

Environmental (ESEP 1) : long term empty homes returned to occupation

Environmental (ESEP 2) : net reduction in Empty Homes in the Borough

Local (NPLLS 6) : average re-let time (days)

Local (NPLLS 8) : void properties at end of month

Local (NPLLS 15) : dwelling rent collected as proportion of rents owed

Former National (NI 154) : net additional Homes provided in the Borough

Monitoring progress:

Lead contact regarding any questions or queries on the ‘2014-19 Housing and Homelessness Strategy’:

Jacqui Page

Housing Strategy Manager

Corby Borough Council

Email: Jacqui.page@corby.gov.uk

Tel. 01536 464294

CBC Corporate Action Plan 2013/14

North Northamptonshire Core Spatial Strategy (2013 update)

CBC Neighbourhood Pride Business Plan

CBC Keyways Housing Allocation Policy 2013

HCA Northamptonshire Investment Plan

CBC Affordable Warmth Strategy 2013 :

CBC Private Sector Empty Homes Strategy 2011

CBC Private Sector Housing Renewal Policy 2010

CBC Private Housing Condition Survey 2011

previous CBC Interim Homelessness Strategy 2014

previous CBC Housing Strategy 2008/11

Details of other key policies and

strategies supporting or relating to the

2014-19 Housing and Homelessness

Strategy can be found on the Council’s

Website: www.corby.gov.uk

Strategy compiled by CBC in

conjunction with the

Collaborative Centre for the

Built Environment, University

of Northampton

ccbe@northampton.ac.uk

Lead Contact

Links to these and others can be found throughout this strategy

1

APPENDIX TWO: ONE CORBY POLICY COMMITTEE 18TH NOVEMBER 2014

Summary of comments raised at CBC housing strategy consultation events September / October 2013

1. General comments on wider housing context and ‘strategic’ background

Aspirations that new generations can do better than previous ones no longer seems so likely.

How best to ‘market’ the Corby area and its successes - still seen as a ’unique’ market.

Options for use for general ‘well being’ powers – housing as key to stop repeat offending

Are ideas for ‘interventions’ based on any assessment of Corby’s relative ‘strengths’?

Still aspirations to be 100,000 population size by 2031, but infrastructure ‘is clogged’... need to fund other facilities besides housing stock – road & bridge repairs, jobs, employment sites, etc.

Northhamptonshire suffers pressures in being part of the South East, but not enough benefits.

2. Needs, options & advice

CBL service always influenced by practices of the ‘Delft’ model

There are desires to secure local lettings that are very specific to certain parts of the town.

Is there still a key workers policy?

What balance to achieve between ‘needs’ and dwelling qualities?

Are minimum CBC lettings longer than elsewhere?

Tweak policy to allow 1 adult and 2 kids in 3-bed dwellings –Response There is a degree of ‘under-occupancy’ that is permitted at present

There is a need for more 2-bed properties in general and 1-bed properties for ‘chaotic’ clients

Accommodation is needed for singles and couples across tenures – larger accommodation is getting more difficult to let in some places: split larger units, or build smaller ones?

Is there scope for LAs to operate lettings and allocations across/beyond LA boundaries?

Corby has an ageing population with significant projected changes - is there a clear picture of needs that are outstanding for older people?

Example of Leicester stock for older people, with building attached for ‘special needs’ use

There is a willingness to downsize to suitable properties - some households equity-rich

What ideas could extend ‘Homeswap’ opportunities?

2

Help with rent needed – Advised that rent bonds are available through CBC currently

No scope for quick dissemination of information over modern media platforms

Increasing policy focus on households needing to prove a need for new housing

EU migrants are coming to CBC but not increasing pressure on homeless services.

How to prioritise local people moving between property types (down/upsizing)?

Undertake local needs surveys by parish and parish bodies

A big need to improve information on CBC web-pages

3. Preventing homelessness

Still ‘intentional’ and ‘unintentional’ aspects to overall ‘homelessness’

A sense that h’ness will increase long-term, despite CBC’s good work on prevention (which is recognised as first in council’s of its size in the country)

Concerns about ‘punitive’ conditions now affecting young people

Need to increase ‘temporary’ and ‘move-on’ provision in appropriate places

The basic reasons for people being h’less not changed

80%+ of ‘rough sleepers’ have drug and/or alcohol problems

Rough Sleepers access consistent ‘informal support’ in Corby area

Repossessions of buy-to-let properties showed a skewed picture of homelessness through repossession in Corby

CBC needs to balance how much new provision could be new buy-to-let with the need to increase opportunities for overall lettings

No hostels remain in CBC area as priority needs are not the ‘single men’ of the past

A strong focus on provision of ‘dispersed’ units and support services for young parents

Could ‘support provision’ be written into lettings arrangements with RSLs?

