Jun 8 2006
Eight million tenants will be living in better homes by the end of the decade, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Ruth Kelly announced today. By 2010 the Government's Decent Homes programme will have improved 3.6 million homes, with investment of over £40bn.
These new figures were announced along with the next and final bidding round for councils to apply for funding. Councils applying for extra resources from the 2006 housing transfer programme and the final Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) bidding round have until the end of July to do so.
Ruth Kelly said:
“We've made tremendous progress. In 1997 millions of council tenants were living in homes that hadn't been renovated since the day they were built. We've made these homes fit for the 21st century. “But decent homes on their own are not enough. What is outside the front door matters too. “We know that radical solutions are needed to transform some of our most deprived neighbourhoods. That means local authorities, and housing associations, harnessing the energy and direction of the decent homes programme and the potential of their assets to create decent communities not just decent homes. Combining funding streams and working with other agencies to really raise the quality of life for all. “This takes time to get right. It also needs flexibility to allow local authorities to decide what their local community really needs. That is why I am content to see us move forward, getting as much as possible of the basic decent homes work done by 2010 but recognising that some will take - and must be allowed to take - a little longer. “So the constraint of 2010 will be relaxed in a limited number of cases for those local authorities engaged in or wishing to pursue major transformations of their estates or where it is clear that we could secure better communities, and so better long term value for money by taking a little longer."
Ms Kelly also said that in future the Government wants decisions on investment in improving social housing to be considered alongside decisions on the other investment necessary to deliver sustainable mixed communities, and not as a separate programme. Local Area Agreements (LAAs) could be a way of doing this.
She also announced the publication of a discussion document calling for innovative new approaches to housing.
“I'm not backing a 'fourth option'. I'm absolutely clear councils must have an important role in delivering housing for communities. The Department will work with a number of ‘excellent’ local authorities and local authorities with three star ALMOs to examine the costs and benefits of operating their finances outside the national housing subsidy system. This approach could improve long term sustainability of investment in housing, as well provide evidence for decisions in the Government's 2007 spending review.“The Decent Homes programme has given tenants a voice. I want to see if we can extend this - in particular I am keen to explore why there aren't more tenant owned housing associations such as those in Preston and Walsall.”
The success of the Decent Homes programme has seen more than 500,000 kitchens and 350,000 bathrooms already improved since 1997.