Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,983
3 December 2008
18:1310222Stephnie,this was not meant to be patronising to you or any other poster i just tell you the facts.We are trying to obtain more houses but it is a slow process.DDC were not trying to mislead people this scheme was pushed through by national government.Its called choice sadly for our district we donot as i explained have many houses to offer.WE do get a few come through Housing Associations there will be some in Maison dieu road You tell people in under occupied houses to move .I tried once was called a wicked witch
3 December 2008
19:2110228I can't help noticing Sue has annoyed people again. it's a gift. I think it is legitimate to complain about the lack of social housing and the lack of will to create any. I don't expect you to walk on water Sue, and loaves and fishes are passe - but I do expect you tp respond appropriately to people with a legitimate complaint without becoming defensive and actually downright rude.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
3 December 2008
20:1710240in fairness susan has a good point about getting people to leave under occupied houses.
in most cases they are family homes where a son or daughter has left, or in a large number of cases there has been a bereavement and it would be inhumane to put pressure on the person or people left behind.
incidentally, why would anyone call our susan a wicked witch?
form an orderly queue please.
3 December 2008
22:1010257
What you and Sue say is true, and I would be among the first to raise a concern if people were wantonly turfed out of their homes (there are also cases where vulnerable adult children are bereaved and stay in their family home after their parents die, and that is right too, for many reasons.) But my issue is with the lack of creation of social housing - and please don't anyone quote the "credit crunch" - because first i will smack the next person to use those words near me, and second the CC is s new phenomenon and hasn't prevented new builds or investment in social housing up until now.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
3 December 2008
22:4910265bern and others
we can all wish for more social housing to be built, it will not ever happen though.
the gap is too long now, the previous goverment back in the early eighties decreed that receipts for council house sales could not be used for new building, the present government has shown no appetite for changing things.
it is very similar to the demands locally for a bowling alley, skating rink, multiplex cinema etc.
Guest 677- Registered: 8 Jul 2008
- Posts: 150
3 December 2008
23:1710268Firstly I must emphasis that I never asked anyone to "turf" someone out of their home I merely pointed out that under certain circumstances (of course approach the matter with sensitivity) it could be pointed out to some tenant that they are sitting in property that could be better utilised by other families. And it was only a thought.
Secondly why will there never be more social housing built? if the government were petitioned hard enough it is possible to change their mind, I'm sure it has happened before.
Finally, no Howard, of course I don't want to move out of Aycliffe (even with Brian and Stewart here (only kidding guys
)) but please remember that I have a disabled daughter to think about and Aycliffe, whilst beautiful, has nothing but small houses, hills and steps.
It's not the man in my life, its the life in my man!!
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
3 December 2008
23:4210274no, it has not happened before.
social housing is a thing of the past, we are left with private ownership, renting from private landlords and housing associations.
the major parties both decree this and also people residing in housing association properties seem to prefer that to local authority housing.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
4 December 2008
07:4810280Social Housing is not a thing of the past Howard.
RSLs (Registered Social Landlords) are gradually taking over from local authority housing - council housing around the Country.
The tenants have the same security of tenure as council tenants, the same rent rate agreement so they can't go up too quickly or by too much and in many if not most cases, the acccommodation will be repaired quicker and probably to a higher standard.
And the rent still has to be paid !!
I think (and Sue will correct me if I'm wrong) that 2009 will see the cost of council housing being more than the net income and Decent Homes standard (which really isn't that good) costing more that the Housing Revenue Account can afford.
All social housing tenants are looked after very well, probably better than those living in private rented housing under unscrupulous landlords, whose only interest is getting their rents.
Sue is working hard to address this anomoly, but it is an uphill struggle.
Roger
4 December 2008
08:2910283I work closely with RSLs and there is a positive future for social housing if local authorities have the skills to take the opportunities available. I have concerns that some LAs don't have the commercial savvy or the social will to make it happen.