What impact has there been of changes made to bands on the Housing Register?

Still a need for flexibility within stock and design to meet varied homeless needs

Are HMOs or the prevalence of multi-occupancy properties increasing? – hard to be precise

Better links are needed between LA homeless side and County (social care)

3

What other routes for there to provide help with benefits? Note example of Employment Development Officers in some RSLs.

Little experience households being homeless but unable to speak English – interpretation services certainly available

What of hidden homelessness in rural areas: how to measure this?

4. New-build provision for private sale or private rent

CBC does set design and development briefs per site, especially for one-off small sites

Are enough 2-beds being sought?

Little clear character to the proposed new urban extension areas

Few bungalows for sale in new developments – note developer sector example of small groups of bungalows, where this can be negotiated

Still a keen local interest in ‘Gregory flats’ design

Which design offers most long-term benefit?

Few options for single storey living within new areas like Priors Hall - what incentives are feasible to integrate within wider mix and proportions? Still seen as very remote.

Has Little Stanion stalled? – few local facilities, or public transport opportunities (reminiscent of Oakley Vale at start), and RSL has struggled to let stock at initial lettings stage - ? role of CBC to promote shops, even if first temporary use might be for ‘community purposes’

Plans for West Corby will not provide in the short or medium-term

CBC could consider building briefs ‘under licence’ to share sales receipt and uplift

Buy-to-let has increased some availability of flats, but rarely contributes 1-bed properties

Note amount of new stock as buy-to-let, but not always to households ‘in need’

Private sector flats for Affordable Rent and to Lifetime Homes Standard, but not private sale

CBC report on ideas to accredit private landlords expected in December

‘No pets’ policies in private sector an issue at times....

Eco-construction and operation - how to cover the perceived additional costs of eco-housing?

Many more ‘zero-energy’ properties are required, like CBC pilot for new bungalows

4

5. Affordable Housing – lettings & provision from CBC and Registered Providers

Negative views on ‘social rent’ tenancies and provision, yet public sector still offers more suitable benchmarks (build, comfort, size, security) than private sector

What criteria to use to determine shared or low-cost ownership options?

What is the level of affordability in Olympic Square?

Should CBC tenants have to have extended tenancy history before RTB?

What restrictions could be placed on CBC stock to prevent some RTB (like bungalows)?

CBC stock survey to report December 2013

What is the current impact of the ‘bedroom tax’ /- should changes be made to some bedroom sizes, as elsewhere in social sector

What is being done to assess the overall impact on young people

Some rural affordable units and bungalow are viewed as too isolated to use if on restricted incomes

CBC sheltered bed-sits now all removed except Ernest Wright House

RSLs have started ‘vulnerable over-45’ health-related policy in sheltered accommodation, though not to include those with severe drug and alcohol related problems

What is overall information available on ‘hard-to-lets’, and on stockholders’ plans?

What about raising affordable requirement to 40-50 % of new housing developments?

6. Regenerating neighbourhoods

Multi-tenure neighbourhoods are still wanted, and balanced external appearances are key

Address Corby’s urban core, and then extend focus outwards to authority boundaries

Removal of Radburn areas and old apartments agreed as a necessary action to have taken, though new focus on small households needs to be careful not to recreate old problems

CBC planners are viewed very positively

Relationship to s106 requirements still very delicate, and needs joined-up discussions

Maybe ‘waive’ education contributions where new provision is for ‘in-fill / remodelled’ areas

Need to review available info on brownfield sites – like ex-pub sites - within CBC area.

5

Private sector willing to be pragmatic and increase certain provision if any obligations are decreased (e.g. increase in bungalows if reduction in extent of other affordable requirements)

How to ensure sufficient transport provision comes quickly to and from new areas?

Complex site assembly issues at times, especially where brownfield elements are concerned – note example of practices in Milton Keynes for flexible building schemes and requirements

There is significant but not universal support to introduce minimum space standards in housing - the future adaptability of all properties is still desired

There are desires for stronger planning conditions to provide local facilities, and their timing - triggers do exist for the for commencement of certain s106 requirements, but too slow

A need exists to document exit strategies for the private sector, especially to detail what might happen if a developer goes bankrupt

Concern that urban sprawl may swallow rural communities (like Weldon) and still not provide for local people

‘Sustainability’ also involves a need to create and supply employment sites

Police service focus on smooth operation of neighbourhood traffic around school times

7. Improving existing stock – empty homes and energy efficiencies

More energy efficiency measures must address fuel poverty, especially in private stock

A Photovoltaic pilot project is under consideration in CBC stock

Is it feasible to bid via SEMLEP for ERDF funds from the EU?

