Responding to new housebuilding figures published by Government, District Councils’ Network Chairman, Cllr John Fuller, said:

“Year on year district councils continue to deliver the housing this country desperately needs.

“The 2017/8 statistics evidence that Districts were responsible for just under 100,000 of these housing completions which is more than any other type of authority delivered.

“In order to maintain this considerable momentum, government must reaffirm its commitment to the New Homes Bonus which remains crucial to incentivising local growth.”

ENDS

CONTACT: DCN media office, 020 7664 3333

 

 

 

 

 

Responding to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care’s Prevention Vision, Cllr John Fuller, DCN Chairman said;

“We welcome the Secretary of State’s focus on prevention, in particular the recognition of the need for suitable high quality housing, which is one of the biggest determinants of health and wellbeing.

“District councils are the planning and housing authorities for over half the country and have a vital contribution to make to public health through their key preventative services including housing, leisure and environmental health.

“We are responsible for ensuring that all types of high quality housing, including affordable homes, are available, adapted where necessary to suit the needs of residents from all walks of life. It is our role to anticipate housing needs and ensure that future demands of social care are reduced today so that the day-to-day social caseload is reduced for tomorrow.

“We hope to work with government to contribute to the important green paper on prevention.”

ENDS

 

DCN: RISING COSTS OF HOMELESSNESS MUST BE REFLECTED IN FUTURE FUNDING FORMULA

Rising levels of homelessness need to be reflected in local government funding reforms after more than half of district councils reported an increase in requests for help dealing with the issue in the first six months of new housing legislation.

As the housing and planning authorities, districts are at the forefront of preventing and relieving homelessness. However, only one in five districts say that government funding to support the implementation of new statutory duties under the Homelessness Reduction Act (HRA) is sufficient, while over two-thirds (69 per cent) have seen an increase in the visible signs of homelessness in their areas, according to the survey of DCN members.

The survey has been carried out to find out how district councils have been impacted by the first six months since the implementation of the HRA, which places a duty on councils to assess the housing and support needs of every client who is homeless or threatened with homelessness and to provide them with a Personalised Housing Plan.

Districts can and want to do more to support their most vulnerable residents, so are urging Government to ensure that the rising costs of tackling homelessness are reflected in the fair funding formula which is due to be consulted on shortly through the fair funding review.

DCN is further calling for:

• Extra funding on top of the initial HRA implementation funding, so that councils can continue to secure accommodation for homeless people
• The HRA cap to be lifted as soon as possible, together with more infrastructure funding, so councils can build more social housing
• Greater financial flexibilities for non-stock-holding authorities to borrow to build more homes
• A review of current housing payment processes within Universal Credit which remove the security of direct rent payments to private landlords who need greater reassurance that the tenancies of benefit claimants or people with previous rent arrears will be successful
• An early review of the HRA administration process to be streamlined as it is more time-consuming than the previous homelessness duties
• Urgent action regarding the increasing tenancy fees set by letting agents in order to secure accommodation

DCN Chairman Cllr John Fuller said:

“Everyone deserves a safe and affordable home. We welcome the Homelessness Reduction Act, but since April 2018, over half of district councils have seen an increase in requests for homeless advice and assistance, with an increase of more than 100 per cent in some areas during this six-month period.

“The ongoing costs for new HRA duties far outweigh the initial funding – which isn’t enough on its own to address the lack of housing supply or the affordability issues affecting people in need – and can’t be sustained in the long-term. Providing additional, sustainable funding beyond 2019/20 through the funding formula will allow Districts to continue to support homeless people or those at risk of becoming homeless over a longer time period.

“The thresholds set for various support services are now so high that they are predominantly crisis-focused and are less responsive to addressing the low level issues that lead to homelessness, which coupled with funding cuts to council budgets, impedes the work to prevent it and can lead to people becoming trapped in a cycle of homelessness.

“The announcement on lifting of the HRA cap was well-received by Districts but this needs to be implemented as soon as possible so councils can build more affordable homes which are badly needed to help provide long term solutions to homelessness.

“District councils believe multi-agency work needs to be strengthened to target the various factors that have either caused people to become homeless or is preventing them from being rehoused because unless the Government tackles the root causes of homelessness then there is a risk that initiatives will not remain successful in the long term.”