PS - Stephanie - I was not referring to you when I spoke of people being "turfed out"!!!! I can't imagine you would want that!! I am aware of many cases when LAs have goose-stepped over the mark and caused considerable suffering by doing just that and was referring to them.
4 December 2008
08:3210284PPS - it is good to hear that Sue is working on social housing initiatives - there are so many directions this area could travel in and it wil be crucial to identify the best and most appropriate way forward to benefit not only local areas but vulnerable and disadvantaged people in those local areas. It is a complex and challenging job - I speak as one who knows!!!
Unregistered User
4 December 2008
10:4410304This is not a political point otherwise I would post it on politics. Funding for Council or RSL housing projects has reduced radically over the past ten years. The clawback from DDC by government of £5m per year from Housing income means that we are not able to fund major improvements adequately or assist finance new builds. The syndrome is called negative subsidy. This £5m is allocated elsewhere in the England. If tenants own rent money was allowed to be re-invested in the District as previously, our work with RSL's to build etc. would be far more productive.
Currently we are looking at how we can pursue underspends on specific grant/loan money that is not being taken up to purchase housing units rather than lose the money. We are also following up £3b. allocation [of which housing is a part] from the Pre- Budget. We can be original & innovative if flexibility is allowed.
I had discussions with the Minister for the South East about the £5m removed to other areas.
Sue works hard on your behalf & cojoles those who are behind the game.
We recently achieved a funding promise from the Primary Care Trust for more specific elderly care housing provision in the area. This will be a KCC new build replacement project.
Watty
4 December 2008
16:2710325PCTs and Boroughs are the best funding sources in partnership with service providers - it is good to read about creativity and innovation in this area, it has been outrageously under-resourced in recent years to the great cost of many including the vulnerable. It will be important to keep up with trends, though - there is quite rightly much greater focus on individual budgets and self commissioning and local councils and LAs will be left behind if they don't innovate. I was talking with Ann Williams (newly appointed Government Director for Learning Disabilities) last week and it is clear that, not only in that field but across the board there are changing relationships between stakeholders, and we need to keep pace.
4 December 2008
16:2710326PS - yes, I am passionate about it!!!!!!
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,983
4 December 2008
21:3310364Thank you Roger and paul for trying to explain the difficulties faced in providing homes and especially for vulnerable people .I left home at 7.30am today returning just after 6.00pm .I attended a conference to try and learn more about these difficulties ..I have gleemed some information which I will inpart to Paul and mt Lead Officers.I will not write anymore as Im very tired and its meetings again tomorrow .
4 December 2008
22:0610370It is barely believable that, despite all the feedback given on these pages there are six personal pronouns in the above posting and it is all about SN again. I try so hard to be positive and to respect and acknowledge SNs work, but she herself makes that incredibly hard to do. I need also to point out that SN, along with the rest of us, has choices to make - I also leave home early, usually around 04.30/05.00, and rarely return much before 18.00, usually later, because of my work, and it is also demanding and tiring as well as exciting and fulfilling. Housing and support are challenging arenas, I know - but I fail to see why she needs the validation of our approval and support so much if it is something she is choosing to do. Of course we all like praise, but suck it up!!!! Let your work speak for you - it will if it is any good!!!!
4 December 2008
22:0610371PS - Sue - was it the Newbury conference???????????????????????? Hmmmmm.....interesting!!!!!
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,983
4 December 2008
23:1010374Bern,
Future Housing 2008 ,held at The Business Design Centre Islington .I will have to meet you one day as It appears what ever I say I do you question .
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
4 December 2008
23:1110375you are being a bit unfair on our susan, bern.
she sweats blood for us all, must be true, she is always confirming it on here.
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,983
4 December 2008
23:1210376My work does speak for it self .
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
4 December 2008
23:2510378as our lord said about his apostles, "you will know them by their work".
i may be wrong, it might have been the head of the gestapo that said it.