RSL stock is receiving work on solid wall properties (e.g. ‘no fines’), external cladding, PVs

CBC has secured funds to bring at least 40 empty properties back into use

There is a constant and continual need for Disabled Facilities Grant amendments

Homes in Multiple Occupation issues – registration, repairs, housing management, ASB, pets, intensities, utilities - while rent levels increase : note RSL sector example of ‘board & lodging’ in shared 3-bed properties, but other RPs concerned about H & S issues, etc.

Remodelling stock still a feasible option to progress

Use of flats over garages has not been that successful

Can build on CBC garage sites, but local parking still needs management

Environmental issues are being addressed less in the private sector than the public / social.

6

8. Vulnerable households

Support services are essential for drug and alcohol dependent households, but what impact on Corby as a whole from people with drug and/or alcohol problems?

How to address rent arrears with the new Universal Credit regime? – Registered Provider’s looking to make prior evaluation by ‘sustainability checkers’

Concerns about whole-sale changes in probation services - effectively these are being privatised

What is the most support role for Clinical Commissioning Groups and other strategic assessments connecting ‘health’ and ‘housing’ (households with health needs, need for live-in carers, complex backgrounds, disability issues, etc.)?

More focus is wanted to support people moving into ‘independent’ settings

Lack of co-ordination of responses to strategic objectives for People with Learning Difficulties

Services to support independence less-usual than services supporting people living within families : customary that families with LD member stretched to absolute collapse, providers loathe to make people ‘homeless’ in order to promote change

‘Easiread’ (jargon-free) framework given to local authorities within assessment reviews of lettings and allocations, to challenge access to services and basic awareness about LD users

Note Nene / Corby commissioning project – pilot for range of ‘housing & support’ info and advice for 30 people with complex and systematic needs; could be a vehicle for wider implementation, and new forms of home assessments / bidding advocates and support

RSL services exist to give money advice as part of developing life skills

CBC ‘advice’ staff trained on ‘mental health’ issues, laws, services, and use of M H Act

The body most similar to old YMCA now also serves Kettering Wellingborough & Rushden

CBC stock still held for use in absolute emergencies

Not aware of any capital funds towards housing investment from health / care side

Use Sheltered housing for People with Learning Difficulties under 50

Reuse of previous stock for young parenting / life skills / move on services (like Eden Park)

Feedback under way for use of stock to help people with learning difficulties (e.g. Bassett Rd)

There is a use of Common Assessment Framework with its focus on desired integration

School provision for people with Learning Difficulties at Oakley Grange

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9. Involving communities – urban and rural

Integration of new tenures (pepper-potting) within new developments wanted – different practices to locate clusters of affordable units within larger schemes predominantly for sale

A strong community engagement at Kingswood - remodelling, new designs, etc

Reduced readiness in live in some rural areas with limited facilities

What is evidence of need in Gretton and Weldon areas?

Role for ‘community safety’ partnerships, but uncertain of appetite for ‘community enterprise’

Local communities undertaking own monitoring of conditions (e.g. at Oakley Vale) and CBC councillors keen to be updated to help address issues

ASB issues still a factor in different places

An interest in the promotion of co-ops (build or management)

Look at more opportunities for ‘self build’ schemes or plots

Consider a pilot Elderly Cohousing scheme under Health & Well-being agenda

10. Resources & finances

Stock like new bungalows seen as 25% more expensive or otherwise ‘land hungry’

Potential role for streamlining design costs and codes, though land and development sector not pleased with attempts to require certain designs

Responsibilities for new infrastructure and services like schools remain uncertain – local CIL still not finalised

Concerns on any ‘depression’ effect on site values – development briefs need to support ‘level playing field’ across different participants, could use private sector to help construct ‘briefs’

Limited revenue streams now available to cover ongoing service costs

What feasible routes for modern ‘invest to save’ futures (including any encouragement ‘not’ to house people?

What actions are proposed on Bedroom Tax arrears?

No Big Society funds for Corby housing issues

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11. Summary of key suggestions / priorities

What mechanics to use that could suitably phase in ‘priority’ actions?

Is a review needed of s106 funds required to kick-start new transport provisions in SUE areas?

How to combine good quality dwellings with necessary support services (e.g. to older people)?

Waive / reduce ‘Education’ requirements for in-fill provision

Reduce affordable requirements in new developments by up to 25% where remaining 80% could include provision as new bungalows

Need to improve CBC area web-pages – make information available on all providers

Prepared by Sabine Coady-Schaebitz and Martin Field

Collaborative Centre for the Built Environment, University of Northampton

November 2013