Almost one and half million pounds of home energy
efficiency improvements, a record number of major adaptations in
homes delivered, high levels of client satisfaction....these are
just a taste of the achievements in the last year by our
strategic housing service, which has published its annual
report.
During 2010/11 the service faced a number of challenges because
of changing national housing policy and the economic situation. The
amount of affordable housing built exceeded the 2010/11 target by
five units, with 110 new homes built. The service also worked
with council colleagues in the adult social care team together with
Alliance Homes to deliver 12 units of housing to enable people with
learning disabilities to live independently.
Officers also worked closely with Alliance Homes to exceed a
target for transfers by under-occupying tenants under the transfer
incentive scheme pilot. This led to 26 family homes being freed up
for use by those who needed them.
A review of the HomeChoice choice-based-lettings system was
completed which found that the scheme is very successful in both
allowing applicants easy access to 'apply' for affordable housing
over the internet and in reducing the costs of operating the
housing register. The service also worked with North Somerset
LINk to give more help to vulnerable people to use the system.
A new homelessness strategy was compiled and the service was
able to prevent homelessness from occurring in approximately 85% of
cases. A new joint service operated with the children and
young people's services directorate for homeless 16/17 year olds
was very successful and led to around 52% of these young people
being able to return home or to move into other accommodation in a
planned way, without the need to use temporary housing.
Cllr Elfan Ap Rees, deputy leader and executive member for
housing said that there were many positives and highlighted, in
particular delivering 92.5% customer satisfaction, but he
acknowledged that challenging times lie ahead.
"Having achieved some excellent results the service still faces
significant challenges ahead due to the current difficult financial
climate and national policy changes affecting welfare benefits and
housing.
"Enabling people to live independently for longer gives them
more dignity and can also save the council thousands of pounds. We
also have good plans in place to help bring empty homes back into
use, by using a sensible targeted approach. One of the biggest
challenges we face is reducing the 9,000 plus people we have at the
moment on the housing register."
