My main point which was totally overlooked in the article is simply this; Hyndburn has 34,000 families and 36,000 houses and 2,000 empty properties. Regenerating them alone is not the answer.
It is possible to identify many people who want a home and can't get one in Hyndburn. Probably nowhere near 2,000. However they clearly cannot afford and some form of lower than market value mechanisms has to be put in place and when you are dealing with retrofitting old abandoned victorian houses then the cost is quite high.
The Government claims there are 750,000 empty homes which will could help solve the housing crises. David Gibbens in his reporting missed the implications across the both of this obvious point. That the majority of these are depopulated areas (Burnley's population has fallen 20,000, Liverpool's 500,000). Areas of low demand. Areas where supply exceeds demand. Empty properties that require an intelligent more broad based response too if they are to be brought back into use. That's where HMR was partially successful. In reporting the detail he supported the minister in highlighting the simplicity with which Hyndburn's could access the new government funds (as a non HA provider) missing the points that this was not made feasible before for Hyndburn and the government have now found a means to allow that. Secondly that as an HMR area with some 125 properties still in Council ownership, there may be a financial liability in becoming a landlord again (Hyndburn stock transferred in 2005) as a Council and having a Housing Revenue Account.
It would have been helpful if Mr Gibbens had sent a courtesy email to my staff or I and we could have pointed out the problems that exist with dealing with these matters particularly as a small District Council.
I'm sorry if Graham feels that I have missed the point in my Empty Homes Network article on the empty homes debate, particularly given that Graham has been such a staunch advocate of dealing with empty homes. I don't think we missed the point - our story was very supportive of all the points that Graham made.
ReplyDeleteHigh up in the story our second paragraph story said: "MP Jones made important points about the issues facing areas of low demand. He pointed out that Hyndburn had over 7% of its housing stock empty and that housing needed to be seen in the context of an overall plan for regeneration, to which housing could make a significant contribution but for which it could not be the only solution."
Thus the thrust of our article was entirely supportive and we highlighted specifically his comments on being a district in a two-tier area.
Regarding the point about becoming a Registered Provider, I felt a great deal of sympathy for Graham as he appeared to have been wrongly advised. That is why the Empty Homes Network exists - to help people get it right. In future we will make sure that we send a courtesy email to Graham if we report his views; but we hope that he will also take the trouble to contact us if he wants to get make sure his understanding is correct.
And Graham may not realise that over the year since the government announced £100million for empty homes via the Affordable Homes Programme we have been arguing for a more flexible and less bureaucratic approach that would give the money to local authorities to spend more effectively, tailored to local circumstances.
The main point and the one you missed is that Hyndburn has 34,000 residents and 36,000 homes which I repeated in my speech. As for a registered provider, you miss the point. The Council always knew it could be a registered provider again, just not within a short timeframe. This information was NOT sent out to LA's who had stock transferred and I believe a quick fix my the minister when he said, 'Just send a letter in that's all'. However you missed the point here as well. Our issue is not becoming a registered provider but the consequences of opening up a HRA. The liabilities the Council may face especially when it is a HMR area. We own nearly 100 properties but we are not as yet a HA for the reasons stated.
DeleteI hope you revisit these points and accept that what Hyndburn is saying is drill down a bit and you come across further stumbling blocks.