ENDS

District Councils’ Network media office, 020 7664 3333

DCN: ALL RIGHT TO BUY RECEIPTS SHOULD HAVE LONGER TIMEFRAME

In its submission to a government consultation on the use of Receipts from Right to Buy Sales, Cllr Sharon Taylor, DCN Finance Lead, said:

“Having two sets of time limits for use of Right to Buy receipts for the same purpose is illogical, particularly where DCN, as the planning and housing authorities, share government’s ambition to increase house building.

“We support the time limit for spending existing Right to Buy receipts being extended from three years to five years so that councils can maximise the benefits of the housing borrowing cap being scrapped, to build much needed homes in their local areas.

“However, this proposal must be extended to the use of future receipts so that councils can ensure that they achieve best value. There is no logical reason why future receipts should be subject to a shorter time frame compared to existing receipts.

“Furthermore, the time limit for complex and high value regeneration schemes should be extended to seven years to avoid deterring major housing delivery projects.

“If councils are to play a full part in delivering the Government’s ambitions for social housing and to increase opportunities for families, they need to be able to keep 100 per cent of Receipts.”

 

 

ENDS

District Councils’ Network media office, 020 7664 3333

DCN RESPONDS TO ANNOUNCEMENT ON LIFTING THE HOUSING BORROWING CAP

Responding to an announcement today by Theresa May that the housing borrowing cap will be lifted, Cllr John Fuller, Chairman of the District Councils’ Network (DCN), said:

“The Government expects district councils, as the planning and housing authorities, to manage their local housing markets to benefit people at all stages of their lives.

“Finally the Government has recognised that councils need the fiscal tools to manage their housing markets by lifting the housing borrowing cap. We welcome this important new power which the DCN has long called for.

“Many councils with extensive housing potential, often surrounding the largest cities, have transferred their own stock to registered social landlords and therefore don’t have housing revenue accounts. These Districts should not miss out on the opportunity to build the homes this country badly needs.”

 

ENDS

District Councils’ Network media office, 020 7664 3333

DCN CALLS FOR MORE FREEDOMS AND FUNDING REASSURANCE IN SUBMISSION TO AUTUMN BUDGET

Following the DCN’s submission to the Autumn Budget, DCN Finance Lead Cllr Sharon Taylor said:

“Districts are now facing increasingly stark funding challenges that threaten the vital services their communities rely on. This is a critical Budget for district councils who now need long-term financial reassurance and greater freedoms and reward.

“Districts have punched above their weight in terms of savings made through shared services but have also faced the biggest reduction in their spending power since 2015 compared to other types of councils.

“This steady decline must be reversed, through the Fair Funding Review and greater flexibilities for districts to tackle unfairness in the system and an increase in spending power in the next spending review period.

“This means councils should be able to set their own level of council tax without the need for costly referendums; lift the borrowing cap for councils with housing stock; have greater flexibility on Right to Buy receipts with the New Homes Bonus baseline scrapped; and be allowed to recover the full costs of services and set all licensing and planning fees locally.

“Districts should also be allowed to set a 3 per cent prevention precept which could generate £42 million in 2019/20 to build on their successful work reducing demand on crisis-hit adult social care and the NHS.

“This Budget is a vital opportunity to recognise district councils for delivering better lives and stronger economies by encouraging growth and recognising that Districts cannot continue to provide essential local services without sufficient and sustainable funding.”

NOTES TO EDITORS

DCN’s full submission to the Autumn Budget can be read here.

 

ENDS

District Councils’ Network media office, 020 7664 3333

DCN RESPONDS TO LGA ADULT SOCIAL CARE GREEN PAPER

Responding to the Local Government Association’s adult social care green paper consultation, which ends today, Cllr Isobel Darby, DCN Member Lead for Quality of Life, said:

“Action is urgently needed to address the adult social care crisis, the single largest problem facing local government services and their financial sustainability.

“As the housing and planning authorities, district councils already play a crucial prevention role in helping to improve people’s health and wellbeing, which significantly reduces the demands and costs on adult social care and the NHS.

“The preventative role of councils must be better recognised and funded, alongside the need for a long term sustainable funding solution to adult social care instead of simply recycling existing funding within local government, which will never meet the future cost pressures of an ageing population.”

NOTES TO EDITORS

• DCN’s full submission to the LGA’s adult social care green paper consultation can be read here.

 

ENDS

District Councils’ Network media office, 020 7664 3333